Our family of 3 experienced a private tour of Tarpon Springs with Michael John of Tarpon Springs Native Tours on January 2. Hiring Michael John to spend the day with us was well worth the very reasonable fee he charges. There is no way we would have had this experience trying to do it on our own. This guy knows everyone by name! As a first-generation native Greek from Tarpon Springs, he gave us the cultural experience that we were looking for. As we toured around the town, he told us stories of his childhood, showed us the different parts of town, and gave us a great insight into Greek culture as it is thriving in the community of Tarpon Springs. As a commercial diver, I admire the hard work from generations of sponge divers have lived here. We felt like family as we were introduced to shop owners in some of the unique shops in Tarpon Springs. We made stops at Spring Bayou where we saw the fleet of small boats being brought in for the Epiphany Celebration and then St. Michael's Shrine which embraces an emotional story for any believer. About mid-day, we took a short boat cruise down the waterway and back to the docks. At the sponge docks we experienced the smells, the sounds, and vibes of this bustling seaside community. The shops are varied and unique with emphasis on the sponges which have made this place what it is. The shop owners were very welcoming. They were happy to answer questions and eager to talk about their wares. Throughout the village, the smells of incredible Greek cuisine permeated the air. For lunch, Michael John took us to Mamas Restaurant for some of the best authentic Greek food that we have eaten. A classical violinist, Cal Morris, played in the square serenading us with his wonderful sounds. We would highly recommend Michael John's tour to anyone who wants to learn more about Tarpon Springs, sponge diving or the local Greek Culture.

You can learn the history of sponge diving and see all the different kinds of sponges. The town tends to be very touristy with one shop after another but you can get a wonderful Greek meal very reasonably priced and tasty pasteries. Be sure to eat and drink at Mama's while you are there.

Lots of shops for shopping. We went in afternoon it was quite busy and this was after a morning of pouring rain. Nice place to just go and take a stroll and shop st the same. Very layed back and relaxing.

I grew up a little north of here and we used take our family boat out on the Gulf and travel south to Anclote Island and the Anclote river which leads into the sponge docks in Tarpon. One morning we were out early and came upon a group of the tour boats dumping sponges overboard that their divers would then "harvest" for tourists later in the day. No harm in a little white lie I guess. At one time sponges really were abundant in the local waters, but that was a long, long time ago. I still take friends there to visit on occasion. It is fun to hear the barkers yelling at people to purchase the "authentic" sponge diving tours, especially since we discovered the secret of the eternal "harvest!"

The Sponge Docks are great fun, and while they are not a blockbuster attraction, they are worth visiting, and based on my experience, appreciation for the area grows on you after your first stroll down Dodecanese Street. They are touristy, with stores selling t-shirts, sweat shirts, and the required sponges, required because Tarpon Springs was once the sponge capital of the world. But the shops are often interesting, the Greek Restaurants are all worth visiting, either for the Greek food or the seafood, and several short boat excursions are available and well worth while. Commercial fishing and sponging boats still go out from here, sufficient to provide more than a hint of the atmosphere of a fishing port. The Greek connection is real, with occasional Greek conversations and accents heard from time to time as you walk down the street. Going around the corner and walking down Athens Street gives you a feel for Greece itself, especially as you get a block or two away from Dodecanese and pass a couple of cafes filled with Greek men. The atmosphere is lively during the day, and quiet by evening except in the major restaurants, where they often seem to be busy even when the street is quiet. The area is a collection of independent enterprises, and conveys underlying authenticity despite its touristy aspect, which is its charm as far as I am concerned. Everything I have mentioned is modest in price, including the restaurants, gift shops and boat excursions.

There is a lot of history in this area and Greek Culture. The parking is a bit expensive, I would recommend driving down through the middle of the area as the parking seemed to be less expensive further down. There are several restaurants and Hellas was packed, so get there early if this is on your list. Tip: buy some olive oil from the little grocery store on the side street (I think it was Hope Street) it is amazing.

Walking along Dodecanese Blvd, there are tons of shops and Greek restaurants. They dot both sides of the road which is just south of the river. There are lots of boats and options for river rides (about $16 per adult for an hour). Parking in most lots is $5 all day, although there are free parking lots and some street parking at either extreme of the road (which isn't too far to walk). The souvenir shops are plenty so feel free to compare what they have (and don't have) and their prices. This is a good fair weather activity.

We were staying in Clearwater but Tarpon Springs is only 30 min away. A nice drive if you go Alt 19 through Dunedin. The shops there are less expensive for the same type of merchandise found in Clearwater and Dunedin. A dolphin cruise is 1/2 the price as well.

We visited Tarpon Springs on a recent trip to Florida. Tarpon Springs is a very cute historic village where natural sponges have been harvested for many decades. The town also has a significant Greek population, and as a result there are many Greek restaurants in the area. We had fun walking the streets and seeing the abundance of natural sponges. Overall, though, there is not a lot to see and do. The village mostly consists of restaurants and gift shops. There is supposedly a "sponge museum", but it mostly consisted of a few small displays on the wall of gift shop. Still, we had a fun time visiting Tarpon Springs, and would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a cute coastal village to visit in Florida.

There’s a lot of history here in Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks. It was fun for us to peruse the streets and meet a lot of the Greek locals whose ancestors immigrated and cultivated sponges for their livelihood. The streets were lined with little shops, some with music, many selling sponges and touristy knickknacks, but the entire area exuded ocean spirit that we found quite refreshing for an afternoon stroll. For dining, the choices were overwhelming. Many restaurants specialized in seafood, and many others – particularly a few streets away from the bay – in traditional Greek meals. Next time we come, we’ll be sure to visit one of them. Sure, there were a lot of people in town, but it comes with the territory. As Mark Twain and Cherry Wonderdog once commented on a riverboat crossing the Mississippi River – according to the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, later captured in "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, “If it weren’t special, there would be no one.”