The Bowling Ball House in Safety Harbor is one of the wildest, most chaotic, and unforgettable…read morethings you'll ever come across hands down a five-star experience just for the sheer creativity and madness of it. This place is packed with personality from every angle. Bowling balls are everywhere stacked, lined, and worked into the yard in ways that make you stop and stare. It feels like someone took a simple idea and just ran completely wild with it in the best way possible. Then you start noticing all the unexpected details: random statues scattered throughout the property, SpongeBob characters popping up in places you wouldn't expect, and CDs hanging from strings that catch the light and move with the breeze. It's like stepping into a fully DIY art installation where anything goes and more is more. What makes it so great is that nothing about it feels normal or restrained. It's loud, weird, colorful, and totally unique. Every time you look around, you notice something you didn't see before, which makes it feel like the house keeps changing as you explore it. Overall, the Bowling Ball House is pure creative chaos in the best way possible. It's fun, bizarre, and completely unforgettable a true local landmark that proves art doesn't have to make sense to be amazing.

Like stepping back in time. Being in the Hippy era. Cool house and decorations. Bowling balls,…read moremermaid, lots of decorations on the trees. Great for taking pictures. We didn't know you could go inside but someone later told us you could. Not sure but I bet it would be cool.

What a way to do Christmas Eve and even better with the convertible down!…read more I haven't enjoyed Christmas lights this much since I was a little kid. This really made my day-night. It was hard to find a spot that didn't twinkle. We had 2 fav's... The house who's lights went with the radio Christmas music and Santa riding a Dinosaur!!!! I suggest this for anyone who hasn't been before and if you have family visiting (like we did), take them to see it...Its a great memory to keep and share. See u Soon!

Great neighborhood for Christmas lights!! Easily marked which direction you should travel, and we…read moredid so via car. Dropped the top on the convertible so we could capture everything! Not EVERYONE lights up their yards, but most did, and some were so over the top with lights we'd hate to see their Duke energy bill. It CAN get busy right before Xmas, but seems to taper off after. It took us about 15 minutes to get in the hood from Alderman due to the line of people moving in from both directions. If you can park across the street and walk (if its a nice night) that may be a good way to explore as well!! Kudos to the hood on an excellent holiday display!!

Ok, it is very small. I'd say about 10 booths total. There were 2 food /bev trucks. Parking is free…read moreand i felt it was worth the trip to check it out. There was live music there that was nice. If you like kitschy retro stuff, you will enjoy this. They had damn good avocado toast for $4... boba horchata drink was $5 ( I'd say it was 32oz. Huge). Outside the booths were nicely priced. There is a bldg next door that sold cute retro old stuff ... pricy af. But the fair had a unite a friendly cheerful group of vendors. Someone selling cute art stationary, Honey booth , The Darling Market sold some attractive clothing (new/modern) . A gentleman there sold lovely wooden kitchen spoons. The retro booths had the best nicest retro clothes . Such colors and styles. Very cool. Also sold retro basket handbags, retro sugar/flower containers, precious little vases that made me giddy. (Pardon me!) generally speaking there wasn't much for guys here except some grub & bevs & music. 35 minutes well spent.

We were in the area and I really wanted to check this out. I love art and this is a really…read moreinteresting medium. If you decide to go, just know that there is no admission fee and you are free to come and enjoy the beach and sculptures, but it will cost you $5 per hour to park plus a small convenience fee and parking is quite limited. I was disappointed to see that though sculptures made with sand from treasure Island. I assume there was a logistical reason, that it seemed a little strange to me. I was also a little surprised by the designs and styles of the sculptures. There were actually very few that had an ocean or sand theme, with many artists choosing things that work personal to them. It was a very interesting experience. Also they leave the statues up, so if you are unable to attend, you can come and see the statues for a few weeks after the event.

I am always blown away by the creativeness and skill set that the sand artists have. This is my…read morefirst time to experience Sanding Ovations. It is located on Teasure Island Beach in front of Sloppy Joes. If you get there early enough there is the beach parking you can use but also plenty of event parking throughout the area that you'd just have to walk a little from. The beach parking is hourly so if you plan on spending some time down in that area walking around or eating after you see the sculptures it may be worth your bang to get into one of the flat rate parking locations. This event had an opening weekend with all the works, vendors, music, etc but was open all week basically 24/7 because it is not in tents or a secured area like the Sugar Sand Festival in Clearwater is. I went during the week early to avoid as many people as I can for my photos. They were also having an encore weekend the following weekend that would also have all the vendors, etc. Each piece you could fully walking around to get different angles for photos and see just how much detail went into these temporary pieces of art. Just beautiful and though a little windy when I went, the weather was perfect. This is a free event but they did have a donation box out that noted to help keep this free, donations are welcomed.

