12 Things to Do on Treasure Island

Treasure Island sits on a narrow barrier island between the Gulf of Mexico and Boca Ciega Bay, about twenty minutes west of downtown St. Petersburg. It has wide beaches, a walkable strip of bars and restaurants along Gulf Boulevard, and a local pace that feels a step slower than neighboring Clearwater Beach. Whether you want to post up with a drink at a tiki bar or spend a full day on the water, here are twelve things worth your time.

1. Treasure Island Beach

The main draw is the beach itself, and it delivers. Treasure Island's Gulf-facing shoreline runs wide and flat with fine white sand that stays relatively uncrowded compared to Clearwater Beach just a few miles north. The gentle slope into the water makes it ideal for families with young kids, and there is enough room to spread out even on busy weekends. Public access points are marked along Gulf Boulevard with free showers and restrooms at several locations. Metered parking fills up by mid-morning in season, so arrive before 10 a.m. or try the municipal lots a block inland. The water stays shallow for a good distance out, and the lack of strong currents makes it one of the more relaxed swimming beaches on the Pinellas coast.

2. Caddy's on the Beach

Caddy's is the beach bar that everyone ends up at, and for good reason. It sits directly on the sand at the north end of Treasure Island with open-air seating, tiki umbrellas, and a full bar pouring frozen drinks and cold beer. The menu covers the usual beach-bar territory -- grouper sandwiches, fish tacos, wings -- but the real draw is the setup. You can eat with your feet in the sand, watch the waves, and stay through sunset without moving. Live music runs most afternoons and evenings, and the crowd is a mix of tourists and regulars. It gets busy on weekends, so grab a spot early if you want a table near the water. There is nothing pretentious about Caddy's, and that is exactly the point.

3. Sunset Beach and the Drum Circle

The south end of Treasure Island tapers into a quieter stretch called Sunset Beach, and it is one of the best spots on the Gulf coast to watch the sun go down. The beach faces west with an unobstructed view of the horizon, and the sky puts on a show most evenings. On Sundays, a casual drum circle draws locals and visitors who bring hand drums, tambourines, and anything else that makes noise. People dance, kids run around, and the whole thing feels like a community ritual rather than a tourist event. It is completely free and unorganized in the best way. Even if you skip the drums, Sunset Beach is worth the walk south for the quieter sand and the views across the pass toward St. Pete Beach.

4. Fishing

Treasure Island sits at the intersection of Gulf, bay, and intracoastal waters, which means the fishing options are varied and productive. Wade fishing off the beach flats in the early morning can put you on snook, trout, and whiting without spending a dollar on a charter. The old Treasure Island Causeway pier on the bay side is a reliable spot for sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and the occasional redfish. For deeper water, half-day and full-day charter boats run out of Johns Pass daily, targeting grouper, kingfish, and amberjack depending on the season. Party boats offer a more affordable option if you want to get offshore without booking a private trip. Bait and tackle shops on Gulf Boulevard can set you up with gear and local intel on what is biting.

5. Johns Pass Village and Boardwalk

Johns Pass Village sits at the southern tip of Treasure Island where the pass cuts through to the Gulf, and it functions as the commercial hub of the island. A wooden boardwalk lines the waterfront with a mix of shops, restaurants, and boat rental outfits. It leans tourist-friendly -- shell shops, souvenir stores, ice cream -- but there are enough good restaurants and working fishing boats to keep it from feeling like a theme park. Sculley's, Friendly Fisherman, and Bubba Gump's all sit on the water. You can rent a pontoon boat for the afternoon, book a dolphin tour, or just grab a beer and watch the charter boats come back with the day's catch. The village gets crowded on weekends, but weekday mornings are mellow and the best time to browse.

6. Dolphin Watching Tours from Johns Pass

Several operators run dolphin watching tours from Johns Pass, and the sighting rates are high because bottlenose dolphins are year-round residents of Boca Ciega Bay and the nearshore Gulf waters. Most trips last 90 minutes to two hours and cruise through the intracoastal, past mangrove islands, and out toward the Gulf passes where dolphins tend to feed. Morning tours usually offer calmer water and more active dolphins. Some boats combine dolphin watching with a stop at Shell Key, an undeveloped barrier island south of Pass-a-Grille where you can wade, shell, and see shorebirds up close. Prices typically run $25-40 per adult, and most operators do not require reservations for small groups, though booking ahead in peak season avoids the sold-out afternoon runs.

