If you’re looking for a fun place to take your kids for a fun filled day (or week) on the beach, consider visiting St. Pete Beach and the TradeWinds Island Resort. The weather is still warm in Florida this Fall and the water is still warm enough to swim. My daughter and I were invited to spend a day at TradeWinds earlier this summer and I’m ready to go back!
I hold a special place in my heart for St. Pete Beach. When I was growing up, my Grandmother lived one block from TradeWinds and I spent a lot of time as a child playing in the Gulf of Mexico.
The complex my Grandma lived when I was a kid!
I remember vividly walking down to the beach with our arms full of sand toys. I remember vividly how she used to sit on the beach for hours reading her books. I remember vividly walking down the street to Larry’s Ice Cream. I used to love picking out a new souvenir at the little shop in front of her complex. I still get a little teary eyed when I drive past the complex where she used to live (she died when I was in high school). There’s just something magical about the sand on St. Pete Beach that connects me to my Grandma.
Every time our family goes to TradeWinds, it’s like a walk through my childhood; except things have really changed!! TradeWinds has expanded and has so much to offer that you’ll never want to leave the resort. Locals can go for the day and enjoy all the amenities that the resort has to offer by purchasing a Day Pass. You’ll have access to all of the pools, hot tubs, beach cabanas, mini-golf, High Tide water slide, and paddleboats for the entire day.
There are seven pools on site; even a few just for the adults. I personally love the kids pool that’s in the center of the property because it’s shaded!!
We spent an hour out in Splash Island, their water park in the Gulf of Mexico. They have anchored inflatables in the water and you can climb, slide, and play in the ocean. My little one is only 5 and wasn’t feeling to adventurous that day so we stayed on the smaller inflatable trampoline!
I had hoped she would have been brave enough to try the standup paddle board with me, but that wasn’t happening! I’ll have to save that for a trip with my oldest!
As beautiful as the pools and beach can be, my daughter wanted to go exploring the resort. She really loved playing mini-golf with some friends that were there with us. Mini-Golf is free for guests and included as part of the Day Pass if you’re just stopping by for the day.
We also took a boat ride around the property on their paddleboats; however I’m a terrible driver and we ended up stuck a few times and asking other boaters for a nudge! I still recommend taking a ride so you can meet the resident swans. My daughter was impressed with how big they were.
The best way to cool down after a day in the sun is with a snow cone from the Adventure Center. I won’t lie, I got one for myself too.
After a full day in the sun you may be tempted to check-in to TradeWinds for the night and take a very long nap! Next time we go, we’ll stay overnight and try out the new Guy Harvey Rumfish Grill that features a 33,500 gallon aquarium inside. I hear the food is pretty delicious.
Our adventure ended at sunset with a few special souvenirs to take home with us. She still enjoys playing with Beaker (the resorts mascot). Looking back over the pictures, I’m ready to book a long weekend this Fall and escape from reality. When is the next school holiday??
Disclosure: Our family was invited to spend the day at TradeWinds in August and were provided with unlimited access to the day use amenities and lunch. All opinions and information in this post are my own and not that of the resort.
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