It’s like going to Italy and not getting gelato. You just need to get it to complete the experience.
At least that’s the opinion of my 4 kids!
When I tell my kids we’re going to go to Clearwater Beach they always ask me one thing, “Are we going to get ice cream?” If the answer is ‘yes’ then they race upstairs and quickly get ready. If the answer is ‘no’ then they begin the negotiation process.
They have top quality, locally sourced ingredients with delicious flavor combinations! Their ice cream is freshly made in small batches and the taste is intense.
They have 4 locations and we always visit the store on Mandalay Avenue – a short walk north from Pier 60 Park.
In the spirit of full disclosure we haven’t tried the other ice cream joints. I’ve given the kids the chance to try somewhere new but they always insist on going back to this same Ice Cream Shop!
It’s convenient to get to and I know it’s delicious so we stick with tradition.
Superman Ice Cream shown above!
They have delicious, unique flavors that really appeal to kids!
We have tried and loved Peanut Butter Fudge, Twix, Superman, Monster Cookie (a personal favorite), Unicorn (tastes so much like cotton candy and looks so pretty!), and Cookies and Cream.
They also have smoothies, milkshakes, and frozen yogurt. We always get the ice cream, though. It’s tradition! One day I may branch out, though.
The store is beautiful and I especially love the mermaid mural by the front door! It gets beautiful window light and it’s just so beachy!
The whole store is cute and the employees have always been helpful and patient with our large group and slow decision making!
If you’re ever in the area I would recommend a visit! If you do go be sure to let us know what you think of Ice & Cream Creamery in the comments below!
Unicorn flavor show above – tastes like cotton candy!
I’ve lived in Florida my whole life and I’m embarrassed to admit in all my years of Florida living I had never attended the annual Sugar Sand Festival until this year!
SPOILER ALERT: I loved it!!!
The kids loved it, too! I wasn’t sure if it would hold their attention but it definitely did!
The Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival is a 17 day beach-wide celebration that pay tribute to two things: sugar sand and our amazing sunsets!
There are lots of ways to enjoy the festival for free including a children’s play area, street performers, artisans and craters, live entertainment, fireworks, sand sculpting classes, speed sand demonstrations, and the master sand sculpting competition.
We specifically went to see the completed sand sculptures, also known as Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit, and that requires a paid entrance fee.
The tickets cost $10 for ages 11+, $8 for kids ages 3 – 11, and kids 3 and under are free. Our entrance fee came to $36.
That’s not a massive amount but considering you can walk through the whole exhibit in 10 to 20 minutes I wasn’t sure if it would be worth the money. But there are no regrets here!
We had never experienced anything like this so the kids were pretty awe struck. The excitement probably would not have had been as high if we attended yearly.
I appreciated that the exhibit felt educational. The theme was “Save the World”. Each region of the world was artistically represented and it was fun to talk about each country, their landmarks, wildlife, and defining characteristics.
It was helpful that there was some explanation about how they created these amazingly large, detailed sand structures. Before the sculptors even begin sculpting, they transform all the sand piles into “forms”. Forms are hollow wooden blocks. The Sugar Sand is compacted into forms with water which increases the surface tension and allows the sculptors to chisel away at their new masterpiece.
There were some tools on display so you can understand how the massive sand structures were made.
It was explained that it took two massive front loaders and 14 master sand sculptors 11 days to create. They piled 1,000 tons of sugar sand into a 21,000 square-foot tent!! That’s pretty amazing!
We spent a total of 20 minutes in the exhibit. The kids stayed interested the whole time. Even my two year old stayed engaged. She loves animals and there were lots of exciting ones to see – turtles, crocodiles, narwhals, fish, whales, birds, seahorses, octopus, and penguins!
The ticket price included one complimentary souvenir photo. It was a nice feature. Nothing amazing but it’s nice to have.
After we finished I gave the kids the option to walk through it again. They said they liked it the first time but they wanted to see other things. So we moved on!
I actually would have enjoyed walking through it again. There is a lot to see and I felt like I probably missed some of the smaller details the first time through.
They stamped our hands as we exited so we could have re-entered if we had wanted to.
As we exited the tent there was an area for the kids to practice making their own sand sculptures. My kids spent 20 minutes playing in the sand while I people watched and listened to a live band playing beach tunes.
There were several areas to play corn hole so we played a few games of that. There were a few close calls, but thankfully we didn’t hit any passersby with the bean bags!
There were food vendors lined up selling kettle corn, gourmet ice pops, deep fried oreos (and all those other deep fried options), and lots more of fair-type food. I gave the kids the option to buy something there or go to Ice & Cream Creamery for ice cream cones. They chose ice cream!
Fine by me!
Overall we had a great time and we definitely plan to return!
Hours: Only open for 2ish weeks in mid-April from 10AM to 10PM, except Sundays is 10AM to 9PM.
Pricing: $10 for 11+, $8 for kids 3 to 10, and free for kids 3 and under. Discounts are available for active and retired military, educators, seniors, police and fire personnel, and AAA members.
Parking: HECTIC! There’s limited parking so you may need to park and walk from a distance. We arrived around 6PM so we were able to park in the marina parking lot. Park and ride was also an option I considered. You can read more about parking options here: Clearwater Beach Parking Options.
Permitted: blankets and low lying beach chairs.
