A guide to whimsical, tasty Safety Harbor

Many of you recognized the pink elephant in yesterday's newsletter as Ellie, a beloved icon in downtown Safety Harbor.

Why it matters: She's one of countless quirky characters in a little town well worth the half-hour-or-more drive from areas such as St. Pete and Tampa.

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State of play: The city's Third Friday celebration ( tonight! ) is a great way to get a taste of Safety Harbor partying, with live music and local vendors.

Zoom in: Ellie lives at the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center (SHAMC), a building covered in mirrored mosaics that hosts concerts, offers craft classes and sells work from local artists.

• It's owned by Todd Ramquist and Kiaralinda, who met and fell in love in seventh-grade art class.
• For nearly 40 years they've been turning their home nearby into " Whimzeyland ," an outdoor recycled art collection with everything from bowling balls to computer part-covered VW Beetles. Both SHAMC and Whimzeyland are free to stroll through.
• The decorations spread to " Coco Loco ," their rentable guesthouse across the street.

The big picture: Downtown Safety Harbor is a delightful walk packed with fun shops and cafes.

• Nature lovers can also explore the waterfront park, boardwalk and Philippe Park — perfect for running, biking and kayaking.

Local art and clothes for sale inside SHAMC. Photo: Selene San Felice/Axios Yard art near Whimzeyland. Photo: Selene San Felice/Axios

More to eat, drink and do:

🧇 Treat yourself to a sweet breakfast at Café Vino Tinto . Try the toasted marshmallow latte and guava waffles.

📚 Grab a new read and chat with Crystal, the owner of Portkey Books .

💆 Splurge on a self-care day at Safety Harbor Resort & Spa .

🦞 Grab a lobster grilled cheese at Bar Fly .

🍭 Become a kid in a candy store at Rocking Delicious .

🍰 Dig into a slice of cheesecake at Bassano .

🎞️ Catch a movie with a gourmet speakeasy twist at Gigglewaters .

A candy addict (Selene's girlfriend, Maria) in her element at Rocking Delicious. Photo: Selene San Felice/Axios Café Vino Tinto's incredible guava waffles. Photo: Maria Medina-Nigaglioni/Axios

Want more to explore? Check out our guides to Brandon , Dunedin , Lakeland , Largo and Plant City .

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