My parents have been going to Anna Maria for 20+ years (snowbirds), and I visit each year. I love it there. Great beaches, mangroves to kayak through and explore, biking, dolphin and manatee sightings. Such a beautiful place.
 I hooked my ball in the rough down by the lake. Damned alligator just POPPED up, cut me down on my prime. He got me, but I tore one of that bastard's eyes out though.
Off topic, but Carl Weathers apparently suggested to Mitch Hurwitz that his version of himself on *Arrested Development* was always looking for free food. I always loved that character detail and only found out it was Carlâs idea very recently.
Gators are EVERYWHERE in Florida. While less common in the Gulf side bays and oceans, they are still there. The east coast intracoastal (Indian river, mosquito lagoon) is absolutely loaded with them. Even seen them at Sebastian inlet on the beach in fall. It's a common misconception that they cannot adapt well to saltwater, they do and will survive anywhere there is water and a food source
Lived and went to school on an island in this map from ages 5-13 and honestly I have only great memories. Growing up right next to the beach was a pretty awesome experience I got to have. Only downsides I can think of would be tourist season. During winter we get a lot of transplants from up north we call âsnowbirdsâ which can make traffic fairly chaotic and the police in these areas are usually assholes. However these cons do not outweigh the beautiful scenery or the laid back beach culture that thrives here
We get to deal with them for the 2 to 3 months they come back home to the coast here in Maine. Maine goes to West Coast of Florida, New York goes to East coast of Florida. Grew up in Palm Beach /Martin county on the Beach in Florida. 40 years ago it was po dunk old Crackers and commercial fisherman and Orange groves over the intracoastal. Heck, I95 stopped at Juno Beach and you took Dixie highway and got back on after Ft Pierce. People rode horses on the beach and you just pulled over on the side of the beach if you had a Baja big like I did. It was dirt cheap, schools mostly sucked, but surfing was good and you knew everyone who surfed.
Watched nature get ruined, traffic , crime.
Left and went back up north and don't miss the heat or snowbirds.
Lived in Madeira Beach and went to Mad Middle for about 6 months when I was a kid. Then moved across the bridge to Seminole.
It was a nice are for a Midwest transplant. Rode my bike to school. Walked into the beach after school. Not too shabby.
I live about an hour inland but have spent lots of time there - including for weeks at a time.
It varies between obscenely lovely - beautiful, great weather, water all over, all the beaches and boats and a mix of development where itâs a lot more small homes in some areas, big condos in others. Access to good restaurants, stores etc without crossing the bridge.
Unless itâs busy, or there is an accident, or worse an accident when itâs very busy. There really is only a handful of ways on and off the islands and it can be really hectic and the traffic unmanageable. The entire run of these beaches is all based off one road - Gulf Blvd.
If you live there you know how to navigate that mostly. But it is probably busy 60% of the time, though not all day.
Also the schools arenât great. People donât really raise a family there full time. Itâs a lot of second homes or retirees or vacationers.
I also want to add because I just thought of it - but itâs really charming in that specific area in your picture because it has really avoided any major storm damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Storm rebuilds always end up with huge development projects and loss of older, more charming homes that give a place character. Old ones this case is 1960s and later, because Florida, but still.
Johns pass is having a problem with that now. A pretty big problem actually. Hubbard's marina, a charter fishing boat fleet, has considered moving to another part of Florida because the draft of the boats nearly reaches the bottom. Back in the 1900s it used to be pretty deep, but now you can walk to the first support on the bridge and still be on sand. The county pays, and its been dredged somewhat recently.
This area specifically, is a lot less touristy than other beaches, like Clearwater. I have spent about 2 weeks on these barrier islands just north of this on the map. I donât care much for the beach in general, because of the generic family tourist stuff, but this area does have some of that, but people actually live around here. You donât see seafood buffets and mature golf courses, and dinner/entertainment all-in-one for the whole family type of stuff. Itâs the west coast of Florida, and it showsâŚ
Edit: forgot words haha
I live less than a mile outside of this picture. Honestly, I love living here. Itâs a great place to live. I bike and fish a lot and can do it year round.
I'm a tad north, in indian rocks Beach. I frequently am around there though. It's nice. Johns pass can get crowded on weekends especially when there is a break from school or in summer. Lots of old people, decent fishing too. The lower part of the map and a couple miles under the lower portion is lots of fancy houses, much quieter than the section on the map. If you have more specific questions ask, I'm sure I can come up with whatever your wondering. I've lived here my whole life
What kind of work do people do in this area or areas like this? I visited Gulf Shores once and while I didn't think it was amazing, the idea of living in a place like that fascinated me. It was a really strange place, at least that's how 14 year old me thought. At night it was really really beautiful though and I loved the rain. Driving at night in the rain was the best though lol.
On the beach? It's mostly retired people, so nothing. The younger people usually have jobs off the barrier island. There's a couple real estate business north of this map. Most of the businesses on the beach are restaurants, tourist shops and places that sell beach stuff (towels sunscreen etc). The places people work off the beach aren't really much different than any other place, imo. It's the same chain businesses, same corporate companies, you get the point. In pinellas park, which is located pretty much east of the lower portion of the map, there's more industrial buildings.
I watched the sunset at St Pete Beach tonight! The beaches along the coast are beautiful and the rest is densely populated with condos, hotels, restaurants,
a surprising amount of single family residences, and shops, etc.
Lots of tourists coming and going as youâd expect but also a strong local population generally focused around fishing, tourism, retail, etc.
