The Sunshine State is a no-brainer one of the top domestic and foreign tourist destinations in the United States.
Florida, in general, has full of attractions you can’t find anywhere else.
From the Everglades to white-sand beaches, Florida has it all.
It has fantastic warm sunny weather, exotic wildlife, huge theme parks, diverse culture, and great food.
However, most tourists often concentrate their attention on what they usually see on television and travel sites.
They often overlook the towns and communities with hidden gems.
If you’ve already been to Florida a hundred times or traveled there for the first time, it would be awesome to have a bit of a detour.
Try visiting the less-known places which offer you a unique travel experience.
One of the most-recommended hidden gems in Florida is the town of Holiday.
This census-designated community located in the heart of Pasco County is teeming with natural attractions, such as parks, nature preserves, and exciting stuff to do.
The town of Holiday is basically the suburbs of Petersburg and Tampa, wherein most of these cities’ workforce reside there.
With a population of 24,000 residents, Holiday maintained its tranquil environment, making it very ideal for families to live.
Ultimately, it’s a wonderful tourist destination that not many have known of.
So, what awaits you in the town of Holiday?
Check this post to find out the 15 best things to do in Holiday, Florida.
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Anclote River Park is adjacent to the Key Vista Nature Park.
Although it’s not as big as Key Vista, Anclote River Park is also a beautiful natural attraction worthy of your time to explore.
Xrzt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
You can swim or perhaps stroll along the white sand beach or watch the sunset at the boat ramp in the afternoon.
The park has top-notch amenities such as benches, barbeque pits, picnic tables, and a spacious parking lot.
For a relaxing spot on Holiday, you should check out Anclote River Park.
Lake Conley has winding shorelines that span about 14 miles.
It offers one of the most scenic waterfronts in Pasco County and one of the best fishing spots for freshwater fish.
Since one of Holiday’s most popular outdoor activities is fishing, it would be proper to start your travel adventure in this town by luring your line at Lake Conley.
This lake is teeming with popular freshwater fish such as largemouth bass, catfish, pacu, bluegill, trout, etc.
If you want to explore the lake, there are kayaks and canoes to rent out at the beachside.
Ultimately, you can relax and enjoy the peaceful Floridian life chilling at a porch or wooden dock while waiting for your catch.
The J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex in Holiday has been designated as one of the recreation areas for sports and other activities.
It was one of the parks built by the Pasco County Parks and Recreation to offer locals a place to stretch their muscles and play sports.
It’s equipped with sports facilities for basketball, badminton, volleyball, an open gym, and others.
It also has playgrounds for kids and walking paths for hiking and jogging.
Aside from being a vast sports complex, it also hosts various community and civic events at Holiday.
If you want to experience Floridian hospitality and the best country music, you can visit the Stockyard Bar and Saloon along US Hwy 19 in Holiday.
It’s not your typical bar considering the music being played there is mostly country music from local and popular artists.
Regardless of whether you’re a country music fan, you’re guaranteed to have fun because of regular activities and events.
You can rub elbows with the locals of Holiday with the bar’s line dance classes.
Or perhaps, you can relax and chug down a mug of local beer and make friends with locals.
Lake Nash is situated about a mile from Holiday, and it’s one of the favorite destinations for locals to fish, swim, and do waterborne activities.
However, its most popular outdoor activity in Lake Nash is fishing, similar to Lake Conley.
So, if you’re game enough for another fishing session, you can head to this lake to catch some bluegill, largemouth bass, catfish, or common snook.
Aside from fishing, you can also take a dip at the lake to cool your senses down, especially during summer.
Or perhaps, you can rent a canoe or a kayak and explore the lake’s beauty.
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The Key Vista Nature Park once had the tallest sand-pine tree in the United States, which stood at 75 feet and had around eight feet in width.
However, it eventually fell due to weather and age but lived long enough to make this park more popular.
Moreover, Key Vista Nature Park is a wonderful outdoor attraction in Holiday that you should visit.
The park’s name came from the unobstructed view of its observation tower nearby Anclote Key, four miles from its coast to the northern tip of the Anclote Island.
If you look to the east, you’ll see the Baillies Bluff Road while fronting the park in the Gulf of Mexico.
The park is very popular for hiking because of its scenic trails that lead to white-sand beaches, forested areas, and beautiful creeks.
You can also traverse the trail up north in Rocky Creek, where you’ll end up to the Gulf of Mexico’s shorelines, the salt marsh, and Anclote Gulf Park.
Overall, the park, which covers 101 acres, is a fascinating natural attraction in town to visit.
Outside of town takes you to the Tarpon Springs Aquarium and Animal Sanctuary, where you can pet, hold and feed different land-dwelling and aquatic animals.
It’s a unique and rare experience you and your family shouldn’t miss in your travel adventure in Holiday.
This attraction, situated right outside of Holiday, has provided a great and entertaining experience to the public since 1990.
Tarpon Springs Aquarium and Animal Sanctuary are some of the very few places in Florida, where the public can interact with wildlife.
You can feed sharks, rays, tarpon, gators, turtles, and other animals.
You can also hold snakes, gators, and other reptiles safely with the guidance of animal caretakers.
