Hi everyone, thank you so much for watching the last episode in our Florida Nature Coast series. What do you think, would Tarpon Springs and Anclote Key make your list of places to visit in Florida? If you haven't watched the whole series you can watch from the beginning here: th-cam.com/play/PLOT_jgQ5dAKwdm2hWC4OfvLxTDsJMPADv.html We had no trouble findings activities to keep us busy for a week in the Nature Coast. If you are familiar with the area and have more suggestions of things to do in the Nature Coast let us know in the comments!
@@jaquesstrappe7664 thank you so much for the tip, we will have to try that next time! Hopefully our 2nd attempt trying Ouzo goes much better than the 1st. Thanks so much for watching :)
I've been there a couple of times and really enjoyed it. Actually, I'm considering moving down to Tarpon Springs or Dunedin before the end of the year. Both towns are nice and quiet, but close enough to St Pete or Tampa if you're feeling a need for a more urban experience, or a Rays' game.
@@stevenscoggins170 we agree with you, both cities are very laid back, but not too far from St. Pete and Tampa. We hope your moving process goes will if you do decide to relocate!
So I finally made it out to the sponge dock and and Anclote Key. I also went over to the sand bar which is absolutely beautiful. It took me two years but I made it. It was a cool experience. Great suggestion. 😃
This is by far the most and best information I’ve yet found on Tarpon Springs all in one video. I was on the fence about visiting but now I’m sure I’m heading that way. This is the first I’ve seen the boat tour. Adding to the plan.
Thanks Bob, we had an especially fun time making this episode. We really thought the boat tour was worth it...and dont forget the tip to purchase drink tickets before you board (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) they were so reasonable! Thanks for watching!
We agree, and we couldn't think of a better place to have a celebration with family and friends! Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Tarpon is so fun. I like it when the weather is drier like in February, you many have cool breeze or if your want hotter maybe October or March or April . Anytime it pretty good. You can walk, I would say just for Peace of mind pay to park right up front, so you can enjoy your visit not looking for parking. Yes gift shop parking is excellent too, that place has great gifts and souvenirs. The whole block has such fun things 🎉🎉 if you like homemade soaps and tropical themes.
Thank you for the tip! Maybe I'll give ouzo a second chance now that I actually know the proper way to drink it! Is it always sipped warm, or can you drink it on ice?
We can sure see why it's your favorite place, Mona. We really didn't know what to expect when we visited Tarpon Springs, but we really were so impressed with all of the things you mentioned (beach, food, shopping, and ambiance). We can't wait to make it back some day soon. Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Tarpon Springs is quaint old Florida. Interesting fun things to see and do, although very crowded in the snowbird months. However, we have found that it’s not fancy enough for many tourists, the ones who are more the Naples type.
The water there looked incredibly clear and great shell hunting conditions. The Greek breakfast seemed really yummy and so did your seafood lunch. I never really knew about the sea sponges, so it's pretty interesting. We would definitely be interested in the brewery... I'm a big fan of the hazy IPAs and fruit flavored beers these days.
We had really good weather for our visit for sure :) If you have been enjoying Hazy IPAs and fruity beers you should find plenty here the next time to visit FL! Thanks so much for watching.
The scenes of you two running along the beach to catch the boat are so relatable, time on a beautiful beach always goes so quick and catches us out too. Pleased you made it and sounds like it was worth the run ☺️
@@Explorcation Craig is usually the one taking his time distracted by turtles or something to take pictures of and I’m like you, trying to pack up and get going on time 😅
Never miss the Shrine of St Michael the Archangel, its on Hope St. Tarpon is a community not just a bunch of stores serving urban overgrowth. Go downtown and get fresh meat from the butcher. Across the street is a shoe store where you can actually get your shoes repaired. See the tarpon fountain in front of the library. Ride a bike on the Pinellas Trail. Take the trolley to Dunedin and and
Wow that’s such an inexpensive boat tour! Definitely worth doing! Great tip guys! And we knew nothing about sponges before this. Such great info guys! Never seen flaming cheese before. I must add that one to my list.
Hey guys, thanks for watching. We initially thought we would only spend a couple hours in this area, but once we got there the day flew by fast. We would definitely recommend trying flaming cheese :)
@@Explorcation Marshalltown, we also found a place called Jack's Pho House that is family run and quite good as well. The Flying Elbow is next on our list in Marshalltown...awarded best burger, pork sandwich in Iowa the last few years.
@@Explorcationwe finally made it to The Flying Elbow (WWF inspired Burger names)...very good burgers! Found a good BBQ and Mexican restaurant as well. Smokin G's and La Carreta. Never figured Marshalltown for being a good Foodie Town!
We've always thought it would be pretty cool to live in Tarpon. Although we would almost certainly put on a few pounds with all that amazing Greek food! Thanks for watching, Lee!
