Places to avoid during spring break in Tampa Bay — and where to go instead

Brace yourself, Tampa Bay.

Spring break is this week for public school students in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and college students from the University of South Florida, the University of Florida and Florida State University. That’s nearly half a million students and their teachers with time off.

This is just the beginning, though, as Pasco County public schools spring break is March 25-29, Easter is March 31 and it’s still a mystery whether spurned Miami spring breakers will descend upon Tampa Bay.

With miles of pristine sandy beaches and vibrant nightlife, it’s a no-brainer that crowds will clog up roads and beaches. If more proof is needed however, Tampa International Airport predicts to see between 40,000 to 60,000 passengers daily during this period.

While locals certainly can deal with this with a little patience and still hit up local things to do, crowds can be overwhelming for many folks. With that in mind, here is a list of places locals might want to avoid, with alternative suggestions for a quieter spring break.

Beaches and waterfronts

It doesn’t matter where it is in Tampa Bay — even on the causeways — if there is sand and water, it is likely to be packed. Just getting there is a time suck, with traffic backed up for miles. Then you have to deal with finding a parking place.

And don’t think you’ll escape crowds at local state parks on the water, either, and going takes some planning ahead. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park advises on its website to arrive early — with your entire party — because the park closes once capacity is reached, which can happen very early in the morning. Tickets are not sold in advance and many of the activities like the mermaid show and boat rides are on a first come, first-served basis.

Theme parks and attractions

Tampa Bay Times events, family and travel reporter Sharon Kennedy Wynne says this week will be one of the busiest of the year at Busch Gardens Tampa, where the Food and Wine festival is currently happening and parking is a whopping $32. Tampa’s Adventure Island, the Museum of Science and Industry and ZooTampa at Lowry Park will likely be similarly swamped, as will the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The Florida Aquarium should also be packed, but if you decide to go, know that walk-up tickets are no longer available, so plan accordingly.

Downtown areas

Tampa and St. Pete’s downtowns have exploded in recent years, buzzing with restaurants, bars, museums and outdoor activities. The inclusion of events like the Rockin’ Roller Rink at the busy St. Pete Pier now through April 14, the Reggae Rise Up Festival at Vinoy Park on St. Petersburg’s waterfront March 14-17 and the River O’ Green Festival (yeah, it’s also St. Patrick’s Day) at Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Park on the Riverwalk on March 16 make them even busier.

While Clearwater’s downtown won’t get as busy, the accessibility of the revamped Coachman Park — with the addition of concert venue The BayCare Sound — from Clearwater Beach is likely to draw some heads.

Should you want to go anyway, find tips for parking and transportation on city webites: stpete.org, tampa.gov and myclearwater.com. The Park Mobile app is another valuable resource that makes parking easier.

Quieter option 1: local parks

Tampa Bay is rich in public parks, with 150 of them in St. Petersburg alone. On 133 acres, St. Pete’s Walter Fuller Park is a great place to take the family (including the dog, as there is a large dog park), walk the trails, have a picnic, play on the playground and kick a ball around. It also has a pool and an observation area to see the flora and fauna of the natural preserve. 7891 26th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. 727- 893-7441. stpeteparksrec.org. The recently developed Carrollwood Village Park has a skatepark, splash pad, playground, nature trails, dog parks and outdoor ping pong and chess. 4680 West Village Drive, Tampa. 813-269-2466. To find more Tampa Bay area parks, visit tampa.gov, pinellas.gov, hcfl.gov and pascocountyfl.net.

Quieter option 2: smaller attractions

Largo’s Pinewood Cultural Park is a trifecta of soothing entertainment, home to the Florida Botanical Gardens, Heritage Village and the Gallery at Creative Pinellas, where you can see nature, history and contemporary art, all for free. Entrances are at 12211 Walsingham Road and 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo. pinewoodculturalpark.org.

While students are on break, USF’s Botanical Gardens are a safe bet for a quiet time in nature. 12210 USF Pine Drive, Tampa. 813- 974-2329 usf.edu.

It’s kind of odd to refer to a Buddhist temple as an attraction, but the Wat Mongkolratanaram on the banks of Tampa’s Palm River is a serene experience and its grounds and picnic tables are open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Its Sunday Market does draw a crowd for the steaming bowls of noodle soup, fresh rolls and Thai tea, so get there early. It’s from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 5306 Palm River Road, Tampa. 813-621-1669. wattampainenglish.com.

Quieter option 3: museums and galleries

Many of the area’s museums and galleries are located in bustling downtowns (again, making parking an issue), but there are so many other places to find stellar art. While Ybor City’s proximity to the Port of Tampa draws tourists to the district, it doesn’t seem likely that would affect an artful experience at the historic Kress Building. Visit the Florida Museum of Photographic Art’s current exhibition of wildlife photos by Carlton Ward Jr., “Path of the Panther,” then go upstairs to discover independent art galleries. $10-12. 1630 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa. 813-221-2222. fmopa.org.

There’s always much to see at the Dunedin Fine Art Center, where the parking is plentiful and free. In addition to the exhibitions highlighting student and faculty work, the center is holding its fun Trashy Treasures art garage sale on Saturday, March 16. 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin. 727-298-3322. dfac.org.

Quieter option 4: eat international foods in smaller towns

The restaurants at entertainment districts like downtown St. Pete and Water Street Tampa are likely to be booked up (and hard to find parking for). So take the opportunity to branch out to smaller towns for international food offerings. In Pinellas Park, the Asian options include Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Korean. In Temple Terrace, find a plethora of international foods from Ethiopian at Queen of Sheba (11001 N 56th St. 813-872-6000. ethiopianrestauranttampa.com) to Russian at Babushka’s (12639 N 56th St. 813-515-7415. babushkas.us.)