Day tripping around Florida.............Dunedin.......for a very special occasion

 

Dunedin's Main Street ends at the marina.  We were happy not only because we were celebrating our 42 year anniversary, but also because the next stop was the ice cream shop!

A commonly used phrase is "time flies when you're having fun".  It certainly seems to ring true most of the time, and it certainly was true for us on July 17.  On that day we celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary..........."time flies when you're having fun".

To celebrate we planned a one-night getaway to Dunedin, which is just a little over an hour's drive from Bradenton.  We had made a brief stop in Dunedin a few years back on our way to Tarpon Springs and were really impressed.  It seems like we aren't the only ones impressed with this coastal town of 36,000 residents.  It is frequently listed as one of the best small towns, not only in Florida but in the United States.  After our one-night stay and exploring around a bit, we certainly are in agreement with the high praise that the city receives.

Dunedin Visitors Guide

We had a Marriott Rewards Certificate that was nearing its expiration date and were fortunate to find The Fenway Hotel had availability.  The Fenway is a historic hotel, located along the tree lined Edgewater Drive overlooking Clearwater Harbor and Caladesi Island State Park.  The hotel opened in 1927 and operated as a "seasonal hotel" until 1961 when it started welcoming guests year-round.  In addition to serving as a hotel, it also housed Pinellas Counties first radio station (WGHB).  The walls in the  public spaces are tastefully decorated with historic photographs and musical memorabilia as a tribute to its past.

The Fenway

The Fenway

Prior to our arrival I had called to let them know we were celebrating our anniversary.  Upon arrival the front desk attendant wished us a Happy Anniversary and informed us that our room had been upgraded to a harbor view room.  When we opened the door to the room, we were welcomed with a huge charcuterie board with assorted meats, cheeses and olives and a bottle of chilled champagne.  We had already started talking about where we were going to eat lunch, but the question was answered for us.

We really appreciated the surprise the hotel gave us for our anniversary!

After lunch and a little relaxation, it was time to head out and do a some exploring.  We had learned that the top ranked Florida State Park was located just a few miles north of Dunedin.  Ironically, the name of the park is Honeymoon Island State Park.  Naturally since we were celebrating 42 years of honeymooning, we had to go.

Honeymoon Island State Park

The park features over four miles of unspoiled beach front.  Because there had been some showers in the area earlier in the day, the park was relatively empty.  The clouds kept the temperature and the humidity fairly low, and we enjoyed a slow stroll for several miles up the beach before turning back.  We finished off the day with a casual dinner at Frenchy's Outpost which is located on the Dunedin Causeway, followed by a casual stroll along the very nice Main Street which was fairly busy with a mix of tourists and locals.

Frenchy's Outpost

We pretty much had the beach to ourselves...........

.......in both directions!

Downtown Dunedin is full of shops and restaurants…..and a few umbrellas!

Sunset across Clearwater Harbor (taken from the hotel)

The next morning, we were up and out of the hotel early.  First we enjoyed a walk along the waterfront path, enjoying views of the harbor as well as the well-maintained homes along Edgewater Drive.  I'm not sure how far the path goes, but before we turned around we were in Clearwater.  We then took advantage of the complimentary bikes offered by the hotel (one free hour, then $10/hour).  Just a few blocks behind the hotel is the Pinellas Trail.  This trail is over forty miles in length running from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.  Of course we didn't ride the full trail, but we did enjoy several miles of it before turning back.

The Pinellas Trail runs through Dunedin.  It's a great biking, running and walking path!

It was getting close to check out time and we had worked up a decent appetite by then.  We enjoyed strolling through the downtown once again, spending some time in a really nice co-op art gallery that featured local artist and the Penny Lane Beatles Museum (currently located inside the art gallery).  The Beatles museum is a private collection of a local physician.  It had been recommended to us by one of Beth's cousins (Thanks Kristy, it was great).   On our way out of town we stopped at a small family operated restaurant (Delco's Original Steaks) that had received great reviews.  Their specialty was "authentic" Philly cheesesteaks. The restaurant was bustling even though it was still a little before noon.  In spite of being pretty busy they were amazingly efficient and in no time we were munching on a delicious cheesesteak sandwich that was every bit as good as ones we've gotten in Philly.  Based on the Phillies, Eagles and Flyers memorabilia covering the walls from floor to ceiling there's a strong Philidelphia connection.........