The boat cruise looks amazing! The island you went to is absolutely beautiful 😌 I’m sure 30 minutes went by super fast. The food at Rusty Bellies looks delicious 🤤 So many sponges! And soaps! I would definitely buy some! Those cupcakes would make for such cute gifts 🙂 Lol, Skylar spotting the tiki bar from a mile away 😅 The Greek restaurant looks amazing, we love Greek food!
Hey guys thanks for watching :) yes 30 minutes was not enough on the beach, we could have stayed there for hours! On this trip it seemed there was a tiki bar every place we went 😄 Skylar did get pretty good at spotting them quickly haha 🍻
Looks like we’re going to have to check it out while we’re in St Pete for some sponges! 😍 We have tickets for the dolphin racer oct 8 in st Pete so can’t wait for that either!
We would recommend a trip to Tarpon Springs if you have the time. If you end up not making the drive though there is often a sponge vendor from Tarpon at the Saturday Market in downtown St. Pete too :) Is the dolphin racer the speed boat?!
That is a great question, we were hoping to be able to stay on Anclote Key longer too! From our research it seems you have to charter or rent a boat to stay longer 😒 I guess we just need friends with a boat in that area 😆 Thanks for watching ❤
That's awesome. We did a video on Palm Harbor as well. It is a wonderful place. There's so much to do around that area, and you're not too far from some of the great springs to the north either. We hope your move goes well and that you love your new home in Florida! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
@@Explorcation Palm Harbor also has the highest rated schools in the entire Pinellas County. The whole area used to be for old people retiring but lately a lot of young families moved there.
Fredo lol frappe. U did more American stuff ...but welcome to my neighborhood. Gyro is a lunch thing u didn't eat a real dinner meal. ...but over all its a small area. And u did good
Gyro may be a lunch thing, but I will gladly eat it one for any any meal of the day (and another for dessert) 😂 Thanks for watching, and I'm glad we did good, even though we did Americany stuff 😆
Thanks so much :) I (Jamie) was really fascinated by the sponging industry, I had no idea these natural sponges could replace the manufactured ones, pretty cool!
@@Explorcation I know…it’s very cool. Btw the other day in the supermarket I found a new flavour for Ben&Jerry’s ice cream (in the UK)…..Blondie flavour!!!! omg really nice! I’m pretty sure you already have that flavour in the US. Was soo yummy. I hope your week is going well.
Everytime I watch your videos I turn to Steve and ask "When are we moving down there?" lol You really are making the best of the South of the United States. I love seafood, your lunch is looking amazing. I had no idea that there was a huge sponge industry there. Good music and terrible liquor ahahaha Uzo is really good I am sad to hear you didn't like it much! :(
So when are you?! 🙂 There is definitely no shortage of good seafood down here. Probably not quite the level of the costal northeast, but close. Depends what your seafood of choice is I guess. Yeah, there aren't many drinks that I don't enjoy, but that Uzo was definitely one of them 😄 I really don't do well with anything that tastes at all like black licorice. But maybe if I mixed it with something I'd enjoy it more?
Hey guys...your getting so good with these travel guides and showing all the places to eat and drink in the areas. That boat cruise and island visit would have been great but a little short beach stop for me. You have so much info about the sponges and how to preserve them. We need more environmentally friendly things in the world for sure. That burnt cheese thing would have been interesting to try....and j have had ouzo before too and not really a big fan of it....lol. Thanks for sharing guys 😁
Thanks Chris, our day in Tarpon Springs really was a fun one and I think it shows in this episode. We ended up enjoying the area a lot more than we expected! I (Jamie) was also really interested in learning about the sponging industry, we have been using our new sponges ever since the trip and they have held up very well! Glad to hear Skylar isn't the only one who is not a fan of ouzo 😆 Thanks so much for watching!
Wow that's crazy, Kerry. Thanks for the info. It doesn't bother me (Skylar) any as I love the taste of Amberjack, and it has never made me sick, but I'm guessing I may have a hard time getting Jamie to ever eat it again! 😂
There used to be an abandoned, 1950's style mental institution in Anclote Key. Off Anclote Road. Not just one building: a full campus set up for mental patients. Was one of the best "creepy" places to drive past/visit at night. Sadly, it was torn down about a decade ago. Just rambling a memory, here.
It was not on Anclote key it was at the end of Riverside just past Seabreeze. It was called Anclote manor I had friends that worked in the kitchen there during high school in the early 80s
@@user-mx3vf8gu2w Ah, my bad. When I was a kid in the early 2000's, the "thing to do" on a boring night was to go out there and get creeped out. Sometimes the poor security guy would have to scare us off. Was totally abandoned by then. Torn down and now built over with condos or something now? I think...it was a very interesting set of buildings.
@@user-mx3vf8gu2w I never saw that; do you know what the story behind it was? There is so much creepy stuff in Pinellas. We used to drive around to those places at night when I was a kid. Downtown Tarpon, in general, is VERY creepy at night. Like if you have ever been there after 3am, when the bars are closed, and it is quiet. Just a weird vibe all around.
