tampa bay destinations: Westgate River Ranch in Florida - World's Largest Dude Ranch - 07/25/11 08:57 AM
Westgate River Ranch here in sunny Florida says it is the world's largest dude ranch....I have a feeling a few people in Texas are NOT going to agree with this statement but I did not make it. Just read the sign:

There are 1700 acres to this dude ranch which is located southeast of Lake Wales in the center of Florida. Here they offer RV campsites as well as regular rooms to rent.

I had never been there before, so Ronnie and I stopped off on our way to the Atlantic Coast last Friday.

There are canals everywhere … (7 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Tarpon Springs Florida - Greek Sponge Diver Paradise - 06/21/11 08:26 PM
Tarpon Springs Florida is indeed a Greek sponge diver's paradise! Tarpon Springs is the one town locally where you can go into almost any store and speak Greek! The local Greek sponge industry started around 1905 when the first Greek immigrants arrived in Tarpon Springs. At one time the sponge industry was more profitable locally than the citrus industry!

Today the town is popular with tourists who enjoy purchasing the sponges and sampling the fantastic Greek cooking in local restaurants!

Tarpon Springs Florida should be on your list of things to do while you are in the Clearwater area! The … (2 comments)

tampa bay destinations: The Yogurt Spot of Boot Ranch Helps Beat The Heat - 06/16/11 12:49 PM
Yesterday was another hot day. It is June and we are in Florida, so it is supposed to be hot! That is why we live close to the shore, so we can take advantage of the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico. But yesterday was not a day for the beach, instead it was a trip to the aquarium with my granddaughter, followed by a trip to Target for a new dress for the little princess and a few odds and ends that I needed to pick up.
We were both tired, hot and thirsty. So what did we do? … (8 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Tarpon Springs Aquarium For An Educational Afternoon - 06/15/11 07:41 PM
This afternoon I once again picked my little granddaughter up from day care and we went out to spend a few quality hours together. She wanted to go to the aquarium in Tarpon Springs, so that is where we headed.

Tarpon Springs Aquarium is located on the west end of Dodecanese Blvd. We got there a little before 1 pm and just in time for the shark feeding.

It has been interesting, watching my granddaughter develop. A year ago she wouldn't touch anything at the aquarium. Here she is reaching for the turtle and I had a hard time … (4 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Clearwater Marine Science Aquarium On Island Estates - 06/14/11 10:56 AM
Clearwater Marine Science Aquarium is located on Island Estates in Clearwater. It is also home to Winter, the dolphin that was rescued and lost it's tail. This beautiful little dolphin is the star of the movie DOLPHIN TALE, which was shot right here in our own Clearwater Marine Science Aquarium!
I cannot wait for this movie, staring our own WINTER THE DOLPHIN as well as Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd, to be released this coming September! You can be sure I will be taking my granddaughter to see this film more than once!
But since the film won't be released for several … (6 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin Florida - 05/03/11 09:27 AM
Honeymoon Island State Park is my favorite beach! Nothing can compare with the crystal white sand of the beaches or the emerald sparkle of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico! It is on Honeymoon Island that I come to take long walks whenever I have an extra hour or two.

If you get here early enough, you will find the most beautiful sea shells imaginable washed up over night onto the shore. Just be sure that the shell doesn't have someone living inside if you decide to keep it. The same is true with sand dollars! Be sure that … (0 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Honeymoon Island State Park In Dunedin - Great May Day Destination! - 05/01/11 11:19 AM
Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin Florida is certainly a great destination for May Day!!! Whether walking the osprey trails with your camera hoping to catch an osprey in it's nest or taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine day for a dip in the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico, there is no better destination than Honeymoon Island State Park!!!

That is just another advantage of living here in our little corner of Paradise! If you are interested in relocating to our area, give me a call today! With condos and homes at all time lows, there couldn't possibly … (7 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Spring Means Oleander Bushes Are In Bloom In Dunedin Florida - 04/11/11 01:40 PM
Spring does indeed mean Oleander bushes are in bloom and one of the most beautiful places to experience that is out on the Dunedin Causeway right here in Pinellas County!

Dunedin Causeway leads out to Honeymoon Island State Park, voted time and again one of the nation's most beautiful parks!
 

Perhaps that is why all of us locals prefer going out to Honeymoon Island State Park over most of the other local beaches! It is indeed breathtakingly beautiful and located at the west end of the Dunedin Causeway!
If you are thinking of relocating to our little corner … (10 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa Florida - 02/22/11 03:30 PM
Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa Florida has been around for a long time. I remember going there as a kid and doubt that the entrance fee was over five dollars! Things sure have changed, but prices everywhere have gone up!

The great thing about it is that once you are inside all of the rides are for free! That is something that everyone can appreciate! I know my granddaughter loved them!
 

I never knew how large a full grown giraffe is until I saw this one! Pretty amazing when you realize just how tall they are!
 

… (4 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Heritage Village In Largo - 02/16/11 01:29 PM
Heritage Village in Largo is a wonderful weekend destination for the entire family! Learn about Florida's past and the rich history of Pinellas County! Located off of Walsingham Road in Largo, Heritage Village is one of Pinellas County's many great parks!

This is a fantastic educational experience for the entire family and a favorite destination for school outings!
 

While my generation may remember the days of hanging clothing out to dry, I dare say most of today's teenagers would hate to have to do without an electric dryer for their clothing!
 

The day's of the scrub … (3 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Heritage Village Park - Largo Florida - 02/04/11 08:34 PM
Today I took about a half hour break and walked through a small section of Heritage Village Park in Largo Florida. It was my FIRST time there and I have lived in Pinellas County for almost 20 years! This visit was LONG overdue!

