The laid-back Gulf coast Florida gems, with stunning beaches and no theme parks

WHEN you think of a trip to Florida,  you’re likely to picture  Orlando with Disney’s Magic Kingdom and  Universal Studios.

But, the truth is Florida has so much more than Orlando, or Miami for that matter.

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St. Pete and Clearwater — just over 100 miles west  of the home of Mickey Mouse — is Florida at its finest.

Stunning beaches, fab hotels, amazing food and so many things to see and do you’ll want to keep coming back.

We stayed at The Wyndham Grand  Clearwater Beach, as the name suggests, right on the blindingly-white sands of the glorious beach that stretches for miles and miles.

Spacious rooms with ocean views was just the antidote to the long flight over.

Tired and hungry from the journey we were thrilled to discover the hotel’s Ocean Hai Asian-fusion restaurant as the sun set over the ocean.

If we needed reminding that we had travelled to a beautiful location, then that was it. Great food meets great view

I can’t say I’m usually a beach-type, but the ones on offer at Clearwater and St. Pete are brilliant, with pristine  sand and warm waters to have a dip in.

Kayaking was on the cards for our first full day in Clearwater and we headed north to Caladesi Island, just past Dunedin — meaning Edinburgh in Gaelic this was a welcome reminder of Scotland in the Sunshine State.

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The island used to be bigger, we were told, until a hurricane swept through in 1921 and cut through the land.

In creating a second island, and in a twist of fate, the hurricane brought with it a chance for couples to enjoy a romantic getaway.

It was named Honeymoon Island and marketed as an escape for newlyweds in the early 1940s.

After tiring ourselves out paddling, we headed back for lunch at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill which was packed with locals — a sure sign of its popularity in the area — and after filling up on delicious seafood it was easy to see why.

Afterwards we headed to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where they help rehabilitate a number of animals including dolphins, turtles and otters.

It is worth a visit if you have an interest in learning more about the wildlife that Florida has to offer and the efforts to help preserve it.

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That evening we took in a stunning sunset from the rooftop pool at the JW Marriott Clearwater Beach, before enjoying a  fantastic dinner.

I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass me by to taste their Wagyu steak which was a real treat at the hotel’s In The Deep End restaurant. The food was divine and the staff were amazingly friendly.

Next day called for a pint and luckily  we’d booked a tour of nearby Dunedin Brewery, with its St Andrew’s flag proudly on display.

Dunedin was first established by two Scots in search of sunny weather in 1899. I think they made a good discovery!

Interestingly, the links have been maintained ever since in this part of Florida, with Dunedin home to its own world championship pipe band.

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After some drinks, we stayed in Dunedin to go to The Fenway, a hotel with plenty of character reminiscent of the  jazz era of the 1920s and 1930s.

We were there to enjoy dinner at the hotel’s chophouse and I was delighted to have ordered steak again, because it was absolutely delicious.

Full to the brim, we headed upstairs to a rooftop bar that was buzzing with energy and enjoyed yet another glorious sunset — it felt like Florida was just showing off now!

After three fabulous nights  at The Wyndham, we checked out and headed south towards neighbouring resort St Pete.

On our way, we stopped off at the Salvador Dali Museum where we saw several of his amazing masterpieces, including The Hallucinogenic Toreador, The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, and The Ecumenical Council.

I’m not going to pretend — I am not an art expert. But on our guided tour, it was impossible not to be drawn in by the paintings and the stories behind them.

It gave me a much  greater appreciation of the world renowned Dali painting, Christ of Saint John of the Cross, which is housed here in Scotland at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

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We headed for a look around the The Vinoy in downtown St. Pete before checking in to The Don CeSar.  Both were built in the 1920s, both painted in an eye-catching pale pink.

The Don CeSar has  hosted a who’s who of US stars, from legendary Yankees baseball star Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe, to Al Capone and Franklin D Roosevelt.

As time wore on, however, both hotels fell into disrepair and were abandoned for several years, before undergoing huge renovations.
It feels rare for not just one, but two, old institutions to make such successful comebacks, but The Don CeSar and The Vinoy have managed it — and it’s a real pleasure to see.

Shuffleboard may not be a very well-known sport, but when we got the chance to play the game I realised I could easily become hooked.
You should give it a try if you get the chance — it is both relaxing and also therapeutic.

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St. Pete has a vibrant arts and cultural community, as I discovered during a walking tour of the local murals.

Even if you’re not usually a fan of art, it is worth checking out as the work really gives an insight to the city’s identity.

We rounded off our trip in the perfect way by enjoying some drinks at the Birchwood Canopy’s rooftop bar, overlooking Tampa Bay.
It’s truly a hidden gem and  felt like the place to be for those living in the area.

To me Clearwater and St. Pete is THE area to visit in Florida  — and even if you have  kids I’d still recommend staying here, because Orlando isn’t very far away so you can always pop up to spend a day or two with Mickey and pals.

So treat yourself by heading west rather than east  on your next trip to the Sunshine State and enjoy this  relaxing, welcoming and very cool part of fabulous Florida.

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