Things to Do: A Whimsical Saturday: The Salvador Dali Museum

Clear your schedule for a Saturday afternoon, and head to Downtown St. Pete for a surreal adventure. When you arrive, pay to park in the garage outside of The Salvador Dali Museum and keep your eyes open, because the exhibit begins here. The building that houses Dali's greatest works is art itself with a whimsical mix of circular glass and concrete on the exterior of the building. Once you enter the structure, stop to purchase tickets at $20 for adults, $7 for children, and $10 for students or seniors. To get the full experience, visit the counter and pick up a pair of headphones. These are your key to a relaxed tour, given by the voice of either Dali's Mustache for the kids (or the silly), or a more grown up museum guide for the art connoisseurs.

Climb the spiral corkscrew staircase to the upper level, and take a moment to gaze out of the magnificent windows overlooking Tampa Bay. Spend a couple of hours wandering in and out of the exhibit rooms getting to know Dali's through your personal perception of his paintings, printing press designs, photography, and even whimsical sculptures.. A crowd favorite is a piece titled "Lincoln in Dalivision". When viewed up close, it appears to be an image of a woman gazing out of a window overlooking water—perhaps she is enjoying The Bay. If the viewer takes a few steps backward, the enormous lithograph is actually a collection of small colored squares that make up a larger image of Abraham Lincoln's face. In another room, have a good laugh admiring Dali's lobster telephone, and let your imagination run wild among melted clocks and ridiculous mustaches.

Once you have enjoyed all of the art, descend the corkscrew staircase and grab a drink at the classy Dali Café. Head out the back doors, and out to the garden. Explore the labyrinth that sits outside of the museum, and smile for a surreal photo opportunity on a bench made of a melting clock. When you have had enough whimsical fun remove your wristband and add it to the collection on the Wish Tree as you make a wish for happiness in your new apartment! Your adventure is not over yet, conveniently leave your car parked in the garage, wait outside the front of the museum, and catch a trolley to Downtown St. Pete for some dinner and a new view of Tampa Bay.