You guys did a really great job filming and the whole presentation seemed flawless. My wife and I go there often. We are actually going back this weekend of 10/15/2022 and hoping to take the boat out to Casedia Island. Maybe see some Starfish...or pretty unbroken shells to gather! Although 1/2hr. doesn't seem long enough to collect anything!! Who knows, maybe we bump into you guys around there...lol
Thank you so much for watching and for the compliment 💗we hope you have a great time today and find some nice shells :) you are right that 1/2 hour goes by very fast! If you do ever see us out and about please say hi!
Thanks, Mike. We are always willing to consider new potential sponsorships. If you'd like, shoot us an email at explorcationblog@gmail.com explaining what our business/product is and what type of sponsorship you'd be interested in. We'll be sure to respond as quickly as possible.
Wow, we'd be really interested to know how much it has changed since then. And yes, we've been to Pass-A-Grill several times, and it is one of our favorite spots!
Explorcation, when I saw your video, I had to watch it, since I plan to be there in a few weeks from here in IL. It's appears to be all I hope it will. May I point out that Hellas is actually pronounced HELL-us, and is the ancient Greek name for Greece, per Wikipedia?
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment, Jim. The employees of the restaurant and bakery definitely pronounce it Hell-oss, but per Wikipedia... Hell-us does appear to be correct. Who knows?!
Last part of my research there are too beaches parks water activities sandy barrier islands bottle nose dolphins. At play anclote key is permanent island attractions such as historic house museum sponge docks marinas. Fred Howard park sunset beach relpay amusement museum al Anderson park Craig park aquarium animal sanctuary brooker creek preserve leepa rattner. Museum of arts sponge factory whitcomb bayou iam so sorry to be little long but writing and reading both are great ways to improve our English bon voyage thank you for sharing your trips with us showing us such magnificent scenes stay safe blessed good luck to you your family friends
I believe that the tour we went on only runs once a day, so you would not be able to stay longer. You would have to rent or own your own boat to stay longer as far as we are aware. Thanks for watching!
@@dominiquelewis Clearwater would definitely have more options for things to do if you are going to be around for a few days. In our opinion you are correct, visiting the sponge docks is more of a day trip.
From what we can recall it was the same price whether you booked in advance or in person. I do know that they encourage you to book in advance as the tours do occasionally sell out. Sorry to hear the prices have gone up, but not surprising considering the prices of nearly everything has gone up lately!
Hi guys, I like your Videos from my favourite places in the St. Petersburg Area. I visited Tarpon Springs a couple of years ago but I didn't like it. It's maybe I stayed in Greece a couple of times for vacation and to see how, in my opinion, unauthentic Tarpon Spring is shocked me a little. It seems to me that Tarpon Springs is kinda tourist trap. The Hellas Restaurant reminded me how Restaurants were in the 1980's here in good old Germany, the wall paintings have been in almost every Greek Restaurant. Nevertheless I am looking forward to watch more of your great Videos and I will check some places out on Central Avenue which you mentioned in one of your Videos.
Hi Ralf. We're glad to hear that you've been liking the videos. Regarding Tarpon Springs, we had heard from other people that it was a tourist trap, so we had fairly low expectations going in. But we really ended up enjoying the boat trip to Anclote Key from the sponge docks as well as the food and shops. For us, we generally think of a tourist trap as being extremely over-priced, and we did not find this to be the case in Tarpon Springs. My wife bought a nice hat for under $10 and we even saw a place advertising $1.50 beers! We know that Tarpon Springs has a large Greek population and most of the businesses in the sponge docks are Greek owned, so we figured there would be some level of authenticity. But unfortunately, we have not yet had the opportunity to travel to Greece. Perhaps if we had, our Tarpon Springs experience would have been different. Thanks for reaching out and for watching our videos, Ralf. We hope that our videos can help you to enjoy your time in St. Pete. And hopefully sooner than later, we will make our way to Greece (and Germany, where both Jamie and my ancestors are from).
Hello, Thank you for your video. It was shot well and very informational, however it sounds as if you recorded the audio with some sub-par equipment in an echo chamber. very hard to decipher what is being said
How are you doing guys ihope you are fine actually we are as foreigners subscribers enjoy to explore places unknown to us to increase our cultural level improve our English language as well thank god TH-cam channels as open universities so that I gathered main information about place you visited briefly here it’s tarpon springs. Located in pinellas county Florida it’s highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in USA the town tarpon spring has long been focal points. Currently undergoing beautification setttled 1876 incorporated 1887 historic sites Listed on national register historic places there are Greek town historic district arcade hotel old tarpon city halll old tarpon spring high school safford house rose hill cemetery depot there are too religious ceremonies hosted by st Nicholas Greek Orthodox cathedral part of Greek Orthodox Church including January 6 epiphany celebration numerous restaurants serve. Traditional Greek cuisine
great video, but i disliked the shell collecting part. taking shells in large amounts damages the local eco system and harms creatures that depend on them.
