Don’t get us wrong. Dinner and a movie are fine. But sometimes you want to be a bit more adventurous. Lucky for you, there are plenty of unique activities in the area that will take you off the beaten the path.
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Shuffleboard
This is not your grandparent’s shuffleboard. Gone are the connotations of cruise ship decks and senior communities. Shuffle in Tampa offers four indoor shuffleboard courts, a full-service bar and a kitchen that serves up sandwiches, pizzas, burgers and more. It also offers live music and an outdoor area where you can hang out and play cornhole. Shuffle is located at 2612 North Tampa Street in Tampa.
Escape Rooms
Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes and make your way to one of the many escape room adventures in the area. You and your group are locked in a room and given clues on how to find your way out before the set time is up. Themes range from funny to downright spooky. For example, escaping from a maximum-security prison; searching for lost treasure on a wrecked ship; or escaping the president’s private bunker during a national emergency.
Some escape rooms to pick from are The Beach Escape Game at 7340 Gulf Blvd in St. Pete’s Beach, Locked Up at 162 129th Ave W, in Madeira Beach and The Great Escape Room at 2429 Central Ave Suite 101 in St. Petersburg.
Drive in movies
Despite popular thinking, not all drive-in theatres vanished with the poodle skirt. There are several in our area that offering al fresco entertainment.
The Ruskin Family Drive In (https://www.ruskinfamilydrivein.com/) has been operating for the past 50 years. Across the bay in Ruskin, this theatre offers a 2,000 square foot screen, a snack bar and children’s play area.
The Silver Moon Drive In (https://www.silvermoondrivein.com/) in Lakeland has been showing movies for 70 years! It has two screens and offers first run movies and old favorites seven nights a week.
If you’re willing to make the drive to Dade City (about an hour and half from St. Petersburg), you’ll find The Joy-Lan Drive In (https://www.joylandrivein.com/). This classic theatre has been in operation for more than 70 years and shows first run movies five nights a week.
Axe Throwing
Bury the hatchet on boring dates and try your hand at axe throwing. This popular sport has sprung up in popularity nationwide and there are several local spots to practice your swing.
St. Pete Axe and Ale offers an outdoor axe throwing venue and serves food and drinks.
The Hatchet Hangout has locations in St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Each venue features 15 axe throwing targets as well as a full bar that also serves coffee drinks and sodas.
Stumpy’s Hatchet House in Tampa is another choice for axe throwing. It has seven indoor throwing pits and can be reserved Monday through Wednesday for private parties. Beer and wine are served, and you can bring your own food or have it delivered.
Another unique date is a visit to a secretive speakeasy. Hailing from the Roaring 20’s when Prohibition banned alcohol in the U.S., speakeasies were a secret place to gather and imbibe. Thanks to the 21st Amendment, you no longer need fear the law to enjoy a cocktail, but the premise of these secret bars is alive and well more than a century later.
Ciro’s in Tampa takes you back in time with its classic themed bar inside the historic Bayshore Royal Building. The menu is cocktail-centric and gets its inspiration from bygone eras, including Prohibition. Eclectic food dishes are also offered, and private booths can be reserved for a more intimate experience.
The Saint Speakeasy in St. Petersburg offers eclectic cocktails, wine and upscale snacks and desserts. It’s located behind a secret unmarked entrance in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg. Like original speakeasies, you will need a code word to get in, and that’s where the fun begins. The Saint Speakeasy does not take reservations so arrive early or expect a wait on busy nights.
Another speakeasy recently opened in the Grand Central District and this one isn’t exactly what it seems. By day, Dirty Laundry it appears to be just a laundromat and coffee shop. But at night, you can find something else! An old payphone inside gives you a secret code which you type in and voila! A washing machine pops open, leading you to a secret Cuban-themed bar that serves up Cuban cocktails and tapas. How’s that for an uncommon adventure?!
