Vacation tips for Busch Gardens/Clearwater please!

We’re going over Labor Day & staying for a little under a week. Any ideas on where I should stay and “must do’s” while I’m there? I’m looking for “kid friendly” as well so a pool is mandatory!

How old are the kids? If they are old enough to appreciate it, I’d say a trip to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg would be a good thing, and check out the Florida International Museum nearby - some permanent exhibits, as well as their changing exhibits.

As far as Busch Gardens:

[li] Keep a change of clothes for each person, either in the car or, better yet, one of the lockers in the front of the park. This includes underwear, socks and sneakers - three very popular water rides means lots of soggy people.[/li][li] From my personal experience, do not wear red or white if you are going on the water rides - red clothes bleed into everything else, and white becomes translucent…[/li][li] Jeans get very heavy when they are wet; wear shorts or non-denim pants.[/li][li] Roller coasters - wheeeeeeee![/li][li] Make sure you are dry before going into “World Rhythms on Ice” - great if the temperature is really hot outside, but freezing if you are very wet.[/li][li] Did I mention water rides?[/li][li] BIRDS OF PREY SHOW - BE THERE!!! (Like I could let you pass this up…)[/li]
Don’t know about the hotels - we usually make it a day trip from Kissimmee. I’m sure there are some folks in the area that could steer you towards somethin in your price range (which would be what? - mom & pop no-name motel? Days Inn? Comfort Inn? Clarion?

More as I think of it.
[Can you tell I used to work in the tourist industry?]

Thanks screech-owl, the kiddies are 3 and 9. I think we’re going to stay on Clearwater Beach if we can. Any good recommendations?

Any dopers want to gather for drinks while I’m there?

Wow! I know I’ve been off the board for a while but DAMN-this thread dropped like a stone!

Like a good doper, I’ll quietly let it fade away and seek my info elsewhere…