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Tampa Bay’s Hometown Morning Krewe

Tampa Bay’s Hometown Morning Krewe

Tampa Bay’s Hometown Morning Krewe

Sarasota Bar Named One Of The Best

Author Tampa Bay's Morning Krewe

A Sarasota bar has been named as one of the best in the United States. The name of the Sarasota bar is The Gator Club. It is located on Main Street in Sarasota and has been named as one of the 27 best bars in America by USA Today. The way that USA Today came up with this list is they used their network of Food writers across the United States to come up with this list.

“When we set out to spotlight the USA TODAY Bars of the Year, we didn’t select the places you would find on your average roundup of best bars. Our food writers are not just spending a few days passing through a city in search of what it has to offer. They live in the towns they cover. They work there. They drink there.”

What USA Today Says About The Best Sarasota Bar

Here is what the study says about The Gator Club, “Located in downtown Sarasota near the city’s famed Bayfront, The Gator Club is a two-story bar and nightclub boasting more than 110 years of history, including bootleg whiskey, illegal gambling, an upstairs brothel and the kind of spirits that can’t be contained by a glass. Upon entering, guests encounter two bars and an elevated stage frequented by bands such as the beloved reggae act Jah Movement. Patrons are advised to proceed with caution up the rickety old staircase to the second floor, where DJs transform a former living room into a pulsating dance floor. In the back of the same floor, a cozy bar offers high-end hooch, the madam’s teller’s cage and the setting for The Gator Club’s scariest ghost stories.”

The Other Florida Bar On The List

The other Florida bar that made the list is Flori-Bama on Perdido Key. Kenny Chesney had a song on his album The Big Revival that was named Flori-Bama.

Kevin is a member of Tampa Bay‘s Hometown Morning Krewe on 995 QYK. He has been with the station for 25 years, is a Tampa native, and went to Jesuit High School and USF. Go Bulls!. He is passionate about all things Tampa Bay. Kevin writes articles on the ongoing road projects around the Tampa Bay area, awards that Tampa Bay cities and businesses have won and country music happenings around the Bay area. He is always doing many things with his wife and kids. He loves to read books and play video games in his spare time.

Underrated Florida Beaches That Are Filled with Beauty

Florida is known for its beautiful beaches and resorts. After all, Florida is the Sunshine State. But, if you’re looking for some more underrated, and less busy, Florida beaches, then you also have some options. The major beaches are often filled with tourists, so finding some of the more underrated Florida beaches may be just what you need for a quiet getaway.

Most Underrated Florida Beaches to Visit

Before we get to the most underrated Florida beaches to visit, let’s talk about the amazing water areas that Florida has to offer. Florida is one of the boating and fishing capitals of the world. As VisitFlorida.com points out, the state has more than 7,700 lakes, 11,000 miles of rivers, 2,276 miles of tidal shoreline and has been home to more than 900 world fishing records. That tops any other state or even country. How wild is to to think that Florida has created more fishing records than even any other country? It shows just how rich the state is when it comes to our water.

Florida also has more than 700 freshwater springs, and 27 are classified as first-magnitude springs, which is more than any other state. A few other special things about Florida is that John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo was America’s very first underwater state park. Also, the fishing village of Cedar Key is known for having the best clam chowder in America. So, if you have a craving for clam chowder, that’s the place to go.

A separate article from VisitFlorida.com notes that Florida beaches are known for being very clear, but “it varies from week to week, and even from day to day depending on the amount of sunlight, the temperature, the amount of rainfall, the wind speed and direction, water currents and surf.” They add that Florida has some very clear and beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and on the Atlantic Ocean. For clear water ost days, try “northwest Florida beaches in and around Panama City Beach, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Pensacola; southwest Florida beaches on Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key and Siesta Key.”

I love that fact that you can enjoy Florida beaches any time of the year. I mean, contrary to what people outside of the state think, it can get cold here in the winter. But, it’s rarely too cold to sit on the beach with a sweatshirt on and watch the sunset. Read on for underrated Florida beaches to get on your radar.

  • Fort Myers Beach

    Fort Myers Beach still has a good amount of damage from the hurricane, but Margaritaville is open, so you’ll find plenty to do there. Situated on Estero Island, Fort Myers Beach is one of the state’s most underrated beaches. At Fort Myers Beach, you’ll find beautiful, white-sand beaches and gorgeous sunsets.

    Fort Myers beach.

    Getty Images / benkrut

  • Sarasota

    Make sure to visit Siesta Key here, as well as Sarasota Gay Beach and Crescent Beach. Just south of Tampa Bay, Sarasota is a lovely beach town that is especially popular during the holidays. You’ll find lots of local shopping opportunities here.

    Sarasota

    Getty Images / Sean Pavone

  • St. George Island State Park

    St. George Island State Park is located on a barrier island fronting the legendary Apalachicola Bay. It’s a great place to gaze at the stars. Note that starting March 1, 2025, the campground at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park will be closed for an expansion project.

    St. George Island State Park

    Getty Images / Liene-Helmig

  • Santa Rosa Beach

    If you head to Santa Rosa Beach and want to find some really special, and secret, beaches, try Blue Mountain Beach and Grayton Beach State Park. This beach town is less crowded than most, which makes it a low-key getaway.

    Santa Rosa Beach

    Getty Images / krblokhin

  • Pensacola Beach

    Pensacola Beach is located on a 40-mile barrier island, Pensacola Beach, and has beautiful, translucent waters. It’s a really small town, so it’s much less crowded than other beaches. It’s a hidden gem.

    Pensacola Beach

    Getty Images / Ben Oldaker

  • Discover Your Own New Favorite

    If you don’t want to go too far, do some digging and visit one of the closest beaches to you, that you haven’t visited yet. This is one of my favorite things to do. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite beach super close to home.

    Discover Your Own New Favorite

    Getty Images / Sergey Dementyev

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