Tampa, Florida Photographer Guide | Wedding & Honeymoon Destination

After spending some time in northern Michigan, I was ready to mix things up a little. So we planned a last minute beach vacation, packed up the car, and headed down to the Florida Gulf coast. We ended up in Tampa and enjoyed many days of sunbathing and swimming in the warm Gulf waters. The sand there is so soft and white. We really enjoyed hanging out in the more secluded beaches. However, the more popular Clearwater Beach features a long paved boardwalk area perfect for people watching. We rollerbladed up and down the sidewalk and enjoyed the sights.

While we were there we also headed over to a few parks to photograph the wildlife. We saw alligators, herons, dolphins, and even an armadillo! But what we weren’t expecting was the intense amount of mosquitoes that we encountered! Even though we were running down the trail to avoid getting eaten alive, I was determined to keep hiking until we saw an armadillo. As luck would have it, it wasn’t until we gave up and started walking to the car that we saw an armadillo right next to the parking lot. He was such a cute little guy! Having accomplished my mission for the day, we decided to head out for dinner before the storm rolled in. We found a fantastic little restaurant with a second floor that featured open air dining and live guitar music. There we ate our fresh seafood overlooking the bay and watched the lightening storm. It was the perfect way to end the day. ~Shelley Hartman, North Carolina + Florida Wedding Photographer

To check out more of my travel photos, check out my travel blog at https://www.hartmanoutdoorphotography.com/blog/travel/