We're glad you enjoyed it! We rarely take shells from the beach, and if we do it's only a couple. But this is the first I've ever heard of taking (non-living) shells from the beach to be harmful. We'll definitely have to look into it further. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Hi everyone, thank you so much for watching the last episode in our Florida Nature Coast series. What do you think, would Tarpon Springs and Anclote Key make your list of places to visit in Florida?
If you haven't watched the whole series you can watch from the beginning here: th-cam.com/play/PLOT_jgQ5dAKwdm2hWC4OfvLxTDsJMPADv.html
We had no trouble findings activities to keep us busy for a week in the Nature Coast. If you are familiar with the area and have more suggestions of things to do in the Nature Coast let us know in the comments!
@@jaquesstrappe7664 thank you so much for the tip, we will have to try that next time! Hopefully our 2nd attempt trying Ouzo goes much better than the 1st. Thanks so much for watching :)
I've been there a couple of times and really enjoyed it. Actually, I'm considering moving down to Tarpon Springs or Dunedin before the end of the year. Both towns are nice and quiet, but close enough to St Pete or Tampa if you're feeling a need for a more urban experience, or a Rays' game.
@@stevenscoggins170 we agree with you, both cities are very laid back, but not too far from St. Pete and Tampa. We hope your moving process goes will if you do decide to relocate!
So I finally made it out to the sponge dock and and Anclote Key. I also went over to the sand bar which is absolutely beautiful. It took me two years but I made it. It was a cool experience. Great suggestion. 😃
We're so happy to hear that you finally made it to these spots and that you really enjoyed them. Always better late than never!
Rusty Bellies is still on our bucket list...looks good!
It had rave reviews so we had to try it. It did not disappoint!
This is by far the most and best information I’ve yet found on Tarpon Springs all in one video. I was on the fence about visiting but now I’m sure I’m heading that way. This is the first I’ve seen the boat tour. Adding to the plan.
Thanks Bob, we had an especially fun time making this episode. We really thought the boat tour was worth it...and dont forget the tip to purchase drink tickets before you board (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) they were so reasonable! Thanks for watching!
U must go…
Yes, Hellas is amazing! Out favorite by far. Many a celebration and friends have gone with us. Thanks for sharing!
We agree, and we couldn't think of a better place to have a celebration with family and friends! Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Tarpon is so fun. I like it when the weather is drier like in February, you many have cool breeze or if your want hotter maybe October or March or April . Anytime it pretty good. You can walk, I would say just for Peace of mind pay to park right up front, so you can enjoy your visit not looking for parking. Yes gift shop parking is excellent too, that place has great gifts and souvenirs. The whole block has such fun things 🎉🎉 if you like homemade soaps and tropical themes.
It really is such a fun place, and we really appreciate the tips for visiting. We'll definitely keep them in mind for the next time we visit!
ouzo is to be sipped, my friend!
Thank you for the tip! Maybe I'll give ouzo a second chance now that I actually know the proper way to drink it! Is it always sipped warm, or can you drink it on ice?
Will certainly be going there when we're staying in Clearwater. Thanks for so much great information.
That's great to hear, Catherine. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
My favorite place in all of Florida. There’s no better food, no better beach, no better shopping or overall ambience. Very nice video.
We can sure see why it's your favorite place, Mona. We really didn't know what to expect when we visited Tarpon Springs, but we really were so impressed with all of the things you mentioned (beach, food, shopping, and ambiance). We can't wait to make it back some day soon. Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
@@Explorcation Somebody on the thread mentioned Lover’s Key state park. Be sure to not miss that.
@@monarene44 thanks for the tip! We haven't been there before but would love to check it out :)
I was in Tarpon Springs a few years ago and just fell in love with it! So quaint and beautiful!
It absolutely is, Kara. Thanks so much for watching!
Tarpon Springs is quaint old Florida. Interesting fun things to see and do, although very crowded in the snowbird months. However, we have found that it’s not fancy enough for many tourists, the ones who are more the Naples type.
It sure is, Carolyn! We could definitely see how those who enjoy Naples may not enjoy Tarpon Springs. We're glad we're not the fancy type!
Water looks so blue, so beautiful there. Thanks for showing around 🙂
We had beautiful day to be on the water and explore :) thanks so much for watching!
Thanks for the great info. We are heading there tomorrow,for breakfast at Helas...and the saginaki(?) at Helas 😎👍
Our pleasure! I hope your Helas experience was as great as ours was!
The water there looked incredibly clear and great shell hunting conditions. The Greek breakfast seemed really yummy and so did your seafood lunch. I never really knew about the sea sponges, so it's pretty interesting. We would definitely be interested in the brewery... I'm a big fan of the hazy IPAs and fruit flavored beers these days.
