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| 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.
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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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.
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| We pretty much had the beach to ourselves........... |
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| .......in both directions! |
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| Downtown Dunedin is full of shops and restaurants…..and a few umbrellas! |
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| 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.
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| 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.........
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!