7. Paddleboarding and Kayaking

The bay side of Treasure Island is where the paddling happens. Boca Ciega Bay stays calm most mornings, and the shoreline is dotted with mangrove islands, seagrass flats, and shallow channels that are ideal for kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Several rental shops on the island offer hourly and half-day rates, and a few run guided mangrove tours that take you through tunnels of red mangroves where you are likely to spot manatees, rays, and wading birds. Launching from the bay side of Johns Pass or from one of the small public parks along the intracoastal keeps you out of boat traffic. Early mornings are best -- the water is glassy, the heat is manageable, and you will have the mangrove trails mostly to yourself. No experience needed for the calm bay water.

8. Beach Trail and Biking Gulf Boulevard

Treasure Island is flat, compact, and easy to cover on foot or by bike. The Treasure Island Beach Trail runs along the Gulf side with a paved path connecting several beach access points, and Gulf Boulevard itself has a rideable shoulder that stretches the full length of the island and continues north into Madeira Beach and south toward St. Pete Beach. Bike rentals are available at several spots along Gulf Boulevard, including e-bikes that make the longer rides comfortable in the heat. A roundtrip ride from Johns Pass to Sunset Beach and back covers about seven miles and passes most of the restaurants, bars, and beach accesses on the island. Walking the beach at low tide is another option -- the hard-packed sand near the waterline makes for easy going, and you can cover a few miles without realizing it.

9. Sloppy Joe's and the Bar and Restaurant Scene

Treasure Island's dining and nightlife scene is concentrated along Gulf Boulevard and around Johns Pass, with enough variety to fill a long weekend without repeating. Sloppy Joe's brings the Key West beach-bar energy with live music, strong drinks, and a menu built around seafood baskets and burgers. Middle Grounds Grill is the local pick for a nicer sit-down meal with fresh-catch specials and a solid raw bar. The Sea Dog Cantina does good tacos and margaritas with a rooftop deck. For breakfast, Treasure Island's diners and cafes lean old-school Florida -- think eggs, grits, and Cuban toast at places that have been open since your parents were in college. The bar scene gets lively on weekends with live music at multiple spots along the strip, but it never reaches the intensity of Clearwater Beach or downtown St. Pete.

10. Day Trip to St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille

Treasure Island's southern neighbor is St. Pete Beach, and the two islands are connected by a short drive over the Corey Causeway or a straight shot down Gulf Boulevard. St. Pete Beach has its own personality -- more hotels, a busier strip, and the landmark Don CeSar hotel looming pink over the shoreline. Keep driving south and you reach Pass-a-Grille, a quiet village at the very tip of the island with a handful of restaurants, a public beach with excellent shelling, and a pace that feels decades removed from the tourist corridor. The Hurricane restaurant at Pass-a-Grille is a Gulf coast institution worth the drive alone. You can easily combine a morning at St. Pete Beach with an afternoon back on Treasure Island without spending more than fifteen minutes in the car.

11. Parasailing and Jet Ski Rentals

If you want to get your adrenaline up, Johns Pass is where most of the action-sport operators are based. Parasailing flights launch from the boardwalk area and take you 400-800 feet above the Gulf, where the view stretches from Clearwater to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on a clear day. Flights run about 10-12 minutes in the air and cost $70-90 per person, with tandem and triple options available. Jet ski rentals are plentiful along the pass, with most outfits offering 30-minute and one-hour rides that let you explore the intracoastal and nearshore Gulf. Expect to pay around $80-100 for a half-hour. You do not need prior experience for either activity -- the operators walk you through everything. Book morning slots for calmer water and shorter wait times, especially on summer weekends.

12. Treasure Island Events: Sanding Ovations and Pirate Fest

Treasure Island hosts two signature events that are worth building a trip around. Sanding Ovations is a sand sculpture festival held each November on the beach near the community center. Professional sand sculptors from around the world create massive, intricate works that stay on display for about a week, and the event includes live music, food vendors, and a craft market. It is free to attend and draws big crowds, so go on a weekday if you can. The Treasure Island Pirate Fest, typically held in January or February, takes over the island with a pirate invasion reenactment, parade, live entertainment, and a vendor village along the beach. Both events reflect the island's personality -- laid-back, a little quirky, and built around the sand and water that make this stretch of coast what it is.