A Lazy Weekend Guide to John's Pass & St. Pete Beach, FL

Michael’s answer to where he wanted to go for his birthday was the same as last year:

“The beach.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Absolutely,” he replied, and off I went exploring both of Florida’s coasts on Airbnb. I compiled a short list of places to stay, and he chose a small studio in John’s Pass for its proximity to the beach, restaurants, and bars. And so one June Friday after work, we made the drive down to the St. Pete Beach area with very little on our itinerary – just the way he prefers.

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For much of the trip we parked ourselves on the nearest beach using the Airbnb host-provided chairs and towels, but we also mustered up the energy to rent bicycles to explore the area beyond our (somewhat) tourist-trap home.

Because we “did” so little, today I’m sharing everything we did and all I packed combined in one post. In fact, I really hadn’t planned to share anything from this trip – which is why there aren’t terribly many photos – but I changed my mind after we got back as there really isn’t a ton of info out there on visiting this area.

I’m always thrilled to share wonderfully off-the-beaten-path spots for my curious traveler friends, so! If you’re headed to the Madeira Beach/St. Pete Beach area and looking for some hidden gems, here’s what we recommend after our lazy weekend getaway in the area:

THINGS TO DO IN MADEIRA BEACH AND JOHN’S PASS

Mad Beach Craft Brewing

Florida beach towns aren’t necessarily known for being great food spots (of course there’s seafood, but it’s often pricey), but Mad Beach Craft Brewing was exactly what we needed upon our late arrival: simple, hard-to-mess-up fare.

Finding great burgers, fresh seafood, and just-brewed beer only steps from our front door after a long day at work and a long drive down to the beach? It really doesn’t get any better than that.

→Mad Beach Craft Brewing // 12945 Village Blvd, Madeira Beach, FL 33708

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Sweet Brewnette Cafe

Sweet Brewnette Cafe was located about a mile north of where we were staying, so due to the heat, we waited until we picked up bikes (more on that later!) to visit. The coffee was great and the place was packed—few spots along the coast need to be good enough for locals, but Sweet Brewnette seemed like it was full of regulars.

→Sweet Brewnette // 13999 Gulf Blvd STE C2, Madeira Beach, FL 33708

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Gia’s Bluewater Taqueria

The lack of any customers made us a bit wary of Gia’s, but there were enough positive reviews for the place that we were willing to give it a shot. I’m so glad we did – the fish tacos we shared were phenomenal.

→Gia's Bluewater Taqueria // Now Closed

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Walt’z Fish Shak

Walt’z Fish Shak may seem like it’s missing a few letters in its name, but we’re not ones to judge a book by its cover (plus it’s New York Times-vetted, so there’s that).

Prices are high (there’s a clever sign inside that says something along the lines of, “Good seafood isn’t cheap, and cheap seafood isn’t good”), but sharing an order of fish dip and a slice of key lime pie turned out to be a great value.

→Walt'z Fish Shak // 224 Boardwalk Pl E, Madeira Beach, FL 33708

THINGS TO DO IN ST. PETE BEACH

Endless Summer Rentals

I searched around online and Endless Summer not only had great reviews, but they also had the lowest prices for a daily bike rental. Scheduling the rental was easy – I just called the day before and the following morning two beach cruisers were delivered to our door (locks included).

We kept them for a full twenty-four hours, and to return them, just locked them outside of our Airbnb to be collected. I’m still not fully bike-confident but I managed to pedal around the mostly-flat city streets just fine.

→Endless Summer Rentals // Delivery Service

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Mastry’s Brewing Co.

I love when we stumble upon a place and wish we could bring it back home with us – for this trip, Mastry’s Brewing Co. was that place. Breweries aren’t often small and cozy, but this one was perfect for huddling up and sharing different beers. Best of all, it was just a quick hop on our bikes to get back home.

→Mastry's Brewing Co. // 7701 Blind Pass Rd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706

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Vito and Michael’s

A hole-in-the-wall restaurant without a website is my kind of place. And this one reminded me of the local Italian-American joint my family often dined at growing up, down to the paper placemats featuring a map of Italy.

Would we have found this pizza in Italy? No, but that doesn’t mean this pizza wasn’t delicious. Plus, a custom pizza was the perfect reward for riding up and down the barrier islands.

→Vito and Michael's // 7704 Blind Pass Rd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706

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La Casa del Pane

I can’t say no to a good Italian bakery – especially after pizza. This one boasted case after case of traditional cookies and treats, all sold by weight. There was also a great selection of wine, but our tote bag was too heavy with the crowler we picked up at Mastrys!

→La Casa del Pane // 7110 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706

EN ROUTE…

Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish

Be sure to stop at Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish to take home some of their famous smoked fish dip. A local institution since 1951, this showed, as there were no empty tables within twenty minutes of opening. My smoked mackerel was so large I had leftovers for three more days!

→Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish // 1350 Pasadena Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33707

WHAT I PACKED FOR FLORIDA’S GULF COAST

tops || Black Silk Tank* | Geometric Silk Tank* | Windowpane Silk Tank* || outerwear || Olive Jacket* || bottoms || Black Shorts* | Denim Shorts* | Light Denim || swim || Two-Piece | One-Piece | Cover-up* || shoes || Leather Sandals [save 20% with code WAYWARD20] | Flip-Flops | Waterproof Sneakers || pajamas || Tee | Silk Shorts* || accessories || Floppy Hat* | Digital Camera | Belt Bag* | Crossbody Bag* | Cotton Tote

I guess you could say I stuck to the KISS principle when packing for this trip.

When planning our getaway, we agreed to keep things as low-key as possible and declared that we would avoid any fancy meals out (this, of course, translates to “no dressy clothes needed”).

Looking for more packing list inspiration? Discover what's in my suitcase each season: Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter

A tank, shorts, and sandals became my uniform for the weekend (with a swimsuit underneath, naturally!), and I included jeans for the car ride and a jacket for places where the A/C is on blast. I packed my waterproof sneakers and belt bag for ease of riding bikes, but left my worries behind!

*these items are no longer available and I've linked a comparable product

FINAL THOUGHTS ON SPENDING A LAZY WEEKEND ON FLORIDA’S GULF COAST

Growing up in Gainesville, most of my beach day memories were formed on the state’s East Coast beaches, like Jacksonville Beach, St. Augustine Beach, and Crescent Beach. While I have fond feelings of nostalgia and still visit those beaches occasionally today, I think my heart lies with our Gulf Coast beaches. Clear water, soft sand, and lazy waves are right up my alley. Plus, catching a sunset will always beat waking up early for a sunrise on vacation!

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Questions for you

Have you ever spent time on Florida’s Gulf Coast?

Which Florida beach is your favorite?

Looking for more? You may enjoy these other Florida guides:

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A Lazy Beach Getaway in John’s Pass, Florida, and Everything I Packed