Treasure Island, Florida Part 1

My mini vacation to Treasure Island, Florida for my cousin’s wedding was a trip of many firsts! First time using airbnb, first time to Treasure Island, first time trying some local foods, and of course, first time attending a beach wedding.

The way I understand airbnb is that local hosts offer up their homes and rental properties. Prospective renters can peruse via website or app and select between entire homes or homes with extra rooms available. Now, I did rent a condo in historic Savannah using VRBO, which I think uses rental properties only, and that was incredible. What I like most about these rentals (like VRBO and airbnb) is having a full kitchen (money saver), washer and dryer (pack less), and extra bedrooms (privacy). After doing a great deal of research I picked a place close to Sunset beach and we couldn’t have been happier. Perfect size. Perfect location. Close enough to everything we wanted, but far enough away from all the noise of the super touristy areas. Also, because we were in Sunset Beach, which is a more residential area of Treasure Island, the beach, with its beautiful white sands, was less crowded. Lovely! I will definitely use airbnb again.

Treasure Island is located just south of Clearwater and Dunedin- areas I am familiar with. I spent several vacations there visiting family, but Treasure Island was completely new to me. Treasure Island, which is adjacent to St. Petersburg and located along the Gulf of Mexico, boasts white sandy beaches, incredibly warm water, a plethora of restaurants catering to all price ranges, and, obviously, plenty of sun!

I’m a water baby- always have been. No one has to convince me to get in or on the water…ever (even though it is the shark’s house)! So I love boat tours. We decided to try a local dolphin tour and our captain at Hubbard’s Marina did not disappoint. Not to brag or anything, but I have an eye for finding sea creatures; every single time I’ve taken a tour, I spot the dolphins and whales first! This time, it was before the captain even finished the safety instructions; yes, I yelled out! You betcha! It was a beautiful afternoon and in addition to seeing plenty of adorable dolphins, we learned about the history of the area and drooled over real estate we can’t even afford to have a sleeping bag on the front porch of!

I also love these birds waiting for scraps from the fisherman just coming back with their fresh catch! These birds were super aggressive and the fishermen were complete unfazed. #floridathing #crazybirds #evencraziertouriststoodtherefortwentyminuteswatchingandtakingpictures