Page 93 - Travel Guide to Florida 2020

Beach (No. 1 for the second consecutive year)
and St. Pete Beach (No. 4). And at the end of
the day, there’s no better place than a beach
in West Central Florida to watch spectacular
sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.
When water temperatures dip below 72ºF
in Florida, West Central Florida’s natural
springs are terrific spots to see manatees,
thought to be mermaids by sailors too long
at sea. Popular manatee viewing spots FLATS FISHING, CITRUS COUNTY • VISIT CITRUS COUNTY
include Weeki Wachee Springs State Park,
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park,
Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River and the
TECO Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo
Beach, just south of Tampa.

ENTERTAINMENT
When it comes to nightlife, West Central
Florida likes to party. And there are plenty of
spots to do just that.
Ybor City’s thriving nightlife ranges from
dance clubs and live music venues to quiet
pubs, while Tampa’s South Howard Avenue,
or SoHo, is filled with restaurants. However,
this hip strip really comes alive after dinner
when the drinks begin to pour.
Professional sports take hold of West
Central Florida on the ice, on the field and on
the pitch. The Tampa Bay Lightning are on
the ice for their 2019–20 season from
October to April, unless the team makes the
playoffs and their NHL season is extended in
pursuit of the coveted Stanley Cup.
Take the family out to the ball game
during spring training, or during the regular
season for that matter. Beginning in March,
the Toronto Blue Jays take their swings at the
Dunedin Stadium, while the New York
Yankees play spring ball in Tampa and the
Philadelphia Phillies step up to the plate in
Clearwater. The Jolley Trolley travels from
Clearwater to Dunedin and on to Tarpon
Springs, making it easy to catch a few spring
training games along the route. During
the regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays
play their opponents at Tropicana Field in
St. Petersburg.
On the pitch in downtown St. Petersburg,
the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team begins
its pre-season matches in February, and the
regular schedule takes them through the
summer and late into the fall.

2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 91