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- Images of Gulf Coast
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TOP 10
VILLA RESORTS
VILLA RESORTS
TOP 10 HOTELS
Gulf Coast
Florida, USA
All along Florida's west coast there are developments of pristine and appealing resorts which have made this region one of the foremost tourist attractions for the state. With its subtropical climate, the Gulf Coast of Florida is an extremely desirable holiday destination.
The Gulf Coast of Florida is the ideal place to enjoy leisure and pleasure in the great outdoors, it being one of the warmest areas of the United States. In the height of summer ocean breezes keep things cool while visitors enjoy swimming, sunning, shelling or playing a round of golf. Nature lovers are drawn here because of the area's close proximity to the Everglades National Park, the Big Cypress Swamp and numerous other wetland reserves, wildlife refuges and habitats. Then, of course, there are the miles of beautiful beaches, washed by the warm Gulf waters and covered in a fascinating array of seashells. Winter is 'in season' in this part of the world, which stays warm while the more northerly states freeze. Little wonder that the Gulf Coast has become a magnet for visitors to its most popular resorts.
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island is a stunning area of Florida featuring clean white sands and clear emerald waters.
If you imagine your perfect, tropical beach holiday scene then you won’t be far off the reality that awaits you at Anna Marie Island. If you tire of relaxing on any one of the fabulous beaches there’s plenty to see and do. The Butterfly Park at Homes Beach is sure to keep the children occupied whilst the more active amongst you may prefer water sports such as canoeing or windsurfing.
Anna Maria Island Beach Holidays
Anna Maria Island beach is a natural and unspoilt paradise which despite being popular never seems overly crowded.
Manatee Beach is a larger beach with more facilities and as such is very popular so arriving early is always a good idea. Cortez Beach is at the south end of Anna Maria Island and features a good range of waterfrontbars.
Bradenton Sarasota
Bradenton is Florida’s self proclaimed “friendly city”. The city is south of Tampa Bay on the gulf of Mexico and is well known as a popular tourist destination.
Bradenton is a great place from which to explore the neighbouring areas of Anna Marie Island and Holmes Beach.
Bradenton Beach Holidays
The beaches at Bradenton are simply glorious. Clean white sand and crystal clear waters make Bradenton a very popular spot for sun seekers.
The main beaches are Cortez and Coquina. Cortez Beach is within walking distance of the main stores and restaurants in Bradenton and features a pier which is very popular among fishermen.
This is a quiet beach with seafront parking and good amenities.
Cape Coral
There are more miles of canals in Cape Coral than in any other city in the world. There are over 400 miles (640 km) of navigable waterways which makes this region especially beautiful. The city is also home to over 600,000 people, making it a busy, bustling and thriving area.
Located about 90 minutes south of Sarasota, the city is a large peninsula on the Gulf Coast of Florida and is bordered by the Caloosahatchee River on the east and Matlacha Pass on the west.
Cape Coral was built about 40 years ago by two land speculators who believed that the area's location on the Gulf Coast provided abundant sunshine and almost endless opportunities for waterfront living.
Clearwater
Located on the west coast of Florida, Clearwater is a fabulous holiday destination. Glorious beaches, warm and friendly locals and superb weather all combine to make Clearwater a clear winner!
Clearwater’s close proximity to the neighbouring Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbour, Dunedin and Gulfport make it an ideal base for your perfect Florida Holiday. Clearwater is particularly popular as a wedding destination for those looking for idyllic settings and all year round god weather for their special day.
Clearwater is a multi cultural area and hosts a number of events throughout the year to celebrate this fact. The Dunedin highland games is one of Florida’s best known Celtic festivals featuring bagpipes, kilts and even traditional Scottish caber tossing!
Golf fanatics will not be disappointed with some fabulous golf courses including the Renaissance Vinoy Resort, the Bardmoor Golf and Tennis club and the Belleview Biltmore club all close at hand.
