New Florence. New Renaissance.

More West Coast on the East Coast

Instagram galleries of 10 photos each of places and events on the West Coast of Florida

St. Petersburg – Pier Boat show

St. Petersburg – Tropicana Field and the Rays

St. Petersburg – Vinoy Park and Mainsail Art Festival

St. Petersburg – Walter Fuller Park and Green Thumb Festival

Seminole – Lake Seminole Park

Tampa – Old Ybor City

Tampa – Gasparilla Pirate Invasion and Parade

Tampa – Downtown bridges lit up at night

Tampa – USF Riverfront Park

Tarpon Springs – Sponge Docks

 

2022 edition of West Coast on the East Coast

Continuing the Instagram series on the slower, friendlier, prettier other coast of Florida

Gallery of 10 photos in each

Apollo Beach - TECO Manatee Viewing Center

Cayo Costa - Hurricane Ian

Dunedin – Scottish Highland Games

Hudson – Canterbury Farms Nursery

Lakeland – Polk Museum, Rodin exhibit

Lakeland – Lake Morton, Birding paradise

Lakeland – Linder Airport, Thunderbirds in their F-16s at Sun n Fun

Lake Nano – Medical City Town Center

Lake Nona – Wave Hotel

Masaryktown – Sunflowers and more at Sweetfields Farm

New Port Rickey – Downtown and Green Key

Oldsmar – Olds Park

Palm Harbor – Lake Tarpon

St Petersburg – Saturday Morning Market

St Petersburg – Christmas in the Pier and Museum District

St Petersburg – Green Thumb Festival

St Petersburg – Wat Lao Buddhist Temple

Safety Harbor

Spring Hill – Nature Coast Botanical Garden

Tampa – Margaret’s Buddha Army

Tampa – MacDill AFB, Blue Angels in their Super Hornets

Tampa – MacDill AFB, Airfest

Tampa – Sistine Chapel exhibition

Tampa – Pam Callahan Nature Preserve

Tampa – Hillsborough River, St. Patrick’s Day

Tampa – International Plaza and Bay Street

Tampa – Florida State Fair – Farm fun

Tampa – Florida State Fair – Fairgrounds

Tampa – Bayshore Blvd, Gasparilla

Tampa – Pirate Pride – Gasparilla and Buccaneers

Tampa - Lowry Park

Tampa – the bridges of Channel A

Tampa – the bridges of Channel G

Tampa – Bayshore Blvd

Tampa – U of Tampa

Tampa – Thanksgiving

Tampa – Christmas libations

Tampa Bay area – Rail memories

Tampa Bay area– Rail landmarks

Tampa Bay area – various waterfronts

 

More West Coast on East Coast

Recent Instagram galleries (with 10 photos each) of recent weekend trips along the West Coast of Florida

Gasparilla 2022

Rail landmarks

The bridges of Channel A

New Port Richey

Tampa International Airport – flying objects

Views from Tampa Convention Center

Even More West Coast on the East Coast

Recent Instagram galleries (with 10 photos each) of recent weekend trips along the West Coast of Florida

Pirate Pride - Buccaneers and Gasparilla fever

U of Tampa

Safety Harbor 

Oldsmar - Park City

Tampa Westshore Boulevard 

Channel G/Town and Country Greenway

 

More West Coast on East Coast

Recent Instagram galleries (with 10 photos each) of recent weekend trips along the West Coast of Florida

Rail memories

The bridges of Channel G - auto and pedestrian bridges

Lake Morton - awesome avians 

Tampa Bay – Holiday Lights

Al Lopez Park, Tampa

Tampa Riverwalk

2021 – “Selling Tampa”

Ok, so we are at the last entry in my series recapping 2021

Last week, the Census Bureau revealed the US population grew only 0.13% during the year from April 2020 to 2021. That is the slowest growth since the country was founded. However, our home state, Florida bucked the trend and had the largest net domestic migration gains.

There is a big difference in recent migrants. Many of them are younger than in previous generations, many of which came to retire in the Sunshine State. And many of the recent ones are coming to the West Coast of Florida, which is less developed and more relaxed compared to the Miami east coast.

This trend is being confirmed by the hottest new reality show on Netflix - “Selling Tampa”

Of course, the west coast is not just Tampa, or even the broader Tampa Bay area. My wife, Margaret has perfected the art of day trips as she wrote here. During the pandemic that has meant lots of driving trips along the west coast and I have been cataloging photos on Instagram as part of my “West Coast on the East Coast” series.

Below are images of the first photo from some of the 2021 entries. They are all in batches of 10 photos here - click forward once you drill into each entry.

Come visit. Also consider moving here. We have lived here for 30 years and are big fans!

In the meantime, follow along with my series. Happy New Year!

 

 

Even More West Coast on the East Coast

Recent Instagram galleries (with 10 photos each) of recent weekend trips along the West Coast of Florida

Venice Beach

West Coast Birds

Brandon

Estero Island

South Seas Plantation, Captiva Island

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

Holiday Boat Parade, Tampa

More West Coast on East Coast

Recent Instagram galleries (with 10 photos each) of recent weekend trips along the West Coast of Florida

Ballast Point, Tampa Pier, Yacht Club, Equestrian 

Lutz Train depot, car show

Pine Island Weeki Wachee mermaids

Florida Polytechnic U newest state school, STEM focused, gorgeous campus 

Tarpon Springs sponge docks, Fred Howard park

Tampa Riverwalk Armature Works, public art

Lakeland public art

More West Coast on the East Coast

Recent Instagram galleries (with 10 photos each) of recent weekend trips along the West Coast of Florida

Historic Key West - most tourists go there for the entertainment. Lots of history at every corner

Overseas Highway, Florida Keys  - the most interesting 100 miles in the US?

Turtle Hospital, Marathon, FL - rescue, rehab and release of endangered species

Lakeland, FL - Lake Morton with amazing birds and foliage and Polk Museum of Art

Lake Apopka, FL and nearby quaint towns Mt. Dora and Winter Garden

Plant City, FL - a rail depot and strawberry farming capital

More West Coast on the East Coast - the immigrant influence

Over the Labor Day weekend, Margaret and I did day trips to local towns which reflect influences of Italian, Greek and Scottish coasts and immigrants

For each we have links to an Instagram post of 10 photos:

Venice

No gondolas in this Venice but a street named Piazza Di Luna and over a dozen pizza places. And several beaches the Italian namesake does not offer including Caspersen which is famous for its collection of fossilized shark teeth which wash ashore continually.

Tarpon Springs

Plenty of Orthodox churches and restaurants serving saganaki and gyros to cheers of opa. Also celebrates its history of sponging and diving. Gorgeous Fred Howard park and beach as a bonus.

Dunedin

Named after the Gaelic interpretation of Edinburgh, Dunedin hosts an annual Highland Games with Scottish pipes and other traditions. The quaint downtown and pier hosts several pubs, parks and monuments. A short ferry ride takes you to really nice beaches at the Caladesi and Honeymoon islands.