Vacation Fun Florida Weblog

Florida Fun In February

vacationfunflorida — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:37:22 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
This week’s blog features some of the many inexpensive events Florida State Parks are offering around the state thoughout the month . Whether your interest lies in birds, music, living history, battlefields or sailing, you’ll find it here. If not, click http://www.floridastateparks.org
Feb. 4: 3rd Annual Scrub Jay Festival , Oscar Scherer, Osprey, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. you can take a tram tour through the rare scrub jay habitat; enjoy music, environmental exhibits, arts and crafts for kids .for FREE. Wallet time if you want to grab a bite to eat. 861-386-6094.
Feb. 9-12: Fort Foster Rendezvous, Hillsborough River, Thonotosassa. Public welcome during school days (2/10-11) but battle reenactment 2/11 and/12. Skirmish when Seminole Indians try to burn bridge to reach fort takes place after 1 p.m. $5 donation ages 13 and over. No charge to enter the Park; volunteers show where to park. 813-987-6870.
Feb. 10-12: Civil War Heritage Days, Fort Zachary Taylor, Key West; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Re-enactors portray military and civilian life during the 1860s. Sea battles. blockade, land skirmishes and artillery demos add to the action. Free with park admission: $6 per carload (up to 8 people) 305-292-6850
Feb. 11: Flight To Freedom, Fort Mose, St. Augustine 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Living history that includes Colonial and Spanish military drills, musket and cannon demos, African-American drumming. Exhibits and food are on the quiet side. Free with $4 park admission.904-461-2033.
Feb. 11-12: 5th Annual Jammin’ in the Hammock Bluegrass Festival, Collier-Seminole, Naples. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Bring chairs and tap your feet to six bands; arts and crafts, food vendors .and a shuttle from parking to site add to the mix. $15 adult, Free ages 13 and under 239-394-3397. For more information: http://www.friendsofcollierseminolestatepark.com .
Feb. 17-19: Olustee Battle, Olustee Battlefield, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to live the largest Florida battle of the Civil War. That on Feb. 20, 1864 the Confederates won. Today over 2000 re-enactors fight it out at 3:30 Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday. In between there are medical demos , period music concerts and more. $7 adult, $3 over age 5. 1-877-635-3655.
Feb. 24-25: 3rd Annual Stone Age and Primitive Arts Festival, Ochlockonee River, Sopchoppy; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Be a caveman for a day (but dress warmly) as you learn old-time skills. Demos of primitive tools, weapons, tanning deer hides, and carving bone, wood, antlers and more. Free with $4 per carload admission to park. 850-962-2771.
Feb. 25: Washington Birthday Regatta, The Barnacle, Coconut Grove; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. attracts sailors .The fun race is open to traditional vessels such as mud hens, sea pearls, Bahama dinghies, cat boats, gaff- rigs and others. Skippers meet 10:30 and take to the water at noon. Awards and chowder dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. $25 entry fee. 305-442-6866

Last Chance: Saturday, Jan. 28, GASPARILLA, Tampa. Invasion, Pirate parade, fests and fireworks All FREE.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: battlefields, events, festivals, Florida state parks, pirates, sailing. music

See Florida and Save $$

vacationfunflorida — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:21:27 +0000

by Adele Woodyard

Buy my book and see how kind to your wallet it can be!

Florida “freebies” and “cheapies” 250 Daytrips for Little or No Money

You’ll like this travel guidebook if you
• Need to get away for a day, a weekend or a week without spending a mint
• Have already taken the family to visit Mickey, fly with Harry Potter, get wet with Shamu
• Want to discover new attractions yet still see old favorites
• Enjoy outdoor sights, smells and activities

Why? Because you’ll find all of the above within its pages.
• 104 “freebies”* (donation welcome); only 10 with $10 * (plus tax) adult admission
• Depending on age, air, railroad, military and hands-on museums; wildlife; attractions
• Discover Art, antiques, architecture, archaeology, ecology, gardens, history, preserves
• 65 Florida state parks and one county park, includes historic sites; springs (swim, scuba, cave dive, tubing). Such activities as boating, fishing, nature, hiking, biking, sometimes horseback riding make it a daytrip in in itself, or a base for nearby attractions. 35 state and the one county park have full facility campsites for overnights. Back-of-book lists 20 cabins, most fully equipped, for those with neither tent or RV. Admission to most Florida state parks is from 0 to $8 by carload (2 to 8 people); less for single
* As of 2011.

