🧽🥗 Best of Tarpon Springs: From Greek Food to Sponge Diving | Newstate Nomads

Welcome to the Sponge Capital of the World and the largest Greek Population per capita in the USA! (do you know the connection between those two factoids?!) Tarpon Springs, Florida is a seaside community full of personality, great food and amazing stories. And sponges.
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00:00 Introduction to Tarpon Springs
00:47 History of Sponge Diving - St. Nicholas Boat Line
02:35 Why are there so many Greeks in Tarpon Springs?
04:25 Sponge Diving Exhibition with St. Nicholas Boat Line
05:45 Taste of Greece Cafe (Greek Pastry Shop)
06:16 Mykonos Restaurant (great authentic Greek food visited by Emeril Lagasse)
08:14 Hickory Point RV Park
09:07 The art of helmet making with Nicholas Toth
11:26 The Florida art of Christopher Still
15:16 Shelling & Dolphin Cruise to Anclote Key
17:14 Rusty Bellies Seafood
17:38 Tarpon Springs Distillery
21:07 Where to next?
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We're Howard and Katelyn Newstate, full-time RVers and travelers exploring around the world since 2018. Whether jet setting or in our Winnebago RV, each week we take you along with us to discover the people, food and culture of every Newstate we explore.

[@NewstateNomads]

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[@BackroadExploits]

Wow, you guys really did Tarpon Springs proud! As a local, I can say you really showcased what the city has to offer so nicely. So nice to see our local artists featured as well as our own local distillery! Well done!

[@uncagedtravels6391]

Wow! Tarpon Springs has a lot to offer. Your excursions and interviews were so interesting. A must see on my list now. Thank you for sharing.

[@visitst.peteclearwater9349]

Tarpon Springs is like being transported to the quaint streets of Greece, but without needing the passport! And a true St. Pete/Clearwater, Florida gem! Awesome video! 🇬🇷☀🌴

[@danrandall794]

Another great and information packed video. As a diver I really enjoyed the history of sponge diving.

[@NewstateNomads]

Thanks, Dan, and yes it's an interesting story! Have you been to the History of Diving Museum in the Florida Keys? If not, you would love it. Lots of unique displays and the parade of nations area is fascinating. 👍 - Howard

[@johneason6540]

Another fabulous stop with excellent info of must see places. Fantastic 🎉

[@sherriweber7105]

Loved this video about sponge diving. And Greek restaurants. Love Greek food. I had a friend in school and she was from Greece. Her mom cooked dinner for us one night. And it was soo good. And we always are their restaurant in my home town near Detroit. Tasting drinks at distilleries. I saw the drink charging color. That was so cool. Can’t wait to see next weeks video. Thank you Howard and Katelyn. Have a great week. Stay safe and safe travels.

[@arynackerman7232]

I used to live 10 minutes from there! We loved eating at Rusty Bellies!

[@calledtojourney]

Your adventures in FL just keep coming! We had no idea that sponging was a thing in the U.S. at all, and the Greek food there looks AMAZING! 👌

[@kimsmelcer8036]

Loved this episode. I have never heard of Tarpon Springs and the way you brought it to life really makes me want to see it.

[@curiositygarden]

i love where i live ❤ don’t forget the little main street just south of the sponge docks on tarpon road! small businesses like urban grounds coffee, antique stores, a bookstore and plant shop are all amazing!! there’s also a craft fair going on april 27th & 28th ❤️

[@brucefranklin6765]

We live in the Tampa Bay area and visit Tarpon Springs frequently. My 25ft fishing boat was made there just north of the sponge docks. Rusty Bellies for the “all you can eat” peel and eat jumbo shrimp!

[@PhotowalksTV]

what a fun idea for a video--and love the link for the newsletter!

[@michelleconcannon7584]

I get my hair cut in Tarpon Springs. Love it there.

[@mikenowak2360]

Always fun catching up with you guys. Safe travels looking forward to your michigan travels.

[@NewstateNomads]

Thanks so much, Mike! 👍 - Howard

[@calledtojourney]

@@NewstateNomads When are you guys headed up to Michigan? We're doing a fall trip to MN, WI, and MI this year and are really excited about it!