We had really good weather for our visit for sure :)
If you have been enjoying Hazy IPAs and fruity beers you should find plenty here the next time to visit FL!
Thanks so much for watching.
The scenes of you two running along the beach to catch the boat are so relatable, time on a beautiful beach always goes so quick and catches us out too. Pleased you made it and sounds like it was worth the run ☺️
😆 I am glad you caught that. I (Jamie) kept telling Skylar we gotta pack up and go! Thankfully we did make it and the run was worth it.
@@Explorcation Craig is usually the one taking his time distracted by turtles or something to take pictures of and I’m like you, trying to pack up and get going on time 😅
@@TideKnotTravellers LOL thank goodness Craig and Skylar have us...or they would probably be left behind!
We love the Tarpon Springs area!! It's a great place to get some good seafood to eat!! Thanks for sharing!!
We definitely see why you love the area ❤ thanks for watching!
Awesome Bakery!!
Yes, probably the best we've ever experienced!
Thank you very much for this video. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Thanks so much for watching, Tarpon Springs ended up being one of our favorite days during our trip :)
Never miss the Shrine of St Michael the Archangel, its on Hope St. Tarpon is a community not just a bunch of stores serving urban overgrowth. Go downtown and get fresh meat from the butcher. Across the street is a shoe store where you can actually get your shoes repaired. See the tarpon fountain in front of the library. Ride a bike on the Pinellas Trail. Take the trolley to Dunedin and and
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to share your recommendations!
We took a sumset cruise and stopped on a little island out there too...very fun.
Sunset cruises are the best. We'd love to take one out of Tarpon.
@@Explorcation it was amazing!
Another new hat purchase too! 👒 looks like you guys had some fun shopping there.
We really did, I easily could have spent much more money there 😀💰
Thanks so much for watching guys :)
What a awesome video! We appreciate you uploading the video and showing how wonderful our food is over at Rusty Bellies!! Come back anytime
Thank you so much for watching and for your kind comment. We really enjoyed our dining experience :)
Wow that’s such an inexpensive boat tour! Definitely worth doing! Great tip guys! And we knew nothing about sponges before this. Such great info guys! Never seen flaming cheese before. I must add that one to my list.
Hey guys, thanks for watching. We initially thought we would only spend a couple hours in this area, but once we got there the day flew by fast. We would definitely recommend trying flaming cheese :)
Perfect day!
Thanks so much for watching, Ya-Hsun!
Definitely trying Hellas Restaurant next time we get to the area!!!
Great. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Hellas Restaurant is still on our list...when we were there we stopped by Mykonos and it was very good too.
We were torn between Hellas and Mykonos, as we'd heard such great things about each. Next time, we'll try Mykonos!
@@Explorcation same here...we went the opposite way...did stop by the bakery though...mmmm
@@genehinders9769 we will stop by that bakery every time we are in the area ..sooo good!
Hi there! What a beautiful beach! And delicious looking food! New here to your channel. Looking forward to catching up on videos
Hi Antoinette, thanks so much for joining us, we really appreciate it :)
Nice video. I enjoy the old world feel of Tarpon Springs.
Thank you. We love the old-Florida feel as well!
Since visiting Tarpon Springs we've found a Greek Family owned restaurant a half hour south of us right here in central Iowa!!
Oh wow that's awesome. What city is it in? Next time we are in Iowa visiting Skylar's family, we might have to check it out!
@@Explorcation Marshalltown, we also found a place called Jack's Pho House that is family run and quite good as well.
The Flying Elbow is next on our list in Marshalltown...awarded best burger, pork sandwich in Iowa the last few years.
@@genehinders9769 so this city has a great Greek place, a spot for pho and burgers...YUM!
@@Explorcationwe finally made it to The Flying Elbow (WWF inspired Burger names)...very good burgers!
Found a good BBQ and Mexican restaurant as well. Smokin G's and La Carreta.
Never figured Marshalltown for being a good Foodie Town!
woot woot, I live there!!
We've always thought it would be pretty cool to live in Tarpon. Although we would almost certainly put on a few pounds with all that amazing Greek food! Thanks for watching, Lee!
Great info on the sponges too!
Thanks, Gene. We found it to be so interesting!
The boat cruise looks amazing! The island you went to is absolutely beautiful 😌 I’m sure 30 minutes went by super fast.
The food at Rusty Bellies looks delicious 🤤
So many sponges! And soaps! I would definitely buy some! Those cupcakes would make for such cute gifts 🙂
Lol, Skylar spotting the tiki bar from a mile away 😅
The Greek restaurant looks amazing, we love Greek food!
Hey guys thanks for watching :) yes 30 minutes was not enough on the beach, we could have stayed there for hours!