Delco's Original Steaks

We loved our one night stay in Dunedin and look forward to visiting again soon.  It's the perfect place for a weekend getaway or to celebrate a special occasion!   

Day tripping around Florida...........The Ringling Museum, Sarasota

The Ringling Museum.......a masterpiece just a few miles down the road!

I'll have to admit that I'm a little embarrassed to be posting this blog just now.  We've spent so much time out here on Anna Maria Island over the years and until last week we had never visited the Sarasota Ringling Museum, which is just eighteen miles down the road from us.  I'm not sure what took us so long to get there, but we're sure glad that we finally made it!

The Ringling Museum

John Ringling was one of five brothers who organized and took their first circus on the road in 1884.  The circus was an instant success and grew rapidly from its inception.  John was considered the most business savvy of the five brothers and diversified his portfolio beyond the circus to include railroads and real estate.  In 1905, at the age of 39 he married Mable Burton (age 30).  The Ringling's never had children but were passionate about entertaining family and friends as well as collecting top of the line furniture and artwork from around the world.

In 1911 they purchased 20 waterfront acres in Sarasota, which at the time was a small fishing village.  The Ringling's saw the potential for development of the area and soon built their large home on the property.  While building the house they also decided to build an art museum that they would leave behind as part of their legacy.  Additionally, they made the decision to move the winter home of the circus from Connecticut to Sarasota.  Both of these decisions were considered key in the early development and continued growth of Sarasota.

There's plenty to see and do on the grounds of the museum.  In fact, we found so much to do on the day of our first visit that we went back the next day.  Of course, there was a reason for the double visits and naturally it had to do with savings!

On Mondays there is free admission (called Legacy Day) to the large and very interesting art museum.  The collections on display include ancient Indian sculptures, masterpiece paintings, photography, modern art and much more.  We enjoyed spending a couple of hours roaming the 21 connected galleries as well as the glass pavilion showcase.  Access to the very impressive grounds is also included in the free admission.  We didn't spend too much time roaming the grounds which are covered with huge Banyon Trees because of the heat.  We've already made plans to return once cooler temperatures arrive and enjoy a picnic at one of the many tables scattered around the grounds. We had left our phones (cameras) in the car so there aren't any pictures from the art museum or grounds that we took.  There are plenty of photos of both in the link. 

What is not included in the Legacy Day is admission to the Ringling's Mansion (Ca'd'Zan Mansion), or the Circus Museums.  What caught our eye was the "Summer Circus Spectacular" which runs several days a week through mid-August.  This event is a one-hour circus which featured five traditional circus acts for $20 and admission to the Circus Museums for an additional $5.  We had so much fun in the Art Museum, we couldn't pass up the opportunity for more fun and adventure, so we purchased circus tickets for the next day............and we're sure glad we did.

The circus was very entertaining, but the star of the show was the two circus museums which were outstanding.  They featured interactive displays and memorabilia from Ringling Brothers and other circuses that traveled the country performing, first under the big top, and then in large arenas.  Most impressive was learning the logistics of setting up, tearing down and transporting the circus from town to town, especially when we learned that in most cases the typical length of time in any town was one day!  There is also a massive display of wooden figures that were carved and painted by hand showing how it all worked. There are over 42,000 pieces in the 3,800 square foot display. It's so large and detailed that pictures don't do it justice.

The circus is held in a small theater that seats approximately 200.  The majority of the audience at the performance we attended were day camp children.  They brought plenty of enthusiasm with them which made it even more fun. 

Just a very small part of the 42,000 piece model circus display.  It's the world's largest and it's amazing!

