Best Parks or Beaches in Pasco or N-Pinellas (Clearwater, Dunedin: hotel, beach)

[Pigeon1916]

Hi
I am looking for any advice that you may have on what you think are the best Parks or beaches around Pasco or N-Pinellas?

What parks/trails do you recommend?
What beaches or places to fish?
Has anyone gone on a fishing charter?
Or best place to have lunch in nice surroundings?

Thanks

[skicheryl]

We don't fish so can't help you there but we were recently in Dunedin and ate at Bon Appetite by the marina just past Best Western hotel and the fish and chips were really good, best I've had other than Lucia Lodge on Hwy 1 in California just south of Big Sur. They have the best of anywhere but Bon Appetite was very good, so was the view right on the water with a nice breeze. Also Cafe Alfresco in downtown Dunedin has good food, we really liked the cuban sandwich (no one in Reno knows what the heck a cuban sandwich is!). It's not on the water but does look out at the Pinellas trail and the staff are very nice.

I'm not an expert on the beaches by far but I've found the nicest sand to be Clearwater even though it is more crowded than others north. Depends on what you want in a beach. Honeymoon island and Caledesi island sand had too many shells for me but there are trails to do a short walk. I like the soft sand that I can wiggle my toes in! Maybe I didn't go to the right part of Caledesi because the pics advertising it as the #1 beach did not look like what I saw when I was there. Plus I was a little freaked out about the rattlesnakes on the island. Never saw any but didn't do the nature trail - because I didn't want to see any! It was an ok trip but to me the sand wasn't as nice as Clearwater. You have to deal with more people at Clearwater but for the quality of sand I think it's worth it. Of course Siesta Key is the best IMHO but that is quite a drive south of St Pete. The causeway to Fred Howard Park was closed when we tried to go there but when we went a few years ago I found it had quite a few shells which my 2 yr old niece said hurt her feet. If you don't care about the quality of the sand it's a nice park for a picnic and relaxing by the water.

East of NPR is a wilderness area that has some nature trails, ,can't remember the name but I'm sure you can find it on a map. I think it may have a lake but not sure, it's been a few years.....

Cheryl