The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area is sometimes called Florida's "Sunshine Capital" because it boasts an amazing 361 sunny days a year. In fact, it was once in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the most consecutive days of sunshine!

Clearwater Beach is upbeat, tropical, and offers a huge, white-sand beach along with a nightly sunset celebration on Pier 60 with entertainers and food vendors. Just minutes inland the city of St. Petersburg is home to many art galleries, antique shops, and museums, including the Florida International Museum, now home to a permanent John F. Kennedy exhibit.

Miles of white beaches, stately palms, and the Gulf of Mexico's turquoise waters beckon visitors to sit back and soak in the pleasures of sun and sea. But with approximately 361 days a year of sunshine and an average temperature of 73 degrees, outdoor activities are impossible to resist. Sailing, fishing, jet skiing, snorkeling and scuba diving aren't considered exotic here; they're part of everyday life. Back on land, championship golf courses and tennis courts are open year-round, and anglers will enjoy fishing from the state's longest fishing pier at the old Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Clearwater Beach is a vacationer's paradise. Wiggle sugary sand between your toes, let a breeze propel you through the water on a sailboard or catamaran, or reel in the catch of a lifetime. In addition to some of the most beautiful, broad beaches on Florida's Gulf Coast, you'll find all the water-oriented recreation you can imagine and lots of outdoor activities in the Clearwater area.

Besides jetskis, water bikes and parasails, at the Clearwater Beach Marina you can rent boats for everything from a relaxing sail to a deep sea fishing adventure. More than 300 species of fish populate the waters, making the area one of Florida's premier fishing locales.

Tarpon Springs, named for the fish found in abundance off the Gulf coast, is the oldest city in Pinellas County. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Tarpon Springs has 51 miles of waterfront and a charming downtown center that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Splashed by the Gulf of Mexico on the west and Boca Ciega Bay on the east, the wide, white beaches of Treasure Island are strung like a necklace from Belleair Beach to St. Pete Beach, providing a splendid setting for year-round vacation fun and relaxation. The tranquil communities of the Gulf Beaches are casual and friendly, offering a sunny welcome to all who come.

Watersports, fishing, golfing, beaching, sightseeing and just plain relaxing are favorite pastimes here. In addition, the Pinellas County Recreational Trail, stretching 47 miles from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs, provides a wonderful place for walkers, bikers, joggers and skaters.