Maybe I missed my calling.............

Maybe Beth missed her calling as well.

Lou Jacobs was a famous clown in the Ringling Brothers Circus.  He could somehow fit himself into this car and drive it into the arena.

The traveling ticket office that was used when the circus was performing under the "big top"

John and Mable Ringling's private rail car that would travel with the circus from town to town.  There were two bedrooms, a parlor, two bathrooms (one with a bathtub), a kitchen and dining area.

One of several circus wagons that were used both during performances as well as for parades that were held to announce the circus had come to town.

It took us a long time to get to the Ringling Museum, rest assured it won't take us as long to get back!

      

Summertime Florida fun with family and friends.............

The time we have to all be together is rare, but it's always super special

 Since returning from Athens in early June we've been in Florida.  As is always the case at this time of year it's a bit on the hot and humid side, but it's also a special time of year for us because it means time with family and friends.

For two special weeks around the 4th of July the annual Beach House gathering of Beth's family takes place here on Anna Maria Island.  Her family has roots on the island that go back to at least 1911.  As I understand it, that's when a family member purchased a piece of property on the island.  Shortly thereafter the tradition of summertime on the island started, and it's been going strong now for close to a century.

Generations change over the years, but the legacy that was started, not only remains, but is going strong and really growing at a rapid rate.  This year at the peak of the two-week reunion there were well over 100 family members on the island enjoying the sand, surf and fellowship. When I say the numbers are growing at a rapid rate, I'm not kidding.  This year we made an attempt to get a head count on the number of kiddo's thirteen and under and as best as we could determine there were about 30, and the majority of those were under five years of age!  It's nice to know that the legacy and tradition of Beach House is being passed on to the younger generation, just as it has been passed down through the years.

This is about 2/3's of the Beach House group.........an amazing tradition!

Beth and I felt exceptionally fortunate because for a few glorious days we had Ben, Sarah, James and Emma with us (we missed you, Joey!).  Ben's time was limited to just two days, since it's one of the busiest times of the year at the campground.  We're grateful for those two days and the fact that they overlapped with the six days that Sarah, James and Emma were with us.  James and Emma loved spending time with their cousins (no matter how distant the relationship is, everybody at Beach House is an aunt, uncle or cousin).  They also had a blast eating popsicles in the pool, waging nerf gun battles and visiting with NaNa.

A pose that's been recreated many times through the years!

In addition to Beach House, I had the opportunity to get together with my brother Gerald for a couple of meals, one of which Beth joined us.  Unlike Beth's family, my family is small, but the love for each other is the same.  We get to see each other a few times a year and just like Beach House, the time together is always fantastic.

It's always fun to get together with Gerald, especially when there is fresh seafood.  This is at the Tide Table in Cortez.  Our favorites are Tide Table (Cortez), Star Fish Company (Cortez), Anna Maria Oyster Bar (Bridge Street Location) and Woody's River Roo (Ellenton).  

We'll be leaving the island in a few days and heading out to California.  We have an Airbnb rented for the month in the small. eclectic town of Monte Rio.  We're looking forward to the cooler temperatures near the Pacific coast and under the redwoods, and of course spending time with Sarah, Joey, James and Emma.  

Before leaving there was one final big event.  This one is a little hard to believe.  Next year will mark the 50th year since I graduated from that academic powerhouse known as Mulberry High School.  The class ahead of mine (Class of 74) held their 50th class reunion last night.  Mulberry was a wonderful place to grow up and the high school, like the town itself is rather small. Everybody pretty much knew each other, not only at school but around the town.   It was kind of the Class of 74 to open up their reunion to the other MHS alumni to attend.  It was a blast getting to see so many friends from the past, many that I haven't seen in 50 years.  One strange thing about it..............they all look older now!

MHS Class of 74.........we appreciated their hospitality!

MHS Class of 72

A few of us were there from the classes of 75 & 76

Still Standing after all these years!

It's been a wonderful six weeks here...............the adventure continues!