Tour of Florida - Discover Tampa Bay

Our recent attendance at the 2018 Florida Governor's Conference on Tourism was inspiring, to say the very least. Based on the information we gathered at the event, we have selected a few highlighted locations to spotlight on a virtual "tour" of Florida. These articles will be released in a series - each featuring a different location. For more information on the destinations we're featuring, please click here. For now, please enjoy our previous features on Amelia Island, Bradenton/Gulf Islands, HistoricCoast, and Treasure Coast. Please note - information contained in this feature is not based on firsthand experience, but from promotional materials put out by representatives of the featured location at the 2018 Governor's Conference. 

- HIGHLIGHTS FROM ORLANDO'S NEIGHBOR TO THE WEST -

Tampa Bay is experiencing a hotel boom. Two luxury properties -- the five-star, 173-room Tampa EDITION (opening in 2021) and 4-star, 519-room JW Marriott Hotel & Resort (opening in 2020) – are on track for downtown. In 2019, a co-branded Home2Suites and Hampton Inn will grace the Channel District, a few minutes from Port Tampa Bay’s cruise terminals. In trendy West Shore, the Current, a new Marriott Autograph hotel, adds to the area’s waterfront luxury. New in 2018, AC Hotel by Marriott opened in the heart of the West Shore District, and the Godfrey Hotel & Cabanas offers waterfront boutique features minutes from the airport.   

New in 2018, food halls bring a dynamic vibe to historic Tampa Heights. Sample mouth-watering fare at Hall on Franklin or at Heights Public Market located inside the fully restored Armature Works, both iconic buildings reborn as stylish, modern venues.  In Seminole Heights, Chef Farrell Alvarez brings his exciting culinary vision to new in 2018 Nebraska Mini-Mart, a funky hangout with great food and shuffleboard. Waterfront dining grows with new in 2018 seafood-focused Blue Harbour. Our favorite eateries imbue their menus with local flavor are La Segunda Central Bakery, Oxford Exchange, and the Columbia, Florida’s oldest restaurant.  

FLORIDA - Two sea turtles released by Brevard Zoo

MELBOURNE, Fla., June 21, 2018 — Skipper and Ginny are back in the sea. This afternoon, more than 100 animal lovers joined staff and volunteers from Brevard Zoo’s Sea Turtle Healing Center as these green sea turtles made their way to the open ocean off Hangar’s Beach.

Skipper was found floating in Port Canaveral after she was struck by a boat in February. Ginny was discovered on the coast of Melbourne Beach in May; when put in water at the Healing Center, she demonstrated buoyancy issues, likely due to a gaseous buildup in her gastrointestinal tract. Both patients were treated with medication, nutritious food and rest.

FLORIDA - FIFTH GRADERS NATIONWIDE TO RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION TO NASA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX

Explore a Universe of Fun for Free through December 31, 2018

 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (April 11, 2018) – KENNEDY SPACE CENTER –  Fifth graders nationwide have just landed a free trip to space. For the second consecutive year, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is offering a front row seat to NASA’s future of space exploration with an invitation for a full-day of adventure and fun for FREE!

Current and incoming fifth graders (for fall 2018*) who visit with a full-admission-paying-adult**, will receive free, one-day admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The ticket is available via the following link:https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/info/tickets#SpecialOffers. The ticket can be printed and then presented at any ticket window, along with one of the following as proof of age: a fourth- or fifth-grade report card, a passport or birth certificate. The offer will run through December 31, 2018.

FLORIDA - Port Canaveral to Host Carnival Elation Cruise Ship

Four and Five-Day cruises from Port Canaveral Starting May 2019

Port Canaveral, FL – December 7, 2017 – Port Canaveral will be the homeport for Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Elation as they launch a new year-round schedule of four- and five-day cruises beginning May 12, 2019. Carnival announced today that the newly renovated ship will encompass four-day “long weekend” cruises departing Thursdays to Freeport and Nassau and five-day voyages departing Mondays and Saturdays to Amber Cove and Grand Turk.

“Port Canaveral is proud of its partnership with Carnival Cruise Line and we look forward to welcoming  Carnival Elation in 2019,” said Port CEO Capt. John Murray. “Today’s announcement is another endorsement that our ongoing investments in state-of-the-art terminals and commitment to excellence in cruise operations continues to earn the confidence of some of the world’s most successful cruise brands.”

FLORIDA - STAN LEE IS COMING TO MEGACON TAMPA BAY™ TO SUPPORT HURRICANE IRMA RELIEF EFFORTS - SEPTEMBER 29 TO OCTOBER 1

MegaCon Tampa Bay to donate $5 per ticket to Feeding Florida

Tampa Bay, FL – September 14, 2017 – MegaCon™, the Southeast’s fan convention, has announced Comic Book Legend Stan Lee will appear at MegaCon Tampa Bay to meet his fans and support Hurricane Irma relief in Florida. For the next 2,000 MegaCon Tampa Bay tickets sold online, the convention will donate $5 per ticket to Feeding Florida, a statewide network of food banks working on the ground to provide families impacted by Hurricane Irma with food and emergency supplies.