Not Permitted: Coolers, Pets – only service animals are permitted, grills, hibachis, or open flames of any kind, glass containers or bottles, unauthorized vendors or solicitors, tents, canopies or umbrellas, Firearms, unless otherwise permitted by Florida Statute, Chapter 790 (2011), knives or weapons of any kind, fireworks or laser pointers.
Insider Tips
The website suggested buying tickets online before arriving. I meant to but ran out of time. The line to buy tickets was very short when we visited so I didn’t regret not pre-purchasing.
If you have kids, it’s fun to visit the Pier 60 playground since you’re so close.
There are lots of other options for having fun after you visit the Sugar Sand Festival sculptures – bounce houses/slides, Ferris wheel, balloon making, trampolines, and street performers. They do take credit cards. Fees are usually between $5 – $10.
If you want to skip seeing the sand sculptures there are still lots of free ways to enjoy your visit! You’re able to access the sand castle making area for kids, corn hole, playgrounds, live band, and street performers for free.
Volunteers are needed and they are given a T-shirt, complimentary meal, complimentary transportation, and free admission to the Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit on the day of their shift. Learn more here: Volunteer.
Enjoy your visit!
If you’ve never visit a sand sculpture exhibit I think you’ll be pretty entertained! I’m not sure we’ll go every year but I do plan to visit again in the future.
If you’ve visited feel free to share in the comments below your opinion of the Sugar Sand Walk Exhibit!
We love to be outdoors! Every afternoon I tell my kids we need our “sunshine time” and I really believe getting outside each day for at least an hour has saved my sanity on stressful days. My kids always behave better after getting some fresh air, sunlight, and exercise. And I love that they can be loud, creative, and active without me worrying about messes and damage to the house. It a win-win for everyone!
One of our favorite parks in the area is Curtis Hixon Park in Downtown Tampa. My kids love the merry-go-round, slides, and unique playground climbers!
Curtis Hixon Park has a fun, urban atmosphere as it’s located along downtown’s waterfront Riverwalk area. The City of Tampa has done a great job of transforming this area over the past few years into an active, family friendly area.
Unique, 3 person teeter-tooter
We like that the ground is made of rubber! We don’t come home with sand and dirt in our shoes, and it’s a gentle impact if the kids fall.
The rubber is rippling and torn in a few places. Hopefully the city will replace it at some point.
Address: 600 N Ashley Dr, Tampa, FL 33602 The park is 8 acres and includes a large lawn, dog park, interactive fountains/splash pads, boat dock and water taxi, Tampa Museum of Art, Glazer Children’s Museum, and the playground. The playground area is just south of the Tampa Museum of Art. I usually park in the Poe Parking Garage and it’s a short walk over to the playground.
Hours: 7AM to 10PM
Pricing: Free! There may be a small fee for parking, depending on the location you choose and day you’re there.
Insider Tips
There are great paved paths! We have brought rollerblades, bikes, skateboards, and ripsticks in the past.
There are fountains very close by so bring bathing suits and towels if it’s a hot day and you want to add some water play!
There’s a little shade from a few small trees but most of the playground is not covered so you may want to bring sunscreen or a hat.
The Florida Aquarium is an amazing Tampa location to spend a day learning about sea creatures, interacting with stingrays, searching for shark teeth, and even playing in the water.
During summer I like to find activities that are (1) fun (2) educational (3) indoors so we can escape the heat and (4) active. The Florida Aquarium offers all that and so much more!
Pricing: Varies, adults range $31 – $25 https://www.flaquarium.org/tickets for more information. Tampa City Pass may be a good option if you’re interested in multiple Tampa attractions. Tampa City Pass
Children two and under are free.
There’s general parking located just to the north of the building.
Insider Tips
According to their website, the Aquarium will hold luggage for cruise passengers scheduled to leave for a cruise or returning from a cruise at no charge as they visit the Aquarium.
Plan to spend at least two hours at the Aquarium.
Bring bathing suits! There’s a great water play area outdoors. Aquarium Splash Pad
Use hashtag #FloridaAquarium on social media to interact with the staff during your visit.
Ask for the daily schedule upon arrival so you can plan to get the most from your visit. There are often penguin shows and discussions at the String Ray Tank throughout the day.
Our Day at the Florida Aquarium
Chasing the otters
We love to visit the Aquarium on weekdays in the late afternoon. We find there are few people to bump into that time of day.
My kids especially love chasing the otters! They’re usually quite active and playful.
On this particular day there were staff with displays showing the feathers from birds. They were wonderful to chat with the kids and let them ask questions. They held up a wing on show the kids the size of the wing of a flamingo.
Wing of a flamingo
The kids favorite area is the String Ray Touch tank. The staff explain that you should use two fingers to gently touch the string rays on their backs. We never have trouble getting the string rays to come near us. They’re usually very interactive and the kids all get a chance to touch them. Sometimes we even get splashed by them!
Touching a stringray!
The kids also love the touch tank where you can explore the textures of anemones, sea cucumbers, sea stars and sea urchins! The water is very cold so they can only tolerate it for a minute or two but it’s really exciting to get an up close examination of the amazing creatures!
Craft Idea
We created these fish extendable drawings in preparation for our visit to the Florida Aquarium. Just fold your page in half and then half again in the opposite directions.
Book Suggestions
We try to get a few books from the library or off Amazon to learn more before or after a big outing. These are our favorite books about ocean life!
We love the Shine a Light Books!
Toy Ideas
If you’re wanting the kids to have a souvenir but don’t want to be limited by the options or prices at the aquarium then consider purchasing one ahead of time. These are a few of our favorites!
