Gulfport, FL, Part 2 – So Much To Do

There is so much to do in Gulfport, FL! Such a cool, little town and just on the outskirts of St Petersburg. We stayed a week in the Gulfport Municipal Marina as part of our Great Loop adventure and had a great time discovering this town. From shopping the Fresh Market and biking the Skyway Trail to enjoying the local restaurants and even Tango dancing at the Casino. There is so many things to see and do here, we could have stayed another week.

Now that we have moved on to our next stop, (we are at anchor near St Petersburg Beach) I thought I would do a wrap-up of some of the things to see and do in Gulfport, Florida, whether you are coming by sea or land.

Art and Culture

I wrote about the Art Walk in my previous Gulfport post. We both love art, especially Eric, so having so many local artists and studios to see is fantastic. But even the vibe of the town is very artsy and colorful.

Then there is the ballroom dancing at the ‘Casino’. I mentioned the casino before, but it is not a gambling casino. In fact, it never has been. It’s just called the Gulfport Casino. But there is dancing almost every night. Argentine Tango on Tuesday; Swing on Wednesday, Disco on Friday; and others in between. And there are special dance parties on certain weekends. Now this is what I call culture! So much fun.

Tuesday Fresh Market

Definitely make plans while visiting Gulfport to come to the Tuesday Fresh Market. While the name seems to suggest a fresh produce market, it’s actually a little bit of everything. Yes, there was a farmer selling really good fresh produce, but there’s much more: delicious, fresh, French croissants and bread; homemade, authentic Hummus; local clothing; plant growers; local honey; homemade gifts and decor; different food everywhere (we loved the Thai iced tea!) and so much more. This is a must do while in Gulfport.

Riding the Skyway Trail

Being on a boat, our only transportation are our bikes or our feet. We love walking and the town is great to walk in. But it has been so nice to have our Jetson foldable, electric bikes. They are small and fit great on the boat, but work great to get us around an area… and they are just so much fun to ride.

Whether you have small bikes like ours or regular sized bikes, one ride I definitely recommend is the Skyway Trail. This lovely trail meanders around the Clam Bayou where you’ll enjoy water and mangrove views, birds and a peaceful ride. We started near hwy 275, and ended at the Gulfport Marina, but the trail can be longer and includes the Skyway bridge and other parks along with riding through residential areas.

Floating in the Clam Bayou

Another item on the list of things to do in Gulfport is the Clam Bayou. You’ll see it from land while on the Skyway Trail. But the best way to enjoy the bayou is by water. We explored in our dingy, but a canoe, kayak or paddleboard is great as well. There is even a kayak launch nearby. The depth is shallow so larger boats cannot go in, which makes it quite peaceful. It’s a lovely place to float around and enjoy the mangroves, birds and calm waters.

Dining at Local Restaurants

One thing I love about smaller towns is the locally owned restaurants. And there are several in Gulfport, especially along the waterfront. O’Maddy’s is a very popular spot with live music often playing. Caddy’s is great and have some nice specials. I had the pork belly tacos… yum! Neptune Grill is another waterfront restaurant, more quiet and upscale. We had a very nice Sauvignon Blanc while waiting for the Tango dancing to start. There are many others in the Waterfront and Art districts to check out, although we were not able to visit them personally. But the fun is having so many dining options…and all local, which is great.

Walking, or riding, through adorable neighborhoods.

Another thing we really liked about Gulfport were the adorable neighborhoods to walk or ride through. It was so refreshing to see mostly smaller cute bungalows, mostly from the 40’s and 50’s, rather than big mansions you often see in coastal communities now. And the beautiful tropical landscaping in most of the houses was lovely to see as well.

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We have so enjoyed our time here in Gulfport this week and hope we get to return to this fun, artsy and cute town. There was so much to do and I know there is even more to explore and discover here. Check out this link for a calendar of events. From the art and culture to the fresh market and adorable neighborhoods, Gulfport needs to be on your list of coastal towns to visit!

As always, thanks for reading. Remember to keep living your someday…..everyday!

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