This outdoor restaurant is adjacent to the Anclote River Park near the Anclote Village marina along Baillies Bluff Rd.
It’s one of the hidden gems in Holiday that you must visit.
Miss Vicki’s location beside the Anclote River is a perfect spot to unwind, eat good food, drink and watch the sunset in the afternoon.
It’s also one of the best places to taste the old-school Florida style of serving great seafood and cold beer.
If you want to pass the time and enjoy local hospitality, you should check this place out.
You won’t regret ordering the food on its menu, from seafood to sandwiches, burgers, to steaks.
You’ll surely find what you want at Miss Vicki’s!
If you want to explore and experience Holiday and Anclote Key Island’s backwaters, you should book fishing charters with Florida Inshore Fishing-Holiday together with Keith Benson.
Benson is a veteran in inshore fishing charters on Florida’s west coast.
He is based on Holiday and offers beautiful and bountiful trips in the surrounding waters of Pasco County.
Expect to catch common fish like trout, snook, and redfish, while larger fish like tarpon, jack crevasse, and redfish are present occasionally.
To book an inshore fishing charter with this company, you can visit its office along Baillies Bluff Road.
Pasco County, in general, is filled with tons of fun outdoor activities and beautiful attractions to visit.
There’s no need to head out too far to reach them since they’re very near Holiday.
Furthermore, Holiday is a few minutes’ drive to Tampa and St. Petersburg, so there’s no excuse not to visit these cities, which are also teeming with exciting things to do and attractions to see.
So, here are some of the nearby attractions in Holiday, Florida, to visit:
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Immerse yourself in the brilliance of the world-class artist Salvador Dali in the Dali Museum, where most of his awesome collections are housed.
Enjoy your time wandering through its beautiful collection of artworks, awe-inspiring architectures, and elegant gardens located in downtown St. Petersburg.
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The Dali Museum, roughly 34 miles south of Holiday or a 48-minute drive, is a must-visit place.
This museum in St. Petersburg is one of the very few buildings in the world that has a three-star rating by the Michelin Guide, and it’s also touted as AOL Travel News’s ‘buildings to see in your lifetime.’
So, don’t forget to list Dali Museum down on your itinerary if you’re planning to visit St. Petersburg.
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Around 13 miles north of Holiday or a 24-minute drive takes you to the neighboring town of Hudson, where you can visit the Sunwest Park-Lift Adventure Park.
It is a vast waterpark packed with a lot of exciting water activities.
You can try different activities like swimming, water sliding, kayaking, wakeboarding, etc.
If you don’t want to get wet, you can play beach volleyball at the public beach or perhaps get your tans under the sun.
For quality bonding time with your family, this waterpark in Hudson is a perfect place to go.
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Tampa, a 46-minute drive south of Holiday, takes you to the world-famous Busch Gardens.
This theme park in Tampa spans 300 acres and boasts 12,000 animals, entertaining live shows, shops, games, and restaurants you and your family can explore.
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Busch Gardens is also considered the best alternative for Disney World.
It has an affordable ticket to the entrance and offers the same fun and excitement as the latter.
Spending the entire day at this famous Tampa theme park is completely worth it and memorable.
A 30-minute drive east of Holiday in Odessa leads you to the Old McMicky’s Farm.
It is where kids and kids at heart can learn exciting things about farm life.
It may sound boring, but the experience there is fun-filled and highly educational.
The highlight of your visit is the farm tour, which is interactive and very exciting.
You and your family can try out hayrides, pony rides, animal feeding, cow milking, catching chickens, and interacting with baby farm animals.
Meanwhile, the farm’s guides will be there to assist you and teach you important stuff about farming and animal care.
For kids to learn some great stuff during your travel adventure, you should check out Old McMicky’s Farm.
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A 17-minute drive or seven miles north of Holiday takes you to the James E. Grey Preserve, where you can spot dozens of animals in its pristine nature preserve.
This nature preserve is perfect for hiking along its trails.
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You’ll come across different animals like tortoises, birds, gators, armadillos, and other wildlife endemic to Florida.
You can also traverse its long and winding boardwalk along the Pithlachascotee River.
Or perhaps, you can hop on a kayak or a canoe and traverse the Pithlachascotee River if you have more energy.
Tropical-themed restaurants are very common across Florida, but this one in Port Richey stands out from the rest.
Gill Dawg’s Tiki Bar & Grill is located 13 minutes north or 6.5 miles north of Holiday in Port Richey.
If you’re craving delicious seafood and comfort food in a tropical-themed outdoor restaurant, you should check this place out.
Aside from its inviting ambiance, Gill Dawg’s Tiki Bar & Grill is visited by many because of its scenic waterfront.
You can also engage in waterborne activities such as kayaking, swimming, and paddleboarding on the Cotee River.
Holiday is worthy enough to be listed down on your future travel destinations.
It’s a nice place for a quick weekend getaway with your family or friends.
The town’s parks, outdoor activities, and local hospitality guarantees you have a memorable travel experience there.
Also, Holiday can be a perfect jumping point to explore West Florida’s best attractions.
In the end, it’s up to you how you spend your time in this hidden gem tucked away on Florida’s west coast.
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