Reviews:
Well done. Packed with information, easy to read, well organized.
…..Robert Jenkins, former Travel editor, St. Petersburg Times
Woodyard has uncovered a treasure trove of Florida gems.
…..Capt. “Rick” Rhodes, author Florida’s Big Bend

ISBN: 978-0-9831069-2-0
Paperback 6 x 9”, 145 pages
List Price: $9.95
Available: February, 2012

Pre-order
For signed copy:
Contact me at palmprintpress@gmail.com if credit card
or
Palm Print Press
P.O. Box 1473, Tarpon Springs, FL 34688, if check

**Check or credit card will not be processed until books are available to mail.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: attractions, bargains, book, Florida travel guide, Pensacola to Key West. daytrips, weekends.

More Inexpensive Fun

vacationfunflorida — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:23:52 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
MLK Day events, Gasparilla, Art, wildlife and the Civil War—this is a month of Festivals to please any preference. What’s more, January brings a special deal for those age 60 and over—a $10 admission to The Florida Aquarium, Tampa comes with complementary Danish, coffee or tea! Add another $10 and you’ll be able to go on a Wild Dolphin cruise. 813-273-4000. http://www.flaquarium.org

Jan. 13-15: Antiques & Collectibles Show, St. Petersburg fills the Coliseum with jewelry, furniture, pottery, toys, Art Deco and more. $6 admission if over 12. 5-8 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. and Sun. 239-877-2830. http://www.sunshinecityantiqueshow.com

Jan. 14-15: Celebrate MLK Day with the Heritage Street Festival, Tampa. Entertainment that starts 10 a.m. at the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park includes Rose Royce on Saturday, Paul Taylor, Sunday, and “villages” for artists, authors, food and craft vendors all weekend. FREE.
Jan. 16: MLK Day Parade begins at 15th St. and MLK Boulevard, at noon, and ends at Middleton High School. FREE. 813-886-1375. For more events: http://www.tampablackheritage.org

Jan. 21-22: The 25th Florida Manatee Festival, Crystal River adds boat & kayak tours, car and boat show and a beer garden to the usual arts and crafts, kids activities, food and entertainment. Admission $3, plus $1 for parking and shuttle from Mall 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m-4 p.m. Sun. http://www.citruscountychamber.com
32nd Brooksville Raid Civil War re-enactment offers a Ladies Tea (period dress required) and music along with camps, sutlers, and noisy battles.at the Sand Hill Reservation. $8 adult, $4 ages 6-12, 5 and under and scouts in uniform Free. 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sun. 352-799-0129. http://www.brooksvilleraid.com
Suncoast Arts Fest, Wesley Chapel features a weekend of art, music and food at the Shops of Wiregrass on Paseo Drive. Along with the exhibits and Chalk Walk, Artist Tim Dreker will paint on stage to music both days. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. http://www.suncoastartfest.com
Gasparilla, Tampa: What’s New? Gasparilla :A Tampa Tradition, an exhibit of pirate booty and Krewe memorabilia at the Henry B. Plant Museum that runs through Feb. 19. Jan. 13 Fri. opening FREE. $10 adult, $7 srs and students, $5 ages 5-12. 813-254-1891. Jan. 21: Children’s Parade and “Piratechnic” Extravaganza takes place along Bayshore Blvd. http://www.gasparillaextravaganza.com ; Jan. 28: Gasparilla Pirate Fest presents an all day affair with invasion, parade, Pirate’s Chest Arts & Crafts and the Gasparilla Midway. http://www.gasparillapiratefest.com

Jan. 31: Last day to buy tickets ar a discount for the Florida State Fair that will be at the Fairgrounds, Feb. 9-20. http://www.floridastatefair.net

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: aquarium, art, bargains, civil war, festivals, gasparilla, manatees, MLK events, pirates

