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TREASURE ISLAND VACATION RENTALS, FLORIDA |
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Outdoor Recreation in Treasure Island |
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| Enjoy the beach on Treasure Island, hike along the Pinellas County Trail, cruise to an uninhabited barrier island, go deep-sea fishing or snorkel near an artificial reef. These and other outdoor adventures await you on Treasure Island. |
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• Treasure Island Beach
• Pinellas County Trail
• Paw Parks
• Caladesi Island State Park
• Fort De Soto State Park
• Egmont Key
• Tennis
• Dolphin, Manatee and Sunset Cruises
• Fishing
• Snorkeling and Diving
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| Treasure Island Beach |
| Treasure Island Beach Park, primarily an access route to the beach for swimming, provides public parking spaces, restroom facilities, a water fountain, beach showers and a bicycle rack. |
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| Pinellas County Trail |
| Built along a 34-mile corridor of abandoned railroad right-of-way land, the Pinellas Trail connects Taylor Park in Largo to Seminole Park in Seminole. A unique greenway corridor linking some of Pinellas County’s most picturesque parks, scenic coastal areas and residential neighborhoods, the trail allows outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy ancient live oaks trailing Spanish moss, quiet waterways and tidal streams with a variety of land and water birds.
The free Guide to the Pinellas Trail is available at several local sites and online. The Trail is only open during daylight hours. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Pedestrians and handicapped have the right of way. Bicyclists must obey all traffic controls and signals, and if under age 16, they must wear a helmet. Skaters should use the bicycle lanes. No motorized vehicles, except for electric wheelchairs, and no horses are allowed on the Trail. Pets are welcome, but need a maximum 6-foot leash and must be well behaved.
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| Paw Parks |
| Travelers with pets will love the Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department’s Paw Playgrounds. These green fenced areas allow unleashed canines the opportunity to run free. When the pet gets hot and thirsty, there are cooling stations complete with showers and dog-level water fountains to cool things off. Owners are required to supervise and clean up after their four-legged friends, and all dogs must be on a leash when outside of the Paw Playground area. |
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| Caladesi Island State Park |
| Located on one of the state’s undisturbed barrier islands, Caladesi Island State Park is only accessible by boat. Caladesi is ideal for swimming, shelling, fishing, picnics, diving and nature study. A 3-mile nature trail winds through the interior. The park is open daily from 8 AM to sunset. A ferry departs hourly from nearby Honeymoon Island. The ferry costs $7 for adults and $3.50 for children 4-12. Docks are available on the island for private boats at a cost of $4 per boat. A snack bar and shelters are also available. |
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| Fort De Soto State Park |
| Fort De Soto, a Spanish American War fort on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to the only four 12-inch seacoast rifled mortars in the continental United States. While the fort was never the site of any major battle, it played a significant part in the evolution of modern weaponry. Today the island on which the fort sits is a Pinellas county park offering beaches, fishing, nature trails, camping, boating, and much more. |
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| Egmont Key |
| This 440-acre island is located at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Home to one of the last government-operated working lighthouses in the nation, Egmont Key is now a wildlife refuge. Egmont Key was a camp for captured Seminoles during the Third Seminole War and was a Union Navy base during the Civil War. Several boats offer snorkeling excursions to this island, which is accessible only by boat. Egmont Key has a large population of gopher tortoises and its beach is a nesting area by loggerhead sea turtles. |
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| Tennis |
| Treasure Bay Golf, Tennis & Recreation Center is home to 8 clay and 2 hard courts. Lighted courts are available for evening play. The facility has online registration that enables the user to reserve courts for their use. From November 1 to May 31, the daily rates for the tennis center are $7.00 per person for the clay court and $6.00 per person during non-peak hours, from 1:30 PM - 6 PM. The hard court has no charge. Those 15 years and under are not charged if accompanied by a paying adult. |
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| Dolphin, Manatee and Sunset Cruises |
| Over 700 dolphins live in the Tampa Bay area. If the dolphins are feeling frisky, you may see them jump completely out of the water. You can also see manatees from spring through fall. Special sunset tours are also available, leaving dock about an hour before sunset. Reservations are required for most tours. A returnable security deposit may be required to book the reservation. Tours may also require minimum fares. Charges are on a per person or per trip basis. Trips may last from 2 hours up to a whole day. Water and sodas may be provided. |
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| Fishing |
| Indulge in Intracoastal Waterway fishing or take deep sea fishing trips. Several charter boat businesses are located in Treasure Island and in nearby St. Petersburg. Most provide you with the supplies you need. Some even fillet, bag and ice your catch. Tarpon, redfish, trout, kingfish, snapper, hogfish, snook or grouper are some varieties of the fish you can catch here. Anglers above the age of 16 are required to purchase a Florida fishing license. Freshwater fishing licenses for non-Florida residents can be purchased for 7 days or annually, while saltwater fishing licenses are available for 3 days, 5 days or 1 year.
Reservations are required for most chartered boats. A returnable security deposit may be required to book the reservation. Tours may also require minimum fares. Charges are either on a per person or per trip basis. Trips may last from 2 hours up to a whole day. Rental equipment is available, but check when you reserve your boat. |
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| Snorkeling and Diving |
One snorkeling area is located at Egmont Key State Park, an island accessible only by boat. There you can see the sunken ruins of Fort Dade, built during the Spanish American War, and tour one of America's few working lighthouses, built in 1848. Trips to Egmont Key usually take about 1 hour from St. Petersburg Beach.
Another snorkeling area is Shell Island, a barrier island that is home to one of the world's highest concentrations of bottle-nosed dolphins. The island's shells, sand dunes, fresh water swamp, acres of woods and sugar-white sand make it a great day trip destination. There are no facilities or concessions on the island itself. Charter boat trips to the island are available or you can rent a pontoon boat, a Boston whaler or a wave runner to explore the island at your leisure. Just remember to leave shells with living creatures on the island.
For divers, Pinellas County operates several artificial reef sites, from 3 to 21 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. These reefs are designed with different sized openings that are especially effective in attracting bottom species like grouper, snapper and grunt; the height of the structures attracts mackerel, amber jack, cobia, barracuda and baitfish.
Reservations are required for most snorkeling and diving tours. A returnable security deposit may be required to book the reservation. Tours may also require minimum fares. Charges are either on a per person or per trip basis. Trips may last from 2 hours up to a whole day. Cold drinks and masks with snorkels may be provided. Equipment rental is readily available. |
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