For a break from the beach, check out classic Florida boardwalk stores and restaurants at John's Pass Village & Boardwalk in Madeira Beach. When you've had your fill of shopping and dining, take a spin on a WaveRunner or join a dolphin cruise.
Fun on the Water
Some of my fondest memories growing up in New England were summers at the beach boardwalk. While I love Florida's white sand beaches and swaying palms, a piece of me still longed for the feel of wooden planks beneath my flip flops. So, I treasured a day spent at John's Pass Village & Boardwalk.
Centrally located between Clearwater Beach to the north and St. Pete Beach to the south, John's Pass Village is perched right on the water. The tin roofs of the commercial fishing village/entertainment center line the north side of the pass that connects the Gulf with Boca Ciega Bay. With more than 130 Florida boardwalk stores, restaurants and attractions, touring John's Pass Village can easily turn into a full day's worth of fun – which is just what I intended.
I arrived shortly before lunch with my husband in tow. He worried this would be just a day of shopping, but he quickly perked up as we stepped atop the 1,000-foot boardwalk and he saw the jet ski rentals and parasailing stands that promised lots of high-energy fun.
We made our way down to the floating docks to pick out the WaveRunners that would be ours for the hour (half-hour, two-hour and half- and full-day rentals are also available). With speed in mind, we opted for two single machines instead of the multi-person crafts and quickly hit the blue waters of Boca Ciega Bay. The thumping of ocean beneath us, we found a quiet cove area to practice turning and soaking each other in our wakes. The rest of the hour passed quickly as we rode along looking for dolphins that we were told are all over the bay, but they weren't showing themselves just then.
Florida Boardwalk Stores and Restaurants
Back at John's Pass Village, it was time to eat. We found The Hut, a casual tiki bar that serves salads and sandwiches. The owners of The Hut also run Sculley's on the Boardwalk, which sits on pilings just a few feet above the Gulf water. We made a mental note to head there later in the evening for some sort of rum-based drinks and live music.
But, properly fed now, we headed off for my husband's dreaded activity and my favorite, shopping.
The Florida boardwalk stores in the Village are stuffed with swimsuits, decorative wall art, gifts and clothing. Our first stop was Just Hats to find stylish caps to protect our heads from the sunshine as we walked through the streets. At Global Candle Gallery I had a custom candle made for my mother and at Windworks we tried out the knitted hammock chairs while picking out Corinthian wind chimes to take home. And despite all complaints about shopping, my husband was pleased to find sandals that fit his size 15 feet.
To relax we picked up some ice cream (me) and a hand-rolled cigar from the Latin Quarter House of Cigars (my husband) and then made our way to the top of the boardwalk to search again for dolphins playing in the water.
Sunset Cruises
With sunset approaching, we bought tickets for the evening cruise on the Pirate Ship at John's Pass. We headed out into the bay with a fun-loving crowd and the skull and crossbones flag flying high atop one of the replica ship's three masts. The Pirate Ship has several family-friendly cruises during the day that include water gun battles, treasure hunts, face painting and pirate stories. Parents can indulge in beer and wine during any of the day cruises. For the evening cruise, not only are beer and wine included, but the limbo contest is not to be missed.
As the ship pointed toward the setting sun, we finally got to see the dolphins that had been avoiding us all day when a pod of four swam within just a few yards of the bow. This was something no New England boardwalk could even compare with.
