We’ve written about Tarpon Springs, the capital of the natural sponge industry, before but that article was mainly based on research. We’re now living only 25 minutes from Tarpon Springs and figured it’d be a fun way to kick off our holiday weekend.

The first thing we want to tell you is don’t use the first parking lot you see. It can cost three times more than the smaller lots farther down the sponge docks. The sponge docks is a street of gift shops, restaurants, and museums dedicated to the sponge industry. You will also find several tour boats offering one- and two-hour tours that focus on the ecology and history of the region. We hopped on a one-hour tour that took us down the Anclote River to the Gulf of Mexico. We didn’t spot any dolphins but enjoyed the chance to get out on the water.

We also took a few minutes to enjoy the Hellas Bakery, which features a wide variety of Greek and Greek-inspired desserts and sweets. The air conditioning and shade was almost as sweet as the baklava tiramisu.

The sun is intense in Florida. You’ll want to make sure you’re wearing sunscreen even if you’re only walking around visiting the shops. We plan on making more trips to this wonderful little seaside hamlet during our time in Florida.

Sponge Boat in Dry Dock