You’d be hard put to find a place that celebrates those hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer with more panache than St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida.
This being summer, baseball’s big down here – and not just the major league variety. It’s June 12 and the Clearwater Threshers are set to take on the arch-rival Tampa Yankees at one of this country’s premier minor league parks: Bright House Field. Grab a hot dog and a cool draft and leave your worries back in the parking lot for this quintessential ritual of summer.
Can’t get enough baseball? This Father’s Day there’s an intra-state tussle out at Tropicana Field. That’s where the Tampa Bay Rays tilt with the Florida Marlins. We dare you to find a more all-American way to spend the day with your son or daughter. The first 10,000 kids 14 and under get a David Price Jersey Wallet – cash not included.
From baseball to brasseries, Florida’s west coast is prime territory. June 14 is the date for Cassis American Brasserie’s annual beach bash, a time when the elegant local eatery is bedecked with sand, palm trees and the requisite volleyball net.
Something more cerebrally sedate? June 15 American State Theatre performs Vanishing Point. The curtain goes up at the Raymond James Theatre in downtown St. Pete.
There’s entertainment, then there’s entertainment under the stars. The latter can be had June 16 at Pier 60’s Sunset Cinema. Weather permitting Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be the flick.
The area is beautifully accessible by air. Not only is Tampa International Airport a prime player on Florida’s west coast, smaller, manageable, St. Petersburg/Clearwater International is a sometimes-overlooked jewel of an aerodrome. PIE (that’s its appetizing airport code) plays host to a slew of flights from low-fare Allegiant. It links PIE with smaller cities in the East and Midwest.
(Image: Darrins)
