Florida's Low-Key St. Petersburg Suburb Is A Gulf Coast Getaway With White Sand Beaches And Fresh Local Eats

Along the slim barrier islands fringing Florida's Gulf Coast, beautiful beaches, lively sandbars, and friendly communities welcome many of the 140 million tourists who visit the Sunshine State annually. One of these vibrant communities is Treasure Island, a 3-mile barrier island featuring a wide beachfront between St. Pete Beach and Madeira Beach, just 8 miles from downtown St. Petersburg. As you drive over the Treasure Island Causeway, you'll know you're close when you're greeted by the larger-than-life-sized Bucky the Pirate sign. You'll know you've arrived when, at the intersection leading onto the island, you look up at Thunderbird Beach Resort (closed after the 2024 hurricanes) looming over the beach, looking more like a vintage casino than a legendary Florida hotel.

Gulf Boulevard runs parallel to Treasure Island's white-sand beaches, loosely divided into Mid-Island Beach, Sunset Beach in the south, and Sunshine Beach to the north. Hotels, shops, independently-owned restaurants and bars, and even a paved shoreline path welcome visitors year-round, and there's no shortage of opportunities to get out on the water — or at least relax with a view of it. Access is straightforward from either major airport: Treasure Island is just 14 miles from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport and 25 miles from Tampa International Airport. Renting a vehicle or using rideshare services remains the easiest way to get around, though the Suncoast Beach Trolley does run from St. Pete Beach through Treasure Island north to Clearwater Beach.

Local lore claims early 20th-century residents buried treasure chests along Treasure Island's beaches as a marketing tactic to attract future residents. Though there's no evidence any pirates — fictional or otherwise — ever frolicked on this particular barrier island, Treasure Island and the broader Tampa Bay region embrace their buccaneer associations, right down to the replica pirate ship that offers cruises along the Intracoastal Waterway.

Middle Grounds Grill is where you go for a refined dinner out, a contrast to Treasure Island's many coastal-casual options. Diners can order Gulf-to-table fresh catch, herb-crusted pork tenderloin, or Angus beef steaks paired with wine and cocktails in an intimate setting. Visit between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. on weekdays for the discounted early dinner menu. Local institutions like Ricky T's and Caddy's offer live music and classic coastal fare, including plenty of fresh Gulf catch, while Britt's Pizza is a favorite for coal-fired pies and Mediterranean appetizers. Snag a waterfront table at Shrimpy's Waterfront in Blind Pass, where at sunset you can enjoy live music and sometimes spot dolphins swimming right off the back patio.

Everyone claims to serve the best Cuban sandwiches in Florida, particularly around Tampa, and The Floridian of Treasure Island is certainly a contender. Order a pressed sandwich layered with mustard, meats, and pickles, along with rice and beans, and the local must-try dish, devil crab. For a classic dive-bar experience, nothing beats R Bar, a favorite among locals tucked off Treasure Island's main drag. It also serves a surprisingly extensive menu, from grouper and locally-made fish spread to frog legs and all-you-can-eat crab legs on Mondays.

Here, you'll want to stay a while, and Treasure Island offers an array of waterfront lodging geared toward budget-conscious vacationers, families, and luxury travelers alike. Treasure Island Beach Resort from the Opal Collection features modern, recently renovated rooms, a pool overlooking the Gulf, and convenient access to Treasure Island's main beach (plus, the burger at BRGR on the hotel's second floor is bar none). Boutiques like the Molloy offer cozy cottages and modern suites overlooking the Gulf, while Sunset Vistas Beachfront Suites is ideal for families with its condo-style rooms and resort amenities.

No trip to Treasure Island is complete without a trip to its expansive, white-sand beach. Public access is free, though the small parking lots along Gulf Boulevard charge hourly fees. Along portions of the shoreline runs a paved path open to bikes, skates, and dogs. It connects beach-facing rental homes, businesses, and hotels, including the famed Thunderbird Resort and the Bilmar Hotel, home to waterfront restaurant Sloppy Joe's on the Beach.

Treasure Island is just north of award-winning St. Pete Beach with its vibrant white sand and south of Madeira Beach, which are split by a waterway called John's Pass that connects the Intracoastal Waterway with the Gulf. Along John's Pass, Treasure Island shares a sea-themed boardwalk with Madeira Beach called John's Pass Village, a shopping district, pier boardwalk, and marina lined with restaurants, shops, and kiosks where visitors can eat, shop, rent boats or jet skis, and book dolphin cruises and parasail adventures (for film buffs, the '80s-era John Candy comedy "Summer Rental" was also filmed here).

One of the most popular things to do in Treasure Island is to join the locals at John's Pass Sandbar, a series of small islands and sand bars within the Intracoastal Waterway. Spring and summer bring hundreds of vessels out for casual hangouts, fishing, and organized weekend parties, where DJs spin tunes and floating vendors sell everything from hot dogs to fresh fruit and tacos. From John's Pass, you can boat to Sea Dog Brewing Co., a Treasure Island outpost of the Maine-based brewery with free docking for visiting boaters. The two-story spot overlooking Blind Pass also offers an expansive menu, with classics from surf n' turf platters to short rib ragu, as well as the chain's famed blueberry wheat ale.