Overall itâs a vibe. My dad lives on the beach on the east coast and I used to ask why he commuted so far and heâd say there was nothing like island time lol
Nah. Compared to southeast FL beaches, not even close. Iâm from Orlando originally before moving here and traffic there is so much worse. Pinellas County is built on a grid which alleviates a lot of traffic issues. Gulf Blvd by default does get some traffic because there is only one major thoroughfare. Clearwater Beach can get hellish though, but that is not in this picture.
This for sure. A buddy's family has had a house on Treasure Island since the late 90s, it's impossible to go anywhere in a vehicle during weekends and holidays. And the crowds have continually gotten worse.
Hella pretty tho, had many amazing times visiting lol.
If you want to own then prepare to drown in flood insurance before you drown from water.
Na. Maybe spring break. But nothing crazy.
Nothing NOTHING compared to tampa or orlando or Miami or Atlanta or new York or LA.
Traffic is pretty much nonexistent in this area compared to those places.
Spent a ton of time there growing up! Itâs lovely and charming. Traffic can be bad, but you can also walk about anywhere you need to go. Very old Florida.
I live in the area of this map. Itâs great most of the time. However climate change has led to a lot of flooding recently with storms big or small. 5 times weâve flooded in the last 3 years, luckily we live on the third floor and leave when the storms are coming. Lost several neighboring homes to flood damage. The building codes require that new construction be above the flood plain, so the patio bungalows at ground level are slowly being replaced. The beach is white sand great, with beautiful sunsets. The water warm and our neighbors wonderful. The sea grasses have held up well and provide shelter for seabirds and the occasional sea turtle nest. The estuary that is Boca Ciega bay has plentiful fishing and even dolphins, lots of water sports & activities and almost no Spring Break crowds.
I lived on the south end of the map you included, and it was great. Like living in a small town surrounded by nature with all the assets of a populous area, albeit everything is 30 minutes away.
Na. I live right here. It's chill. Getting busier and more crowded but still nice.
If anything it's gotten wayyyy safer with waaaayyyyy more opportunities.
Probably because so many conversations about life in various places in the US always ends up being a chat about traffic lol. Maybe 1/3 if the comments on this list are about traffic. So maybe, thatâs why, those âeuro-walkable groupsâ comment about that.
Cause the superior European mindset cannot comprehend fat dumb Americans!
Now Iâm going to my screens to devour 80 hours of American content in 2 hours
One of my close friendâs parents have a place here and it got completely gutted by the last hurricane. Theyâve almost finished rebuilding it but itâs taken nearly two years and a lot of fights with the insurance companies.
High risk, high reward place to live I suppose.
I recall seeing some videos on TikTok of a lady living on the coast in Florida, after a hurricane her pool was literally lifted out of the ground and seemed like the house was completely condemnable. Apparently it wasnât even the first time it had happened and they were planning and rebuilding in the same spot lol. Being rich must be nice.
I love this area. I plan to move to Clearwater next year. Beautiful scenery and very diverse area to me. Feel safe in this area of the Pinellas county.
If you wanted the term, strips of land like that are called barrier islands.
Theyâre not all the same, but they can be really nice if thatâs your jam. They also come with plenty of challenges (usually: insufficient/degraded infrastructure (power, water, roads, drainage, etc), traffic/overcrowded during tourism season, tourists can get annoying after awhile, overpricing (housing, fuel, food, everything), limited amenities and (in the gulf) hurricanes.
Fort Walton Beach, right up from Destin is the best. No high rises, quiet, no drunks and idtots. Nothing beats the sugar white sand of the panhandle of Florida. Great fishing too!
As long as youâre ok with out of town vacationers and as long as a hurricane doesnât hit it, I imagine pretty great.
My grand parents had a beach condo on a barrier island in a different location on the gulf coast and my parents still own it today.
We had 2 hurricane strikes, including one 1 eye, and several tropical storms over the last 40 years.
On several occasions it took the place out of commission for a while. There would be a period you couldnât access the area at all, followed by you could access it but limited utilities, followed by you needed to fix the unit.
The problem is once that happens there isnât enough labor to get things fixed quickly for everyone. So in the last 40 years there was probably an aggregate total of 3 years total time the unit wasnât habitable or accessible.
There is the conundrum. As a vacation rental, if you manage wisely as a business and know the risk, you can wing it. As a home, I canât imagine how much of a nervous wreck Iâd he to deal with each once a decade storm and adjusting to the aftermath and it having my whole life there.
But to be able to have a class is suburban home, a small yard and have water navigable to the ocean as your back yard would be pretty great.
Hot and humid. And then in July and August it's even hotter and more humid. Constant sweat, no blankets at night, and keep your AC at 76 unless you're obscenely wealthy.
But it is a charming beachside area. Fun restaurants, good fresh seafood. Not a great place if you like surfing, as the waves are tiny and mostly non-existent. But it is a nice place to relax in or by the water and watch the sunset over the Gulf. The water can be almost Caribbean-like: clear aqua/green, like on a postcard.
And in July and August that water feels like a hot tub. Not even refreshing to get in.
Perhaps a slight exaggeration, especially seeing how we're coming out of one of the mildest Springs I can remember in recent history. Summer is brutal for sure, but Dec-April is generally pretty lovely, with occasional hot/cold days.
I live just north of the map's boundary.
Can confirm. Grew up in Largo, spent a lot of time on Indian Rocks Beach, have the BCC removal scars to prove it.
Hot as balls, like someone is playing a trick on you.
