Who doesn't love souvenir shopping? South Beach and Surf Beach are a short walk from the jewelry, clothing, and specialty shops at John's Pass Village & Boardwalk. Clearwater's Countryside Mall, which features a Macy's, Whole Foods, and JCPenney, is just 10 miles from Pelican Pointe.

This is the Sunshine State, so get out there. The Pinellas Trail, extending from St. Petersburg, north to Tarpon Springs, is popular with joggers, walkers, skaters, and bikers. Great beaches abound, but here are a few picks: Caladesi Island State Park in Dunedin, and Fort de Soto Park in Tierra Verde.

The Tampa/St. Petersburg area boasts great restaurants — from beachfront seafood shacks that punch above their weight to legends like Bern's Steak House. Somewhere in the middle is Armature Works, an impressive food hall along Tampa's waterfront. Also noteworthy: The 30+ brewery trail known as the Gulp Coast.

Tampa Bay is home to several professional sports teams — the Rays (MLB), the Lightning (NHL), and the Buccaneers (NFL). And during spring training, nine baseball teams play along Florida's Gulf Coast. Go teams!

OK, occasionally it rains in Florida. When it does, there's no shortage of activities. We'll list just a few here: The Florida Aquarium, in Tampa; Clearwater Marine Aquarium; Museum of Science & Industry, in Tampa; and the Salvador Dalí Museum, in St. Petersburg.

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Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld are all an easy day trip away. Busch Gardens and the Adventure Island water park are both closer to home base.