A lot of Florida cities take advantage of both the climate and the location on the water of the ocean or a bay.   The creation of waterside entertainment centers give locals and visitors the option to dine, to shop, to nightclub, and to do other outdoor activities like boat tours and fishing trips.

I thought about this when I realized the former Channelside Mall in downtown Tampa by the Cruise Port was reopening this weekend as Sparkman’s Wharf.   A section of the unsuccessful complex was torn down, giving the spot a huge outdoor entertainment lawn facing the waterfront.

Completed Plans For Sparkmans Wharf

Until some upscale local restaurants are later next year opening in the main building, the attraction for the setup will be a huge biergarten, ten fancy food trucks built from shipping containers, a music court, and grounds with lawn games.  The Wharf is a few blocks from the hockey stadium, next to the Florida Aquarium, and in a area where some 5,000 people have moved into apartments and condos.

The most famous waterside center is Miami’s two-story Bayside Marketplace located near the Miami Heat stadium on Biscayne Bay.  The center has grown with some six dozen stores selling everything from clothing to sunglasses to travel tickets.

There are a dozen restaurants including Hard Rock Café, Bubba Gump, Hooters, Los Ranchos, and Bavaria Haus Beerhall.  Pier 5 is lined with charter fishing vessels and tour boats that take people to see the sights of Miami Beach and the Biscayne Bay islands and the homes from AL Capone to Gloria Esteban.

Jacksonville Landing on downtown Jacksonville’s Riverwalk opened in 1987 and has averaged some 600 events each year.  The U-shaped complex has shops and restaurants like Benny’s Steak and Seafood, Hooters, Fionn MacCools, Cinco de Mayo, and a neat nightclub called Mavericks.

The Landing like the Tampa site features a River Taxi and boat docks, both important factors in recruiting more people to live downtown.  River transportation and Riverwalks shift the focus of Florida’s cities to the waterfronts which were shockingly ignored for decades in Florida’s older cities.

Over on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County is John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk on Madeira Beach, just seconds from the ocean.  The docks are filled with tour boats and fishing charters and you can rent paddleboards, kayaks, and jet skis.

John’s Pass Is A Waterhole of Activity

In such a location seafood places like Sculleys, Friendly Fisherman, and the Wild Seafood Company give you a dockside view of all the action.  Of course, there always seems to be a Hooters and Bubba Shrimp Company.

Punta Gorda’s Fishermens Wharf Combines Food, Shops, Rentals

I have to admit that these swarms of humanity are often too crowded.  Another suggestion is to take a look at restaurants located on Florida piers, a risky investment but a long tradition.  The most commercial operation is the tri-restaurant seafood bonanza on the famous Cocoa Beach Pier.   All you need is some top notch surfers to sail past your window.

My fun pier is the funky Rod and Reel Pier Restaurant in Anna Maria Island although nearby Bradenton has the exquisite Pier 22 Restaurant.   And few people will be disappointed going to Joe’s Crab Shack on Daytona Beach Pier.

In Contrast: Anna Maria Island’s Funky Pier Restaurant