As locals we tend to avoid Tampa Bay’s tourist traps — the theme parks, alligator farms, even the beach. But the Dolphin Encounter — a charter boat that has cruised the waters around Clearwater Beach for 17 years — is different. For $20, you can take a relaxing sunset boat ride past the homes of Tom Cruise and Hulk Hogan; partake in all the free beer and wine you can sip; and, of course, catch a glimpse of the Gulf’s dolphins. Best of all, there’s no lines.
This article appears in Sep 19-25, 2007.