Discover Florida: Tarpon Springs - a Floridian Hidden Gem

Sunset at the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, FL

This past weekend, my wife and I were on the hunt for a new experience, an adventure of sorts, as we usually tend to be. Over the past few weeks, we have made it a point of emphasis to journey into the small pockets of the sunshine state to relive old memories of great places we've been, and also to make new ones before our impending move to Lexington over the summer.

Naturally, in the perpetual hunt for more content to fill the proverbial pages of this blog, I turned it into a challenge: the Discover Florida series. Over the coming months, I will be venturing into both the known and the unknown of this great state, and documenting my experiences along the way. In the first entry of this series - which is fitting given the topics covered on the Silks & Steaks blog - we visited Hallandale Beach, FL to check out Gulfstream Park.

For today's entry in the Discover Florida series, we took a roadtrip out to Tarpon Springs, a beachside town with deep history and economic significance in the state of Florida.

In the early 20th century, Greek sponge divers were recruited to the area by John Cocoris, a Greek businessman who came to America himself in 1895 to grow the sponge trade. He relocated to Tarpon Springs around 1900, and recruited sponge divers from his native country's Dodecanese islands, famous for their sponge production, to launch the trade in Florida. Over a century later, Tarpon Springs remains one of the last ports of any consequence for small boat operations in the state.

Our first stop actually had nothing to do with any of the great history or cultural significance of the town. It was, however, significant in its own right.

The Replay Museum - located in the heart of downtown Tarpon Springs - is the home to over 100 historic or rare arcade cabinets - including pinball games, video games, and other relics of the past. Their business model is fun: you pay one flat fee for all-day access and all the machines are set on free play; no quarters needed.

I love pinball; I'm no good and I don't take it very seriously, but I'd go out of my way any day to play. My favorites from the day included World Poker Tour pinball, Stranger Things pinball, Shrek pinball, Baby PacMan pinball/video game combo, and The Walking Dead pinball. You can see a full listing of the available games here.

Stranger Things Pinball

My wife and I will definitely be back to check them out again. If anyone from the Replay Museum team reads this, hit me up. I'd love to speak with you and learn more about your collection and the curation process you have.

From there, we headed to the Sponge Docks, which are about a mile away from the core of downtown. There you can see active sponge diving vessels docked along the shore, and you can visit the various shops and restaurants in the district.

I love Greek food. It's definitely in my top 3 regional cuisines. So naturally, we had to take a pit stop for some dinner at a local spot known for quick service and delish food at what I would considered very reasonable prices.

The Limani is a family-owned and operated stand along the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs that serves amazing Gyros and Chicken or Beef Skewers. I mean, look at it! It was, in fact, as good as it looks. A chicken skewer platter with Greek fries (which are amazing), two full skewers of chicken, and a nice Greek salad will run you about $14, which is a steal in my book. My wife got the chicken gyro, which was around $8 but did not come with fries or a salad. You have tons of options for a fancy sit down meal in the area, and I'm sure they're all great. But for the price and convenience of The Limani, we have never been anywhere else for a meal at the Sponge Docks.

We couldn't leave without dessert, which brought us across the street to the renowned Hellas Bakery. The line was fairly long on a Saturday evening but moved quickly. When you reach the front, you are met by a personal consultant who answers your questions and can make recommendations based on what you're interested in. There's certainly enough to choose from. Once you check out, you wait for a few minutes while they prep your order and call your name.

We went with a sampler of Greek classics: regular baklava, chocolate baklava, and the saragli, which we learned is a rolled variation of baklava (served with a little half cherry on top). All three together were only $14 - a fair price for such high quality baked goods. As you'd expect, all three hit the spot. The wife was partial to the chocolate baklava, and I was a fan of the saragli, but like I said, all three were amazing. The perfect way to end our evening.

The Verdict:

Tarpon Springs is another example of how unique the small pockets of Florida can be. I haven't been to Greece quite yet (in due time, we will go), but it makes me want to visit. The people in Tarpon are spirited, the food is tremendous, and there is a surprising amount to see and do around the town.

If I was planning a trip to Florida, particularly somewhere along the Gulf, I'd make a it a point to visit Tarpon Springs, even just for an afternoon passing through to your next stop. There's enough of interest there to make it worth the detour. It's a very memorable place and would heighten your vacation experience if your goal was to truly experience Florida in its purest form.

That's all for today, folks, thanks for reading. Be sure to follow me @SilksandSteaks on IG and X. More content coming soon!

Remember - take chances and do hard things in life - but most importantly enjoy it to the fullest.

Until next time!

B