On this trip it seemed there was a tiki bar every place we went 😄 Skylar did get pretty good at spotting them quickly haha 🍻
Love Captain Jack’s the food and drinks are really good. I need to check out more of the restaurants out on my next visit.
Yeah, Captain Jack's was definitely worth the walk. Such a great location right on the water!
es muy bonito lo recomiendo
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment, Iraima.
Looks like we’re going to have to check it out while we’re in St Pete for some sponges! 😍 We have tickets for the dolphin racer oct 8 in st Pete so can’t wait for that either!
We would recommend a trip to Tarpon Springs if you have the time. If you end up not making the drive though there is often a sponge vendor from Tarpon at the Saturday Market in downtown St. Pete too :)
Is the dolphin racer the speed boat?!
Is there a second boat back at a littler later time? I could shell for hours !! That pastry !OMG!
That is a great question, we were hoping to be able to stay on Anclote Key longer too! From our research it seems you have to charter or rent a boat to stay longer 😒 I guess we just need friends with a boat in that area 😆 Thanks for watching ❤
Hellas Bakery is no joke. It can ruin a diet in about 5 seconds flat, but oh so worth it!!
😆 I agree with everything in your comment. I (Jamie) could have stayed there all day eating!
Thanks so much for watching!
You guys are awesome! We planned our 7 day trip to the gulf based on your reviews (: along with lots of fishing also! Thank you guys!
That's so great to hear, Jun. You will not have any trouble finding things to do for a week. We hope you love the area as much as we do!
Nice job with this informative video.
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment, Robert!
I'm moving to Palm harbor soon, it's near tarpon springs!, super excited. Been visiting for years!
That's awesome. We did a video on Palm Harbor as well. It is a wonderful place. There's so much to do around that area, and you're not too far from some of the great springs to the north either. We hope your move goes well and that you love your new home in Florida! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
@@Explorcation Palm Harbor also has the highest rated schools in the entire Pinellas County. The whole area used to be for old people retiring but lately a lot of young families moved there.
@@Flyingfast79 that is great to know about the schools, another reason to move there!
Fredo lol frappe. U did more American stuff ...but welcome to my neighborhood. Gyro is a lunch thing u didn't eat a real dinner meal. ...but over all its a small area. And u did good
Gyro may be a lunch thing, but I will gladly eat it one for any any meal of the day (and another for dessert) 😂 Thanks for watching, and I'm glad we did good, even though we did Americany stuff 😆
Great information. A huge help in planning my upcoming visit.
We're so happy to hear that you found it to be helpful, Lee. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Nice video guys! Love greek 🇬🇷 food!!! Btw thanks for the info about the sponges 🧽😀
Thanks so much :) I (Jamie) was really fascinated by the sponging industry, I had no idea these natural sponges could replace the manufactured ones, pretty cool!
@@Explorcation I know…it’s very cool. Btw the other day in the supermarket I found a new flavour for Ben&Jerry’s ice cream (in the UK)…..Blondie flavour!!!! omg really nice! I’m pretty sure you already have that flavour in the US. Was soo yummy. I hope your week is going well.
@@JC-po6yj mmmm blondie! I think we may have tried it over here. So glad you can get it in the UK :) hope you are having a good week too!
Everytime I watch your videos I turn to Steve and ask "When are we moving down there?" lol You really are making the best of the South of the United States. I love seafood, your lunch is looking amazing. I had no idea that there was a huge sponge industry there. Good music and terrible liquor ahahaha Uzo is really good I am sad to hear you didn't like it much! :(
So when are you?! 🙂 There is definitely no shortage of good seafood down here. Probably not quite the level of the costal northeast, but close. Depends what your seafood of choice is I guess.
Yeah, there aren't many drinks that I don't enjoy, but that Uzo was definitely one of them 😄 I really don't do well with anything that tastes at all like black licorice. But maybe if I mixed it with something I'd enjoy it more?
Great video! Thanks. Ate lunch at Hellas and was great. Love your videos.
Thank you so much, we are happy to hear you enjoyed Hellas too 💗
Hi! Excellent video. Beautiful footage my friend. + 69 & kind regards.
Stay connected.
Thanks so much for the support, Tanya!
I love your videos! They are so informative. Great job and thank you.
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to make this kind comment, Kathy! We're so glad that you are enjoying our videos!
Hey guys...your getting so good with these travel guides and showing all the places to eat and drink in the areas. That boat cruise and island visit would have been great but a little short beach stop for me.
You have so much info about the sponges and how to preserve them. We need more environmentally friendly things in the world for sure.
That burnt cheese thing would have been interesting to try....and j have had ouzo before too and not really a big fan of it....lol.
Thanks for sharing guys 😁
Thanks Chris, our day in Tarpon Springs really was a fun one and I think it shows in this episode. We ended up enjoying the area a lot more than we expected!
I (Jamie) was also really interested in learning about the sponging industry, we have been using our new sponges ever since the trip and they have held up very well!
