Family Fun Ways to Beat the Heat
Take a break from the Florida heat at these fun family activities, attractions and locations in St. Pete/Clearwater.
The Splash Pad at the St. Pete Pier is a great place to for kids to stay cool while running off some steam.
Don’t let the rising temperature get you down! In St. Pete/Clearwater, the average temperature is a comfortable 73 degrees. But daytime temps can be warm indeed, and it can be humid, too. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and cool off with these fun activities.
Make Waves at Splash and Water Parks
This massive inflatable slide at TradeWinds Resort is perfect for the little daredevils in your family.
Make a splash at Splash Harbour Water Park at the Holiday Inn Harbourside Hotel in Indian Rocks Beach with two giant twisty water slides, a kids' splash zone and a winding, lazy river!
The floating water park at TradeWinds Island Resorts has inflatable slides, floating trampolines, chill out loungers and more.
Looking for some extra fun on public facilities? The Treasure Island Slide is four stories tall!
Dell Holmes Park, located by Lake Maggiore has a splash pad available during the summer.
Finally, the new St. Pete Pier has a splash pad conveniently next to a snack pavilion.
Catch a Rays Game at Tropicana Field
Thanks to Tropicana Field's huge dome enclosure, Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball games can be watched in air-conditioned comfort! Cheer on your favorite team without breaking a sweat. Click below to catch an upcoming game, and watch for Family Fun Days during Sunday home games.
Play & Learn at Great Explorations
Let kids be kids at the Great Explorations Children's Museum in St. Pete.
Just north of downtown St. Pete, popular Great Explorations Children's Museum promises hours of hands-on fun for little ones. Kids are invited to create brilliant works of art, (safely) climb high in Longo’s Cove, build worlds in an interactive sandbox and much, much more. It’s located right next to Sunken Gardens, so when it cools down a little, you can take them to go see the flock of flamingos that lives there.
Explore the Undersea World at Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center
Learn about preserving the local marine environment by visiting the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center at the St. Pete Pier.
Just steps from the splash pad at the St. Pete Pier, the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center will encourage your children’s sense of wonder with exhibits that are all about the waters that surround them. They’ll meet urchins and rays at the touch tanks, explore different types of mangrove ecosystems and learn how water and land interact to form Tampa Bay’s landscapes. An ecotour boat can take you out on the bay to experience it all, too. Since you’re at the Pier, there’s plenty of dining nearby, as well as a small beach.
Make a New Friend at Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Nothing builds a child’s excitement like getting face-to-face with the dolphins, sea turtles, otters and other sea creatures that make up the vibrant marine ecosystems of St. Pete/Clearwater. Most of the residents at Clearwater Marine Aquarium were found injured or stranded, and many are being rehabilitated for release back into the wild.
Cool Off with a Sweet Treat
Nothing beats cooling off with a gourmet ice pop from Hyppo on Central Ave.
There’s nothing quite like ice cream or another frozen treat on a hot day, and St. Pete/Clearwater has an ice cream shop or gelato spot around nearly every corner. Hyppo on St. Pete’s Central Ave. is a local favorite, and your kids will be amazed by the variety of popsicle flavors to choose from. Can’t do dairy? No problem. Many Hyppo flavors are dairy-free, and other local spots such as Paciugo Gelato and Plant Love in St. Pete also fit the bill.
Play Old-School Arcade Games
At the Replay Museum it's just a flat fee to play all the games.
With rows of vintage pinball museums and clusters of arcade games from the days of Pac Man and Donkey Kong, Replay Museum in Tarpon Springs will blow their minds. And don’t let the word “museum” fool you: For the price of admission, you and your clan can play each and every one of these games to your hearts’ content.