I was driving down Wallsingham and had an extra half hour to kill before my next appointment when I noticed I was (once again) passing Heritage Village Park. I made a quick turn and parked the car just outside the property. As I entered the grounds, the above photo is what I saw first.
 

This … (3 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Tarpon Springs Aquarium - 12/03/10 07:27 PM
Tarpon Springs Aquarium is a great place to spend an afternoon. There are sharks, alligators, various local fish from the Gulf of Mexico and an assortment of moray eels and rays. You can feed and pet the rays and the smaller of the two alligators comes out of the tank during show and tell. Children can touch the little gator (it is about 3 feet long) as well as the turtles.

This large gator and the snapping turtles are fed a couple of times a day. You can feed the sting rays at any time of day, they take the … (8 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Tarpon Springs Florida's Sponge Docks - 10/06/10 05:13 PM
Tarpon Springs Florida's Sponge Docks is a great weekend destination! Whether you just want to stroll along the docks and have lunch in one of the wonderful restaurants or purchase unique gifts (many of them coming directly from Greece) there is no finer place to spend the afternoon than the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks!

The wonderful thing about having lunch or dinner in Tarpon Springs is that you can be sure what you are eatting is coming fresh from the Gulf of Mexico! With all of these fishing and shrimping boats, there is always a wonderful assortment of fantastic dishes!
… (6 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Siemens High-Speed Train Coming To Florida - 10/06/10 09:53 AM
Florida will be the first state in the USA to have a high speed train connecting major cities the way it is done in Europe and Japan! Built by Siemens AG, the high speed rail travels at speed up to 200 mph and will connect Tampa - Orlando - Miami!
$1.25 billion is being used to start construction on the first phase which will connect the 84 miles between Tampa and Orlando. The completion date is set to be in 2014. Thereafter the 220 mile stretch between Orlando and Miami will take place.
This is wonderful news for the environment as … (0 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Dunedin Causeway - Gateway To Honeymoon Island State Park - 08/12/10 02:02 PM
Dunedin Causeway is indeed the gateway to Honeymoon Island State Park, which is my favorite place to collect beautiful sea shells right after a good storm! You have to get out early before everybody else hits the beach!

But even if you don't go all the way out to the state park, the causeway itself is a great place to go swimming, windsurfing, boating and fishing!

Living right on Florida's sparkling Gulf Coast does indeed have it's advantages! And the water is a large part of our life down here!

You can rent a boat for a couple … (9 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Clearwater Marine Science Aquarium in Clearwater Florida - A Great Way To Spend The Afternoon! - 06/07/10 09:35 PM
Clearwater Marine Science Center on Island Estates in Clearwater Beach, Florida is indeed a great place to go for an educational afternoon! Whether you want to see dolphins, sharks, rays or a wonderful assortment of local fish, this is the place to visit!

The Clearwater Marine Science Center is, as the sign says, a rescue, rehabilitation and release center unless the rescued sea inhabitants are too ill to make it in the wild again. Then they remain at the aquarium, which is the case of the four dolphins currently residing there full time!

Check their website for hours of … (2 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Clearwater Beach's Island Estates - 02/10/10 03:13 PM
Clearwater Beach's Island Estates is also home to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which is a rescue aquarium for the native sea animals. Everything from sea turtles and dolphins to otters are brought in if they are ill and taken care of by the staff until they can be released back into the wild.

Imagine having a condo on Island Estates, volunteering at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and taking your guests for tours there when they come down from up north to visit you!!!

Clearwater's Island Estates is indeed a great place to live!!! I would love to show you … (0 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Temperature Back in 70's - Good Day For Golf - 01/15/10 01:06 PM
Yes, you read that one correctly! The temperature down here in sunny Florida is back up in the 70's! That is what I love about living down here, it never stays cold for too long! So what do you do when it has been way too cold for the last 10 days???? Naturally, take off for the golf course!!!

Actually, I would rather be at the beach, but the water is just too cold right now - unless you are a tourist - those brave souls venture into water that Floridians would never get into!!!
If you are interested in … (4 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Caladesi Island - just off the coast of Dunedin - 01/01/10 02:33 PM
Caladesi Island is just off the coast of Dunedin! You can get there by boat and if you don't own one, you can take the ferry from Honeymoon Island State Park, which is at the end of the Dunedin Causeway. Caladesi Island has restrooms and shower facilities and there is even a place to purchase drinks and sandwiches which is run by the park service.

If you are adventuresome, you can actually walk there from Clearwater Beach. You simply keep walking north and if the tide isn't too high, you can cross the channel that separates north Clearwater Beach from … (6 comments)

tampa bay destinations: Brooker Creek Preserve - North Pinellas County - 01/01/10 09:16 AM
Brooker Creek Preserve is a large park - approximately 7 miles by 1 or 2 miles - located in northern Pinellas County off Keystone Road. It is a wonderful place to go for long walks. The park has been left in it's natural state for the most part.
Buildings for educational purposes have been added and classes are offered there by the park rangers. You can learn about the native wildlife as well as about our native plants! There is even a gift store where you can purchase unique gifts.

With miles of trails to hike on, it is a … (2 comments)

 
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Barbara-Jo's Beach Blog - Palm Harbor Florida Real Estate

Palm Harbor, FL

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Charles Rutenberg Realty

Address: PO Box 302, Crystal Beach, FL, 34681-0302

Office Phone: (727) 512-0910

Cell Phone: (727) 512-0910

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Having grown up in south Tampa and lived here in Pinellas County for the last 20+ years, I know the area well! Give me a call today at 727-512-0910 or send an e-mail to barbarajo@barbarajo.com. Be sure to visit my web site: www.barbarajo.com Ich spreche Deutsch!

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