First Do The Beach Opens in North Port
The first Do The Beach Adventure Park in the nation opened this fall in North Port, Fla. The Grand Opening on Sept. 20 drew large crowds to the 21,000-square-foot location at a former Winn-Dixie on the Tamiami Trail in south Sarasota County. It is the first of what is planned to be a number of Do The Beach franchises.
Co-owner Mike Whincup said the opening gave Do The Beach North Port the opportunity to serve the North Port and greater South Sarasota County area. “We’re so thrilled to open such a great facility for this fantastic community that has so often been underserved for entertainment options,” Whincup said in a statement about the opening. “Families no longer have to drive to Sarasota or Fort Myers for indoor entertainment. We’re bringing the fun closer to home.”
He and his father, Robin Whincup, co-own the business with franchise partners Tony and Michelle Fisher.
Grand Opening Draws Big Crowds
At the Grand Opening, 843 guests came to Do The Beach North Port. Over the course of the day, 1,075 guests came to the park’s first day of operations. Whincup said the location is so far tracking to earn between $2.6 million and $3.2 million in its first year of operations.
The Whincups are experts in this area. They have provided entertainment attractions for indoor parks for decades through their company, Galaxy Multi Rides. That includes providing attractions for 100 locations in just the past six years.
As Whincup told the Business Observer, they “developed a good grasp that this was popular and an absolute revenue-generating machine.”
Do The Beach North Port also has provided employment opportunities in the area, with 40 people hired for jobs and more expected to be added.
Inside the Attractions at Do The Beach North Port
Do The Beach North Port features a Santa Monica-themed boardwalk and a wide variety of inflatables such as dolphins, sea turtles, and sharks. The park includes attractions like:
- a roller coaster-themed obstacle challenge
- a boardwalk action climbing frame
- a 20-foot-tall giant sand castle slide
- inflatable basketball, volleyball, and soccer
- Black Jack’s Sunken Pirate Ship Venture Play
It also offers a dedicated Under the Sea toddler area for children under the age of 4 or under 41 inches tall. The park also offers open seating for guests outside of the park and an Airstream food trailer where guests can buy pizza, pretzels, wings, coffee, and beachside drinks.
Whincup, who designed the park, said the idea is to immediately immerse guests in a water- and beach-themed atmosphere. “The whole park is themed like a day at the beach. To get that instantly means as a designer and creating the whole brand, I’ve done my job,” he told the Business Observer.
Do The Beach North Port frequently posts updates on its Facebook page, including recent events like the Dooey’s Trick-or-Treat Beach Bash.
As the park settles into its first months, Do The Beach North Port is quickly becoming a new favorite for families in the area. With regular updates, new events, and a steady stream of visitors, it’s shaping up to be a standout indoor entertainment option for Southwest Florida.