6 Double Date Spots in St. Pete

A listener who just moved to Largo called the show and asked for some suggestions on places to go on a double date in St. Pete. In particular, she was hoping for some good outdoor activities. I put it out there for listeners to chime in and here were some really good ideas.

I've only done this once myself. But Fort Desoto is always a good time. Even though that one time I did go kayaking at Fort Desoto resulted in me losing my iPhone. You don't need to bring a kayak. Just rent one there. A double kayak rental at Top Water Kayak is $45 for 2 hours or $60 for 4 hours. They'll give you all you need including safety tips and a life vest.

Low on dough? Free is always good. Explore 400 acres of wilderness right in the middle of Pinellas County. It's open 7 days a week from 7am to sunset. Do keep in mind though that The Sawgrass Trail leading to the Observation Tower is closed right now for construction. it's schedule to reopen in July. By the way, don't get scared. Most of the alligators are small and you won't come face to face to with one. They'll be visible from the walkways though.

My favorite block in St. Pete is 22nd Ave North and 29th St North. On one side you have one of the biggest collections of vinyl in the world at Bananas. Besides vinyl, they still sell CDs (remember those?). They also have lots of nostalgic tech like old radios and movies too. After, head next door to wander around and smell the smells at Mazzaro's Italian Market.

Besides the beaches, my favorite part since moving over from Hillsborough County is being close to the Pinellas Trail. My favorite stretch is going from downtown Clearwater though Dunedin and up to the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. But there's a lot of terrain to cover in St. Pete too. Definitely a good double date spot in St. Pete.

Given that we live here, most of us don't think to go to a museum. It's something we do when we travel. I have to admit I've never been to The Dali Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts here. But I need to. Even though it's not a true outdoor experience like the caller was looking for, a new exhibit of Dali's best-loved botanical print suites will open next week.

Check out the mangrove swamp, salt marsh, or just enjoy the panoramic views of Boca Ciega Bay. They have 7 picnic shelters and a 35-foot observation tower to check out after you chow down. You can bring the dogs too.

If you have any more, feel free to drop them on my Facebook page or tag me on my socials @genoradio.

My favorite block in Florida is in St. Pete at 22nd Ave North and 29th St North. You've got all the awesomeness of the pasta, pastries, wine, and cheese at Mazzaro's Italian Market on one side. On the other, Bananas Records has so many unique finds in their shop that take you back to the 1900s. (Sounds so long ago when you say it that way doesn't it?)

Bananas Records has been around since 1977. That's almost as long as Q105 has been around. Bananas is mostly known for their enormous vinyl collection. According to their website, they have 3-1/2 MILLION records. But they also sell random throwback stuff like lunchboxes, band t-shirts, CDs, DVDs, old radios, and technology that Best Buy gave up on years ago. But it takes you back. It's the closest thing to time travel we have so unless you have a DeLorean, go back in time here in St. Pete.

They still host live music events and it's the destination for vinyl enthusiasts on Record Store Day coming up next month. Record Store Day was started back in 2007. It's held every April on a Saturday. It's the day I always like to bust out my DVD of the movie "Empire Records." But a visit to Banana's is another great way to celebrate the day and keep a piece of music history alive.

If you've never dropped in, Bananas Records is at 2887 22nd Avenue North in St. Pete. They're open Monday through Thursday from 10AM to 5:30PM. Friday and Saturday they stay open until 7pm. On Sunday, hours are from noon to 5pm. I'd go on a weekday because Mazzaro's has very limited hours on the weekend. They're open for just a few hours on Saturday and closed Sunday. And a trip to that block is incomplete without a visit to both Mazzaro's Italian Market and Banana's Records.