Written by Nisheet:

Since the forecast for today called for the quintessentially Florida 80 F weather, I decided to get up extra early for some Tampa Bay exploring.  A friend back home had told me to check out the city of Tarpon Springs for the most authentic Greek food and sponges so that’s where I decided to head first.

After the 40 minute drive, I reached the historic Tarpon Springs and noticed some type of an auto show going on so I decided to check it out.  It turned out to be a Volkswagen fan club gathering of retro VW vans a.k.a the hippie-van.  I was delighted to see some of the extreme personalization some people had done and how much work they had put into it.

I then continued my drive to the sponge docs of Tarpon Springs.  The street called Dodecanese Blvd was filled with tourists and locals. Tarpon Springs has the distinction of having the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the US.  Although all the attractions are located on just one street about a mile long, there were numerous authentic restaurants and shops to explore.  All the restaurants that I passed by had the sweet smell of Gyros hanging by the entrance.  I decided to check out Hellas restaurant with a huge statue of a soldier on its roof. Everything on the menu looked delicious.  Based on a friend’s recommendation I decided to try a delicious drink called Ouzo which turns hazy when poured over ice and tastes herby and refreshing. For food I ordered the flaming cheese dish called Saganaki and Chicken Souvlaki which contained chunks of chicken wrapped in pita with tzatziki sauce.  The food and drinks were very satisfying and some of the best Greek food I have ever had.

Next on the stop was the Honeymoon Island which is part of the Florida state park system.  Because it’s technically a state park, a 1-day pass costs $9 but is worth it.  The island consists of a set of secluded beaches with calm waves and lots of pebbly sand with plenty of seashells to collect.  The park also boasts lots of nature trails and bird watching areas.

I continued my south-ward journey and decided to see the sunset at the Indian Rocks beach.  The beach has endless stretch of sand which overlooks beautiful colorful houses and condos.  The beach had a good amount of locals and tourists walking around in the warm waters and soft sand.