By: Brianna Pearson, Campus News Editor
It’s the time of the year when students come back to Florida for graduation and get settled onto campus. There is no need to sit around, but make the most of it. Here are some ideas for fun places to go near Saint Leo.
In Zephyrhills, there is a fun park full of ducks, exercise equipment, and merry-go-rounds. Pack a picnic lunch and feed the ducks while relaxing after finals. Zephyrhills park has a one-mile trail around the entire park that has exercise equipment along the path.
St. Petersburg is home to the beautiful Dali museum. With a large glass exterior, the Dali museum is home to some of the most famous Salvador Dali paintings including Apparatus and Hand. The first floor is the gift shop and the restaurant that serves drinks, sandwiches, and desserts. The second floor is home to Dali’s famous painting, sketches, and objects, including the Lobster Phone.
Located in St. Petersberg, the Dali Museum is a great way to bring out your love for art and take Instagram worthy photos with the wishing tree.
Outside of the museum is a wishing tree that everyone ties their wristbands to and makes a wish. Behind the tree is a labyrinth that is fun to walk through and find your way out. Other picturesque spots would be the mirror wall on the outside of the building, the famous Dali mustache outside and the bay behind the labyrinth.
If you want to get a little bit further off-campus, Disney Springs is a bit over an hour drive from Saint Leo. At Disney Springs, formerly called Downtown Disney, families can spend quality time together walking, shopping and eating.
You can shop until you drop the Disney way as Disney Springs offers multiple stores for all.
Unlike Disney parks, parking is free at Disney Springs so that’ll save you a little bit of money. There are many different shops, including Vera Bradley, Lilly Pulitzer, the Disney store, Pandora, Alex and Ani, Under Armour, Anthropologie and many more. When it is time to eat, Disney Springs has an extensive amount of options. A personal favorite is TREX. Similar to the Rainforest Café, TREX has animatronics that moves and makes noises making it a very interactive restaurant.
Another restaurant would be Planet Hollywood, which submerges you in pop culture. There are giant screens that cover the wall and ceiling playing both Disney sing-along songs and pop music videos.
For those that want to stay near Saint Leo and want a relaxing visit, try some retail therapy at the Tampa Premium outlets. About 20 minutes and two exits south of the University, the Tampa Premium Outlets is Tampa’s newest and most beautiful mall.
This outdoor mall is home to many outlets including Nike, Adidas, Coach, Michael Kors, Fossil and Armani Exchange. This is the best place to get a new dress, shoes or just a bite to eat on a budget. At the center of the mall are some beautiful fountains, a bridge and some comfortable lawn chairs in case you need a break from shopping. At night, the fountains light up, and it truly is a beautiful sight. The fountains are another tremendous picturesque spot for family photos. There are endless things to do around Saint Leo.
