10 Free Things to do on Florida’s Gulf Coast
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Aside from pricey theme parks and tourist attractions, Florida also offers many wonderful naturally free attractions. Those on a budget will find that there are plenty of beautiful preserves & beaches to enjoy that won’t cost a dime. While living here, I had no problem filling my itinerary with lots of frugal fun each weekend. When visiting cities like Orlando and Tampa, it’s hard to imagine that anything is free, based on the absurd prices you pay for theme parks, resorts, and other tourists traps.
However, if you venture out a bit, you will find that every area of the state offers its’ own unique pockets of free natural wonders. Surprisingly, I found out that this area is loaded with amazing nature preserves and bike trails. Most of the beaches offer cheap parking and there are plenty of freebies in the vicinity to enjoy. Since moving to Tampa, I have spent more than enough time exploring all these wonderful free activities. So, if you are looking for some budget friendly fun, this guide should be a great starter. Note: small parking fees may apply in some cases.
1. Relax on a smooth, sandy beach
Florida’s miles and miles of beaches draw millions of visitors per year. Beach vacations are a great alternative to theme parks as you can spend all day relaxing without spending much of anything especially if you bring your own equipment. Bring your own sunblock, beach chairs and umbrellas, and snacks to avoid any extra costs.
Beaches in this area are known for their soft white sand. You will want to throw your flip flops off and dig your toes into the smooth white sand of the following beaches:
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater is famous for its’ smooth, white sand that almost feels as if you are walking on flour. This is where all the tourists head for good reason. There are no broken up shells anywhere, so everywhere you step is just pure soft sand. As you can see in my photo below, the sand almost appears like snow. Whether you feel like taking a long morning stroll, sunbathing, reading a book, or playing a game of volleyball, the setting is right for a full day’s worth of fun.
There is one downside to enjoying the smooth, white sand, and that is, sharing the space with crowds and crowds of people! I recommend a weekday morning visit if possible or you risk circling around for parking forever.
Siesta Key
Siesta Key is another beach featuring some of the smoothest sand you will ever step foot on. The 99% pure quartz sand is magnificently soft and absolutely cool to the touch. This is probably my favorite beach in the region and I have taken many daytrips here from Tampa. It’s absolutely worth the drive!
Depending on the time of the year you plan your visit (winter is typically the busy season), you will experience hoards of crowds or a surprisingly peaceful setting. Aside from sunbathing and swimming in the warm waters of the Gulf, you can pick up a game of volleyball or tennis. I’ve noticed few beaches in this region with any sports amenities, so I would consider this a bonus.
Crescent Beach
Like Siesta, Crescent features the same soft powdery sand, only fewer crowds. The beach is wide and sandy with plenty of room to stretch out, relax, and enjoy the mild winter weather. I love the feel of the fluffy sand here – it’s the smoothest I’ve ever step foot on. Don’t expect to find any shells here, just cool, smooth sand. Bring with your beach chair and umbrella (a must on sunny days) and enjoy a peaceful day of people watching, reading, and listening to the waves.
2. Look for Seashells
Many of Florida’s beaches are hotspots for collecting seashells. Beach-combing is a wonderful free activity: there are so many unique crafts and creations you can make with your finds. A seashell picture frame is the perfect memento of your vacation. A lot of times, I buy nice glass vases to display my colorful finds (I now have many). As a more active type, I prefer beaches where I can do something besides lying around.
Sanibel Island is perhaps the most well-known beach combing oasis. Here you can find layers upon layers of all different types of shells. Sanibel is conveniently located just a half hour from Ft. Myers, making it easily incorporable into any trip.
Take a look at a few of my favorite places to collect shells:
Sand Key
Although Sand Key lacks the smooth, fine white sand of popular neighbor Clearwater, it’s one of the shelling hotspots. You can find shells of every color and even a starfish (note that it is illegal to take live starfish). There are never many crowds, so you can easily walk up and down the shore without much congestion. I also love the scenery here – there is a nice view of the skyline.
