Day On, Day Off: Treasure Island Beach Resort & St. Petersburg
When it comes to staying on Florida’s Gulf Coast, there are two ways to go about it, staying on resort and exploring the area. We show you the best way to experience St. Petersburg, by spending one day at the Treasure Island Beach Resort and another exploring town.
Day On at Treasure Island Beach Resort
Morning Walk on the Beach
© Katherine Fox, @theweekendfox
Three miles of sugar white sand are located just steps from the resort. The main draw of the beach (other than its dazzling Gulf view) is its lack of people. For the most part, the stretch is only visited by locals and resort guests who use the area for swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling.
Lounge & Lunch by the Pool
Chaise lounges set beneath the shade of umbrellas are ready and waiting while the pool sits just overlooking the pristine beach through glass railings. When hunger strikes, order from a menu of light bites (think burger bowls, blackened grouper tacos, calamari, wings, and more) as well as a robust roster of craft cocktails, brought to you by poolside attendants.
Nap in Luxury
© Katherine Fox, @theweekendfox
Retreat to your room for some post-sun rest and relaxation. The Premium Gulf Front Suites bring a whole new level of luxury, ranging in size from 660 to 832 square feet, and feature kitchenettes, living rooms, and one to two bedrooms, as well as a private balcony overlooking the Gulf.
Happy Hour & Dinner at BRGR Kitchen & Bar
The on-site eatery of BRGR Kitchen & Bar blends a cool contemporary style with retro details to create a space that is both fun and sophisticated with a special focus on – what else? – gourmet burgers. Topped with house-made sauces and made from custom grinds and local ingredients (including herbs and arugula grown in its own garden), the summer grill staple is elevated to a high art that features creative twists like the Black ‘N’ Blue (signature blended beef grind and cajun spice). If you’re here on a Monday through Friday, between 4 and 6 p.m., the restaurant hosts the resort’s exclusive “Social Hour,” offering discounted drinks and savory bite specials, like bison sliders, baby beet salad, and blackened grouper tacos.
Day Off in St. Petersburg
A Morning Kayak
Something of a combination of snorkeling and kayaking, the transparent, plastic kayaks offered through See Through Adventure Rentals allow you to see a complete 360 degrees around you, including underneath you. It makes for a magical experience when you push off from Fort DeSoto Park in search of manatees and dolphins.
Vincent van Gogh Comes Alive
You’ve seen Vincent van Gogh’s famous paintings like “Starry Night” and “Sunflowers,” but you’ve never seen them like this: presented in a high-definition, larger-than-life format thanks to the use of projectors. On display now until April of 2021 at The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, the “Van Gogh Alive” exhibit creates a full-sensory experience where more than 3,000 of his images are cast on the museum’s walls and floors and synced to a classical music soundtrack, creating an experience that feels as if you were walking right into one of his post-impressionist paintings.
Shop St. Pete
Head to what’s known as the “600 Block” of the city’s Central Ave to the historic Crislip Arcade. This renovated 1926 shopping arcade – featuring Cuban floor tiles and tall ceilings decked with iron chandeliers – is essentially an open-air, covered hallway with a string of small retails shops on either side. In addition to finding vintage vinyl, hand-made soaps, exotic home furnishings, and designer consignment shops, the spot also houses several independent art galleries.
Take a Tasting
In 2016, Poland’s first privately owned micro-distillery, Kozuba & Sons Distillery, relocated stateside to St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District to reinvent their operation in an old 1950s icehouse. Today, the gleaming renovated building features a tasting room decked in prohibition-inspired murals and a big, beautiful bar where – after a $10 tour of their copper distilling equipment – you’ll sample all their small-batch spirits: wheat vodka, rye malt whiskey, barrel-aged vodka, white whiskey, and two cordials.
Dinner at Red Mesa Mercado
This local favorite Mexican joint is founded on the same Aztec cooking principals that form the foundation of all Mexican cuisine and makes some of the most authentic you’ll find in Florida. The little yellow and white shop offers only limited seating, but the service is quick and tables open up frequently making this a fast stop for some great food.
Where to Stay: The Treasure Island Beach Resort