Glad to hear Skylar isn't the only one who is not a fan of ouzo 😆
Thanks so much for watching!
@@Explorcation I see those sponges all the time diving....lol
@@AquariusTraveller really? That is awesome we would love to see them in their habitat.
@@Explorcation You guys should try out diving one day !
@@AquariusTraveller you are right, I think we will some day :)
oh hey! im the other captain on the Odyssey 😂
Hey Sam. Thanks for dropping in to say hi. We're had such a fun time on our Anclote Key tour!
I live right close from there 🤣we call it Greek town
That would be a really nice place to live. Makes a lot of sense to call it Greek Town. Thanks for watching!
Hey guys, what an amazing video :) Love it a lot.
Thank you so much, we really appreciate you watching and commenting :)
LOL I just noticed that you guys had the amberjack it doesn't hurt you but they all have worms in them when they reach a certain size just FYI
Wow that's crazy, Kerry. Thanks for the info. It doesn't bother me (Skylar) any as I love the taste of Amberjack, and it has never made me sick, but I'm guessing I may have a hard time getting Jamie to ever eat it again! 😂
I am so sorry I should have never said anything LOL
@@kerrydennard4921 LOL it's all good!
Explorcation, other places have stated that this is the largest Greek city in all of N. America, not just the USA.
We're sure that's accurate, Jim. Thanks for the info!
There used to be an abandoned, 1950's style mental institution in Anclote Key. Off Anclote Road. Not just one building: a full campus set up for mental patients. Was one of the best "creepy" places to drive past/visit at night. Sadly, it was torn down about a decade ago. Just rambling a memory, here.
Very interesting info. Thanks for sharing!
It was not on Anclote key it was at the end of Riverside just past Seabreeze. It was called Anclote manor I had friends that worked in the kitchen there during high school in the early 80s
@@user-mx3vf8gu2w Ah, my bad. When I was a kid in the early 2000's, the "thing to do" on a boring night was to go out there and get creeped out. Sometimes the poor security guy would have to scare us off. Was totally abandoned by then. Torn down and now built over with condos or something now? I think...it was a very interesting set of buildings.
@endlessnameless6494 There used to be an old abandoned house on Florida Ave called the green house that was a scary place
@@user-mx3vf8gu2w I never saw that; do you know what the story behind it was? There is so much creepy stuff in Pinellas. We used to drive around to those places at night when I was a kid. Downtown Tarpon, in general, is VERY creepy at night. Like if you have ever been there after 3am, when the bars are closed, and it is quiet. Just a weird vibe all around.
You guys did a really great job filming and the whole presentation seemed flawless. My wife and I go there often. We are actually going back this weekend of 10/15/2022 and hoping to take the boat out to Casedia Island. Maybe see some Starfish...or pretty unbroken shells to gather! Although 1/2hr. doesn't seem long enough to collect anything!! Who knows, maybe we bump into you guys around there...lol
Thank you so much for watching and for the compliment 💗we hope you have a great time today and find some nice shells :) you are right that 1/2 hour goes by very fast! If you do ever see us out and about please say hi!
Love you guys! I'd be interested in some sort of sponsorship.
Thanks, Mike. We are always willing to consider new potential sponsorships. If you'd like, shoot us an email at explorcationblog@gmail.com explaining what our business/product is and what type of sponsorship you'd be interested in. We'll be sure to respond as quickly as possible.
I’ve haven’t been there since in the late 90’s and have you been to Pass-A-Grill yet?
Wow, we'd be really interested to know how much it has changed since then. And yes, we've been to Pass-A-Grill several times, and it is one of our favorite spots!
Sponges...make America soft and clean.
Explorcation, when I saw your video, I had to watch it, since I plan to be there in a few weeks from here in IL. It's appears to be all I hope it will. May I point out that Hellas is actually pronounced HELL-us, and is the ancient Greek name for Greece, per Wikipedia?
Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment, Jim. The employees of the restaurant and bakery definitely pronounce it Hell-oss, but per Wikipedia... Hell-us does appear to be correct. Who knows?!
Last part of my research there are too beaches parks water activities sandy barrier islands bottle nose dolphins. At play anclote key is permanent island attractions such as historic house museum sponge docks marinas. Fred Howard park sunset beach relpay amusement museum al Anderson park Craig park aquarium animal sanctuary brooker creek preserve leepa rattner. Museum of arts sponge factory whitcomb bayou iam so sorry to be little long but writing and reading both are great ways to improve our English bon voyage thank you for sharing your trips with us showing us such magnificent scenes stay safe blessed good luck to you your family friends
You did some really good research on Tarpon Springs that I'm sure many people will find interesting. Thanks so much for sharing it here!
Hey Jamie and Skylar, do you have a vid for Port Richie
No we do not, but we'd love to get up there and make one some day!
might as well cover the complete Gulf Coast lol @@Explorcation
It was packed? Thanks for the heads-up to stay away
Any time. Thanks for watching, Ria.
