Everglades National Park

• Drive time: ~3.5 hours from Tampa
• Highlights: This is the place to see Florida wildlife like manatees, American crocodiles, and Florida panthers in their natural habitats. There’s too many eco-adventures to take within the park, from biking and hiking to bird watching and fishing.
• Try this: Yes, you can drive through the Everglades, but we recommend booking an immersive experience like Captain Mitch’s airboat tour or a boat tour through the mangroves. What’s more, you can even go glamping or stay on a house boat within the park. Check out lodging options. Entrance passes to the park run $20-$35.

Biscayne National Park

• Drive time: ~4.5 hours from Tampa
• Highlights: Tons of open water for snorkeling, fishing, boating, diving, and paddling. Plus, 500+ species of fish, keys for hiking and camping, and the Maritime Heritage Trail.
• Try this: Make a reservation for a paddle adventure, snorkeling trip, or heritage trail through the Biscayne National Park Institute. You can also sign up for volunteer marine debris cleanup trips within the park. While the park doesn’t charge entrance fees, you might need to pay docking or camping fees.

• St. Pete Paint and Sip: Waterlilies and Willows | Wednesday, May 15 | 6-9 p.m. | Green Bench Brewing Co., 1133 Baum Ave. N., St. Petersburg | $39 | Let the folks from Wine and Canvas guide you in painting the tranquil beauty of waterlilies and willows — arrive 15 minutes early to order your brew.
• Sunshine City All Stars | Wednesday, May 15 | 8:30-10 p.m. | Sunshine City Comedy Club, 5501 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach | $25 | Chuckle along to local comics or visiting comedians alike.

• Casa Azul Spirit Tasting | Thursday, May 16 | 6-8 p.m. | Hyde House Public Studio, 1646 W. Snow Ave., Tampa | $85 | Sample a variety of Casa Azul’s spirits over light bites by Bouzy.
• Bento Box Creations | Thursday, May 16 | 7-9 p.m. | BRU Florida Growler Bar, 8729 Gunn Hwy., Odessa | $55 | Learn the Japanese art of making a bento box, complete with gyoza, savory dumplings, and Japanese potato salad.

• One Night of Queen | Friday, May 17 | 8 p.m. | Mahaffey Theater, 400 1st St. S., St. Petersburg | $48+ | Watch as Gary Mullen & the Works re-create a complete Queen concert with hits like “Killer Queen,” “We Are the Champions,” and of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

• KPB Gandy Beach Cleanup Monthly Series | Saturday, May 18 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Gandy Beach, 13090 Gandy Blvd. N., Gandy | Free with registration | Join Keep Pinellas Beautiful to assist with a shoreline and mangrove cleanup — make sure to register.
• Tampa CATSTRAVAGANZA | Saturday, May 18-Sunday, May 19 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Tampa Convention Center, 333 S. Franklin St., Tampa | $0-$25 | The world’s most beautiful cats compete for the crown at this family furr-iendly event.
• International Museum Day | Saturday, May 18 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Tampa Museum of Art, 120 Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa | Free | Enjoy a free visit to the downtown Tampa museum’s collection of Greek and Roman antiquities + modern and contemporary art.

• For The Bay Clothing Co. just opened its own South Tampa brick and mortar location at 4200 Henderson Blvd. The local sports-themed shop sells all kinds of Tampa Bay gear — from 813 polos and Rays shirts to Bucs hats. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

• Welcome to the stakeout. TBAY’s own Johnathan Rodriguez, executive chef at Sal Y Mar, makes his Food Network debut on “Supermarket Stakeout” tonight at 9 p.m. Tune in to watch Rodriguez whip up dishes for judges in a parking lot using $500 of groceries. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

• Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is celebrating National Yucatan Shrimp Day with a jumbo giveaway. Order any Yucatan menu item at the restaurant through May 23 for a chance to win a Yeti cooler packed full of Doc Ford’s swag and goodies. (I Love the Burg)

• Meet Publix at Wiregrass Commons. The new prototype store will be located along Wiregrass Ranch Boulevard + offer options like patio seating areas, buffets, and a bar serving brews, coffee, and wine. (Tampa Bay Times)

• No. 5. That’s where WalletHub ranked the Tampa Bay metro area on its Best Summer Travel Destinations list. The rankings took into account the cost of the cheapest flight, number of attractions, and the average price of a two-person meal.

• Fourth of July plans are already lighting up the calendar. Hillsborough County Fairgrounds is hosting its first-ever Fourth of July festival. The free event, “Catch the Spirit & Celebrate America, presented by Odiorne Insurance,” will feature a drone light show, pet costume contest, eats, and live entertainment. (That’s So Tampa)

• Dig into Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ second round pick — Chris Braswell. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
  

• Cornbread Hemp’s CBD Sleep Gummies are available in two strengths and made with high-quality USDA organic CBD extract. Get 30% off with code CBDSLEEP30.*

• Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*

Spring into action

• Performance at The Dalí: A musical exploration of Dali’s floral fantasies | Thursday, May 23 | 6- 7 p.m.
• Dalí Satellite Concert | Thursday, June 27 | 6-7 pm
• An evening of fruits & florals mixology | Monday, July 15 | 6-8 p.m.