By Nanette Wiser
There are 101 ways to enjoy summer in Paradise. Pinellas County is the ultimate playground. Check our Arts & Leisure section for more ideas. Here’s some of our faves.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Plan an excursion with Nauti Kayak Adventures who will come to you or the fishing hole of your choice. Go retro with a shuffleboard game in Pass A Grille or St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. Explore the Pinellas Trail or pedal Walsingham Park. Motor or sail out of Freedom Boat Club of Tampa Bay or take a sunset sail from Dolphin Landings. Rent a paddleboard or kayak at Hubbard’s Marina or book a fishing excursion. Experience Boyd Hill overnight: St. Pete’s Terry Tomalin Campground has opened and is welcoming guests. Overnight stay options include primitive campsites, updated cabins, and a group campsite. Or head over to Fort De Soto for camping, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, biking and more. www.pinellascounty.org/park/camping
Terry Tomlin Campground 
Mirror Lake Shuffleboard Courts 
Known for its many unique, family-friendly activities, TradeWinds Island Resort has also added the new Zing Ray Zip, making them the first-ever St. Pete Beach resort with a three-story, dual-line zipline on the beach. Resort guests can enjoy unlimited rides, soaring through the bright blue Florida sky for a thrilling bird’s eye view of the award-winning beach. Many more fun-filled amenities will be hitting the beach this summer at TradeWinds, including the Aqua-Bana, a 10-person covered floating cabana complete with a table and a cooler of ice. The resort has also replaced their floating cabanas with a newer king-sized version and has added new components to the popular Floating Water Park, including a new water slide, catapult swing and monkey bar apparatus
GAME ON Kids love Treasure Island Family Fun and Beach Escape Game while adults flock to DTSP’s Park & Rec, 3 Daughers Brewing, Right Around The Corner Arcade Brewery for everything from arcades to cornhole and Jenga. Bowling on Sundays is our neighbor thing at Seminole and Ten Pin Lanes. Topgolf in Tampa is coming to St. Pete or putt and giggle at Smuggler’s Cove Adventure Park. Head over the bridge to Dave & Buster’s, the ultimate arcade fun served with strawberry margaritas. For trivia nights, Irish 131 (music Wednesday), The Taproom at Hollander, 3 Daughters, Big Storm Brewery, Mastry’s and Grand Central Brewhouse win our vote.
HANG OUT Local coffeehouses and tea emporiums offer cool havens from the sun. Read a book, write a short story downtown at Blush Tea, Bandit Coffee, Black Crow Coffee, Beans & Barlour, Paradeco Coffee Roasters, Kraft Café, The Chelsea St. Pete. At the beach, linger at Indian Rocks Coffee, Gypsy Soul, Grove Surf + Coffee and Craft Kafe near O’Bistro, another fine spot for sipping good wine in addition to Sea Grapes, Vino Simpatico and Elizabeth’s Wine Bar’s weekly wine tastings.
CULTURE & COCKTAILS With all the museums and galleries, theaters, and concert venues, plan a date night around culture and cocktails. Pair Social Roost and The Dali, Dr. BBQ and Zubrick Magic Theater, Two Graces and freeFall Theater, Datz and The James Museum, Green Light Cinema and Sea Salt St. Pete, Flute & Dram before American Stage.
If music is your muse, tiki with a beachy sunset panorama will delight at Caddy’s, Crabby’s, Bongo’s, Ka’Tiki, Jimmy B’s, Undertow Beach Bar, Sloppy Joe’s, Dewey’s, Ikki Woo Woo’s Tiki Hut, The Island Grill and Raw Bar, The Club at Treasure Island, Neptune Grill, O’Maddy’s and the rooftop Vista Way at Tierra Verde’s Residence Inn by Marriott.
TRY SOMETHING NEW Indulge your inner artist/writer with a class at Sunken Gardens, Florida CraftArt, Fairgrounds St. Pete, Painting With A Twist, Morean Arts Center, Creative Clay and Keep St. Pete Lit. Channel the Rolling Stones at The School of Rock. Spice up your fitness routine with belly dancing (Hip Expressions) or aerial yoga at The Centre @ St. Pet Beach.
Save the planet with Tampa Bay Watch and get close-up and personal with exotic animals at Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center, Clearwater Marine Aquarium (hosting happy hours this summer) or Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center.
PAUSING WITH PETS Your fur-baby deserves a sashay, and lucky for us, there’s lots of pet-friendly parks, bars (The Dog Bar in DTSP), outdoor restos and events. Pinellas Ale Works (PAWS) is an award-winning brewery, tap room, beer garden with many fun events including pet fashion shows. Don’t have a pet? Cuddle up with a cat at Sunshine Kitty Cafe on Central or do yoga with a baby goat at DK Farms.
On July 7, puppies take over 3 Daughters Brewing for “Doggy Noses & Yoga Poses” to benefit Fluff Animal Rescue! You do the yoga – the rescue pups do the cuddles! Adorable rescue dogs and puppies will be allowed to ROAM FREELY and interact with you during this one-hour all levels yoga class, so be prepared to get puppy kisses! Ticket includes the yoga class led by The Studieaux instructor Emily Zaunbrecher (RN, RYT200, CPT) and a pint after the class (for guests age 21 and over). You bring a yoga mat and/or towel – Fluff Animal Rescue will bring the dogs! Nama’stay’!
ST. PETE PRIDE PARADE: June 25
To honor our history, celebrate our community, and create an accessible, safe place for members of the LGBTQ+ community, St. Pete Pride will be hosting the largest Pride festival to date headlined by the June 25th Parade downtown. This is a free event and open to the public. The Parade route will run from Vinoy Park to Albert Whitted Park along Bayshore Drive. The Festival kicks off at 2pm on both sides of the parade route. North Straub Park will host a variety of local vendors, food trucks, DJ, and the beer garden! South Straub Park will be a 21+ space with a DJ, food and bars, and vendors. This is the space for you during the day to enjoy a drink, some space, and watch the parade travel by. At night South Straub will be transformed into a women and non-binary pop-up night club from 7-10pm. Entertainment lineup to be announced. Across the way in Spa Beach will be another opportunity to enjoy Parade Day. Vendors, food trucks, and beverage stations will line Spa Beach leading up to the main entertainment stage. Entertainment will run from 2-3:45pm. At 4pm the Parade will step off; don’t want to be in the crowd but do want to watch the Parade? Join us on Spa Beach for a livestream of the Parade to the main stage screen. Watch on your blanket for a more laidback experience. Main stage entertainment will resume at the end of the parade until 10pm.