Can u choose to stay longer on the island like one hour?
I believe that the tour we went on only runs once a day, so you would not be able to stay longer. You would have to rent or own your own boat to stay longer as far as we are aware. Thanks for watching!
Where could we stay within walking distance of spongedocks or downtown? For 2
That's a great question but unfortunately we're not the right people to answer it, as we've never actually stayed the night near the sponge docks.
@@Explorcation thank you, probably Clearwater if Tarpon is more of a day trip kinda thing.
@@dominiquelewis Clearwater would definitely have more options for things to do if you are going to be around for a few days. In our opinion you are correct, visiting the sponge docks is more of a day trip.
It’s a shame you didn’t show much about the sponges the divers and such that’s what I was interested in seeing
You should probably watch this video if you haven't already. It seems to be more of what you are looking for. th-cam.com/video/jZShrVCpUK0/w-d-xo.html
Is it cheaper to reserve the odyssey cruises ticket or buy it in person? I think the prices went up 😢
From what we can recall it was the same price whether you booked in advance or in person. I do know that they encourage you to book in advance as the tours do occasionally sell out. Sorry to hear the prices have gone up, but not surprising considering the prices of nearly everything has gone up lately!
Hi guys, I like your Videos from my favourite places in the St. Petersburg Area. I visited Tarpon Springs a couple of years ago but I didn't like it. It's maybe I stayed in Greece a couple of times for vacation and to see how, in my opinion, unauthentic Tarpon Spring is shocked me a little. It seems to me that Tarpon Springs is kinda tourist trap. The Hellas Restaurant reminded me how Restaurants were in the 1980's here in good old Germany, the wall paintings have been in almost every Greek Restaurant. Nevertheless I am looking forward to watch more of your great Videos and I will check some places out on Central Avenue which you mentioned in one of your Videos.
Hi Ralf. We're glad to hear that you've been liking the videos. Regarding Tarpon Springs, we had heard from other people that it was a tourist trap, so we had fairly low expectations going in. But we really ended up enjoying the boat trip to Anclote Key from the sponge docks as well as the food and shops. For us, we generally think of a tourist trap as being extremely over-priced, and we did not find this to be the case in Tarpon Springs. My wife bought a nice hat for under $10 and we even saw a place advertising $1.50 beers!
We know that Tarpon Springs has a large Greek population and most of the businesses in the sponge docks are Greek owned, so we figured there would be some level of authenticity. But unfortunately, we have not yet had the opportunity to travel to Greece. Perhaps if we had, our Tarpon Springs experience would have been different.
Thanks for reaching out and for watching our videos, Ralf. We hope that our videos can help you to enjoy your time in St. Pete. And hopefully sooner than later, we will make our way to Greece (and Germany, where both Jamie and my ancestors are from).
Greek town that
Thanks for watching.
How long was the boat ride?
It was only around 20 minutes or so. We really enjoyed it!
Hello, Thank you for your video. It was shot well and very informational, however it sounds as if you recorded the audio with some sub-par equipment in an echo chamber. very hard to decipher what is being said
Thanks, Brian. Yeah, this was one of the last videos we made prior to upgrading our voiceover mic... something we should have done MUCH earlier!
And that's worms in the flesh
Mmmmm delicious WORMS!! 😆
As far as I know they don't hurt you but I prefer to have my fish without lol
@@kerrydennard4921 yeah, seems like they are harmless as long as the fish is fully cooked. Probably want to avoid Amberjack sushi though! 😂
my goodness why did i think that said tampon springs 🤦🏾♂️
Now that would be a pretty terrible name for a city! Thanks for watching.
@@Explorcation yes it would 🤣
How are you doing guys ihope you are fine actually we are as foreigners subscribers enjoy to explore places unknown to us to increase our cultural level improve our English language as well thank god TH-cam channels as open universities so that I gathered main information about place you visited briefly here it’s tarpon springs. Located in pinellas county Florida it’s highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in USA the town tarpon spring has long been focal points. Currently undergoing beautification setttled 1876 incorporated 1887 historic sites Listed on national register historic places there are Greek town historic district arcade hotel old tarpon city halll old tarpon spring high school safford house rose hill cemetery depot there are too religious ceremonies hosted by st Nicholas Greek Orthodox cathedral part of Greek Orthodox Church including January 6 epiphany celebration numerous restaurants serve. Traditional Greek cuisine
We are doing well, Khatoon. We hope the same for you. Thanks again for the great information on Tarpon Springs.
great video, but i disliked the shell collecting part. taking shells in large amounts damages the local eco system and harms creatures that depend on them.
We're glad you enjoyed it! We rarely take shells from the beach, and if we do it's only a couple. But this is the first I've ever heard of taking (non-living) shells from the beach to be harmful. We'll definitely have to look into it further. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
cah tah ee fee