TAMPA Magazine spoke to three concierges currently serving seaside hotels in St. Pete Beach, Clearwater and Sarasota about the best ways to spend a summer staycation in their respective cities. Each area offers something different for everyone — best to let the experts guide you from here.
Christina Spencer — The Don CeSar
As a member of Les Clefs d’Or, the legendary international association of top concierges, Christina Spencer has access to a limitless range of connections around the world, providing guests a truly unforgettable experience. Before moving to St. Petersburg 17 years ago, Spencer was a regular visitor and learned the area’s secrets through old fashioned exploration. With her guidance, your stay at “the Don” will feel like home.
Dining
“Inside the hotel, without a doubt one of the restaurants that shouldn’t be missed is the Maritana Grille, our Four Diamond restaurant that features exceptional quality and service. I like a little restaurant called Grace (120 8th Ave., Pass-a-Grille Beach), which is one of our newest restaurants on the southern tip of the beach. There’s Fetishes Fine Dining (6305 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach), which has been around almost 20 years now.”
Unique to St. Petersburg
“John’s Pass Village is a really active area, and the dolphins come into the pass at sunset. There’s Fort DeSoto Park (3500 Pinellas Bayway S., St. Petersburg), which is only 12 minutes away from here. You can go kayaking in the mangroves, there are lots of walking trails, and you can rent bikes to ride around. If you want to go where there are not a lot of tourists, I think the Central Arts District in Downtown St. Pete is a great ‘discovery zone.’”
Drinks
“There’s the Hurricane Watch, an outdoor rooftop bar right on the southern tip of the island right above the Hurricane (809 Gulf Way, St. Pete Beach) on their highest floor. Sea Hags (9555 Blind Pass Road, St. Petersburg) and The Brass Monkey (709 Gulf Way #200, St. Pete Beach) are very good also.”
Nightlife
“The most popular spot is Jimmy B’s (6200 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach). It’s a multi-deck bar that sits right on the sand, and you can watch the sunset. They have a couple of different bands that play each day. Woody’s Waterfront (7308 Sunset Way, St. Pete Beach) is another beach bar on the island with live music. There are also plenty of bars down on Central Avenue in Downtown St. Pete.”
Don’t Miss
“Even though a lot of people live out here, they may have never been to Cory Avenue. It’s the second historic district on our island. Everyone knows about 8th and Pass-A-Grille, but they really don’t know about our historic district that’s 2.5 miles north of the Don. It has wonderful galleries and shops. If something looks interesting, just turn up to a beach bar and check it out.”
The Don CeSar | 3400 Gulf Blvd. | (727) 360-1881 | doncesar.com
Michael Wagner — Sandpearl Resort
A resident of Clearwater since 1993, Wagner has watched Tampa Bay’s westernmost shore transform from quiet coastal community to a premier beach destination, and he has a local’s knowledge on all it has to offer.
Dining
“The Island Way Grill (20 Island Way) has been a favorite of mine for many years — the large layout and enormous patio deck on the water offers dry-aged steaks, seafood, sushi and a wide variety of oysters. Also, the Salt and Cracker Fish Camp (25 Causeway Blvd.) located in the Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina offers dockside dining for breakfast, lunch or dinner.”
Family Friendly & Unique to Clearwater
“Pier 60 at the heart of the island offers multiple playgrounds, sunset festivals, movies by the pier and large, inflatable water slides. There’s also the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (249 Windward Passage), home to Winter and Hope, the stars of the ‘Dolphin Tale’ films.”
Drinks
“Fortunately, there is no shortage of great places to enjoy an adult beverage here in Clearwater Beach. Clear Sky Café (490 Mandalay Ave.) has the friendliest bartenders on the beach; their bloody Mary bar on the weekends is second to none. If you are into craft beers, Badfins Food + Brew (215 S. Gulfview Blvd.), Cork & Brew Bistro (524 Mandalay Ave.) and North Beach Pub (600 Mandalay Ave.) are the places to go.”
Nightlife
“Clearwater Beach has abundant nightlife, with many local bars and restaurants such as Surfside Taphouse (395 Mandalay Ave.), Clear Sky Café and The Wave nightclub at Shephard’s Beach Resort (619 S. Gulfview Blvd.), which offers music from local and international DJs. Of course, you can’t forget karaoke at Brown Boxer South Beach (741 Bayway Blvd.) and Beach Fire Beach Bar & Grille (608 Mandalay Ave.).”
Don’t Miss
“Kayaking and paddleboarding with Downsouth Kite & Paddle offers two- and four-hour tours to many local areas, including Coopers Bayou, Belleair and Caladesi Island, where you will explore bird sanctuaries, mangrove tunnels and even take a tour of the nature trails on Caladesi itself.”
Sandpearl Resort | 500 Mandalay Ave. | (727) 441-2425 | sandpearl.com
Amber Kennedy — The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
Originally from Wisconsin, Amber Kennedy moved to Sarasota six years ago and has enjoyed adapting to her new home ever since. A three-year member of the Ritz-Carlton brand, Kennedy says the best thing about the hotel — apart from the views — are the people who staff it. “You can ask anyone who works for the brand, and they will tell you how much they love their job and how lucky they are to work for a company that genuinely cares for their employees,” Kennedy says. “When you put your employees first, they ensure your guests are always taken care of.”
Dining
“This town is blessed with the best dining options. We have any cuisine or atmosphere you are looking for. Tsunami Sushi (100 Central Ave. #1022) is a great restaurant for date night with the freshest sushi and kindest hospitality, conveniently located downtown. Also, you cannot miss a consistent local favorite, Selva Grill (1345 Main St.), a Peruvian-style restaurant with a ‘big city’ vibe.”
Drinks
“We have Jack Dusty, located in the Ritz-Carlton, where you can enjoy coastal cuisine and award-winning cocktails. There is also State Street Eating House (1533 State St.) and MADE (1990 Main St. #112), which both employ talented mixologists and foster food options that rival their cocktail menus.”
Nightlife
“One of the best things about Sarasota is that the night scene is constantly changing due to the ebb and flow of tourists. The nightlife is fairly mellow compared to the big city, but there is always a place to dance or enjoy live music.”
Unique to Sarasota
“There is something for everyone in this city. We have our world-famous Siesta Beach (948 Beach Road), which you have to see to believe. We have Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (900 S. Palm Ave.), Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary (7101 Palmer Blvd.) and Sarasota Jungle Gardens (3701 Bay Shore Road). The city does a great job supporting local businesses and artisans. Nearly every week there is either a festival, art and craft show, or farmers’ market.”
Don’t Miss
“My favorite places to visit are the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (5401 Bay Shore Road) and the Mote Marine Laboratory (1600 Ken Thompson Parkway). At the resort, we see a lot of our guests head to the spa on a rainy day, whether it’s just to relax in the saunas or steam rooms or enjoy a facial or massage. The only way to truly appreciate the city is taking a walk or bike ride on the Ringling Causeway, the mile-and-a-half-long bridge. The views are breathtaking, and we have the best sunsets in southwest Florida.”
Ritz-Carlton Sarasota | 1111 Ritz Carlton Drive | (941) 309-2000 ritzcarlton.com/sarasota
