Made up simply of a few rows of colorful buildings festooned with hand painted bright blue and white Greek letters, the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks are more than your normal tourist attraction. The area is an authentic Greek fishing and sponging village. From the large boats with towering masts, heavy ropes and weather beaten nets that line the Sponge Dock’s waterfront, to the haul of fresh sponges that the divers retrieve from the sea daily you can see that this destination is a truly a unique find.
The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks are a throwback to another time, a time when Tarpon Springs had more fishermen than businessmen, a time when local businesses were handed down to each generation and the perfect Greek pastry could cure anything! Now, part sponging village, part tourist attraction, the Sponge Docks offer over fifty different shopping, eating and entertainment experiences within just a few blocks. At the center of everything is the Sponge Exchange. At one time, the largest auction block for sponges in the U.S., the reinvented Sponge Exchange is now home to over 20 specialty restaurants and shops where you can find basic souvenirs as well as unusual items like local natural sponges and olive oil cosmetics.
However, it is not just the unique shopping that keeps visitors and residents coming back to this little bit of living history. Many of the Greek restaurants in this village are run by the same people or their relatives that opened them 30-40 years ago after coming to Florida from Greece. So, expect your dining experience to be full of rich, mouth-watering Greek dishes.
Aside from restaurants and shops, children and adults will both enjoy the attractions at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. Visit the Tarpon Springs Aquarium to feed and pet the stingrays and watch as a shark is fed live in front of the audience. On the other hand, if viewing the sea creatures at the aquarium is not enough for you, head over to Spongerama Cruise Lines, which offers scenic, narrated boat cruises along Tampa Bay, where you will often see dolphin and manatee in their natural habitat.
Whether you choose to do it all, or just stop in for shopping and a Greek pastry, make sure you come hungry and plan to spend enough time at the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks so you’re able to experience everything this unique town has to offer.
Julia Vakulenko is a licensed broker associate with Tampa4U.com Realty. She has one of the hardest working Tampa Real Estate team in Florida.
The Sponge Docks – Tarpon Springs, Florida