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| Home Media NEW ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER AREA 1999 VISITOR DISCOVERY GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE Explores Attractions, Accommodations, Activities and More... CLEARWATER, FL (March 1999) - The all-new 1999 St. Petersburg/ Clearwater Area Visitors Discovery Guide to Florida's most popular Gulf Coast destination is now available free from the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. This 90-page color booklet explores the "ins and outs" of the nine resort communities that make up the area, covering accommodation listings, attractions and activities, listed by community. The new guide is an all-new vertical format. The biggest change from previous editions is the addition of a new, expanded map in the back. It is perforated so it can be taken out while visitors are on the go. "Each year as we work on the new guide, we solicit remarks and feedback from our visitors," said Carole Ketterhagen, executive director of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB. "This year, we had many people request a full-size map to be included in the visitor guide, so we developed a piece that we think will make their stays with us better and more relaxing." The listings have been further expanded, and even more useful editorial information has been added covering such topics as beaches, theme parks and attractions, recreation, shopping and dining, culture, ecology and nature, and getting around. When used in conjunction with the guide, a toll-free reservation line provides quick information, availability and even bookings at area properties. Two of the areaís public beaches are rated among the top 10 in the United States, according to the annual survey by noted "Dr. Beach" (Stephen Leatherman). Caladesi Island State Park near Dunedin ranked #2 in the continental U.S., #5 overall. Ft. DeSoto Park near St. Petersburg was #9 overall. Nature lovers can lose themselves in one of the many state and county parks in the area, perhaps looking for the rare mangrove cuckoo, scouring the beach for the perfect seashell or kayaking through a nature preserve thick with seagrass and mangroves. Weedon Island, a 1,500-acre nature preserve near St. Petersburg, recently reopened after a $3.2 million renovation. Interested in museums? Check out the worldís most comprehensive collection of Salvador Daliís work in the world at the Salvador Dali Museum in downtown St. Petersburg, or visit the Florida International Museum which holds world-class exhibitions, like this yearís Empires of Mystery: The Incas, The Andes and Lost Civilizations running through April. Practically within walking distance of each other are also the Museum of Fine Arts; Great Explorations, a hands-on museum popular with kids and grown-ups alike; the St. Petersburg Museum of History and the Florida Holocaust Memorial Museum. Sports enthusiasts will score with 45 world-class golf courses, baseball, volleyball and biking; outdoor enthusiasts can go wild with fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and more. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team returns to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg again this year, after an impressive debut season last year. The area also is spring training home to three major-league baseball teams -- the Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and the Devil Rays. The world champion New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers are also within an hourís drive. For a change of scenery, head to Tarpon Springs, a time capsule Greek sponge diving village in the northern part of the county. Visitors can stroll along the quay and watch the boats unloading fresh sponges; they can also take a cruise that illustrates the whole sponging process and visits the beds out in the Gulf. Greek is frequently heard on the streets and dozens of restaurants dish up authentic Greek cuisine. As if this isnít enough, just 30 minutes away is Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium, and 90 minutes away is Walt Disney World, Epcot Center, Universal Studios and Sea World. For a free copy of the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Visitor Discovery Guide, or to make reservations at area properties, call the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Convention & Visitors Bureau at 877-FL-BEACH (352-3224). The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area is best known for 35 miles of spectacular beaches, two of which are rated among the top 10 in the United States, and record-breaking sunshine. A variety of attractions, world-class museums, sporting activities and nature-related experiences are also readily available. For more information on the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area, write to Dept, DCI, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, 14450-46th Street North, Suite 108, Clearwater, Florida 33762, or visit the Internet site at http://www.stpete-clearwater.com. For hotel reservations call 1-877-FL-BEACH (352-3224). |