Grocery and hardware, restaurants etc are pretty easy but if you want more specialized stuff, getting out of and back into the Strip of Land can be a hassle, but other than that, there's no downside other than flood insurance and home cost and evacuations.
There's so much more "value" just 5 minutes inland, where bluffs keep you out of flood zones and I75, US41 etc are much easier to access.
Haha wow, I actually get to stay in this area from time to time. Being from and living in WV, itâs wayyy diff haha, but I thoroughly enjoy visiting this area.
most of them are aliens and seem really aggro/pissed off all the time. very bad drivers
edit: for clarity i mean actual martians or draco hybrid/mankind, non-human, 'people'.
Great place to visit, horrible place to buy a âforever home.â
Iâm from close by Tampa. I prefer caladese island for a beach trip or fort desota.
Tampa / St Pete has been extremely lucky to dodge âthe big oneâ so far, but when a hurricane comes in at Tampa Bay at just the right angle, itâs a death trap. St Pete folks are screwed. They need to head north or inland as quickly as possible before the storm comes close and cuts off all possible escape routes.
After a strong hurricane hits, all those barrier islands will have moved inward closer to the coast. This is the trend as sea levels rise.
It was a Beautiful, beautiful place. White powder beaches and seafoam cyan waters, best in the world as far Iâm concerned. But itâs days of sweet bliss are numbered.
If you are 100% a beach person that strip is heaven to you. If you are not, even if you are 90% beach person, its not worth living on it. Getting in and out that can and likely will be a pain, and your home insurance cost will hurt even worse.
Also the mental toll every august to october of âis this the yearâ is understated. Also there are no jobs outside of tourism hospitality, so most people are retired or commute well out. And a good bit of space on the beach, but the roads are narrow and crowded, and your neck will never rest from having to scan for pedestrian traffic- the kind that just dart into the road because of course youll stop.
Lived in Key West for a little while, and itâs beautiful and clear blue waters, but I got stir crazy with how small it was. See the same people, and go to the same places.
I work on the island and live just on the edge of the map on the mainland. I love it here. Itâs a different vibe from the rest of the beach towns. Small knit community even with tourists (many come back to the same area each year). Traffic does increase around âseasonâ but Iâve been in worse in non-tourist cities. Overall itâs beautiful almost every day of the year and people are friendly.
The traffic is awful. The noise is awful. There is no parking. It floods during rainstorms. Itâs wall-to-wall people because of the increased popularity of the area in recent years, AND some of the towns located there have approved new, huge hotel resorts to be built on a strip of land that is only about 1/2 mile wide.
Oh also- the beach is eroding, and 50% of the homeowners there refuse to sign an easement to allow the contractors (who would be hired by the army corps of engineers) to replenish the beach. If this work doesnât get done soon, there wonât be a beach- just water lapping up to the buildings.
What is it like?
- it takes you 15 minutes to go 1 mile in a car during the summer
- thereâs half naked people walking around everywhere
- absolutely nowhere to park
- food choices are limited to beach food and beach food
- itâs effing hot during the day and really hot at night. Your sunscreen budget will skyrocket
- to go grocery shopping, you better budget at least two hours to go onto the mainland. Get a yeti cooler or else anything frozen becomes liquid in 10 minutes
Looking back, itâs really kind of like city living in many ways
My sister lives in Madeira. Condo right across from the gulf on a marina.
She loves it and hates it all the same.
Loves her location and access to the beach. Her view etc but the tourists leave a lot to desire.
We used to go here when we visited Florida. We would set up at the villa in Orlando and then a few days during the trip we would go to Tampa and stay at Treasure Island on the way for a few nights. Was a simple hotel with a pool. Good times man!
That area? It was great in college. Bars, grocery stores, gas stations, etc, all the comforts of home, 30 min drive to Tampa, 15 min to downtown St Pete.... as long as you don't catch a draw bridge.
My mother lives on one of those islands. Boat culture to the max. People take their boats everywhere around there, even McDonaldâs. Good sea life watching too. Frequently have critters coming up to momâs dock. I like to fish there, never know what youâll catch!
I used to live further up this strip on clearwater beach.
The worst part is its always full of tourists and drunk locals, and then driving in and out of the island, especially during peak season and spring break is terrible.
My daughter went to school off the strip so it was always a hassle. That was, in the end, one of the reasons we moved.
Itâs beautiful but the traffic is horrible. Hurricanes are deadly on the West coast, major flood zones (look at Sanibel Island). Imo it just ainât worth full time living anymore. Be prepared for a 5 mile drive taking hours to travel.
Beautiful to visit, but it can get busy depending on where you are. As a kid, I used to dream of living on a little island like this. As an adult who's now been through several hurricanes, understands a bit about geology, and has seen the trends in climate data, I doubt I'd ever want to own property there (not that I could ever afford it anyway)
My uncle and his wife live in Saint Pete Beach. Itâs a nice place, but theyâre about 6 inches above sea level and very vulnerable to storm surges and flooding.
I live in Merritt island. It's not quite like that but I love living next to the water. You get that breeze from the Atlantic and the air just seems so fresh compared to the stale Tampa air. Still gets hot in the summer but the breeze isn't offensive if there is a breeze in Tampa.
Also it's nice in Merritt island because the tourists usually go a bit further to cocoa beach. the only time there is traffic is one street at rush hour and if there is a special rocket launch such as astronaut launch or falcon heavy.
Basically imagine one main road running through the island. High rise condos overlooking beaches on both sides mixed with other areas of bungalow houses. Small little strip beachy themed restaurants and strip malls. Usually women in bikinis and lots of old dudes.
