Gulfport Florida
Some would say that if you were ever curious what a town in Florida resembled back in the early portion of the twentieth century, then you would definitely like to check out the city of Gulfport. Located northeast of St Pete Beach, southwest of the city of St Petersburg, and just southeast of Treasure Island shore. Gulfport site 9 miles from St. Petersburg and is a short half hour drive from the city of Tampa. We would describe Gulfport as “charming.” It faces Boca Ciega Bay and is often called the gate way to the Gulf of Mexico.
While, it may appear to be just a quick drive over from the hustle and bustle of Tampa and the surrounding areas, it really seems like you are millions of miles away from the congestions, traffic and city atmosphere. As we understand it, Gulfport and its history ages back to the year of1867, when the first settlers’ established in an area now recognized as Gulfport.
As it goes, in year 1884 a gentleman by the name of Hamilton Disston had campaigns for the Gulfport area. He had high hopes that one day a railroad would run through the city, bringing about a big deal of business growth and opportunities. He then went on to build the Waldorf Hotel located on the beaches of Boca Ciega. With the hotel he also developed a few stores, a large dock and large hopes that the railroad was coming. Disston’s plans seemed to come to a screeching halt when they decided to put the railroad in St Pete instead.
My love for Gulfport
By far my favorite thing to do is take an early a.m. walk down the beach of Gulfport. I love to listen to the sound of the waves, watch the budgies, more often than not, witnessing a pod of dolphins playing in the bay.
We also love to take in the cobblestone roads and take in the all of the beautiful sights walking down Beach Blvd. It is not like your big city that has many huge skyscrapers. Much of the architecture and buildings are only a few stories except a few condo complexes. It really brings to life the older southern feel, which we absolutely love to experience. Recently we have noticed some revitalization of some of the older buildings, which we thing is great because we believe in preserving Gulfports beauty and charm.
Fishing
Fishing from the pier is a big attraction. If you like to fish, we highly recommend giving this spot a try. It is not uncommon to find some really interesting catches, specifically lady fingers or even abnormally huge catfish. Word of advice, be careful of those very unafraid pelicans! They will not hesitate to snatch up your catch of the day. We have witnessed them take large fish right off the hook!
Dining and night life
Some of our recommended dinner choices!Not necessarily in Gulf port but one of the most popular dining establishments in the area is Backfin Blue Café. Backfin is know for its crab cakes. I never fully understood it but being in Florida, this place touts its Maryland Crab Cakes. Now do not get me wrong, they are amazing, I just think that Florida should come up with its own set of crab cakes. You know, being surrounded by water and all haha. The fish the serve is as fresh as it gets and crowds line up out the door just about every night trying to get a seat. We definitely recommend reservations!
While, it may appear to be just a quick drive over from the hustle and bustle of Tampa and the surrounding areas, it really seems like you are millions of miles away from the congestions, traffic and city atmosphere. As we understand it, Gulfport and its history ages back to the year of1867, when the first settlers’ established in an area now recognized as Gulfport.
As it goes, in year 1884 a gentleman by the name of Hamilton Disston had campaigns for the Gulfport area. He had high hopes that one day a railroad would run through the city, bringing about a big deal of business growth and opportunities. He then went on to build the Waldorf Hotel located on the beaches of Boca Ciega. With the hotel he also developed a few stores, a large dock and large hopes that the railroad was coming. Disston’s plans seemed to come to a screeching halt when they decided to put the railroad in St Pete instead.
My love for Gulfport
By far my favorite thing to do is take an early a.m. walk down the beach of Gulfport. I love to listen to the sound of the waves, watch the budgies, more often than not, witnessing a pod of dolphins playing in the bay.
We also love to take in the cobblestone roads and take in the all of the beautiful sights walking down Beach Blvd. It is not like your big city that has many huge skyscrapers. Much of the architecture and buildings are only a few stories except a few condo complexes. It really brings to life the older southern feel, which we absolutely love to experience. Recently we have noticed some revitalization of some of the older buildings, which we thing is great because we believe in preserving Gulfports beauty and charm.
Fishing
Fishing from the pier is a big attraction. If you like to fish, we highly recommend giving this spot a try. It is not uncommon to find some really interesting catches, specifically lady fingers or even abnormally huge catfish. Word of advice, be careful of those very unafraid pelicans! They will not hesitate to snatch up your catch of the day. We have witnessed them take large fish right off the hook!
Dining and night life
Some of our recommended dinner choices!Not necessarily in Gulf port but one of the most popular dining establishments in the area is Backfin Blue Café. Backfin is know for its crab cakes. I never fully understood it but being in Florida, this place touts its Maryland Crab Cakes. Now do not get me wrong, they are amazing, I just think that Florida should come up with its own set of crab cakes. You know, being surrounded by water and all haha. The fish the serve is as fresh as it gets and crowds line up out the door just about every night trying to get a seat. We definitely recommend reservations!