You may have visited Tampa before, but have you ever taken the time to really dive into the history, culture, and adventure just to the west of us in Tarpon Springs? The village of Tarpon Springs has been known well over a century for its Greek culture and the many Greek-American families who for generations have called it home. 

On this "Love Our Neighbor" single-day tour, you will enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the Tarpon Springs sponge docks and sponge exchange, a sponge boat ride experience like no other, followed by an authentic Greek lunch, and as if that's not enough, a coffee and pastry tasting!

By taking part in this unforgettable adventure exploring Tarpon Springs, you will be benefiting The Salvation Army Tampa Bay! The Salvation Army in Tampa was founded in 1893 and helps lead the way in serving the marginalized in our community through adult rehabilitative care, disaster relief, after school and summer camp programs, the new Red Shield Center to rise out of homelessness, the Angel Tree Rescue Christmas program, and even recuperative care for recent hospital patients at BayCare and Tampa General. It is Salvation Army's mission to "preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination."

• We operate rain or shine assuming conditions are safe and we have met our minimum number of guests to operate the tour. Otherwise, we reserve the right to cancel the tour and provide a prompt refund.
• If the sponge boat ride becomes unavailable on this date, we reserve the right to substitute a one hour eco-tourism dolphin nature boat ride with a naturalist.
• All ticket sales are final. Tours cannot be exchanged, rescheduled, or refunded. But life happens! We offer ticket insurance which allows you to cancel or reschedule your tour with at least 24 hours’ notice, and we will reschedule or reimburse you for your full tour ticket price minus insurance fee. (public tours only)

Sponge divers from the Mediterranean originally settled in this, "the sponge capital of the world" when they found that the Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida were "the place" in America where sponges abound. Today, this area is home to many family-owned Greek restaurants, bakeries, and markets, and the locals are as friendly and welcoming as in the old country! 

In fact we will be welcomed by a native guide who will give us an historical and cultural walking tour showing you all the behind the scenes treasures of Tarpon through photos, writings, and a brief film. He will share what it was like to grow up in Tarpon Springs and show you places in Tarpon that most tourists don't get to see!

We will take a 45 minute ride on The Sponge Boat which goes down the Anclote River while the Captain gives an exciting briefing on the history of sponge diving! Kids of all ages will love it as a diver in traditional gear provides a real demonstration of sponge harvesting! They will learn all about the different types of sponges, how they are used, and the economics of the natural sponge industry. 

It's like going back in time as you pass all of the sponge boats lined up on the river and enjoy the scenery and wildlife. We may even see a few dolphins if we're lucky!

What would a day at the sponge docks be without an authentic Greek meal made by Mama? Three wonderful Greek sisters will host us in their world famous restaurant where we will enjoy a delicious lunch including classical grilled meats,  Greek salad, and a few extra surprises like Tarpon Springs famous Grecian flaming cheese! OPA!! For the kids, we will also have all their favorites including cheese pita pizzas, chicken fingers, gyros etc. 

You won't want to miss this special dining experience!

After lunch, enjoy a Greek pastry and coffee tasting! Baklava anyone? 

As we close out our day at Tarpon Springs, our guide will point out all of the best locations and hidden secrets to meet your shopping and souvenir needs! Tarpon Springs has a lot of fun shops featuring sponges, shells, and olive oils, but did you know that Tarpon Springs merchants also sell Florida handmade leather goods as well as hand rolled cigars? The kids will love the novelty shops...don't miss the crazy socks store!

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon wandering along the meandering sidewalks reminiscent of the Greek Islands, and look forward to bringing friends and family back soon!