09/24/2026
Okay, little beach geography lesson nobody asked for.
Everyone says "I'm going to St. Pete Beach" like it's one beach. But the Tampa Bay area actually has 11 barrier islands strung along the Gulf, and every one has its own personality.
Up north there's Honeymoon Island and Caladesi, wild and natural. You can only reach Caladesi by boat, which tells you everything. Then Clearwater Beach, the famous one. Sand Key with Belleair and Indian Rocks, quieter, more where the locals go. Treasure Island. And Long Key at the south end, which is St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille at the very tip.
I'm on Long Key, right by Upham Beach. That's the one I always tell people about because it's the wide, gorgeous stretch most visitors actually end up on. Down at the tip, Pass-a-Grille has no high-rises, just old Florida cottages and the Don CeSar glowing pink at sunset. Corey Avenue does a Sunday market October through May. Dolphins most mornings if you're up early. And yes, the sunset applause is real. People clap. Every night.
Now tell me what I forgot. I know I missed some. And which one's your favorite, the famous ones or the quiet ones?