Clearwater Beach Holidays
As the name suggests, Clearwater is a superb destination for those looking for that perfect Florida Beach Holiday. The beach at Fort De Soto Park won America’s No 1 Beach award in 2006 while Caladesi Island picked up the No 2 Award in 2006 and 2007.
Naples
Naples makes claims to be the Crown Jewel of South West Florida and it’s easy to understand why. Along with Marco Island the area is collectively known as The Paradise Coast and the incredible scenery lives up to that claim. Modern and yet unspoilt Naples is a beautiful holiday destination with 11 miles of glorious beaches and nature reserves.
Naples Attractions
One of Naples main attractions is the Naples Zoo at the Caribbean Gardens where you can see alligators, snakes and monkeys. Boating enthusiasts can take sailing lesson or charter boats or take a private boat trip to see the intriguing Manatees that inhabit the waters. For those with a more artistic leaning, the Philharmonic Centre for the Arts may have more appeal hosting dance, classical and Opera performances.
Naples Beach Holidays
There are over 10 miles of beautiful subtropical beaches at Naples, the main beaches being Lowdermilk Park, Clam Pass Park, Naples and Vanderbilt Beach all offering good amenities and clean sands.
Naples Nightlife
There are plenty of really good restraints in Naples offering a wide variety of cuisines but the area speciality is seafood. Naples also features a wide assortment of bars and clubs to keep you entertained in the evenings.
Marco Island
At 6,800 acres, Marco Island claims to be the biggest of all Florida’s islands and is an incredible holiday destination. Blessed with miles and miles of glorious white sandy beaches and fabulous weather it’s no surprise that Marco Island has become a haven for British Holiday Makers.
Marco Island Beaches
Marco Island’s Tigertail beach is located on Hernando Drive and stretches across 31 acres. With plenty of parking spaces and lots of amenities including a sand volleyball court and a butterfly garden, Tigertail is one of Marco Islands most popular beaches.
Shopping at Marco Island
Shopaholics are well catered for at Marco Island with The Esplanade Shopping centre at Smokehouse Bay being a great place to start. Based on Italian Village architecture the area has many small boutiques as well as famous upmarket stores.
Fort Myers
Fort Myers is a busy and vibrant tourist area with many attractions to keep you occupied. Originally a military outpost, Fort Myers is one of the major holiday destinations in Florida. Located on the banks of the Caloosahatchee river, Fort Myers has much to offer Holiday Makers.
Fort Myers Attractions
Those on a family holiday to Fort Myers will not be disappointed with the range of attractions designed to keep the children happy. The imaginarium is a fabulous, educational museum located in downtown Fort Myers with plenty for the younger members of your party to see and do.
The Yacht Basin at Mile Marker is a beautiful marina with many superb restaurants offering local cuisine.
Golfers won’t feel left out either and a visit to the Eastwood Golf Course is a must.
Fort Myers Beach Holidays
Fort Myers beach is a great place to relax and unwind on your holiday. Water sports are very popular here with jet skiing, parasailing and boat fishing all well catered for. If gambling is your thing then why not try the floating casino cruise where you can enjoy blackjack, 3 card poker and a great all-you-can-eat buffet.
Tarpon Springs
The region of Tarpon Springs consists of a series of bayous feeding into the Gulf of Mexico and first attracted attention as a place for winter homes in the late 19th century. When Tarpons were spotted jumping out of the waters, the locals named the location Tarpon Springs. The sponge harvesting industry was responsible for most of the area's early prosperity.
When a red tide algae bloom occurred in 1947, wiping out the sponge fields in that region of the Gulf of Mexico, most of the sponge boats and divers switched to fishing and shrimping for a livelihood. The city then converted most of its sponge-related activities, especially the warehouses where they were sold, into tourist attractions. The Sponge Docks are now mostly shops, restaurants, and museums dedicated to the memory of Tarpon Springs' earlier industry. Most sponges sold on the docks are now imports: Relatively few sponges are harvested from the area, although attempts have been made in recent years to restart local sponge harvesting. Led by local businessman George Billiris, in the late 1980s the sponge industry made a comeback and in the fall of 2007, a record harvest of sponges by a single boat was made.