“The generous support of the MegaCon Tampa Bay community will allow Feeding Florida to provide necessary supplies to our families directly impacted by Hurricane Irma,” said Robin Safley, Executive Director of the Feeding Florida. “Partnerships like this allow our statewide network of food banks to continue to support every community and provide many of the front-line services required during response and recovery efforts.”

FLORIDA - Crabby Bill’s on Clearwater Beach Sports Fresh New Look

Klar and Klar Architects designed a new modern, open space for the iconic restaurant

(Clearwater, FL) August 14, 2017—After serving 17 years as a popular local restaurant, it became apparent to the owners of Crabby’s Dockside (or Crabby Bill’s) and the City of Clearwater that the restaurant needed a fresh new look. Crabby’s provided the winning architectural proposal in a competition to the City of Clearwater to build a new restaurant and renew a 30-year lease.³ The old building, a converted gas station dating back to the 1970s, was demolished to make room for a new building and plaza designed by Klar and Klar Architects.² Klar and Klar Architects and interior designers worked together with Crabby’s team to create a modern design which includes three stories providing three separate and unique dining experiences. On March 31, 2017, Crabby’s reopened with a unique open, colorful, and airy look.

Klar and Klar Architects’ award-winning coastal designs complement the upbeat beach environment. “We wanted to create a piece of architecture that was exemplary of the current trends happening on Clearwater Beach,” says Steve Klar, principal architect and co-founder of Klar and Klar Architects. “Crabby’s custom architecture creates a seamless experience for the beach crowd where they can fully enjoy all the beauty and tranquility the beach environment has to offer.”

The new Crabby Bill’s includes a third-floor protected rooftop deck with some of the most spectacular panoramic views of Clearwater Beach.³ An outside bar area and sidewalk seating on the first floor were designed to accommodate more casual beachgoers.² For Clearwater’s hot summer days, the second story offers air conditioning dining with floor-to-ceiling windows installed to offer gorgeous views while beating the heat.²

Since the design has been completed, Crabby Bill’s has been immensely busy as both locals and tourists clamor for fresh seafood in a beautiful setting. “We’re glad we could artistically contribute to the development of the local coastal aesthetic and allow the new architecture to bring people to this tried and true family spot,” Klar added. “As the new Crabby’s is the first building you see when approaching the roundabout on Clearwater Beach, it was important to highlight both the modern nature of redesigned Clearwater Beach and the natural beauty of the gulf coast.”

Klar and Klar Architects is dedicated to providing unique, contemporary, organic architectural design to the Tampa Bay Area in order to inject life and improve the culture of the bay communities. Their buildings are designed to sustain the test of time and improve the visually built environment and culture of the area.

Since 2001, Crabby Bill’s in Clearwater Beach has been serving quality seafood at its 37 Causeway Boulevard location. Crabby Bill’s in Clearwater Beach is currently managed by Prime Cost Management Group.² The company manages three Crabby’s locations, including Crabby Bill’s Clearwater Beach, Crabby’s Bar & Grill and Crabby Bill’s St. Cloud.²

About Klar and Klar:

Klar and Klar Architects, Inc., is a full-service architectural and interior design firm located in the Tampa Bay Area. Since the firm’s inception in 1992, Klar and Klar’s mission has been to enhance the culture of an area through design excellence and create and build an environment that will sustain the test of time. The firm’s aesthetic focuses on contemporary organic artistic design and integration of energy-saving technology. Roberta S. Klar and Steven Klar, the founders and co-principals of Klar and Klar, emphasize a team approach which enables each member to contribute their ideas and creativity towards the goal of creating a superior product. In 2017, long-time employee Tim Knowles was added as a partner. Klar and Klar has won numerous awards, including the 2013-2014 Project of the Year—Structures Award by the American Public Works Association, the National Merit Design Award by The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), the Excellence in Construction Award by the Associated Builders and Contractors program, and the 2011 Business Beautification Recognition Award—Homeless Emergency Project (HEP) by the City of Clearwater and Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit http://www.klarklar.com/.

1. Reiley, Laura. “Restaurant Review: New Crabby’s Dockside on Clearwater Beach Retains Beachy Feel of Crabby Bill’s.” Tampa Bay Times. N.p., 17 July 2017. Web. 05 Aug. 2017.

1. “Crabby’s Clearwater Beach Approved for New Location.” Tampa Bay Newspapers. Tampa Bay Newspapers, 24 Sept. 2015. Web. 05 Aug. 2017.

1. “Crabby Bill’s Clearwater Beach to Be Demolished, Rebuilt.” FOX 13 News. N.p., 11 May 2016. Web. 05 Aug. 2017

Destination: Clearwater - East Shore Resort

This year's "Spring/Summer Series" ventures beyond our Orlando borders to explore some nearby destinations to consider when you need a little getaway from the hustle and bustle of Orlando. You may be surprised to discover a whole new world just a short drive from theme park paradise. Speaking of paradise... we discovered a nice little slice of it, less than two hours west of Orlando, in Clearwater Beach!

It's immediately obvious how Clearwater Beach earned its name... crystal clear waters. Paired with that pure white, soft Gulf Coast sand, it's the kind of combination that you just can't resist. Growing up in Texas, I have always had a special love for Gulf Coast beaches, so this was a sight to behold!