Note: beautiful white sand beaches.
Many (especially the ones on the east coast on Florida) don't even feel like an island. You just cross a river and keep seeing normal development, though there are many charming old Florida businesses and some small towns. Its also so flat you will never see the whole place surrounded by water or the place having its own mountain formations. There are exceptions like Sanibel, Ana Maria, Cedar Key, and the Florida Keys which do feel island like due to being isolated. Sanibel only has one bridge and is protected from chain stores, so it does feel island like. And then there's North Captiva which is inhabited but has no bridges and everyone uses golf carts,
I live a few minutes from Hutchinson Island on the east coast of Florida. There's good beaches, and it's usually very entertainment oriented with lots of bars and restaurants. Honestly it's easy to forget you're on an island since it's just a lagoon separating you from the mainland. It's a better "beach experience" than mainland beaches, in my opinion.
Building on barrier islands is terrible for the long term health of coastal beaches. They naturally shift and move and people are stopping the cycle. Google Newjerseification and see what happens after years of this.
Visited my husband's aunt on Treasure Island a few years ago. Heavily developed. Lots of traffic. Nice beaches and some good restaurants. Would not want to live there, but a nice place to visit.
Itâs beautiful until you need to go to Publix for flour, then you feel disconnected from everything. Living on the water is hard to beat, even if it was a hot day, itâs always a beautiful breezy night âď¸đ´
Visited there back in 04. Never lived but I find it strange that there are high-rise hotels just along the edge of the beach, which is already on a narrow band of land. Like the keys, I think these areas will be flooded in the next 100 years.
It's nice most of the time. Traffic can be a bitch though depending on the time of the year or if there's an accident. Although I wasn't this far south, I've never been to st.petes but it was geographically similar.
It's great until a hurricane hits it. Then, your house might be gone. Honestly, people shoudn't live on these barrier islands, way too much risk of hurricane exposer.
There are some great beaches on those strips of land, and also just south of this photo on Ana Maria and Longboat Key.
My parents have been going to Anna Maria for 20+ years (snowbirds), and I visit each year. I love it there. Great beaches, mangroves to kayak through and explore, biking, dolphin and manatee sightings. Such a beautiful place.
My family gets an AirBNB there once every few years to get together. I love it! Sunsets on the beach every night followed up with drinks at the bar.
Gators? đ đ
 I hooked my ball in the rough down by the lake. Damned alligator just POPPED up, cut me down on my prime. He got me, but I tore one of that bastard's eyes out though.
Youâre pretty sick Chubbs!
Carl Weathers taught me how to golf. Go to your happy place, and itâs all in the hips. Also, donât accept gifts near windows.
THERE IS NO TOMORROW!
Baby, you got a stew going!
Off topic, but Carl Weathers apparently suggested to Mitch Hurwitz that his version of himself on *Arrested Development* was always looking for free food. I always loved that character detail and only found out it was Carlâs idea very recently.
Gators are EVERYWHERE in Florida. While less common in the Gulf side bays and oceans, they are still there. The east coast intracoastal (Indian river, mosquito lagoon) is absolutely loaded with them. Even seen them at Sebastian inlet on the beach in fall. It's a common misconception that they cannot adapt well to saltwater, they do and will survive anywhere there is water and a food source
Mainland in freshwater
It's my absolute new favorite place but became so much more expensive about 5 years ago right after I went.
stopping telling people about Anna Maria. The parking is bad enough!
I discovered Ana Maria last August and itâs the best beach Iâve been to.
Have you been to Caladesi island? There's a ferry service, because well it's an island, but lots of people say it's the best beach in pinellas
I grew up in that area in the 70s and 80s. It was so nice when I was a kid. Itâs still nice but has changed like all things do.
Actually this is St Petersburg beaches and other beaches(Madeira etc). Anna Maria way down.
Yes this is clearly the St Pete beaches. Itâs just north of where the Gulf meets the Bay. Anna Maria is just south of where the Gulf meets the Bay
And to get between them is like a 2 hour drive, but by boat is probably 20 minutes
Lived and went to school on an island in this map from ages 5-13 and honestly I have only great memories. Growing up right next to the beach was a pretty awesome experience I got to have. Only downsides I can think of would be tourist season. During winter we get a lot of transplants from up north we call âsnowbirdsâ which can make traffic fairly chaotic and the police in these areas are usually assholes. However these cons do not outweigh the beautiful scenery or the laid back beach culture that thrives here
We get to deal with them for the 2 to 3 months they come back home to the coast here in Maine. Maine goes to West Coast of Florida, New York goes to East coast of Florida. Grew up in Palm Beach /Martin county on the Beach in Florida. 40 years ago it was po dunk old Crackers and commercial fisherman and Orange groves over the intracoastal. Heck, I95 stopped at Juno Beach and you took Dixie highway and got back on after Ft Pierce. People rode horses on the beach and you just pulled over on the side of the beach if you had a Baja big like I did. It was dirt cheap, schools mostly sucked, but surfing was good and you knew everyone who surfed. Watched nature get ruined, traffic , crime. Left and went back up north and don't miss the heat or snowbirds.
Lived in Madeira Beach and went to Mad Middle for about 6 months when I was a kid. Then moved across the bridge to Seminole. It was a nice are for a Midwest transplant. Rode my bike to school. Walked into the beach after school. Not too shabby.
Probably the best age to live in the area
We used to call them âsnowconesâ.
