Your Guide to Treasure Island, Florida
Treasure had nothing to do with the rise in popularity of this barrier island located 15 miles away from the hustle and bustle of St. Petersburg to the east and Clearwater to the north; the name is rooted to a 1915 marketing ploy, where several property owners pretended to find buried wooden chests to entice visitors and those bound for a Florida vacation. Today, the real treasure is the town’s classic, laid-back beach vibe.
Shuffleboard for All
If you think shuffleboard is for seniors, the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club has a bone to pick with you. The 600-member-strong club hosts the St. Pete Shuffle, a free Friday event where you can join hipsters, families, and, yes, a handful of retirees on the club’s 72 courts for a quick pick-up game.
A New Kind of Kayak
Paddle out from Fort DeSoto Park, just south of Treasure Island, to see manatee and dolphin with an uninterrupted line of sight straight down into the water beneath you on one of See Through Adventure Rental’s transparent kayak/canoe hybrids. Made entirely out of clear plastic, the kayaks make this an eerie, otherworldly experience.
Urban Art
St. Pete’s streets are brilliantly colored with urban art murals of all sizes, shapes, and styles. The Walking Mural Tours of the Central Arts District offers guests the chance to see the art up close, including the largest on Central Ave, titled A Moment to Reflect, that depicts a man with elongated limbs stretching up four floors.
Sips in the Sand
Chances are, you don’t have a watering hole at home where you can have a drink hand-delivered to a picnic table in the sand on the edge of the ocean. But this is Florida, and you’re on Treasure Island, so take in the classic beach bar vibe at Caddy’s on the Beach and enjoy a signature cocktail, tropical frozen drink, or one of the 12 beers on tap.
Play with Golf Legends
The historic public Dunedin Golf Club has been played by the country’s top golfers, including Al Watrous, Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, and John Daly. A Donald Ross design and former home of the PGA of America, the course features Ross’s signature mounded greens and pot-style bunkers, plus plenty of water to keep golfers honest – especially on the back nine.
