The Fountain of Youth, indian burial mounds, and the grapefruit have all played a role in making Safety Harbor what it is today.
Espiritu Santo Springs gained it name from the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto during his quest for the Fountain of Youth. The springs are now part of the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa found a the end of Main Street on the shores of Old Tampa Bay. Frenchman Odette Philippe, who in the early 1800′s is credited with introducing the grapefruit to Florida and influencing the area that would become Safety Harbor. Philippe Park is the sight of one of the best preserved Tocobaga Indian burial mounds in Florida.
With a delightful downtown area visitors to Safety Harbor will find all they want along Main Street. Cafes and restaurants, beauty salons, Safety Harbor Post Office and Government Buildings, real estate agents, and other unique shops decorate both sides of the street in a delightful row.
Near where the railroad tracks that split the city cross Main Street you can find the Whistle Stop Restaurant. An open air eatery offering a pleasant twist on Floridian cuisine you had best get something with fried green tomatoes (and be sure to ask if you can sit in Christina’s section)
Houses along the bay are some of the largest in the area with luscious yards and views of the bay.
