Finally getting around to blogging about our trip to Treasure Island, Florida. We were only there for 4 nights, 3 days and I want to go back so bad!
Our hotel,
Treasure Island Hotel & Marina was fantastic. It was a great value, extremely clean & nice, and we had an amazing view and location. Each room had it's own private balcony. Our balcony faced the marina. It was peaceful to go onto the balcony each morning and breathe in the fresh ocean air. The beach was right across the street from the hotel and everything was either in walking distance or we took the
Suncoast Beach Trolley up and down Gulf Boulevard. Here is the view from our balcony:
When we arrived in Florida we took a Super Shuttle van (shared transportation) to the hotel. Despite the driver getting lost and me having to explain where the hotel was, I'd recommend the shuttle van over getting a cab. Not only was it more affordable, but we got the chance to talk to people from around the country. Three ladies were going to some sort of teacher convention. Another guy was heading back to college after winter break. Plus we got to drive all along the coast on the way to our hotel.
Our first night there we didn't do a whole lot since we were exhausted from our flight. We did make our way over to
Sloppy Joe's for dinner where we both indulged in the "Big Sloppy" and a fruity island beverage. Anyone who goes to Treasure Island needs to try Sloppy Joe's. It's right on the beach, our waiter was a total beach bum, and we got to watch the sunset while sipping cocktails.
After going for a walk around Treasure Island the next morning we got onto the Trolley and headed to
John's Pass Village and Boardwalk. Full of shops and restaurants, John's Pass was everything I had hoped it would be. It had the whole nautical beach feel to it.
 |
| One of the sweet buildings at John's Pass |
We bought some salt water taffy (an oceanside must!) and strolled around. Then we stumbled upon a fun Floridian attraction: The Alligator Attraction. Up some stairs atop the village was an enthusiastic alligator expert who showed us his gators. We received stickers (I'm a gator crusader) and spent a few minutes looking at the gators. The gator man told us if we ever bring in our stickers we can see the attraction for free. Here is Tyler at the Alligator Attraction:
After getting on the trolley again for several more blocks, we got off at Smugglers Cove Miniature Golf. It was the most elaborate and awesome mini golf course I've ever been to. And there were alligators in the water. Again, these Florida people were enthused with their gators.
We had originally planned to go on an excursion to Shell Island and on a Sunset Sailing cruise the next day, but unfortunately Florida was under a "cold" spell (it was about 65 degrees with a breeze) and the excursions were canceled. Making the best of the situation, we went back to John's Pass and signed up for a Dolphin Watching ride. We ate a tasty lunch a Pirate's Pub & Grub overlooking the boat docks. I had a fantastic peach daiquiri. The boat ride was awesome. I'd never seen a dolphin before, but we saw several and the crew was very friendly. Here I am posing with a "dolphin":
For dinner that night we went to Middlegrounds Grill. I'd recommend getting the Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin, although Tyler really enjoyed his steak. It's also a great idea to go on a Wednesday night because bottles of wine are half off. For a post-dinner drink we went to Ricky T's Bar & Grille which is "where the locals go."
The last day of our vacation was mostly spent at the beach. We ate lunch at The Floridian where I tried a traditional Cuban sandwich (it was fantastic!). We looked for seashells, built a sandcastle, and walked along the beach at sunset. Luckily it had warmed up to 70 degrees so it was warm enough to stick our toes into the ocean.
It was sad to leave Florida, but now we are saving our pennies for our next big adventure. I think we'll be buying passports in the near future. We're thinking Jamaica might be next...and then possibly Europe. Operation "see the world together" is underway. :)
*Travel tip: When you pack prior to your trip don't forget to leave room for souvenirs. I made this mistake and then had one heck of a time trying to cram a wooden wind chime into the luggage.