BARGAINS–January

vacationfunflorida — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:36:55 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
3rd day of the New Year–by now the party’s over, you’ve made (and already broke?) your resolutions, and are facing the bills Santa left with all the gifts. Happy 2012! It’s beginning still brings welcome “freebies” when the wallet’s empty. At least in the Tampa Bay area, and what’s not Free is Cheap.
Arts and Entertainment
USF Contemporary Art Museum is FREE to visit, but you will need a $5 parking permit. Upcoming Mark Dion: Troubleshooting features Florida ecology in multi-media from Jan, 13-March 3; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri.. 1-4 p.m. Sat. 3128 Holly Dr. Tampa; 813-974-2849. http://www.ira.usf.edu
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts upcoming exhibit: Tampa: A Town With A Past, features vintage photos from the Tampa Bay History Center archives with some contemporary .locations, from Jan. 19 through March 11. .10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues-Thurs. and Sat. , 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sun. $6, $4 students, members FREE. 200 N. Tampa St. 813-221-2222. http://www.fmopa.org

Polk Museum of Art is showing The Blues through Jan. 21, and Hunt Slonem: An Expressive Narture through March 24. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue. Thurs. and Sat.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri. 1-5 p.m. Sun. $5 adulkt, $4 seniors, kids and students FREE. 800 E. Palmetto St. Lakeland, 863-688-7743. http://www.polkmuseumofart.org

Tarpon Springs has several goodies on their agenda Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art celebrates their 10th anniversary with two Telling Stories exhibits: 10 Donors, 10 Works runs through Feb. 19, while the one featuring their print collection, Feb. 26-April 29. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues. Wed. Sat. , 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri. $5 admission, $4 seniors, kids and students FREE. Sundays 1-5 p.m.$5 donation requested, includes a 2 p.m. free docent-led tour. 600 Klosterman Rd. 727-712-5762.
There’s FREE movies at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Community Center, 400 S, Walton Ave. 727-942-5828.
There’s also no charge for exhibits at the Cultural Center, open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon-Fri. Tickets are purchased online for live performances such as The Return, a classic play that originated in Greece. The American premiere is 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13 and 20; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 and 22. $16, $14 (members and students). 101 S. Pinellas Ave.
Lunch and Learn: Manatees is the program at 11:30 a.m., Wed. Jan. 18 at the Heritage Museum. Award winning author Craig Pittman will speak on his book Manatee Insanity : Inside the War Over Florida’s Most Famous Endangered Species. $!2 admission includes lunch, soft drink and talk. 100 Beckham Lane, Craig Park; 727-937-0686. http://www.tarponarts.org
Farmer’s Markets offer more than fresh food, a visit is FREE, so go and have fun.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: art, bargains, entertainment, famer's markets, florida, lakeland, museums, tampa, Tarpon Springs

What Happens Next in 1202?

vacationfunflorida — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:14:04 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
As a year draws to a close, memories of the past and wonder about the future, are practically automatic. No matter what our situation, the one thing we can count on is change. Good or bad, subtle or life-shaking, man-made or natural, the one control we have is personal reaction to the event(s). Which, if man-made, we can express through the ballot box, “ letters to the editor”, and/or globally, through the Internet. In a democracy, citizens have a lot more power than we realize. Use it, or lose it—it’s as simple as that.
Oddly enough this blog began with my uncovering a personal letter to the Tampa Tribune, dated May 18, 1981. At the time Tampa was looking for ways to become, (i.e. recognized as) a “big city” Being a Yankee transplant from a NJ suburb to the Big Apple, I just had to express my opinion, beginning with a re-definition of what a “big city” is. Basically, a “conglomeration of buildings, money, business and people, built on a manner of thinking—a way of life.” A list of such items as art galleries, Broadway plays, ballet, ethnic attractions, etc. I felt necessary for “cultural growth” followed.
Did it make a difference? Possibly—IF enough people felt the same way and had the money, influence, and energy to make them happen. Probably not, if these suggestions naturally occurred over time during normal growth of the town. More likely, it was a combination of both. Whatever the reason, I now see Tampa eventually adopted everything on my list that could fit downtown—even to the point of where the city no longer “rolls up its sidewalks at 6 p.m.”
For a writer, changes can make a difference if they place a setting in a certain town. For example, the Tampa Art Museum that appears in my upcoming mystery FINAL PAYMENT is the one I remember, not the one rebuilt in 2011. When I first moved to town, TPD headquarters was a bank, and the one “skyscraper” was a 13-story building on the corner of Kennedy and Ashley. A major difference between fiction and non-fiction, that readers recognize.
As usual, one thing leads to another and I began thinking of the column on Florida travel, I wrote from January 1992 to May, 1995. Of course the attractions are updated if used in my blog, or travel guides, but town history remains the same. How comforting to have such a constant in times of change. So in 2012, look for more of the story behind the towns themselves, in http://www.vacationfunflorida.com blogs.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my readers. May you have a prosperous and healthy 2012.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: adele woodyard, change, cultural growth, florida travel, happy new year, tampa