And bonus points for the scenic picnicking facilities. I usually pick up some pre-made sandwiches or pasta bowls from Trader Joe’s and enjoy the view! On the few occasions I splurge, Columbia on Sand Key offers a scenic waterfront patio and amazing Spanish food!
Indian Rocks
Low-key Indian Rocks is a quaint gem hidden in between Clearwater and St. Petersburg. It’s the perfect option for a laid-back, yet fun-filled afternoon spent searching for seashells. This is my go-to spot to avoid the tourist crowds. I love strolling alongside the water, relaxing with a book, and collecting shells. As a bonus, this is one of the few beaches I’ve seen any wildlife at (I saw both a manatee and seahorse while swimming several days before a big storm hit).
Turtle Beach
Turtle Beach is your best bet in Sarasota for shelling. Not only is the beach absolutely gorgeous, it also happens to be much less crowded than touristy neighbor Siesta Key. You won’t find the same white, baby powder sand here, however, you will find plenty of unbroken seashells that you can take home as a souvenir. Add in a picture-perfect peaceful setting for relaxing with a good book, picnic tables for a scenic lunch, and miles of coastline to walk along, and you have yourself a pretty nice day set up.
3. Photograph alligators in their natural habitat
With over a million spread throughout the state, Florida’s alligator population is second only to Louisiana. Your chances of seeing one on your visit are pretty high, especially if your trip falls during the right time of the year (gators prefer temperatures in the range of 82-92).
Although you could pay for a pricey airboat tour, a wise alternative is to catch a glimpse of one of these prehistoric creatures at a park or preserve. It’s actually not rare to see one on any casual visit: I have seen dozens and dozens of gators in my years living here. I’ve even seen one crossing the road near my apartment!
Take advantage of the opportunity to visit a state park or preserve and view one of these unique creatures up-close in their wild surroundings. Grab your walking shoes or bike and enjoy a free self-guided tour. As with any wildlife, follow safety precautions to reduce your risk of injury. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation has some great alligator safety tips to read through before your visit.
Here are a few of my favorite parks for gator watching:
John Chestnut
Beautiful small park in Palm Harbor, a quaint suburb in Pinellas County. The main feature here is a gorgeous boardwalk trail through beautiful native cypress swamps. I lived just down the street from this park at one point and saw so many gators here.
Myakka River State Park
Located in Sarasota, beautiful, historic Myakka River State park is home to thousands upon thousands of alligators. You can see them throughout the park, near any body of water. Although the boat tour here is fabulous, you can just as easily see a gator near any of the lake observation decks. Aside from gators, the park is absolutely beautiful for biking, hiking, birdwatching, and any other type of recreational activity. This is one of my go-to activities on any daytrip to Sarasota. I usually hit this park after the beach.
Circle B Bar Reserve
One of my favorite picks for seeing gators in the wild is Circle B Bar Reserve, home to a scary trail called “Alligator Alley. ” I say scary because the trail is lined with water on both sides and the gator population is high. The trail is very narrow, however, worth the scary trek it if you really want to see an alligator upclose.
Depending on the weather you could see dozens, and possibly even capture a shot of one crossing the road. We have easily seen more than a dozen here just walking this trail. Look carefully as they blend in very well.
4. Visit a nature preserve
Florida is home to many great parks. Just driving on the highway, you would think that the state is nothing but overcrowded malls, restaurants, and hotels. However, if you venture out a bit, you will find so many great parks to get back into nature.
Visiting a park is a fantastic free day out, which includes exercise, photography, and the opportunity to explore local plants and wildlife. The Gulf region is loaded with some of the best parks in the state.
Listed below are a few of my favorite picks.
John Chestnut
This gorgeous Pinellas County park is my number 1. I visited daily while living in Palm Harbor. Amenities include: shady picnicking areas, a swampy boardwalk trail, volleyball courts, beautiful views of Lake Tarpon, and ample wildlife watching opportunities. I have seen many gators and more deer than I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s a gorgeous place – definitely put it on your bucket list.
