A Weekend in Treasure Island, Florida

After a few months of winter in Cleveland, our family jumped at the chance to take a last-minute trip to central Florida in early February.  We have planned family vacations with as little as a few weeks notice in the past.  But, booking flights for our family of five less than six days before our departure was a new record for us.  While flight and hotel deals are sometimes available for last-minute travelers, we were not lucky enough to score an amazing deal.  We were just glad that we could take advantage of a few days off and get some natural vitamin D and family down time.  Our three kids (ages 10, 7 and 3) are always up for any adventure, especially if it involves sand and sun, and they were ecstatic about our surprise trip to visit Treasure Island in Florida!

A Family Trip to Treasure Island Florida

We flew to Tampa on Spirit Airlines because their direct flights from Cleveland had the most convenient times for our three-night trip.  For the first time, we traveled without any checked or carry-on luggage.  We brought only one backpack/personal item each but had sand toys and more clothes than we needed (thanks to our tailored packing list).

Where is Treasure Island, Florida?

Treasure Island is a barrier island west of St. Petersburg, Florida and about 30 minutes from the Tampa International Airport.

Review of the Treasure Island Beach Resort in Florida 

There are many great options for Treasure Island, Florida hotels.  We wanted to stay at a resort right on the Gulf Coast and didn’t consider any of the plethora of VRBO or Airbnb options.  By the time we booked our trip, many hotels in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area were already full.  We totally lucked out when we found a room at Treasure Island Beach Resort.  This property appealed to us because we wanted a beach-front property but at a quieter beach with a great pool and nearby restaurants. Treasure Island Beach Resort ticked all of those boxes and more. This property was probably the newest resort we have ever stayed it having just opened in March 2016.  It is so new that Google Satellite does not yet show the completed resort.

Watching sunset at Treasure Island beach

Treasure Island Beach Resort was designed specifically to cater to the wants and needs of family travelers. The interior art deco design features modern whites and blues. Each of its 77 suites has a kitchenette, its own patio with either Adirondack chairs or a small dining table and a view of the Gulf. The bathrooms are impeccably appointed and large. Parking at the ground-level garage, pool towels and bottled water are all included in the resort fee. The lobby offers chocolate chip cookies and fruit punch all-day long.

We booked a room with a king bed and pull-out couch but were ecstatic to be upgraded to a suite upon our arrival.   Edwin, the resort’s bellman extraordinaire, enthusiastically escorted us to our fourth-floor suite, which included two identical bathrooms, full kitchen facilities, a living/dining room with a pull-out couch and a separate bedroom with a king bed and bathroom. It also featured two chests of drawers (each of our kids had 1-2 drawers of their own) and two flat screen televisions.

As Edwin showed us our suite, he joked with the kids that the bathroom on the living room side of the suite was for their use only and that they should not use the adults’ bathroom. My daughter, the perpetual rule-follower, took his words as law and absolutely refused to use the bathroom off the bedroom, even when it was more convenient.  Edwin was a joyful presence throughout our stay and definitely a highlight of the resort.

We felt right at home in our luxurious and spacious suite. The 2018 Winter Olympics started on the day of our arrival, and we enjoyed watching the nightly coverage as a family. We ended up bringing in take-out two of our three nights, and the in-room refrigerator and microwave allowed us to bring home leftovers and eat them for breakfast and snacks, which we could enjoy at the patio table or in the living area.

Treasure Island Beach Resort’s Pool 

The pool deck was exactly what we were looking for. The heated pool was located at the far edge of the deck with a plexi-glass wall that gave the effect of an infinity pool. We also thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub and the fire pit area. The lounge chairs were not only pretty but also comfortable, and most had a view of the Gulf. Very attentive servers were available to bring food and drinks from the bar.

The pool at Treasure Island Beach Resort

The view from our balcony at Treasure Island Beach Resort

Things to Do in Treasure Island, Florida

Visit the Beach in Treasure Island, Florida

The Treasure Island beach is set back farther than others we have visited. From the resort, we had to cross a small pathway to reach the beach, and from there, it was still a bit of a hike to the water. We spent time on the beach each of our days in Florida but only rented an umbrella and chairs on the one day that we really dedicated to Treasure Island beach when we spent the afternoon with cousins who are lucky to call central Florida home. A trip to the beach is so much more fun when you have friends to enjoy it with you.

Splashing in the water at the Treasure Island beach

I enjoyed visiting with my cousins while we watched the kids play.

The sand at Treasure Island beach is not quite as pristine as it is at Clearwater Beach, but it was a much better beach for collecting shells. It was great fun to examine shells and pick out our favorite ones to carry back with us. I also brought home a bit of some sand. Now, if I could only be crafty enough to create a really great ongoing beach in a bottle souvenir to commemorate our beach trips….

Restaurants in Treasure Island, Florida

We did not venture very far from our resort for meals, but we still found a number of family-friendly restaurants. Some of our favorites include:

VIP Lounge & Mexican Restaurant in Treasure Island

We had a lovely lunch at the VIP Lounge & Mexican Restaurant and were lucky to catch $3 margarita day. The margaritas (and fajitas, quesadillas and chips) were delicious. Their steak, which was expertly prepared and served in strips, was a particular highlight. We ate outside on the back patio, which was a special treat considering our plane required de-icing before departure from Cleveland. The servers were also jovial and attentive. It was a memorable meal that happened to coincide with the NBA trade deadline. My son was wearing his Isaiah Thomas jersey, and a server stopped by and told him that Thomas had just been traded to LA. I checked my phone and found that the news literally broke only a few minutes before. By the time we finished our meal, five other Cavs players had also been traded. The boys were initially bummed, especially because they had attended the Cavs game the night before and watched an amazing overtime win, but fingers crossed that it’s a positive move for the team. We liked VIP so much that we picked up take-out another night.

Britt’s Coal Fire Pizza in Treasure Island

Because the kids were ready to relax and watch the Olympics after we finally made it in from the pool and hot tub, we picked up a few pizzas from Britt’s Coal Fire Pizza, located from across the street and enjoyed them in our suite.

Captain Bill’s Beach Kitchen

We had lunch at Capt. Bill’s Beach Kitchen with our cousins.  Capt. Bill’s was conveniently located within walking distance of our resort.  The restaurant was undergoing new management, but provided lovely food and atmosphere, complete with live music.

Salty Rim Grill in Treasure Island

We ventured out to the Salty Rim Grill on our last night in Florida. The Grill is located on the Intercoastal, and we had a view of the water from our patio table. They offered kids’ meals and seafood.

 The beach and hotel pool were the biggest draws for our family during our weekend stay in in Treasure Island, but we also enjoyed a side trip to nearby Clearwater.

Visiting Treasure Island, Florida

Treasure Island with kids was the perfect location for a weekend family getaway at the beach.  We’d all go back in a heartbeat.

Doesn’t a beach vacation sound amazing?  Be sure to check out our posts on nearby Clearwater with kids and our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Florida with kids.