If you’re coming to Treasure Island for vacation and you’re looking for some fun in the sun that doesn’t revolve around drinking and partying then this is the itinerary for you! Luckily Treasure Island is close to many Gulf Beaches and It’s also central to some awesome little beachy towns that are worth exploring!
Take The Ferry To Shell Island From Merry Pier In Passagrille
Take the ferry to Shell Island from Passagrille, specifically Merry Pier. This is a great beach for shell collecting and getting away from the crowds. The ferry is a bit expensive $25 per person for the short ride, so I would definitely make a day out of this trip. It’s very private and clean. The best time to go is during the week to avoid any excess boaters visiting the island. There are no facilities here, you must pack your own water and snacks to make the most of the day here. Don’t forget your beach chair and umbrella! The ferry company will provide you with a FREE parking pass to explore Passagrille (PAG) when you return to the pier. The ferry company also provides you a bag for shell collecting (PLEASE make sure no shells have critters inside them, little lives matter). When you get back to Passagrille, check out the town! Take a walk down 8th ave and stroll through some of the shops and grab a drink at Paradise Grille. There is open seating right on the water and a concession stand with numerous drinks, entrees and snacks. There is also (usually) live music playing as well! I guarantee that you will feel like you are down in the Caribbean! Passagrille is such a beautiful place and most tourists visiting the Clearwater area neglect to explore this little and quaint beach town.
Explore John’s Pass On Foot, Kayak Or Bike
Take a scenic stroll through John’s Pass. There is unique retail shopping, restaurants, the boardwalk and a ton of activities to book such as parasailing, jet ski rentals and dolphin sighting! This is also a pretty good place to watch pelicans at the boardwalk begging for fish scraps from the local fisheries. Just north of Johns Pass there is a Kayak/Paddleboard and Bike rental business called NK Beach Rentals! If you’re up for it, explore the spoil islands and bird sanctuary by kayak or rent some bikes and hit the streets. I particularly love exploring all the sleepy side streets for admiring homes or ride across the bridge to the ocean. There are plenty of places to explore by bike or kayak in Treasure Island.
Sunsets At Pier 60, Clearwater FL
The very best time to visit Clearwater is Friday for not only the incredible the beach, but the town gets a little more special on Friday evenings. Street shows are held at the pier on Fridays and you can find local vendors selling handmade items on the pier just before sunset. Also, Clearwater does a really fun “movie night on the beach” (literally) and it’s just a really awesome way to spend time with a loved one. You want to call or check the website to verify that they are still holding those movie nights as well as the night shows due to the current covid-19 pandemic. Regardless, Clearwater is a fun place to explore, shop and enjoy the gulf coast. Some of my favorite restaurants/bars are Jimmy’s Crows Nest (even for non drinkers, this is THE PLACE to visit for sunset with epic views of the entire beach and city) and my boyfriend and I love to visit Frency’s rockaway grille for live music and fish tacos in the sand.
Visit The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores
This is a FREE and educational place to explore and learn about the native birds that call Florida home. This place is amazing and offers a wealth of information for visitors and residents in the area. They people who work here actively help any injured or sick bird in need, rehabilitate them and release them back into the wild. If you happen to see an injured bird while visiting the area, these are the people you will want to call 🙂
Explore Downtown St. Petersburg
Downtown is one of my favorite places! It’s a very “hispter” kinda place with eateries run by local residents, eclectic shops and upscale bars! Many of the neighborhoods are historic dating back to the early 1900’s with red brick roads and sweet well cared for bungalows. The iconic Vinoy Hotel offers some pretty cool photo ops and there are many waterfront parks to enjoy including Vinoy Park where many local events are held! You will see people biking, playing in the parks with their pets, or fishing from the sidewalks. The entire town is extremely pet friendly with water bowls on every corner. Experience the art walk that happens every second Saturday of the month downtown right on Beach Drive!! You can also head down Central Ave to explore interesting shops, restaurants, plant stores and thrift stores! One of my favorite spots to get sushi is The Lure! There are also a number of museums in the downtown area, including the Dali Museum as well as the Museum of Fine Arts.
Explore Fort Desoto
Fort Desoto is an amazing place to spend the day and perfect for budget travelers because it’s only about $5 (cash) to enter the fort. You can take the ferry to Egmont Key from the fort which is a great way to spend the outdoors and make the most out of your trip. The best time to visit is during the weekdays when they island isn’t filled with too many boaters. You can also explore the fort itself which provides a pretty good photo opportunity on foot or bicycle as there are a variety of bike rentals within the fort walls!
Have you considered visiting Treasure Island FL?