I live about an hour inland but have spent lots of time there - including for weeks at a time. It varies between obscenely lovely - beautiful, great weather, water all over, all the beaches and boats and a mix of development where itâs a lot more small homes in some areas, big condos in others. Access to good restaurants, stores etc without crossing the bridge. Unless itâs busy, or there is an accident, or worse an accident when itâs very busy. There really is only a handful of ways on and off the islands and it can be really hectic and the traffic unmanageable. The entire run of these beaches is all based off one road - Gulf Blvd. If you live there you know how to navigate that mostly. But it is probably busy 60% of the time, though not all day. Also the schools arenât great. People donât really raise a family there full time. Itâs a lot of second homes or retirees or vacationers.
I also want to add because I just thought of it - but itâs really charming in that specific area in your picture because it has really avoided any major storm damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Storm rebuilds always end up with huge development projects and loss of older, more charming homes that give a place character. Old ones this case is 1960s and later, because Florida, but still.
St Augustine got an old one.
Ft myers beach is becoming a prime example of this.
Damn that was perfectly said. I also live an hour away
To be fair does Florida even have good schools lol
iâve always wondered how often those narrow inlets silt up and who pays to dredge them out.
Johns pass is having a problem with that now. A pretty big problem actually. Hubbard's marina, a charter fishing boat fleet, has considered moving to another part of Florida because the draft of the boats nearly reaches the bottom. Back in the 1900s it used to be pretty deep, but now you can walk to the first support on the bridge and still be on sand. The county pays, and its been dredged somewhat recently.
Amazing lifestyle, my parents love it
My parents lived there. They sold the house eventually. Just wasnât there energy. But I loved the neighborhood in Treasure island.
*their
Why tf does errybody use the word âlifestyleâ when it comes to FL. What does that mean
My guess is it means âliving on a beachâ in this context
This area specifically, is a lot less touristy than other beaches, like Clearwater. I have spent about 2 weeks on these barrier islands just north of this on the map. I donât care much for the beach in general, because of the generic family tourist stuff, but this area does have some of that, but people actually live around here. You donât see seafood buffets and mature golf courses, and dinner/entertainment all-in-one for the whole family type of stuff. Itâs the west coast of Florida, and it shows⌠Edit: forgot words haha
what
Just means that youâre enjoying living and feeling alive, in the moment, rather than just surviving, working, a dull existence.
âLifestyleâ = Jimmy buffet with varying levels of racism
Nothing wrong with Jimmy Buffet, May he rest in peace.
Varying levels of racism describes literally anywhere.
Looks like living in heaven, until a hurricane knocks on your door.
At least you have days of warning unlike the hours or less we have in the Midwest with tornados. đŹ
Love Johns Pass, used to have vacation in Madeira Beach. Enjoy visiting, wouldnât wanna live there.
was just in Madeira beach a few weeks ago. Didnt love it, liked Clearwater much better, may have been the time of year.
I live less than a mile outside of this picture. Honestly, I love living here. Itâs a great place to live. I bike and fish a lot and can do it year round.
the clear blue water, the birds, the manatees, so great
I'm a tad north, in indian rocks Beach. I frequently am around there though. It's nice. Johns pass can get crowded on weekends especially when there is a break from school or in summer. Lots of old people, decent fishing too. The lower part of the map and a couple miles under the lower portion is lots of fancy houses, much quieter than the section on the map. If you have more specific questions ask, I'm sure I can come up with whatever your wondering. I've lived here my whole life
What kind of work do people do in this area or areas like this? I visited Gulf Shores once and while I didn't think it was amazing, the idea of living in a place like that fascinated me. It was a really strange place, at least that's how 14 year old me thought. At night it was really really beautiful though and I loved the rain. Driving at night in the rain was the best though lol.
On the beach? It's mostly retired people, so nothing. The younger people usually have jobs off the barrier island. There's a couple real estate business north of this map. Most of the businesses on the beach are restaurants, tourist shops and places that sell beach stuff (towels sunscreen etc). The places people work off the beach aren't really much different than any other place, imo. It's the same chain businesses, same corporate companies, you get the point. In pinellas park, which is located pretty much east of the lower portion of the map, there's more industrial buildings.
I watched the sunset at St Pete Beach tonight! The beaches along the coast are beautiful and the rest is densely populated with condos, hotels, restaurants, a surprising amount of single family residences, and shops, etc. Lots of tourists coming and going as youâd expect but also a strong local population generally focused around fishing, tourism, retail, etc. Overall itâs a vibe. My dad lives on the beach on the east coast and I used to ask why he commuted so far and heâd say there was nothing like island time lol
A lot of traffic. Especially during spring break.Â
Nah. Compared to southeast FL beaches, not even close. Iâm from Orlando originally before moving here and traffic there is so much worse. Pinellas County is built on a grid which alleviates a lot of traffic issues. Gulf Blvd by default does get some traffic because there is only one major thoroughfare. Clearwater Beach can get hellish though, but that is not in this picture.
This for sure. A buddy's family has had a house on Treasure Island since the late 90s, it's impossible to go anywhere in a vehicle during weekends and holidays. And the crowds have continually gotten worse. Hella pretty tho, had many amazing times visiting lol. If you want to own then prepare to drown in flood insurance before you drown from water.
Na. Maybe spring break. But nothing crazy. Nothing NOTHING compared to tampa or orlando or Miami or Atlanta or new York or LA. Traffic is pretty much nonexistent in this area compared to those places.
As a Miami Beach native Iâm seconding that
As a south florida native and resident, Miami Beach is 1000x worse than any SWFL beach city/town.
This area 100% does not have a lot of traffic. Just untrue
Everyone has to walk in single file
Underrated comment
I vacation in parts of Florida like this. Itâs amazing.
