Dave, if you go to St. Pete you might want to check out some of the night life in Jannus Landing. There is a courtyard there called Jannus Live where they have live music and an outdoor bar attached. It's in a nice old part of town by Tampa Bay.

On the way there is the wonderful old Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, Tampa which an old cigar making center. I usually try to hit it for lunch and dinner (lunch for me will be their Black Bean Soup and 1905 Salad which is TDF and for supper I start with a Mojito or a Daiquiri, both of which they do quite well, and order the Red Snapper Alicante, so good). I usually top it all off with my "once a year cigar", good ones are easy to find there, not surprisingly. Cigar City Brewery is close by and worth a visit to do some sampling.

I get up that way to Hommasassa Springs about once a year to kayak fish (I'm about 250 miles south of there) which is just a bit north of Spring Hill, you might find the state park there fun, it's on the Hommasassa River which is fed by the springs. You should see lots of manatees and you'll want check out the "Fish Bowl" which is an aquarium built right into the river that you just walk down into it.

If you travel a bit east there's Highland Hammocks State Park where there are trails through hardwood hammocks and a rickety boardwalk through a marsh/swamp which is very cool, it will give you some idea of what Florida was like before all the development. There is also a very informative visitor center which will fill you in on the regional history. It's near Lake Wales, that lovely old town on a lake that Joe spoke of.

Oh, and you're not far from Tarpon Springs where a colony of Greek sponge fishermen settled so consequently there are some great Greek restaurants there. One that springs to mind is Hellas. It's a cool town to kick around.

It's still not what we call "the season" down here, when all the Northerners descend upon us for the winter as well as vacationers, so you'll want to call ahead to find out what's open and what the hours are like when planning an excursion. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. Have fun.