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What's Nearby

Johns Pass
To the north, just across the bridge from Treasure Island, is a quaint fishing village great for spending the day shopping, eating or drinking.

St. Pete Beach
To the south, just across the bridge from Treasure Island, is this larger beach town featuring additional recreation.

Tropicana Field
To the east, less than 15 minutes away, is the home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team

Gulf of Mexico
To the west, is the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Summers in Treasure Island the Gulf water temperature can reach 88 degrees.


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Treaure Island Sunset Postcard Single Image








The Town of Treasure Island

Treasure Island, Florida - Home of
"America's Best Sunsets"

The town of Treasure Island, Florida is also a spectacular place. More praise from Smarter Traveler says Treasure Island is:

"One of the Ten Best Beach Towns in America"

Given the number of beach towns in America that's high praise indeed!

"The Sunset Capital of Florida*"

Treasure Island is a barrier island town in western Florida. It is located ten minutes due west from downtown St. Petersburg, Florida and thirty minutes or so from downtown Tampa. Tampa International Airport is less than forty five minutes away.

Treasure Island is an island because it has the Gulf of Mexico to its west and Boca Ciega Bay (Blind Mouth Bay) to its east. To the south is Blind Pass (named because from the Gulf you can't see the pass, it goes in one hundred feet and then goes ninety degrees to the left). Finally, to the north there is John's Pass (which came to be during the "Great Gale" circa 1945 when the gale blew away part of the existing island.)

Click here to see the satellite map of Treasure Island.

TI History

Treasure Island Florida has an interesting history which includes being initially inhabited by the Timucuans ... who eventually were almost eliminated by Panfilio de Narvaez who arrived in the area circa 1520 AD in search of riches. When told there were no riches Panfilio started cutting out tongues and chopping off heads of the natives. Anyway ... he departed a while later (I'm sure to the relief of the Timucuans). Various other explorers also passed through ... including the famous Hernando De Soto

As to where the name Treasure Island arose there are several theories. A recent Saturday afternoon survey of TI beach patrons produced the following possibilities (in order of popularity):

  • After the famous Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
  • After the Robert Louis Stevenson book of the same name.
  • Because buried treasure was discovered on the island.
  • Because it was a cool name for an island.

I would gamble that Las Vegas had nothing to do with it. As far as Stevenson goes, another theory is that the book was named after the island. And even though it is a cool name I'm leaning towards the fact that buried treasure was discovered at some point on Treasure Island.

I've heard rumors that there were land owners on a once undeveloped island which were desperate for land buyers. So desperate in fact that they planted buried treasure on the beach and then 'discovered' it publicly. At that point the island became known as 'that Treasure Island' and the once desperate land owners got rich and moved to Miami. Just rumors I've heard.

* In January 2011, the town of St. Pete Beach, Florida, bargained with the outgoing Florida governor at that time to have their town declared the sunset capital. The sunsets in St. Pete Beach are also spectacular. But are they the best? I see no supporting evidence.