Random Thoughts on Xmas, 2011

vacationfunflorida — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:16:26 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
My tree is up, presents bought, wrapped and mainly shipped, cards sent and cookies baked; Tis the season to be jolly, right? Yet as I hung the ornaments and decorated my apartment I wondered about the families struggling to make like Santa for their kids and still keep a roof over their heads, during one of the deepest “recessions” since the Great Depression over 80 years ago.
Of course one thought leads to another. Like the differences in today’s kids expectations from that of their grandparents’—even their parents’ times. Whether used to talk into, listen to, read, write, figure, or play with, it has to be electronic with prices to match. Why should Mom or Pop read to their little one if the book does it for them? Yet which will be remembered longer, the story or the parent’s warmth and attention?
Many of us go through a rough economic patch while raising a family. My folks did, more than once, though, like many kids, I didn’t know it until I was an adult. What I remember is the wardrobe she made for my doll, as a Xmas present. And she didn’t like to sew! That memory gave me ideas for inexpensive presents you can make yourself when times are tough.
Stuffed toys (even a teenager can go for this). Remember Raggedy Ann and Andy? Cabbage Dolls? The beloved teddy bear? You needn’t be fancy, but it helps to be familiar with needle and thread. Ot start with a sock puppet that stuffs with the kid’s hand. If that’s your thing, why not add a “theatre” out of a box, so they can make up their own plays?
Pull toys: Handy with tools? Attach wheels, axle and a rope and you can turn any size box into a wagon to pull (can come in handy for any age). Or add wheels and a rope to cut-out wooden animals for toddlers.
Their own “book”: Start a scrapbook with their pictures, letters, special memories and events they were involved in, for them to add to or just keep as-is.. My mother left each of her 11 grandchildren one when she died. It was something they’ll never forget.
Time: Maybe hardest to do, but the one thing that is most appreciated. Set a day, hours, whatever you can spare, to do something together, if possible, their choice; even better, an activity you both like.
These are just a few ideas—a couple I wished I’d done with my own brood. Your own imagination can dream up more; a little something to go with the love you give them that doesn’t cost a thing..
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: 2011, adele woodyard, inexpensive gifts, random thoughts, Xmas

Celebrate Stephen Foster Day

vacationfunflorida — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:37:42 +0000

by Adele Woodyard

Mark your calendar for a special event, Sunday, January 8, 2012. The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park honors a man who gave us Florida’s official state song, yet never set foot in the state. Old Folks At Home, better remembered as “Way down upon the Suwannee River…” leads a 2 p.m. musical program and carillon recital; FREE with admission to the park: $5 per vehicle with 2 to 8 people. $4 for a single. .

The dark, tannic-stained river Foster’s song made famous originates in Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. Here it borders green lawns studded with massive oaks and flowering plants. Housed in the Foster Museum, a two-story, white columned replica of an antebellum mansion, are eight dioramas. These wall hangings depict such songs as My Old Kentucky Home, Camptown Races, and Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair. Among 19^th century memorabilia is a piano Foster played well over 100 years ago. Outside, the building faces a 200-foot brick Carillon Tower where 97 bells, the largest weighing 426 pounds, play such songs as Oh Susanna! at intervals throughout the day.

Foster was born July 4, 1826, the 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. At age four he played the flute; at fifteen he wrote his first composition. The Toga Waltz. By the time of his death at age 37, he had written over 200 songs, yet died alone in New York City with 38 cents in his pocket.

