Outdoor Adventures in St. Pete/Clearwater

When most people think of Pinellas County, they picture its 35 miles of pure white beaches, 20-or-so barrier islands and blue-green waters teeming with life. While the waterfront may be the prime attraction, the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area has dozens of outdoor adventures waiting to be discovered off the beaten path.

It doesn't matter if your passion is birding, bass fishing or something in between, there is a great getaway just around each corner. In no particular order, here are eight ways to get outside.

1. Ride the Pinellas Trail

Stretching from St. Petersburg in the south to Tarpon Springs in the north, the 34-mile Fred E. Marquis Pinellas Trail offers walkers, runners, bicyclists and in-line skaters a safe place to exercise.

Built atop an old railroad line, this unique greenway carries travelers along the oak-lined hammocks of several city and county parks, across rivers and creeks where wading birds feed, and through quaint, picturesque small towns where the weary can stop for a bite to eat.

A nonprofit citizens group, Pinellas Trails Inc., publishes a free, pocket-sized, flip-up map detailing rest stops, bike racks and all the other amenities that make the Pinellas Trail one of the most user-friendly greenways in the United States.

For maps and videos, visit www.pinellascounty.org/trailgd/.

2. Hike Brooker Creek

Located just 45 minutes from bustling St. Petersburg, Brooker Creek Preserve is a wilderness oasis. With 8,500 acres of swamps, pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks to explore, spend a few hours there, and you're sure to see an array of native flora and fauna.

The first-rate Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center offers four miles of hiking trails open from 7 a.m. to one half-hour before sunset. To see the most wildlife – and Brooker Creek is home to everything from deer to bobcat – come early.

A self-guided, 1.5-mile loop trail, complete with a bridge and boardwalk, is available for those who want to go it alone. Admission is free.

3. Skate the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail

When completed, this 13-mile paved trail will link Safety Harbor to Clearwater Beach, giving in-line skaters the opportunity to skate from Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico.

This seldom-used trail is a secret spot for in-line skaters who want to open up and unwind. At the time of publication, only 4.4 miles of trail is open, connecting Safety Harbor's Bayshore Drive westward to the City of Clearwater's Long Center.

The trail has all the standard amenities such as restrooms, water fountains and benches, but skaters can also stop to picnic, fish or even play a little disc golf.

Officially, this greenway is called the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail, even though most users simply call it the East West Trail to differentiate it from the nearby Pinellas Trail, which runs north and south.

4. Canoe Weedon Island

Weedon Island Preserve Cultural & Natural History Center, with its miles of mangrove-lined waterways, once played host to one of the oldest cultures in Florida. A succession of Indians lived here for a reason: the bountiful waters of this estuarine area kept them well fed and happy.

Ten thousand years later, Weedon Island hasn't changed much. The brackish water is still a favorite fishing ground for kayak-bound anglers in search of trout, redfish and snook. Birders also flock here by the thousands to add roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets and white ibis to their life lists.

Paddlers can choose from two trails in the 3,000-acre preserve. The southern canoe trail is a well-marked, 4-mile loop easily accessible next to the fishing pier. The north trail, which begins in an old work canal off of San Martin Boulevard, is equally scenic but requires a little more planning.

5. Swim at Caladesi Island

Stephen Leatherman, a.k.a., Dr. Beach, knew what he was talking about when he named Caladesi Island State Park No. 1 best beach in the nation in 2008.

Accessible only by private boat or public passenger ferry, Caladesi Island doesn't attract the crowds of some of its neighbors. On a weekday, it is not unusual to share a large expanse of sugar-sand beach with nothing but seabirds.

But it's the water that makes this place so special. Blessed with the constant flushing action of nearby Hurricane Pass, the water is generally unusually translucent, making the area a great place to swim.

It's best to make a day of it. Catch the ferry at nearby Honeymoon Island State Park and grab lunch at Caladesi's full-service snack bar. Admission fees vary.

6. Visit Honeymoon Island's Nature Center

One of the newest additions to the Pinellas County eco-scene, the Rotary Centennial Nature Center spotlights the flora and fauna of one of the most popular parks in the state system, Honeymoon Island State Park.

Florida's ever-changing barrier islands share a unique relationship with the sea. No place is this more evident than at Honeymoon, which was separated from nearby Caladesi Island by the hurricane of 1921.

The constantly evolving shores, and the adjacent sea grass beds, salt marshes and mangrove swamps, provide unique habitat for a variety of little-noticed species. Visit the nature center, then head out for a beach hike. You are guaranteed to see sea life in a new light. Admission fees vary.

7. Birdwatch at Millennium Park

This Pinellas County Park has been in the news lately thanks to the discovery of stone-age fossils by a local high school student. But while Boca Ciega Millennium Park may be known for its ancient creatures, it's the living ones that attract visitors from all over the United States.

Located along the fertile waters of the Intracoastal Waterway, Millennium Park is a major resting area for birds on their migration south. These feathered friends like the fact that park planners maintained and expanded many natural communities, including mangrove swamp, pine flatwoods and salt marsh.

The park, a registered stop on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's "Great Florida Birding Trail,” also has a boardwalk and observation tower.

8. Explore Fort De Soto

Still can't decide what to do? The 1,136-acre Fort De Soto Park, comprised of five interconnected islands, has a little something for everybody.

For starters, Fort De Soto has the largest public boat ramp in the county. Launch a powerboat to fish the Gulf of Mexico, or slip your kayak in the water and follow a well-marked paddle trail.

Two fishing piers with full-service snack bars, as well as concessions that rent everything from sit-on-top kayaks to four-wheeled, surrey-style bikes, means you'll never run out of things to do.

Popular with cyclists and in-line skaters, a paved trail runs the length of the park. Off-road trails are a favorite haunt for birders and wildlife photographers.

Water sport enthusiasts will find two well-marked swimming beaches to their liking. There is even an area set aside for kite surfing and board sailing.

But Fort De Soto's most popular attraction is the tree-covered family campground. People from all over the country come to pitch a tent and relax by the water. Make reservations early; this popular campground is booked well in advance. However, the park designates 10 percent of its inventory as walk-in sites, so those without a reservation have a chance for a short (one- to two-night) stay.

For more information about the outdoors, visit http://www.floridasbeach.com/cms/index.php?id=3116.