Tampa area beaches
 

Would anyone know what the barrier islands and other beaches are like near Tampa? We need a 3 day rental anywhere from Crystal Beach down to Tierra Verde. Not familiar with the area at all. Are there areas to be avoided, or any area especially nice? Not into a really noisy congested area- would like to kayak early morning somewhere.I know the 3 night stay is a potential problem with condo units, but it's just a little break after a business trip. Thanks for any help.

A 3-day rental in that area is a hotel or motel. If you want to be NEAR Tampa, you can kayak in Tampa Bay to your heart's content while staying at any number of hotels on the eastern shore of the bay in Tampa.

If you want to move to the Gulf Beaches area, any of the beach towns are on barrier islands and will be close to the inland waters. I have a neighbor who kayaks in Boca Ciega Bay (St Pete Beach area) early every morning. Good luck.

You did not say if you will have a kayak or will be renting. The latest "Best US beaches" listing came out last week and Ft. DeSoto Park at the southern tip of the St. Pete barrier islands was listed #1 in the US. There are many mangrove islands within the park so this would be a great spot for kayaking, and very peaceful as this is a group of many barrier islands, all natural except for the 100-year-old fort, the camping area, marina, parking lots, and the beach shelters. I recalled that there used to be a kayak rental place on your way there and googled and found this one: Canoe Outpost - Fort DeSoto, 3500 Pinellas Bayway South Tierra Verde, FL 33715, 727-864-1991.

Unfortunately, there are no places to stay at the Park except for camp sites. So I suggest that you either stay at non-congested Passe-A-Grille Beach at anyplace that you can find, they will all be fine, just small hotels. Or the Don CeSar hotel if you have the budget, on the edge of Passe-a-grille. Or in Gulfport (search fodors for suggestions where to stay there). Or in downtown St. Petersburg, which is now a very pleasant and vibrant little livable downtown community. There are numerous B&Bs. All these spots would be a quick drive to Ft. DeSoto. My suggestions for hotels are usually St. Pete or TI but both are congested and quite built-up beach towns. If you decide on a hotel then run it by and maybe we can give you a thumbs up or down. I think you'll enjoy Ft. DeSoto immensely. And a trip to the old fort is fascinating.

If you do decide on Fort DeSoto, which is certainly a place with great beaches, you will have to look out for the crazies on their PWCs (personal watercraft, otherwise known as jet ski kamikazes) so try to stay in a calm area that isn't big enough for those idiots to satisfy their lust for death.

The same warning, however, goes for almost anywhere in the inland waters of the area. There are just too many water vehicles in the more popular areas, and not much is being done by the shore patrol to regulate it.

Thanks for info. I also learned a lot from a posting I found about relocating to the area. We are flying into and leaving from Tampa. I'm not a one room hotel person, even though I'm just sleeping there, -much prefer a private home or condo- but with only 3 nights I checked the Don Cesar and it's booked. How about Honeymoon or Caladesi Islands? Worthwhile? Any nice accomodations with waterviews nearby? TIA

Try the Tradewinds Resort on St. Pete Beach for availability, it is a very nice hotel. There are many nice larger hotels on St. Pete Beach and you will be very close to Ft. DeSoto Park and everything else in the St. Petersburg area.

Neither honeymoon nor Caladesi have hotels, though there are some nearby in Tarpon. And it's quite a haul from Tampa to Caladesi or Honeymoon.

Check into VRBO and see if you can get a room at the Sunset Chateau on Treasure Island. These are one-bedrooms. Also the Island Inn Resort on Treasure Island would fit the bill. The Delacado has low-key apartments, bayside, not the luxe but nice enough. None are as nice as the Don but are waterfront and in residential areas that will put you close to roads to Ft. Desoto.

Keds --

This establishment is in Pass-a-Grille, on the edge of St. Pete beach. I've stayed there and it was very comfortable, clean and quiet.

http://www.innonbeach.com/

Weedon Island is supposed to be a great kayak trip - I am planning on going soon: http://www.clubkayak.com/cfkt/trips/trip10.html

Caladesi is fantastic - you can rent kayaks on the Dunedin Causeway and it's only a 15-minute kayak trip over to Caladesi, which is just gorgeous.

I'm in Oldsmar - halfway between Tampa and Clearwater - and we like kayaking in Mobbly Bay (accessible through Mobbly Bay Park run by the city of Oldsmar) and the Upper Tampa Bay Park.

There's TONs of gorgeous kayaking to be done in this area.