The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center was opened in 1950 to preserve the music, crafts and storytelling of early Florida. Craft Square resembles a minute village of unpainted wooden cottages where you can see demonstrations of such crafts as quilting, blacksmithing, and stained-glassmaking. During my visit I watched a craftsman cane a chair seat with bamboo strips; a woman weave rattan strips into a basket. She also told me, “I teach kids to make baskets out of corrugated cardboard.” It seems when cut into strips, painted and edged with braided rope the finished piece can be strong enough to tote books. Although this wasn’t one of them, the well-stocked gift shop carries handiwork fashioned of raw materials.

Largest event listed for the park is the three-day Florida Folk Festival over the Memorial Day weekend. A celebration of folklore, music and dance, it draws tens of thousands of people each year to White Springs, a tiny pre-Civil War town near the Georgia border. Other events include a regional quilt show and an antique tractor show. But you don’t have to wait for any event to visit such living history. The 247-acre state park is open from sunrise to sunset all year. U.S.41 N. White Springs; 386-397-2733. www.floridastateparks.com

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go)

Author Books Blog

vacationfunflorida — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:49:57 +0000

by Adele Woodyard

Hi readers, note the plural in Books? A bit of a stretch since the next one isn’t quite out the door. But if you, or any of your friends, hope to save money while traveling in the Sunshine State next year, Florida “freebies” and “cheapies” 250 Daytrips for Little or No Money is for you. Divided into five sections, it takes you from the Panhandle to Key West, and things to see and do range from FREE to $10 (plus tax). Interested? For a gift to others and/or yourself, you can pre-order from http://www.palmprintpress.com now, or Amazon.com next month; $9.95, free shipping.

Want a cheap preview? Send me $1.00 and a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I’ll send you a Tip Sheet of 75 Florida “freebies” from the Panhandle to Key West. Address: (me) c/o Palm Print Press, P.O. Box 1473, Tarpon Springs, FL 34688.

Or is you’re in the neighborhood, come to Oldsmar Public Library, Thursday Dec.8 from 4-5 p.m. and buy one there. Not only will 25 cents of your $1 go to Friends of the Library, but you’ll see pix with relevant history in my presentation Travel to Florida’s Past.

Have a friend who prefers fiction? My collection of short stories, The Shell and the Starfish and other stories is available right now, in print from both Amazon.com and Palm Print Press for $7.99, ship free. Coming in Kindle before end of 2011 (I think). Fourteen different stories may touch on love, marriage, infidelity, divorce, or crime and punishment but all have a common theme: the complexity of human relationships.

Although this author has been a freelance journalist close to 24 years, I’ve written fiction since I was a kid. My first short story published (1970) is #12 in the book. The rest were written and/or published from 1990-2008. And if you’re a mystery buff, watch for the full length novel, Final Payment, in 2012.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: adele woodyard, books, fiction, florida travel, mystery, short stories, tip sheet. freebies

Holiday Gift Specials

vacationfunflorida — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:39:32 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
Wondering what to give that special someone? The person, or child, who has everything? What about a gift two of you can share? Last week’s blog way featured Black Friday–how about a pre-holiday Black Friday Retreat while you shop?
That’s what the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, Bonita Springs offers. There’s a Thanksgiving Buffet with all the fixings from 12:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, $53 adult, $27 ages 5-12, under 5 Free. Located between Fort Myers and Naples, you then can flatten your wallet at the Coconut Mall, or save bucks at Miromar Outlets over the weekend. The Stillwater Spa can massage your aching feet and/or sell you a gift certificate, redeemable after 12/26/11. 293-494-1234. http://www.coconutpointhyatt.com

Kids love zoos and Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo starts off Saturday, Dec. 3 with a visit to Santa and REAL reindeers for their 12th Annual WildWonderland, 6:30-10 p.m. Also 12/9-11. 16-23, 26-30; $13 adult, $11 ages 3-11, and rides are FREE. Tickets available online from late Nov.
For parents there’s a Zoo School Holiday “Drop and Shop” from 9:30a.m.- 3 p.m. 12/10, 11, 17 & 18. Kids ages 3-12 will enjoy holiday crafts, hikes and animals. $30 one child, $10 for each additional one. Register online or call 813-935-8552, ext, 268. http://www.lowryparkzoo.com

