🌊 A Week in Tampa: Sun, Sea & Surprises!

We landed in Tampa and headed straight for our rental car 🚗. Our home for the week? Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa—PERFECT location! Steps from the beach 🏖️, a night market 🎪, and a pool just downstairs. August was hot, but the evenings? Pure bliss. 🌟 Day 1: Dolphins & Brunch Vibes 📍 Oxford Exchange Brunch in a jungle-chic setting—lush plants + vintage decor = instant mood boost! 🌿 🐬 Little Toot Dolphin Tour ($27/person) Boat’s wake = prime dolphin-viewing spot! Saw them JUMPING—magical! 🌅 Pro tip: Book the sunset tour for dolphins + a pink-sky finale. 🍽️ Clear Sky Beachside Cafe (Friend-approved!) 🌟 Day 2: Curveballs & Thai Food Saves the Day 🚗 Plans derailed by a flat tire... but Wandee Asian Fusion came through! 🔥 Best Thai in Tampa (rivals NYC!): Larb Duck + Tom Yum Soup = MUST-ORDER. 🌟 Day 3: Flamingos & (Skip This) Night Market 📍 Sunken Gardens Tropical paradise with flamingos 🦩 and koi ponds—so serene! 🌃 Lao Night Market (Meh. New location = not worth it.) 🌟 Day 4: Ringling Museum Rush 📍 The Ringling (3+ hours needed!) Art + circus history + a bayside mansion—we barely scratched the surface! 😭 Skip if short on time: The mansion tour ($10 extra). 🍽️ Korean Ssam Bar Seafood pancake = crispy perfection! (Who are these signed walls for, though? 🤔) 🌟 Day 5: Kayaking Fail → Silver Springs Win! 🚣‍♀️ Weeki Wachee = SOLD OUT (Book ahead!) 📍 Silver Springs saved the day: Glass-clear water + manatee sightings! 🐄💙 🍽️ Mr & Mrs Crab Hands-down BEST seafood boil in town. Get messy! 🌟 Day 6: Aquarium Adventures 📍 The Florida Aquarium Touch stingrays + starfish! 📸 No barriers = epic photos. 💡 Pro Tips: Little Toot sunset tours >> morning. Ringling? Go EARLY. Weeki Wachee = book weeks ahead! #TampaTravel #ClearwaterBeach #DolphinMagic #FoodieFinds #FloridaAdventures