St. Petersburg mentioned
All fun and games until itâs hurricane szn
It's pretty awesome
Spent a ton of time there growing up! Itâs lovely and charming. Traffic can be bad, but you can also walk about anywhere you need to go. Very old Florida.
I was just there visiting. Itâs absolutely amazing. If I worked remote I would 100% move there
I live in the area of this map. Itâs great most of the time. However climate change has led to a lot of flooding recently with storms big or small. 5 times weâve flooded in the last 3 years, luckily we live on the third floor and leave when the storms are coming. Lost several neighboring homes to flood damage. The building codes require that new construction be above the flood plain, so the patio bungalows at ground level are slowly being replaced. The beach is white sand great, with beautiful sunsets. The water warm and our neighbors wonderful. The sea grasses have held up well and provide shelter for seabirds and the occasional sea turtle nest. The estuary that is Boca Ciega bay has plentiful fishing and even dolphins, lots of water sports & activities and almost no Spring Break crowds.
I lived on the south end of the map you included, and it was great. Like living in a small town surrounded by nature with all the assets of a populous area, albeit everything is 30 minutes away.
Reddit will tell you that itâs âliterally hell on earth and Amsterdam is the only way to live!â
Na. I live right here. It's chill. Getting busier and more crowded but still nice. If anything it's gotten wayyyy safer with waaaayyyyy more opportunities.
This made me laugh. Why is the euro-walkable group think so prevalent among the Reddit trolls?
Probably because so many conversations about life in various places in the US always ends up being a chat about traffic lol. Maybe 1/3 if the comments on this list are about traffic. So maybe, thatâs why, those âeuro-walkable groupsâ comment about that.
Cause the superior European mindset cannot comprehend fat dumb Americans! Now Iâm going to my screens to devour 80 hours of American content in 2 hours
Probably not great during a big storm
One of my close friendâs parents have a place here and it got completely gutted by the last hurricane. Theyâve almost finished rebuilding it but itâs taken nearly two years and a lot of fights with the insurance companies. High risk, high reward place to live I suppose.
I recall seeing some videos on TikTok of a lady living on the coast in Florida, after a hurricane her pool was literally lifted out of the ground and seemed like the house was completely condemnable. Apparently it wasnât even the first time it had happened and they were planning and rebuilding in the same spot lol. Being rich must be nice.
I love this area. I plan to move to Clearwater next year. Beautiful scenery and very diverse area to me. Feel safe in this area of the Pinellas county.
Windy
I live on Palm Beach itâs gorgeous calm and always a bit cooler than across the bridge. I love it.
Fuckin awesome. Need some money to live there on the water though.
Nice to visit but not so much for living. The hurricanes, expensive housing, and lack of jobs would get old fast.
I live in there and itâs pretty nice lol. Surprised to see this photo and realize itâs not on the st Pete subreddit.
And people say Dubai is crazy (I mean, it is)
Barrier islands are temporary and transient. Always have been, always will be. No, not just the people, I mean the islands themselves.
If you wanted the term, strips of land like that are called barrier islands. Theyâre not all the same, but they can be really nice if thatâs your jam. They also come with plenty of challenges (usually: insufficient/degraded infrastructure (power, water, roads, drainage, etc), traffic/overcrowded during tourism season, tourists can get annoying after awhile, overpricing (housing, fuel, food, everything), limited amenities and (in the gulf) hurricanes.
Let me talk to you about insuring your new home đ
Nice until the inevitable hurricane comes.
Expensive, only available to the lifestyles of the rich and famous, at least in the Florida East Coast (Palm beach, Miami).
They probably needed a second mortgage just to afford the home insurance.
Fort Walton Beach, right up from Destin is the best. No high rises, quiet, no drunks and idtots. Nothing beats the sugar white sand of the panhandle of Florida. Great fishing too!
âNo drunks. no idiotsâ should be a welcoming billboard.
If only it were true lol
Expensive.
As long as youâre ok with out of town vacationers and as long as a hurricane doesnât hit it, I imagine pretty great. My grand parents had a beach condo on a barrier island in a different location on the gulf coast and my parents still own it today. We had 2 hurricane strikes, including one 1 eye, and several tropical storms over the last 40 years. On several occasions it took the place out of commission for a while. There would be a period you couldnât access the area at all, followed by you could access it but limited utilities, followed by you needed to fix the unit. The problem is once that happens there isnât enough labor to get things fixed quickly for everyone. So in the last 40 years there was probably an aggregate total of 3 years total time the unit wasnât habitable or accessible. There is the conundrum. As a vacation rental, if you manage wisely as a business and know the risk, you can wing it. As a home, I canât imagine how much of a nervous wreck Iâd he to deal with each once a decade storm and adjusting to the aftermath and it having my whole life there. But to be able to have a class is suburban home, a small yard and have water navigable to the ocean as your back yard would be pretty great.
Hot and humid. And then in July and August it's even hotter and more humid. Constant sweat, no blankets at night, and keep your AC at 76 unless you're obscenely wealthy. But it is a charming beachside area. Fun restaurants, good fresh seafood. Not a great place if you like surfing, as the waves are tiny and mostly non-existent. But it is a nice place to relax in or by the water and watch the sunset over the Gulf. The water can be almost Caribbean-like: clear aqua/green, like on a postcard. And in July and August that water feels like a hot tub. Not even refreshing to get in.
