syrnytravel

We are looking for suggestions...We are heading to Busch Gardens on April 14(Thursday ). After the park closes we would like to get a hotel,motel or something cheap along the beach or walking distance(between Pass A Grille Beach and Clearwater Beach).Looking for a beach,someplace to stay, shops and food...Would like to park the car only once..Also, looking for a beach to collect shells..
We were also thinking of going to Fort De Soto Park .. Is it worth the extra drive ??
Please help???

Wayne

The Bon-Aire motel on St Pete Beach might be your best bet for reasonable price and decent rooms right on the beach. However, there are several small motels in Pass-a-Grille that usually have rooms, so if you drive in early enough you could check them out.

As for a place to collect shells, if you are willing to spend the money you can get a shuttle boat to Shell Island, where you can find almost anything. And Ft DeSoto Park isn't hard to get to, except for the fact that you have to drive for about 10-15 minutes from St Pete Beach to get there. If you want a great wide and long beach, Ft DeSoto ranks as one of the best in the U.S. Good luck.

Tandoori_Girl

There is a trolley that runs from Clearwater to Passe-a-grill. Shopping in downtown St. Pete is kind of fun. Good shell shops, bamboo shops, bead shops, the Croisanterrie is yummy for breakfast or lunch.

Ft. DeSoto is a good romp. The old fort is really remarkable.

Hey Wayne. Where's Shell Island?

Tandoori_Girl

Also, syrnytravel, I would not go anywhere without a reservation right now. There aren't a lot of vacancies at the beach. Lots of people escaping the snow and cold.

OO

Howdy......

Shell Island is just a stone's throw across Passe a Grille channel--accessible only by boat, (unlike Caladesi, which despite what Frommers or Fodors says, you can get to on foot). It's just a tiny island on the left side of the channel on the way out to the Gulf. It's still best to go early as it's a favorite anchorage for a lot of boat picnickers.

Tandoori_Girl

Live and learn

syrnytravel

thanks guys...Has anyone stayed near or on Treasure Island.. Is John Pass Village worth going to???

Tandoori_Girl

I love TI. The beach is very deep at this spot on the SP gulf coast. The walk from your hotel to the shoreline through the sea oats and the open beach takes a couple of minutes. This turns some people off but the advantage is that this wide beach area is generally full of activities and never crowded. You'll see lots of kites, sand sculptures, wheeled riding-gizmos that run on wind power, and the ever-popular Sunday night drum circle. For holidays, the city sponsors music on the beach. Orchestra, pop, rock, you name it. There is a terrific little downtown that you can walk to with good restaurants and funky bars (the VIP lounge is one of my faves). The shopping is strictly beach, you won't find high-end department stores or trendy chic shops.

Places to stay are Best Western Sea Castle, Island Inn Resort, the Thunderbird, the Belmar, the Jefferson, Tropic Terrace, the Trails End, the Buccaneer.

As for John's Pass, it is the pass between Treasure Island and Madiera Beach island. There is a bridge and lots of boat traffic. And a colorful little waterfront village that became so popular that they now have a multi-story parking garage. My favorite spot for BLACKENED grouper is Dockside Dave's on the bayside just north of the village at John's Pass. Red Skelton has an art museum at John's Pass (sort of an oddity I think).