Boating Tampa Bay Guide: Where to Go by Boat from Apollo Beach
One of my favorite parts of living here is pulling up to dinner by boat. So I made a map. My Boating Tampa Bay Guide shows waterfront restaurants and fun destinations around Tampa Bay that you can reach by water, so you can picture what a Saturday on the boat could look like before you ever buy the house.
It is a free two page PDF map. There is no form to fill out.
How long does it take to boat from Apollo Beach to Tampa or St. Pete?
From Apollo Beach it is about 25 minutes by boat to Tampa, about 25 minutes to St. Pete, and about 45 minutes to Egmont Key. Your time will depend on your boat, the weather and the tide, and in winter the manatee protection zones around Apollo Beach and the Big Bend area slow boats to idle speed from November 15 through March 31, so plan on a slower run to the bay that time of year.
Where can you take your boat to dinner in Tampa Bay?
The map marks waterfront restaurants and docks all around the bay, from spots a few minutes from home to the beaches. They include Circles Waterfront Restaurant, Finn’s Dockside Bar and Grill, Hooks Waterfront Bar and Grill, Woody’s River Roo, the Alafia River Beer Shed, Tiki Docks Riverview, Jerry’s Dockside Bar and Grill, The River’s Edge Bar and Grill, Davis Island Yacht Club, American Social, Jackson’s Bistro, Bar and Sushi, Columbia Cafe, The Sail Plaza, Armature Works, Rick’s on the River, Hula Bay Club, Salt Shack on the Bay, Whiskey Joe’s Tampa, The Getaway, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro, Red, White and Booze, Salt Rock Grill, Caddy’s Indian Shores, Shephard’s Beach Resort, Island Way Grill and Bon Appétit Restaurant and Marina Bar. Dock space and hours change, so call ahead before you head out.
What islands and sandbars can you boat to from Apollo Beach?
The lettered spots on the map are the fun destinations: Pine Key, which locals call Beer Can Island, the Apollo Beach Preserve and the Manatee Viewing Center close to home, plus Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, Passage Key, Fort De Soto Park, Shell Key Preserve, Sunset Beach, the John’s Pass sand bar, Davis Island Beach and dog park, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, One-Tree Island, Caladesi Island, Honeymoon Island, Three Rooker Island, Anclote Keys and the Regina Underwater Archaeological Preserve. Some of these are protected areas with their own rules, so check before you anchor or go ashore.
Does the home you buy change how you boat?
More than most people expect. Some Apollo Beach communities have bridges or lock restrictions between your backyard and the bay, some canals get tricky on very low winter tides, and the master dock plan in most planned communities sets the largest boat you can keep behind the house. If boating is part of your plan, send me the address and your boat details and I will check the bay access for you.
Do you see your boat in your backyard or at a marina?
That one question shapes the whole home search, and I love talking it through. Call or text me at 509-294-6818 and tell me how you picture your weekends on the water.