Any golfers on your list? Why not gift them a day or two at one of the following:
Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Miami gives 15% off on a package good through Dec. 17, 2011 if booked before Dec. 1. Championship Golf package starts at $187 per person; 3 nite Blue Monster package, $245. Code GPF, 800-713-6725.
Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, St. Petersburg starts at $184 per player though 12/31/11. Code GOF; 888-303-4430.
A Stay & Play package at the Black Diamond Ranch, Lecanto residential community has home accommodations for two nites, 2 rounds of golf at at $699 per couple. 407-739-8729; http://www.escalantegolf.com http://www.blackdiamondranch.com
It can be a family affair at the Orlando World Center Marriott’s 200 acre playground where indoor and outdoor pools feature holiday themed activities. Kids enjoy scavenger hunts while Mom and Dad enjoy the spa or trying for a hole-in-one at Hawk’s Landing Golf Club. Winter Escape advance rates start at $144 per room, through March 31, 2012. Code ADP; 888-999-0753. http://www.marriottworldcenter.com

A membership in Friends of Florida State Parks would please campers and outdoor lovers, as well as help support the parks. $25 individual, $45 family. 800-338-1980. Better yet, an Annual Entrance Pass to all but three parks: $60 Individual, $120 family (up to 8 people in the group). Purchase at nearest state park, call 352-628-7002, or online: http://www.floridastateparks.org

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving with family and /or friends. To have either one is something to be thankful for.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: bonita springs, Florida state parks, golf, holiday gifts. specials, lecanto, miami, tampa bay, zoo

Beating Black Friday

vacationfunflorida — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:16:25 +0000

by Adele Woodyard
Started your Xmas gift list yet? Forget Thanksgiving–many stores are encroaching on Turkey Day with tempting offers; opening their doors to shoppers who’ve barely left the dinner table. If that’s not your thing, here’s a few other ways to beat the Black Friday rush and maybe find that gift for your special someone. Local art and antique shows, like these around Tampa Bay, are perfect places to find something different. And have you tried flea markets?

Nov. 19-20:
St. Petersburg
Florida Craftsmen’s 14th annual CraftArt 2011and ArtScape 2011 joined forces for an outdoor event along Central Ave. from 4th to 7th St. S. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Artist demos, Craft beers and food join displays of handcrafted jewelry, clay, fiber, metal, wood, photography, fine art, and more. 727-821-7391. http://www.floridacraftsmen.net
Tampa Bay Holiday Market & Expo fills the Coliseum with such items as handbags, jewelry, holiday gifts, home décor, chocolates and more. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sat. 11/19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. 11/20. 534 4th Ave. N. 727-893-8523. http://www.tampabayholidaymarket.com

Gifts of blown glass are the offerings at Morean Arts Center Glass Studio and Hot Shop Store, 719 Central Ave. 727-822-7872, or online: http://www.etsy.com/shop/moreanartscenter Visit the Chihuly Collection Store 400 Beach Drive NE for more of his work.
Antique Galleries has fine art and sculpture, antique and custom stained glass , military and civil war memorabilia and books along with furniture and furnishings. 85 merchants come from New England, California and the Midwest as well as St, Pete and Tampa. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. 450 34th St. N. 727-321-3331. http://www.antiquegalleriesofstpetersburg.com

Clearwater
UPARC’s 27th annual Festival of Trees is entertainment while you shop for handcrafted and specialty items, Xmas trees, wreaths and ornaments. General admission: $5 adult, Free ages 10 and under. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 11/18-11/19, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 11/20. There’s a Jingle Bell Jam Friday evening with music, dancing, refreshments. Call 727-797-8712 for tickets and information. Long Center gymnasiums, N. Belcher Rd. http://www.uparcfoundation.org

Flea Markets—add two more biggies to our own Wagon Wheel and Oldsmar:
Daytona Flea and Farmer’s Market, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun. 2987 Bellevue Ave. Daytona Beach http://www.daytonafleamarket.com
Festival Flea Market Mall, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F; 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; over 500 shops, restaurants. 2900 W. Sample Rd. Pompano Beach 800-353-2627.

Filed under: Your Input (Tell us what to do and where to go) Tagged: antiques, art, crafts, daytona beach, flea markets, holiday gifts, pompano beach, tampa bay, Xmas