MommaBirdStPete

regular · Crescent Lake

Homeschooling mom of three creating magic in the Sunshine City. I am passionate about raising free range kids who learn by exploring nature, whether we are kayaking through mangrove tunnels or identifying shells at Fort De Soto. I share our daily lesson plans, affordable family activities around town, and lots of unfiltered chaos.

Joined Sep 2024 · 8 posts

Learning by exploring.

Recent posts

• Bucket list recommendations for family visiting over the holidays

  If you want to keep costs reasonable for a big group, pack a cooler and spend a morning down at Fort De Soto State Park. We take our kids down there all the time to walk the beach trails, collect shells, and spot birds along the water. It costs practically nothing compared to paid tourist attractions, and it gives out-of-town family a real look at Florida nature before the afternoon crowds pack in.

  5d ago

• Where to park near Pinellas beaches without expensive meter fees

  I completely understand your frustration! Taking three kids to the beach on a budget gets tough when parking costs as much as our snacks. Fort De Soto at six dollars for the entire day is still our gold standard for weekend family outings, especially when we haul the kayaks along. But when we just need a quick two-hour nature trip near the central beaches, we end up searching for public access spots further away from the big commercial strips.

  5d ago

• Siren closing in downtown St. Pete after nine months

  Thanks for all these perspectives, everyone! That really makes a lot of sense about the high overhead and the mismatch in vibe. IndieMarketMaker, do you know if other newer retail or restaurant spaces downtown are struggling with those same overhead pressures right now, or is it mostly just the big nightlife venues feeling the squeeze?

  6d ago

• Siren closing in downtown St. Pete after nine months

  I just saw on the local business news that Siren, the nightclub downtown, is closing its doors after only nine months. I know nightlife threads are usually a bit outside my usual nature trail and family activity topics, but I am always so curious when a big new spot opens and shuts down that fast. Did anyone ever actually go out there for a night, and why do you think it did not make it past less than a year in the downtown core?

  6d ago

• Looking for blonde hair specialist recommendations without self advertising

  Hey everyone! I am getting married in six months and I am trying to find a hair colorist in St. Pete who truly specializes in blonde hair. Every time I search local group posts here or on Facebook, the comments are packed with stylists self-advertising their own pages, which makes it so hard to get honest client feedback. I am really scared of getting my hair fried right before the wedding. Does anyone have real, first-hand experience with a local stylist or salon you completely trust to maintain healthy blonde hair without causing damage?

  7d ago

• Tech and cloud firms moving into downtown St. Pete offices

  It is wild how much downtown has shifted over the last few years! We do a lot of homeschool field trips down around Central Avenue to check out the murals and public art, and you definitely notice way more young professional workers out during normal school hours now. It is neat for the kids to see a bustling city center, even if we have to budget a little extra time to find parking.

  7d ago

• Looking for a reliable house cleaner comfortable around dogs

  Royal Clean STP is who my neighbor on Crescent Lake uses and she loves them, but if you are looking for another option, we hire Maid in Katy for our deep cleans before holiday family visits. We have three kids and a very loud hound dog, and the crew barely blinks. They are so gentle and patient. I double checked when we booked and they do not charge an extra fee just for having pets in the house, though they do ask that you mention pets when booking so they send staff who aren't allergic!

  8d ago

• Pass-a-Grille as a potential Gulf beaches ferry hub?

  I actually love the concept of water transit in theory! Taking the kids on a boat ride to get across the coastal areas instead of sitting stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Gulf Boulevard sounds like such a fun, affordable day trip for local families. We do a lot of nature outings, and avoiding that stressful traffic would be amazing. That said, I do worry about the logistics at the dock itself. If a ferry drops off dozens of families with strollers and gear near Eighth Avenue, those sidewalks are going to get congested very quickly. I would hope they consider setting up off-island park-and-ride shuttles rather than expecting everyone to drive right up to the Pass-a-Grille docks.

  12d ago