Myakka River State Park
It’s one of the biggest parks in the state and my personal favorite. There is a lot to do here including guided pontoon rides (extra fee), birdwatching, gator watching, hiking trails, kayaking, scenic drives, and picnicking. One of my favorite attractions here is the tree canopy walk where you can walk high above the oak palm hammock for a great view.
Robinson Nature Preserve
This quiet Bradenton area (located just a half hour north of Sarasota) preserve offers an unmatched tranquil setting. It’s one of the best parks in the Sarasota area. A variety of easy nature trails, a 40 foot tall observation tower, and picnicking areas will keep you busy for hours. It’s one of many great birdwatching destinations along the Great Florida Birding trail.
Climbing the tower should be tops on your list here. I love the great overview of the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa.
Weedon Island Preserve
Weedon Island is one of my favorite places to escape the St. Pete beach crowds. This quiet park is bursting with all different types of wildlife, and I see many gopher tortoises and armadillos on any visit. A peaceful walk around the shady grounds is a much nicer experience than any man made tourist attraction in my opinion. Like Robinson, the observation tower offers fantastic views of Tampa Bay.
5. Enjoy a leisurely bike ride
Bike riding is one of the best ways to explore a new area without spending a ton of money. The year-round warm climate and flat landscapes lead to some excellent biking conditions. I’ve enjoyed a lot of scenic bike trails especially in the Tampa region. Really, you can’t beat riding alongside beautiful tropical scenery!
Bayshore Blvd.
At 4.5 miles, this beautiful waterfront path claims the title as “world’s longest continuous pedestrian sidewalk.”The views of the Bay and Tampa skyline are gorgeous. Set out early enough in the morning and you may see some manatees. Another bonus here is the convenient access to downtown and the Riverwalk, a 2 mile path connecting the city’s top attractions like The Florida Aquarium and Curtis Hixon park.
Upper Tampa Bay Trail
The 7.5 mile long tree-lined Upper Tampa Bay Trail is one of the city’s hidden gems, a wonderful, peaceful recreation path located in the midst of a busting metro area. It’s one of my favorite suburban escapes from the strip malls.
The 14 mile round-trip path is flat and fast, making it perfect for weekend recreational use. The most scenic portion of the path takes you past the Hillsborough River. Overall, I would say it is a great place to get in a moderate workout, birdwatch, and enjoy the sunny skies.
Jay B. Starkey Park trail
This 6+ mile trail located within scenic Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park connects to the longer 42 mile long Suncoast Trail. This is great because the path is flat enough for beginners and avid cyclists can continue on to the Suncoast for a longer ride. I enjoy the scenic wooded views, flat course, and lack of crowds. This was one of the first parks I checked out after my relocation to Palm Harbor and I continued returning over the years.
Pinellas Trail
This lengthy 45+ mile Pinellas trail has been rated one of the best rail trails in the country. I trained for numerous half marathons along this scenic course. With multiple access points, it’s easy to get in a refreshing ride no matter where you are staying.
I recommend beginning your ride in beautiful downtown Dunedin and continuing on until reaching Tarpon Springs (home to the famous Sponge Docks). Tarpon is the Greek capital of the US so you will find plenty of authentic restaurants to enjoy a Greek salad or spanakopita. Hellas is super popular with tourists, although I also recommend Mr. Souvlaki.
Flatwoods Regional Park Loop
This is a beautiful pine lined trail located amongst the strip malls of New Tampa. I frequently used this trail for bike riding and runs during my time living in this congested suburb. It’s 11 miles long so perfect for a longer workout. I really love the peaceful woodsy scenery. It’s the perfect distance for a long, yet not overly taxing workout. This peaceful ride offers a much appreciated wooded setting with the added bonus of a complete absence of any traffic noise.
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