The section of Florida’s Gulf Coast that stretches from Tampa down to Fort Myers is packed with millions of families and retirees, many of whom live in urban waterfront high rises or in homes on barrier islands surrounded by some of the state’s most pristine beaches.
Life for many residents is anchored by the normally serene Gulf of Mexico. But their beloved body of water is a source of anxiety as Hurricane Milton prepares to make landfall in the area. It could be the first storm in a century to hit the Tampa Bay region, delivering a second blow to those whose homes were flooded by Hurricane Helene last month.
Milton continues to wobble, but it will likely make landfall somewhere along this populous, roughly 130-mile stretch.
The Tampa Bay metropolitan area is home to more than three million people and includes the cities of Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa, among others. Clearwater is the closest to the Gulf of Mexico, while St. Petersburg and Tampa line the broad, shallow bay. Barrier islands with laid-back beach towns like Gulfport, Indian Shores and Treasure Island run parallel to the coast.
Even though Tampa lies more inland than the region’s other big cities, there are flood warnings for people living along the Hillsborough River, which flows through the city and out into the bay. The University of South Florida, a public institution with nearly 50,000 students, has several campuses in the region.
Tampa is also home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Busch Gardens amusement park.
Condominium buildings line downtown St. Petersburg, a walkable area with water views that includes the newly rebuilt St. Petersburg Pier and several museums. One of them houses more than 2,400 works by the artist Salvador Dalí.
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge connects the Tampa Bay area with coastal cities to the south, including Sarasota, Bradenton, Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
Siesta Key, a barrier island just south of Sarasota, has a long stretch of quartz sand overlooking crystal blue waters; it is considered by many to have one of the best beaches in the world, attracting tourists and a large number of retirees who live in luxury communities. In Sarasota County, the median age is 57.6 years old, according to U.S. census data.
Sarasota is also home to the sprawling former winter estate of the circus show owner John Ringling. His preserved home is a hub of a thriving arts community, along with a museum that houses a large religious art collection and another dedicated to the history of the Ringling Brothers circus empire.
Further south, parts of Cape Coral and Fort Myers are still rebuilding from Hurricane Ian, a powerful storm that killed 150 people in Florida two years ago. Sanibel Island — known as a destination for finding a diversity of seashells — also sustained major damage from Ian, which cut off the area from the mainland of the state.
The post Pristine Beaches, Art and Retirees Dot Stretch of Coast in Milton’s Path appeared first on New York Times.