Dunedin, Florida

Dunedin (/dəˈniːdɨn/) is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632. Dunedin is home to several beaches, including Dunedin Causeway, Honeymoon Island, and Caladesi Island State Park, which is consistently rated among the best beaches in the world. Dunedin is one of the few open waterfront communities from Sarasota to Cedar Key where buildings do not completely obscure the view of the Intercoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico beyond; a 1-mile stretch of Edgewater Drive (also known as Alternate US 19) south of downtown offers views of St. Joseph Sound, Clearwater Beach, and Caladesi Island. Downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach are a six mile drive down Edgewater.

The quaint, but thriving downtown business district is striking in comparison to neighboring Florida communities for its absence of commercial signage and corporate franchise restaurants and retail stores. The Pinellas Trail, a 39-mile long bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses all of Pinellas County, bisects downtown Dunedin. Bicyclists are a common sight in the business district.

Since 1977, Dunedin is the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the class-A Minor League Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League. Dunedin is one of the smallest communities used by Major League spring training teams. Dunedin Stadium is situated next to the Dunedin Public Library–a few blocks south of downtown on Douglas Avenue–and is just two blocks east of Edgewater Drive. (source: Wikitravel)

Palm Harbor, Florida

Palm Harbor is roughly 45 minutes north of downtown St. Petersburg and west of Tampa. It is a largely residential community with several concentrations of commerce. Downtown Palm Harbor, north of Tampa Road between Alternate Hwy. 19 and Omaha Street, hosts many small shops and eateries along with a handful of historic buildings. (source: Wikitravel)