Tampa is where I was raised, where King's Mimi and Aunt live and where we spent much of our time while living in Florida. This is where King went swimming for the first time, chewed on one of Mimi's rugs and where we started to capture all of King's growing up photos with the help of Mimi of course. Trying to find a way to capture King's growth I wasn't sure how I should do this. At first, I wasn’t so sure how to approach documenting King’s growth. I always had this image of dads with their kid over their shoulders and thought it would be a fun way to show his size as 15 pound pup in relation to my own. Sounds like an ideal plan when only expecting him to get upwards of maybe 85 pounds, so imagine my surprise and struggle when it comes to squatting this now 100+ pound Golden onto my shoulders! The things we do for our kids… ya gotta love em.
King: Mimi's house is always so fun! She lets me play with so many toys and will take me on long walks along the water when Dad is working. Sometimes, she even lets me hang out with some of the older neighbor boys, but I gotta make sure I’m home before dark. Every time we visit though, Dad likes to do this thing where he puts me on his shoulders and takes a photo with me... It's so embarrassing! I don't want any of the cooler kids to see us, like Dad, I'm almost two now, stop!!
Tampa is also home to one of our absolute favorite hangout spots, David Island Dog Beach. It consists of three fenced in areas, two of which have access to water, while one is your traditional dog park with the addition of a perfect ocean view. The first time we visited Davis Island was after much preparation with a doggie kiddy pool, which we still use now for those hot summer days. I would always splash my hands in the two to three inch water, enticing baby King to get his paws wet, and he has actively taken a liking to his little pool ever since. The intercostal aspect of Davis Island was a major step up from these watery training wheels, so I wasn't sure how quickly he was going to take to it. Luckily for us, we just so happen to visit on a day in which there were a ton of veteran dogs who could show King the ropes even though he did have a few times that he would rush to my side for some fatherly reassurance. Two weeks after our first visit, a few friends of ours were sending us articles from the newspaper where, unknown to us and surprisingly enough, our photo made the article!
King: I thought playing in my pool and sneaking into the shower would prepare me for the big human pools at the beach, but boy was I wrong! Tub water and ocean water are very different! The ocean water tasted like Dad after he works out (yucky). I was a little jealous seeing the bigger dogs jumping and playing in the deeper area, but I also really appreciated that I could get used to the ocean at my own pace without being made fun of. Good group of pals, that lot.
If you are looking for somewhere closer to the Gulf of Mexico and the white powder beaches of Florida, there is a great spot near Treasure Island. The Sunset Dog Beach is a small intercostal beach that has very clean water and only one entrance in and out of the park. Some downfalls of this location are that it is tide dependent, as high tide quickly makes the beach small and the one entrance isn't a locking gate. This is a perfect beach if your dog is well trained and you also want to get into the water along with them. King quickly took to this spot as he was now a certified beachgoer and swimmer who also was happy enough to just relax on a hot summer day.
King: They let Dads swim at these beaches too?! Haha, what’s next?! We had the best time. I would swim out to him and he would hold me until I was ready to swim back to the sand. I wonder why he doesn't want to swim at the other beach? He seems hairy enough to fit in with my new friends. Oh well, his loss!
Another one of our favorite places is Hyde Park Village. This is such a fun little district of South Tampa that you can easily walk everywhere, a short toss from Bayshore and Tampa Bay, and everyone here is so dog friendly! King and I have spent Christmas here, and if outdoor shopping along brick sidewalks are your thing, then this is certainly the place for you! There is even a small boutique dog store called Downtown Dogs. If you and your pup are more into getting a workout in, then a few blocks away is Bayshore Boulevard with the longest continual sidewalk spanning four and a half miles, it’s the perfect path for both you and your pup to stay safe while you enjoy a nice walk or run. If you take it all the way into the downtown area, you can jump onto the Riverwalk. This is a great daytime run spot or nighttime stroll connecting to three parks where you can stop for a drink of water, fun picnic or a game of fetch. If you are looking for a spot to grab a bite and are in the mood for tacos and margaritas, I highly recommend Bar Taco! You are able to dine outside with your furry friend and the staff are so kind and helpful. Also... Did I mention tacos and margaritas? Their spicy margarita is one of my favorites with the guacamole and beyond that its based on your food preferences! If you have any dietary needs, they also have a menu tailored for gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options.
King: I love the array of sniffs the bay area has to offer. Grandma takes me from time to time and she is such a fast walker! I don't know if walking fast is a workout since Dad doesn't do it, but Grandma doesn't mess around with them. Whenever we get together with family, Dad prefers that I dress up for company. I sometimes get embarrassed when I see my friends out and about and they aren't wearing anything, but when I get home and see myself in the mirror, I think I look like a super-pupper! Not to mention, nothing beats the feeling of a nice and snug sweater when its cool out.
Between all the beaches, boat rides, walks, and dog-friendly amenities, Tampa should be on your short list if you’re in Florida or just looking for an amazing waterfront city to travel to. King and I can't wait to go back and visit later this year! As always, if you're from Tampa or have any recommendations for places we may have missed in the area, please feel free to reach out to us and know. We want to make sure we are capturing all the city has to offer and know that we can't do that alone.
-King and I
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