The Concise Guide to Sensory Fulfillment In the Bay Area
ATTRACTIONS
Galleria
Caladesi Island Adventure,
This boat departs from the Honeymoon
Island Recreation Area at the west end of
the Dunedin Causeway, State Road 586,
(727) 734-5263. Here you can enjoy
three miles of uncrowded white sandy
beach with good shelling, tree-shaded
picnic areas, a three-mile nature trail and
many other amenities. Escorted island
tours are available. The boat departs
every half hour beginning at 10 am
(seasonally adjusted).
Mote Aquarium,
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota
(941) 388-4441. Ocean adventures await
year ’round at Mote Aquarium, home
to over 100 marine species. See sharks,
dolphins, sea turtles, seahorses, and fish of
all sizes. Discover world-renowned research
of the adjoining Mote Marine Laboratory.
Special behind-the-scenes Aquarium
tours are available.
Sunken Gardens,
1825 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg,
(727) 551-3100. The four-acre tropical
garden features cascading waterfalls,
flowing ponds, lush tropical displays and
exotic birds.
Walt Disney World Resort,
I-4, West of Orlando in Lake Buena Vista,
(407) 824-4321. This 40-square mile, worldclass
entertainment and recreation center
features four theme parks (Magic Kingdom,
EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
and Disney’s Animal Kingdom); two
water adventure parks; 34 resort hotels;
81 holes of golf on five courses; two
full-service spas; Disney’s Wedding
Pavilion; ESPN Wide World of Sports
Complex; and Downtown Disney, an
entertainment-shopping-dining complex
encompassing the Marketplace, Pleasure
Island and West Side. Walt Disney
World Resort is also included in vacation
packages of Disney Cruise Line. Open daily,
year round.
Magic Kingdom is divided into seven
themed lands - Main Street, U.S.A.;
Adventureland; Frontierland; Liberty
Square; Fantasyland; Mickey’s Toontown
Fair; and Tomorrowland. Popular
attractions include Pirates of the Caribbean,
The Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World,
Space Mountain, Splash Mountain,
“Mickey’s PhilharMagic,” and many more.
EPCOT
is an ever-changing international and
discovery showplace covering 300 acres.
Future World attractions focus on discovery
and scientific achievements, including
Innoventions, Spaceship Earth, The Seas
with Nemo & Friends, General Motors’
Test Track and Mission: SPACE. The World
Showcase consists of shops, restaurants and
shows from eleven nations surrounding the
World Showcase Lagoon.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
is a working film, TV and radio studio, as
well as a theme park, on 154 acres. Disney
attractions include The Great Movie Ride,
Muppet*Vision 3-D, Backlot Tour, Toy Story
Mania, The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror,
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith,
the American Idol Experience and many
more.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
features high adventures with real exotic
animals, close encounters with prehistoric
giants and warm, fuzzy moments with
beloved Disney characters. Disney’s fourth
major theme park sprawls across 403 acres.
Jungles, forests and a vast savannah are
divided into five themed lands: Africa,
Camp Minnie-Mickey, DinoLand U.S.A.,
Discovery Island and Asia.
Disney Springs
(formerly Downtown Disney)
This outdoor shopping, dining and
entertainment complex nearly doubles the
size of the re-imagined Downtown Disney,
where outdoor “neighborhoods” will reflect
the history of Florida waterfront towns.
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CATERING AND
SPECIALTY FOODS
Belle’s Olive Branch, 100-12 Indian Rocks
Rd. (the north side of the Belleair Bluffs
Plaza), Belleair Bluffs, (727) 408-5743. If you
are a coffee or wine connoisseur, then you
know that they are not all alike. The same
goes for olive oils. The flavors differ from
grove to grove as each variable makes its
mark on the olives and the characteristics of
oils they produce. You will find the very best
in the culinary world here at this gourmet
heaven.
The Candy Bar Sweets and Treats,
748 Broadway, “Sweet” 100, Dunedin,
(727) 474-3783. Patti Coleman and
Marsha Goins’ go-to shop “for your candy
experience” specializes in retro/vintage,
sugar free, organic and vegan candies and fine
European chocolates by Victoria Richards,
as well as personalized party favors and gift
baskets. Also stop by for cupcakes on Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays.
Chef John’s Creative Culinary Services,
(727) 433-1889. Chef John Lewis and his staff
will cater private parties, bridal showers,
wedding receptions and team building
events. They also offer adult and children’s
cooking classes.
Clear Sky Catering, 680 Skinner Blvd.
(S.R. 580), Dunedin, (727) 286-6266.
Dan Shouvlin and his talented teams at
the popular Clear Sky Beachside Cafe on
Clearwater Beach and Clear Sky Draught
Haus in Dunedin have been catering
for charity, business and private special
events since their inceptions. They now
officially offer these services through a new
catering headquarters. Their chefs have the
experience and skills to orchestrate anything
from simple cook outs on the grill to formal
sit down dinners with Asian, Caribbean,
Mediterranean, Continental, All
American or almost any theme and type of
cuisine for two to crowds of 350 in a variety
of locations provided by you or them.
Corey’s Bakery & Catering,
969 Virginia Ave., #2, Palm Harbor,
(727) 692-9533. Corey creates everything
by hand and from scratch so that it is truly
unique. He bakes cakes for special occasions
that are works of art and can be made
gluten free or diabetic friendly if you need
them to be. Corey is known for his vast
array of flavors that range from standards
such as Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk to
exotics like Watermelon. Call to hear what
is currently on hand at this bakery that
specializes in the unusual.
William Dean Chocolates in
Belleair Bluffs is known for its
unique high-quality candies, gelato
and other sweet treats.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016
| TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 145