Covid-safe activities for the whole family

Like many people these days, I've been avoiding unnecessary travel for fear of contracting or unwittingly spreading Covid. Many museums have shut down temporarily and some permanently so I've had to find creative ways to feed my travel and museum addiction.  

I don't want to travel by plane so I've been keeping my trips within driving distance and I've been limiting my activities to outdoor venues like the Oxbox-Eco Center (I wrote a separate post about the Oxbow Eco-Center which you can read here)

and the Port Saint Lucie Botanical Gardens, which is free and open to the public 7 days a week.

The city has recently finished the 1,300-ft Riverwalk Boardwalk extension from Bridge Plaza to the Botanical Gardens. Residents can use the Riverwalk to walk, jog, or fish on the St. Lucie River and there is a floating dock with a kayak/canoe launch as well. The good news for pedestrians is that plans are in place to connect the existing Riverwalk at Veterans Park to the new 1,300-ft section so you'll be able to walk from the Botanical Gardens and under the bridge to Veterans Park without having to walk through the busy intersection on Port Saint Lucie Boulevard.

A couple months ago, my husband and I went on a short road trip up to Sanford, Florida for our anniversary and had a staycation on The Famous Tiny Houseboat. The houseboat was fun and relaxing and the perfect place to social distance. You can read more about The Famous Tiny Houseboat here.

This past weekend we took another road trip to the west coast of Florida and rented a cute little cottage on Airbnb again. 

Porch View of the Hillsborough River.

It was located in the quiet and peaceful neighborhood of Old Seminole Heights with our back porch right on the Hillsborough River. With just a 5-minute drive to downtown Tampa, we had the best of both the city and country. 

Our kind hosts generously allowed us to monopolize their canoe every day. 

We paddled up and down all day and couldn't get enough of this gorgeous river.

Sparkman Wharf is an outdoor entertainment destination on the waterfront with a dining garden, Biergarten, recreational lawn, and live music.

Foodtruck-style restaurants built out of shipping containers offer a variety of take-away cuisines. 

Tables, sofas, and swings are spaced a minimum of 6-feet apart for safe yet intimate dining.

Armature Works is a mixed-use event space with restaurants, an upscale food court, bar, rooftop lounge, and indoor/outdoor seating located in the historic Tampa Heights neighborhood.

Open-air seating inside Armature Works.

The area is family and pet-friendly with ample seating, tables, astroturf, and games.

You can grab a water taxi, rent a stand-up paddleboard, or go for a bike or stroll along the Hillsborough River. The Tampa Riverwalk includes Waterworks Park which has a playground and splash pad for the kiddos and a dog park for our furry friends. 

The weather was perfect for sitting outdoors along the waterfront and enjoying the live music performance. 

Armature Works also offers drive-in movies at 7:30 and 10:00 pm every night for $22 per car. 

This is a short video I shot of one of our canoeing adventures on the Hillsborough River. With the weather cooling down to more comfortable temperatures here in Florida, now is a great time to explore all the fun and healthy outdoor activities Florida has to offer!