Installed in 2022, this 21-foot flamingo stands in the center of the main terminal at Tampa…read moreInternational Airport. The sculpture is made of resin and fiberglass and is by artist Matthew Mazzotta. It was commissioned for $520,000 and is a welcome first impression of the Tampa Bay area. Complete with metal panels on the ceiling to look like water surface and dappled lighting on the floor, it looks like the bird is dipping its head below water to grab a fish. You'll be lucky to get a selfie with Home because it's quite popular! Definitely check it out as you pass through TPA. [Review 18968 overall - 1580 in Florida - 2492 of 2022.]

Dunnellon was once a great place to live but all good things come to an end…read more The push for over development. The faulty electrical grids. The push for water restrictions while still adding unlimited new houses by developers... The growing abundance of traffic and overcrowded roads. The Rainbow Springs park suffocating under overcrowding, rude people, trash and an overworked aquafilter from suntan oils alcohol and diapers. The lack of retail stores for these new people to shop.. All the above have basically begun the strangulation of a once great community. But the same greed that is driving voted in politicians in the Marion County Government is affecting all the smaller communities also.

If you've ever driven down a crappy old lime rock back road in The Sunshine State, you can show of…read moreyour appreciation or irritation to Dunnellon. Lime rock is a waste product of phosphate mining, and phosphate mining is the third largest industry in Florida and until recently Dunnellon was the self-proclaimed "Phosphate Center of the World" the industry makes money by having its waste mixed into asphalt as a paving material and used in many parts of Florida still today. It's principal used was as a fertilizer, the crown of the phosphate industry now resides in Mulberry a few hours south, driving through town it seems it's lost much more than its crown. I can't speak much of Dunnellon since my time here was brief, it lies west of Ocala and north of Homosassa. This town is located on the Rainbow and Withlacoochee rivers hence the reason I am here and probably the reason many of the town's visitors flock here, camping, kayaking and tubing on these beautiful rivers seem to be the draw.

I had an intriguing time exploring Micanopy. The history here is so rich. It was founded in 1821…read more It is named after Seminole Chief Micanopy. Also, it is recognized as the Florida states oldest Inlet settlement. There are so many antique shops here with so many fun things to look at. It was a unique experience. I suggest whoever is in the area to stop by and feel the history here in this place.

Any fans of the movie Doc Hollywood (1991)? Well if you are then visiting this small historic town…read moreis a fun way to spend the afternoon. This charming community was founded in 1821 and is believed to be the oldest inland town in the state of Florida. The town was named for Chief Micanopy of the Seminole Nation. It's been recognized as one of America's top historic small towns. Population is 669 and the town itself is only 1.03 miles. Way too small for me but it definitely is quaint. Lots of antique shops, and other small businesses here along with some cafes featuring outdoor dining. We enjoyed walking around and visiting all the Doc Hollywood movie and historical sites. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at a place now called Pearl Country Store and BBQ. There are many Spanish oak trees lining the streets which makes you feel so comfortable while exploring. If you happen to be in the area, I recommend a stop here. It is a town that will have you step back in time when life was simple.

Despite being a beach city on an island, Cedar Key remains a bit undiscovered. It is far from being…read morethe typical Florida "tourist trap" as there are no mini-golfs, big resort hotels, "booze bars" or theme parks. It is a tranquil escape with a laid back atmosphere likely because it's off the beaten track, 50 miles southwest of Gainesville and I-75 along the Gulf Coast. The settlement of Cedar Key dates back to the 1800's and has updated with more recent improvements. Today it is a relaxing getaway where you can find nature, beaches, fabulous seafood, a public library and the history museum. I had 5 bars of 5G the whole time I was exploring the island. Cedar Key has been flooded and rebuilt, flooded and rebuilt. Those who live here are a persistent bunch who've been through more than their share of hurricanes. For activities, Cedar Key has boat rentals, art galleries and beaches. I enjoyed Lil Shark Park, Cemetery Point Park and a great little coffee shop along the main street. None of the big hotel chains are here but there are vacation rentals and Airbnb's. If I'd stayed long enough for dinner, Steamers Clam Bar would have been my option and there are others. Maybe the next time I'm passing by. [Review 380 of 2025 - 2029 in Florida - 23942 overall]

I drove two and a half hours to make it to cedar keys I would have to say it was very secluded and…read moresmall there wasn't much for shells to get here I did get an oyster though I decided to take a 3 hour 3 to go to honeymoon island along the coast.