Ruskin, Florida
 Think Ruskin, think inlets, islets, tomatoes and fishing. Think Ruskin, think revitalization and redevelopment; think preservation of the past. Ruskin Florida, once considered off-the-beaten-path, is now beating a path of its own as one of Florida’s most progressive and well-preserved west coast communities. Situated on the shores of Tampa Bay, the Little Manatee River and the Ruskin Inlet, Ruskin is about 16 miles southeast of Tampa. Its population of nearly 10,000, 37% of which is Hispanic, is expected to more than double by 2025; in an area with just a little over 15.5 square miles, a strong movement is underway to incorporate, to reinvigorate the once thriving downtown, and to preserve the area’s many natural treasures.
 Ruskin was founded in 1908 with the utopian ideals of the English writer and socialist John Ruskin in mind; Ruskin believed in the value of communal life and in higher education for all. The community layout in 1910 shows lots for a college, a business district, two parks and homes for key founding families. Ruskin was marketed according to its namesake’s ideals: individuals who bought property became members of the Ruskin Commongood Society, which gave a portion of each sale to fund Ruskin College, where students worked part-time to pay for their education.
 The experiment ultimately failed when men were called away to serve during World War I, leaving Ruskin today with a rich cultural heritage in its stead, including the Albert Dickman Home. The Home, one of Ruskin’s first, and one of its few still-standing structures from days-gone-by, is a unique three-story frame on the banks of the Little Manatee River. Also preserved is the George McAnelly Miller House; Miller was President of Ruskin College. The 1912, three-story is combination Swiss chalet and bungalow; it was used as a dorm, classroom and as the social center of the early Ruskin College community.
The community plan for Ruskin today calls for residents and visitors alike to “tread lightly” on the delicate ecosystem they call home. It values “nature over commercialism,” “star-filled skies over the glare of city lights,” and “the sounds of crickets and frogs” over that of traffic. The community itself comprises four distinct neighborhoods. “Old Ruskin” is an area of single-family homes to the west; east of downtown and west of I-75 are multi-family and starter-home units. Southern Ruskin is considered the suburbs, where residential homes dot the shores of the Little Manatee River. The final district, southeast of the city proper, is reserved for rural and agricultural uses—for open spaces and protected places.
Homes in Ruskin reflect a unique blend of architecture styles, from the charming turn-of-the-century cottages on the banks of the Little Manatee River to the Georgian-style homes reminiscent of the pre-civil-war South on streets lined with stately oaks, palms and other native trees. Homebuyers will find single family homes, condominiums, cottages and senior-living high-rises, with the average home value being around $185,000. A spacious three-bedroom home on lovely landscaped lot may sell for $350,000, while a waterfront estate goes for multiple millions.
One popular place to call home is Riverside Club, a 55+ golf and boating resort, which offers community living and private neighborhoods with fairway and waterfront homes starting at $150,000.
Ruskin Schools
Ruskin is home to two elementary schools, Ruskin Elementary and Cypress Creek Elementary. It is also home to Shields Middle and Lennard High. Ruskin students may also opt to attend South County Career Center, a public school for 11th and 12th graders offering training in agricultural and auto mechanics, construction, nursing and Web design.
Shopping and Dining in Ruskin
Some folks complain about the lack of in-town shopping and dining—Ruskin is, after all, a rural community. Others, however, are happy to pay the price of a little extra drive for the quiet and peace of their small town. Ruskin is within easy reach of Apollo Beach, Riverview, Brandon and Tampa to the north, and St. Petersburg, Bradenton and Sarasota to the south. So as long as you don’t mind a drive (and a beautiful drive at that!), opportunities for shopping and dining abound.
Within town though, you can dine with the locals at Beanie’s Bar and Sports Grill on U.S. 41 South right past College Drive: their claim to fame is the “best reuben east of the Mississippi.” For a more tropical feel try Sunset Beach Grille on Bahia Beach—enjoy their popular Sunset Lounge and Tiki Bar. For upscale dining visit the Ruskin Bay Company, a unique restaurant with the feel of a small-town, quiet cottage home.
And whatever you do, don’t miss the Ruskin Farmer’s Market. Open each Saturday morning at the corner of Shellpoint Road and 1st Street NW, the market serves up plenty of farm-fresh fruits and veggies, herbs, organic produce, home-baked cakes and cookies and breads, not to mention a wealth of arts and crafts. It’s a local tradition—and a can’t-miss experience.
Leisure and Play in Ruskin
Small as it may be, Ruskin does not lack for things to do! It is home to two major Florida festivals: the Ruskin Tomato Festival and the Ruskin Seafood and Arts Festival. The Tomato Festival, held at E.G. Simmons Park during the first weekend of May, celebrates the famous “Ruskin Tomato” and the area’s agricultural heritage. The Seafood and Arts Festival, held in November at Simmons Park, is considered south Hillsborough County’s largest community event with attendance hovering around 15,000.
Simmons Park, host of both festivals, is a recreational treasure all year long. It is a natural wildlife, bird and botanical sanctuary, home to manatees, the roseate spoonbill, bald eagles and other rare species. The park offers picnicking, swimming, boating, fishing and a modern camping facility with 87 sites, electric and water hookups and hot showers. On clear days, visitors to Simmons Park are treated to views of both the Tampa and St. Petersburg skylines, as well as a view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge that connects St. Petersburg to Bradenton.
Another local treasure is the Ruskin Drive-In Theater on US 41 North, where families gather for a blast-to-the-past with working car-window movie-speakers, hot buttered popcorn and juicy burgers.
There’s also Commongood Park, a popular launching spot for anglers with beautiful views of waterfront homes, tables and shelters for picnicking and a nature walk. Or, try Beaudette Park, home of the popular Ruskin Recreation Center, which offers year-round fun for kids and kids-at-heart, including adult softball and soccer leagues, exercise classes and more.
The Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum is another Ruskin treat, located at Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center on 24th Street East. The museum is home to many valuable fossils—and many species that were new to science when they were uncovered in the Leisey Shell Pit in 1983.
All this—and you’re still in Ruskin! And yet you’re still not more than a few hours’ travel to many of the area’s largest tourist attractions: Busch Gardens and the major league sports scene in Tampa, Walt Disney World in Orlando…and much, much more.
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