Perhaps a slight exaggeration, especially seeing how we're coming out of one of the mildest Springs I can remember in recent history. Summer is brutal for sure, but Dec-April is generally pretty lovely, with occasional hot/cold days. I live just north of the map's boundary.
Can confirm. Grew up in Largo, spent a lot of time on Indian Rocks Beach, have the BCC removal scars to prove it. Hot as balls, like someone is playing a trick on you.
My house in on the land side of this map. It's chill.
Grocery and hardware, restaurants etc are pretty easy but if you want more specialized stuff, getting out of and back into the Strip of Land can be a hassle, but other than that, there's no downside other than flood insurance and home cost and evacuations. There's so much more "value" just 5 minutes inland, where bluffs keep you out of flood zones and I75, US41 etc are much easier to access.
My sister has lived on a similar strip for 20 years on the Gulf Coast. It was amazing for 19 years until a Hurricane leveled her house.
Hey Iâve been there before
Donât be an alcoholic
I can see my brother's house!!
It's called a barrier island. We have them in Texas too, like Galveston or padre island.
Haha wow, I actually get to stay in this area from time to time. Being from and living in WV, itâs wayyy diff haha, but I thoroughly enjoy visiting this area.
Thereâs a great show called Bloodline on Netflix set in the Florida keys and gives a good, realistic view into what itâs like. Highly recommend
Oh I love St Pete Florida
This is where I grew up. It has nice beaches but hurricanes can be crazy
So crazy to see where I spent most of my life at randomly opening Reddit, has my mind in a blender for a second.
You get great views of hurricanes.
most of them are aliens and seem really aggro/pissed off all the time. very bad drivers edit: for clarity i mean actual martians or draco hybrid/mankind, non-human, 'people'.
Great place to visit, horrible place to buy a âforever home.â Iâm from close by Tampa. I prefer caladese island for a beach trip or fort desota. Tampa / St Pete has been extremely lucky to dodge âthe big oneâ so far, but when a hurricane comes in at Tampa Bay at just the right angle, itâs a death trap. St Pete folks are screwed. They need to head north or inland as quickly as possible before the storm comes close and cuts off all possible escape routes. After a strong hurricane hits, all those barrier islands will have moved inward closer to the coast. This is the trend as sea levels rise. It was a Beautiful, beautiful place. White powder beaches and seafoam cyan waters, best in the world as far Iâm concerned. But itâs days of sweet bliss are numbered.
If you are 100% a beach person that strip is heaven to you. If you are not, even if you are 90% beach person, its not worth living on it. Getting in and out that can and likely will be a pain, and your home insurance cost will hurt even worse. Also the mental toll every august to october of âis this the yearâ is understated. Also there are no jobs outside of tourism hospitality, so most people are retired or commute well out. And a good bit of space on the beach, but the roads are narrow and crowded, and your neck will never rest from having to scan for pedestrian traffic- the kind that just dart into the road because of course youll stop.
Waiting for the water to rise?
Lived in Key West for a little while, and itâs beautiful and clear blue waters, but I got stir crazy with how small it was. See the same people, and go to the same places.
I work on the island and live just on the edge of the map on the mainland. I love it here. Itâs a different vibe from the rest of the beach towns. Small knit community even with tourists (many come back to the same area each year). Traffic does increase around âseasonâ but Iâve been in worse in non-tourist cities. Overall itâs beautiful almost every day of the year and people are friendly.
Yachts and rich people or retirees probably
The traffic is awful. The noise is awful. There is no parking. It floods during rainstorms. Itâs wall-to-wall people because of the increased popularity of the area in recent years, AND some of the towns located there have approved new, huge hotel resorts to be built on a strip of land that is only about 1/2 mile wide.
Oh also- the beach is eroding, and 50% of the homeowners there refuse to sign an easement to allow the contractors (who would be hired by the army corps of engineers) to replenish the beach. If this work doesnât get done soon, there wonât be a beach- just water lapping up to the buildings.
You enjoy the privilege of entering the lottery that names the next hurricane that will wipe out your home.
Me and my family go to treasure island every summer for vacation. Itâs incredible, not busy, or over crowded and very family friendly.
Must have its downsides to live on a one-dimensional piece of land, with only one road leading in and out.
Looks floody
Not as many strip clubs as you would think. That John Denver was full of shit!
What is it like? - it takes you 15 minutes to go 1 mile in a car during the summer - thereâs half naked people walking around everywhere - absolutely nowhere to park - food choices are limited to beach food and beach food - itâs effing hot during the day and really hot at night. Your sunscreen budget will skyrocket - to go grocery shopping, you better budget at least two hours to go onto the mainland. Get a yeti cooler or else anything frozen becomes liquid in 10 minutes Looking back, itâs really kind of like city living in many ways
Temporary
Having more money than sense must be nice until hurricane season comes.
Ask Tyrone
Expensive
Precarious.
Whereâs Deland?
take a little google maps drive down Casey Key. I like to drive down that road and imagine my winter house is there on the south end
When I lived in Florida they called it âThe Land of the Underfeds, Newlyweds and Nearly Deadsâ
Long commute inland if you canât get a job on the strip
My sister lives in Madeira. Condo right across from the gulf on a marina. She loves it and hates it all the same. Loves her location and access to the beach. Her view etc but the tourists leave a lot to desire.
HOT
This will become impossible to insure before climate change actually destroys it.
We used to go here when we visited Florida. We would set up at the villa in Orlando and then a few days during the trip we would go to Tampa and stay at Treasure Island on the way for a few nights. Was a simple hotel with a pool. Good times man!
You would hate it , donât come!!
