Things to do and eat in Dunedin, Florida
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Sunset at Dunedin Marina. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Dunedin
Outside, it's hot and muggy. People smile and nod as they bike down the sidewalk, past boutiques hawking Celtic jewelry and tropical apparel.
- Welcome to Dunedin, Florida, tucked in the northern half of Pinellas County between Clearwater and Palm Harbor.
The big picture: This coastal town of about 36,000 residents has a charming downtown replete with bookstores, microbreweries, and paved biking trails.
Why it matters: Being a tourist in your backyard is fun. The Tampa Bay area has eight counties and well over 20 municipalities. Odds are, you haven't experienced all the region can offer.
- So, we decided to turn the spotlight away from larger cities, like Tampa and St. Petersburg, and venture into the smaller towns that seldom get the recognition they deserve. Dunedin felt like a natural place to start.
I drove to Dunedin from my home in North Tampa on Thursday. It was mid-afternoon, and I got there in under an hour.
- I'm a history buff. So, naturally, I made my first stop at Dunedin History Museum.
Zoom in: The museum is housed in a red-brick building that previously was a railroad depot. It holds over 2,000 artifacts, an archive of the defunct Dunedin Times and a small gift shop.
- Visitors get to read about how a hog problem riled up residents enough to form a town and enforce a so-called "hog law" to remove the swine.
- They can also see old typewriters and telegraph equipment. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children and seniors.
Next, I made my way to Back in the Day Books. The pink storefront had new releases in the window. Folk music played in the background as I walked down the aisles.
- I spent most of my visit flipping through books I found in the Florida section and mulling whether to buy a "Great Gatsby" T-shirt.
- There are library card totes and bookish mugs, too. I left the shirt behind and went with a leatherbound anthology of the late Florida resident Ernest Hemingway's news articles ($40).
I finished the afternoon at Lane's Lemonade. I almost ordered the apple pie in a cup before settling on a more practical choice: a beef hot dog wrapped in pretzel bread and a cup of orangeade ($10).
If you go: Here's a roundup of spots in Dunedin where you can have fun and eat well:
What to do
✈️ Hop into a life-size airplane simulator at Sim Center Arcade.
📚 Peruse the aisles at Back in the Day Books.
🍀 Buy an authentic kilt at Celtic Shop of Dunedin.
🚴 Ride along the Pinellas Trail.
🏺 View the work of over 75 artists at Clay and Paper Gallery of Art.
🌅 Watch the sunset at Dunedin Marina.
What to eat and drink
☕ Grab a cappuccino at Sandpiper cafe.
🍳 Order hash browns and an omelet at Country Boy Restaurant.
🌮 Scarf down fish tacos at Casa Tina.
🍺 Sip a Celtic Gold Ale at Dunedin Brewery.