[@FittingInAdventure]

We spent months there. Love the area and the food! Hellas was our favorite! There are manatees throughout the waterways all winter too 🧡

[@NewstateNomads]

Wow, months in Tarpon Springs?! Beautiful area to winter in, great choice. 👍 - Howard

[@brendapoppell9155]

Very interesting! I have lived in Florida my entire life and never knew that about Tarpon Springs. Pretty amazing! Ty that was an awesome story.

[@RamRod1500]

Very cool! I grew up around the corner from there in Palm Harbor and always loved going to Tarpon Springs docks and heading out to Anclote for fishing and camping back in the day. I always make sure to make a stop there when I go back to visit every few years.

[@lisapolanski9379]

What a great painter too, Christopher Still. Wow.

[@Thesaltymedic36]

Oh we got deserts at Taste of Greece, very good. Oh and Laurie’s soap shop. Spent so much money buying soap 😂 We like Tarpon, nice place to spend the day.

[@lisapolanski9379]

How incredible that this man Nicholas makes these diving helmets by hand. Wow.

[@rvcruising]

Such a fun little town. We did also find some authentic Greek food at one of the restaurants on the water. Very nice. Saganaki is tasty, but you wear it on your clothes forever! 😂

[@Victory1981]

Nice! Tarpon Springs is cool.

[@trentkeever8400]

Really well done video and gave me some new places to add to our trip. Next week.

[@tarac5137]

I still haven’t been to Tarpon Springs! 😮

[@johnandjaneadventures]

New subscribers! Great video! We are at Mykonos this past Monday. Best Greek food for sure.

[@karlamartins2761]

We were just in the Tarpon Springs area for two weeks. We love the sponge docks. That boat tour is really amazing. The Greek people are wonderful. The food is delicious. We went on the boat tour to shell island also. We also loved riding our bikes on the famous Pinellas Bike trail! We love eating at Rusty Bellies. JJ Gandy Bakery has the best key lime pie and other pastries.

[@NewstateNomads]

Karla, couldn't agree more! We can't wait to return. Just in the short time of our visit, we made several new friendships and definitely need to try more food, of course. 😂👍 - Howard

[@BackroadExploits]

That island is known as Anclote Island, home to our lighthouse.

[@TravelSmallLiveBig]

This area's history is so, so interesting & the people were amazing! And to go to the only Ouzo distillery in the US? I'm in.

[@bigjimslade6250]

Who Dey 🐅Another great video. We used to go to Clearwater but never made it to Tarpon Springs but now I know what we’ve missed. Enjoyed the shelling tour. BTW, I would have sworn that I passed you guys on the Bluegrass Parkway on March 28th, maybe after you went to Bowling Green??

[@NewstateNomads]

Who Dey, Big Jim, and yes, that was us! We were visiting Katelyn's sister around then (she lives near the Bluegrass Parkway, small world!), now we're back in Florida for the Winnebago commercial filming. 👍 - Howard

[@bigjimslade6250]

Wow. If I had known I would have turned around to say “Howdy” or Who Dey or Happy Hudie. No that we are out of isolation maybe we will get to meet in person some walking the way. There’s quite a lot that I’d love to share with you all from some common experiences. Safe travels & good luck.

[@virginialemm864]

Wow! What gorgeous weather! This was another fun and very informative video from the Newstates…harvesting sponges, who would have thought this was an interesting topic? I love how this has been a family tradition. I absolutely LOVE Greek food, as we had the real thing in October 2022, when we took a Greek cruise with a stop in Turkey (BEAUTIFUL people and country). Everything is so fresh and natural, no wonder the Mediterranean has some of the healthiest people! It looks like you got to experience the real thing! What a wonderful place to visit, Tarpon Springs…thanks, as-always, for bringing me along! Love you guys, Virginia

[@jamesclick8223]

I'm going there in May,looks like a fun place.

[@Rejoicewithsinging]

OPA 😃👍❤️

[@ladikmk]

So fun! Tarpon Springs is one of my very fav places to visit in FL. If you can't get to Greece, then this is the next best thing.