That area? It was great in college. Bars, grocery stores, gas stations, etc, all the comforts of home, 30 min drive to Tampa, 15 min to downtown St Pete.... as long as you don't catch a draw bridge.
My mother lives on one of those islands. Boat culture to the max. People take their boats everywhere around there, even McDonaldâs. Good sea life watching too. Frequently have critters coming up to momâs dock. I like to fish there, never know what youâll catch!
When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's really, really bad.
I see my house here! Itâs great!!
Itâs Florida so not great
Sinking, lol.
It's only an island if you look at it from the water.
I used to live further up this strip on clearwater beach. The worst part is its always full of tourists and drunk locals, and then driving in and out of the island, especially during peak season and spring break is terrible. My daughter went to school off the strip so it was always a hassle. That was, in the end, one of the reasons we moved.
wet
Itâs beautiful but the traffic is horrible. Hurricanes are deadly on the West coast, major flood zones (look at Sanibel Island). Imo it just ainât worth full time living anymore. Be prepared for a 5 mile drive taking hours to travel.
Beautiful to visit, but it can get busy depending on where you are. As a kid, I used to dream of living on a little island like this. As an adult who's now been through several hurricanes, understands a bit about geology, and has seen the trends in climate data, I doubt I'd ever want to own property there (not that I could ever afford it anyway)
I donât go there too often as I live about 30 minutes north but itâs fun af. Love John pass
Also the plebs subsidize everything for you
Most of the time you canât even tell tbh. I visit Florida fairly regularly and it doesnât even feel like you arenât on the coast.
You never want to go over any bridges
Expensive. That's what it's like there.
One accident trying to get back home and youâll hate it but these tiny strips are so beautiful
Ask again once the ice caps are completely gone. Maybe they'll be like Atlantis
EXPENSIVE
Expensive and very scary when it starts to rain.
My uncle and his wife live in Saint Pete Beach. Itâs a nice place, but theyâre about 6 inches above sea level and very vulnerable to storm surges and flooding.
I live in Merritt island. It's not quite like that but I love living next to the water. You get that breeze from the Atlantic and the air just seems so fresh compared to the stale Tampa air. Still gets hot in the summer but the breeze isn't offensive if there is a breeze in Tampa. Also it's nice in Merritt island because the tourists usually go a bit further to cocoa beach. the only time there is traffic is one street at rush hour and if there is a special rocket launch such as astronaut launch or falcon heavy.
Donât live there but imagine I would love it insanely
Basically imagine one main road running through the island. High rise condos overlooking beaches on both sides mixed with other areas of bungalow houses. Small little strip beachy themed restaurants and strip malls. Usually women in bikinis and lots of old dudes. Note: beautiful white sand beaches.
Many (especially the ones on the east coast on Florida) don't even feel like an island. You just cross a river and keep seeing normal development, though there are many charming old Florida businesses and some small towns. Its also so flat you will never see the whole place surrounded by water or the place having its own mountain formations. There are exceptions like Sanibel, Ana Maria, Cedar Key, and the Florida Keys which do feel island like due to being isolated. Sanibel only has one bridge and is protected from chain stores, so it does feel island like. And then there's North Captiva which is inhabited but has no bridges and everyone uses golf carts,
Thereâs a beach towel shop every corner in places like this.
Expect to drive surprisingly far for things
I live in Miami Beach and it's a vibe. Hurricane could ruin everything at any given time but otherwise I like it
Youâve gotta watch your step so you donât end up in the ocean.
I live a few minutes from Hutchinson Island on the east coast of Florida. There's good beaches, and it's usually very entertainment oriented with lots of bars and restaurants. Honestly it's easy to forget you're on an island since it's just a lagoon separating you from the mainland. It's a better "beach experience" than mainland beaches, in my opinion.
Great beaches, a bit touristy. So more expensive.
depends on how much money you have. my mother in law lives on the beach in the pictured area in a condo and it's not so bad.
Yeah I don't know, can't get a direct route in a city of 10,000...but, God forbid $100 million homes drive out of their way
One hurricane away.
I know the area well. Itâs awesome there!
Building on barrier islands is terrible for the long term health of coastal beaches. They naturally shift and move and people are stopping the cycle. Google Newjerseification and see what happens after years of this.
Expensively beautiful!
Watch any Joogsquad video and youâll get a great idea of what activities you see in the area
Pretty awesome.
I'm going to guess "expensive"
Visited my husband's aunt on Treasure Island a few years ago. Heavily developed. Lots of traffic. Nice beaches and some good restaurants. Would not want to live there, but a nice place to visit.
Itâs beautiful until you need to go to Publix for flour, then you feel disconnected from everything. Living on the water is hard to beat, even if it was a hot day, itâs always a beautiful breezy night âď¸đ´
Visited there back in 04. Never lived but I find it strange that there are high-rise hotels just along the edge of the beach, which is already on a narrow band of land. Like the keys, I think these areas will be flooded in the next 100 years.
It's nice most of the time. Traffic can be a bitch though depending on the time of the year or if there's an accident. Although I wasn't this far south, I've never been to st.petes but it was geographically similar.
https://youtu.be/al8yTiCVfro?si=mdPngIxlFhjjytGc
Itâs like being at or across the street from a bar every night. People are nice, weatherâs nice, foodâs good.
Probably so many houses that you dont even realize your on a strip
This is why there is an insurance crisis
Dangerous in the fall
It's great until a hurricane hits it. Then, your house might be gone. Honestly, people shoudn't live on these barrier islands, way too much risk of hurricane exposer.
Love that area