Indian Rocks Beach

Although we usually go to Panama City Beach, we decided to give the Tampa area a try this year. A major factor in this decision was learning to scuba dive in two days at American Pro diving center in Crystal River, about 1.5 hours away. Also having been to Sea World and the Disney parks, I wanted the kids to see Busch Gardens. I had been to Busch Gardens about 30 years ago and remember it as being much larger and more exciting. I was kind of disappointed with the limited activities and the smaller size of the park. The one good point was smaller lines and crowds. It does not stack up to Sea World in San Antonio or any of the Orlando parks. It only took us about five hours to see all that they had to offer.

Quick Tips:

We rented jetskis and went para-sailing at John’s Pass Marina. Flying High treated us very well. We also went golfing a couple times at Tides Golf Course, who also treated us well. Although the beach and nightlife are much more subdued and not as exciting compared to the Panama City area, we found the locals to be more friendly and genuine.

Best Way To Get Around:

We had a rental car and found that getting anywhere you wanted to go took a good deal of driving. Nothing is nearby. The Clearwater/Largo area is very spread out. We never did get used to the long traffic lights. You can make it through several lights at a time, but if you get stopped at a light, prepare to have a five-minute wait.

Camaron Cove was very nice. The units are very spacious, comfortable, and very well maintained. Although our unit was at the front of the building, we still had a good view of the beach and pool area. The staff was very helpful. The beds were very comfy, and the TVs worked well and had a large selection of local channels. We were very busy the entire week we were there, so we did not participate in any of the resort activities. The only things we could say the unit lacked was a TV in the second bedroom, an iron, and laundry facilities in each unit. The building does have a laundry area, but the machines were old and the area was very hot. There is a coin-laundry directly across the street that was much more convenient.

Sam Seltzer's offers a great steak for a good price. There are several in the Tampa area. Four of us had the 14-oz. strip and the bill was less than $70. The food was very good. We also had no luck finding a good Chinese buffet. We went to two, but we were not very impressed. Maybe next time.

We have been snorkling for several years, so this year I wanted the family to get open water certified for scuba diving. I saw an article about swimming with the manatees for American Pro. After some research, we decided it was too late in the year for the manatees, although the folks at American Pro said they still have good luck.

Instead, we opted for the scuba program. For $249 each, plus tax, they will spend two days with you and get you certified. You must be willing to take a few weeks time before to read and learn all of the material in the dive manual. It takes a little effort, but it was worth it in the long run.