Florida’s Sports Coast has an abundance of comfortable, affordable, conveniently located hotels, but sometimes it’s fun to try something a little different — be it quirky, luxurious, rugged, historic — something more playful, if you will.

Fortunately, Florida’s Sports Coast offers some unique lodging experiences. So if you’re looking to stay somewhere other than a Hilton, Hyatt or Holiday Inn, here’s a few ideas that might spark your imagination.

The Locke Inn

You have the right to remain silent. (Or not.) The Locke Inn, built in 1893, once served as the Pasco County jail. The beautifully renovated red-brick inn features unique rooms and suites that reflect its history — The Warden’s Wing, The Jailbird’s Den, The Speakeasy Suite and more. One online reviewer summed it up by writing, “This is such a fun & comfortable space!” The Locke Inn is a 10-minute walk to Dade City’s quaint downtown, where you’ll find an enticing array of locally owned restaurants and shops.

Saddlebrook Resort

Stay and play in style at the premier resort on Florida’s Sports Coast, with 495 deluxe rooms and suites. The 480-acre property truly embodies the “sports” in Florida’s Sports Coast. Saddlebrook features 27 beautifully manicured golf holes (and a new 13-acre driving range); a tennis academy with 43 courts that include all four Grand Slam surfaces; a large collection of pickleball courts; plus several large pools (including an adults-only Serenity Pool). To make sure you don’t interrupt the fun too much, you can dine at one of four onsite restaurant/bars. And let’s not forget the 7,000-square-foot Spa at Saddlebrook, where you can get properly pampered with a vast menu of treatments. Arguably, you can stay for an extended period and never leave the resort, but Saddlebrook happens to be in Wesley Chapel, close to a host of attractions.

The Hacienda: A Classic 1927 Florida Hotel

You can’t miss this gorgeous pink, Spanish-style building on Main Street in New Port Richey. The Hacienda, closing in on its centennial year, has 40 guest rooms and suites that exude understated elegance featuring design elements held over from its earliest days. As for meals, nearby Sasha’s on the Park offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and has a full-service bar — all in a refined, Old Florida ambience. The spacious lobby is breathtaking. The Hacienda has a colorful history that hearkens all the way back to the Roaring 20s. The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Go Camping on Anclote Key

If roughing it is more your style, you can pitch a tent on the beach and spend the night (or nights) on unspoiled Anclote Key Preserve State Park, a cluster of small islands located three miles off the Gulf coast. Primitive camping is permitted on the very north end of the Key. There is no water or amenities, so bring everything you need. Furthermore, Anclote Key is only accessible by watercraft. If you don’t have your own boat and don’t care to rent one, there are ferry services available. This is the place to go if you want to spend a little time truly getting away from it all — in a beguiling tropical oasis.

Camp at Starkey Wilderness Park

Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park encompasses 8,300 acres in the western part of Florida’s Sports Coast. The main campground offers cabin rentals and tent camping, with full restroom and shower facilities, picnic shelters and a playground. If you want your surroundings more wild, head out to one of the backcountry campsites, which are about a five-mile walk or pedal along a trail (these spots are not accessible by automobile). Once your camp is set up, you’ll find a wealth of outdoorsy activities, including hiking, biking, birding and horseback riding. The park has 10 miles of equestrian trails. It’s the ideal way to fully experience natural Florida.