St Petersburg
St. Petersburg (often shortened to St. Pete) is a city and resort in Pinellas County, on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
The city is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It is connected to the mainland to the north, connected with the city of Tampa to the east by causeways and bridges across Tampa Bay, and to Bradenton in the south by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (Interstate 275), which traverses the mouth of the bay. Home to over 2.7 million residents, it is a popular tourist destination, mainly due to the fact that it has an average of some 360 days of sunshine each year. For this reason it is nicknamed 'The Sunshine City'.
St. Pete Beach is the most popular area of this stunning resort and is a barrier island community stretched out along 4.5 miles of sandy beaches. Its permanent resident population of just over 10,000 nearly doubles during the winter months, making it one of the more popular tourism areas on the Suncoast. On the southern tip of St. Pete Beach lies Pass-a-Grille, a charming historical district with a flavor that is reminiscent of an Old Florida artists' colony. This idyllic, unspoiled community started as a fishing village and was inhabited long before the rest of the island. Today, its galleries, restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts and shorelines draw tourists from all over the world.
Englewood
Just south of Venice is Englewood, an unincorporated community that straddles Sarasota and Charlotte Counties. Surrounded by the Gulf on one side and Lemon Bay on the other, Englewood has been called the 'Gem of the Suncoast', thanks to its prime location and its miles of stunning beaches. In addition, Englewood's barrier island, Manasota Key, has four beautiful beaches of its own, each with barbeque pits, bathroom facilities and boardwalks.
The natural beauty of Englewood is considered to be its greatest treasure, and the large number of parks and nature preserves are a testament to this. Some of these parks include Cedar Point, Don Pedro Barrier Island, Indian Mound Park, Kiwanis Park and the Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center. Lemon Bay itself is an aquatic preserve, with mangroves, sea grasses and oyster communities. Both freshwater and saltwater fishing are extremely popular in this area.
Spring Hill
With a population of almost 100,000, Spring Hill has become a bustling semi-city in its own right.
Spring Hill belongs to Florida's Nature Coast and is in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro region of Florida's Gulf Coast.
Spring Hill is home to many beautiful parks including Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, which consists of 3.5 acres (14,000 m2) of gardens. The Gulf Of Mexico is two miles away to the west and has five parks that offer many different activities. One of the parks, Pine Island Park, a beach that is very popular and was recently refurbished. Weeki Wachee Springs [3] is home to the famous live mermaid show and Florida's only spring-fed water park, Buccaneer Bay.
Resturaunts and retail stores have been in great demand in Spring Hill, making the area a major destination for shoppers in and outside the area. Golf courses are quite abundant in the area and has made Spring Hill a top pick for golf enthusiasts. Spring Hill also has a public skate park with street and vert courses.
Siesta Key
Siesta Key is a barrier island off the central western coast of Florida. It is situated between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. A portion of it lies within the city boundary of Sarasota, but the majority of the key is in Sarasota County.
The region boasts one of the finest beaches in Florida and the most popular
Siesta Beach stretches from a site named Point of Rocks, just below the middle point of Siesta Key, north to the Siesta Village region. It might be considered Siesta Key’s premier claim to fame. Siesta Key's Siesta Beach has accumulated numerous awards in recognition of its soft, clean, pure-white sand. Consistently, it is rated among the top ten beaches of Florida, the U.S., and the world.
New Port Richey
The City and area of New Port Richey is rich with history dating back to the early 1900’s.
Located about 35 miles north of Tampa, the city of New Port Richey has the Pithlachascotee River flowing through its downtown area. Every year, the 11-day Chasco Fiesta, held along the banks of the river, celebrates Native American heritage with a pow-wow, floats, a boat parade and entertainment.
During the 1920’s, New Port Richey entertained the Hollywood crowd, attracting film stars Thomas Meighan, Gloria Swanson and Ed Wynn, author Pearl Buck, among others. Since the 1970’s the City of New Port Richey has focused on redevelopment and there are a number of villa resorts and properties for rental.
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