By Peter A. Roos
So, you’re headed to the beach, with no particular destination in mind?
Here’s a thrifty word to the wise. If you are driving to the beach with children and beach gear, the beaches at Fort Desoto Park are the most convenient, natural, the most extensive and some of the safest places you’ll find. The best part, there’s a $1 Bayway toll and you can park all day for $5.
The historic fort and museum are a bonus. The largest park within the Pinellas County Park System, Fort De Soto Park consists of 1,136 acres made up of five interconnected islands (keys). These keys are home to beach plants, mangroves, wetlands, palm hammocks, hardwoods and scores of native plants.
Each of these species plays a vital role in the preservation and protection of the natural environment.
Whether sitting on the beach or kayaking near the still water’s edge, you find yourself absorbed in the abundance of natural beauty as far as you can see. The complexity of the ecology is not immediately apparent, but the park offers the greatest diversity of eco-systems just about anywhere.
Ornithologists have documented more than 328 species of birds over a 60-year span. New species are added every year. The beach also provides refuge to the loggerhead sea turtle, which nests between April and September. Fort De Soto was named America’s Top Beach for 2009 by Tripadvisor, the world’s largest online travel community. In 2005, “Dr. Beach” named Fort De Soto the nation’s No. 1 Beach. Annual park attendance averages more than 2.7 million visitors, so plan to arrive early for the best choice spots.
The campground is reasonable and amazing too. You must make advance reservations online or by phone.
St. Pete Beach Parking
If you wish to take public transportation to the beach, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) operates the SunRunner on First Ave N, west to Pasadena Ave., then south to the county beach park at 45th Ave., across Gulf Blvd. from Dolphin Village shopping center. This SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is so new, it is still free of charge until November 2023. To get around St. Pete Beach you can ride the free electric carts. Summon one with the FreeBee app on your Smartphone or just flag one down.
Perhaps you’re a St. Pete Beach resident who wants a clear, unobstructed view of what is lining up to be one of Florida’s Sunset Capital’s famous displays.
Think about where you park. Parking has become both big business and a big headache for coastal cities. Parking on side streets in Pass-a-Grille, for example, is generally reserved for residents of the neighborhood.
There used to be a $30 fine, which some people just figured was less than paying the meter all day. Residents would return from the grocery store and not find a place to park near their house.
To discourage parking violators, the fine rose to $90 per infraction since last summer.
Renee parked on 23rd St., in her usual spot for lunch at the Pass-a-Grille Woman’s Club. She was surprised to find a $90 parking ticket on returning to her car. The side streets in PaG are reserved for neighborhood residents and those with special event hang tags.
Renee could have gotten one from the club (and will next time). It turns out, St. Pete Beach residents can register their tag numbers at city hall and obtain a map with free parking areas, which Include any St. Pete Beach metered spot. Bring driver’s license and registration to the front desk at SPB city hall 8:30 – 4:30 weekdays.
Parking at public meters in St. Pete Beach costs $3.75/hour. The city says this rate is designed to cover the costs associated with day visitors: empty trash, clean and maintain restrooms and showers, beach grooming, policing parking and the beach, fire rescue and more. Parking is free for up to 2 hours while you shop or eat if you find a space on 8th Ave. in Pass-a-Grille and on Corey (74th Ave.).
It can be challenging for visitors to find a spot in some of the highest demand places, like in Pass-a-Grille or the Corey area when the Arts and Craft Shows and the Sunday Market overlap.
The city wants to help you there. Visit https://www.stpetebeach.org/600/Beach-Parking-Availability for a real-time map of open parking spots in Pass-a-Grille: on Gulf Way, Pass-a-Grille Way and on 9th and 10th Avenues.
- Parking payments can be made via Credit Card at the Pay Stations (no longer taking cash or coins),
Credit Card via Pay-By-Text, or via the payment options provided on the Apps. - Holiday Rates will take affect the holiday weekends of 4th of July, & Labor Day.
Parking will be a flat rate of $20/day on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
of the holiday weekend, and on the actual holiday, as observed by the City of St. Pete Beach.
Treasure Island Resident Parking Permits
The City of Treasure Island issues an annual parking permit that can be used by residents for free parking at any City-metered parking lot. The permit is a plastic hanger designed to be hung from the rear view mirror so it is visible to parking enforcement officers.
• The annual permit costs $45 and is available to Treasure Island residents only.
Residents are encouraged to use the online application to minimize face-to-face interactions and conveniently purchase from the comfort of their homes. Applicants are encouraged to read and review Resolution 2022-12 which made some key changes to the parking pass requirements.
• Driver’s licenses and voter ID cards are not accepted as proof of current residency anymore.
• ALL applicants need a current vehicle registration (regardless of where it is registered) in addition to proof of residency.
• Applicants may use 2 utility bills from Duke or Pinellas Co. Utilities ONLY from the past 2-month period to prove residency.
No other bills will be accepted as proof of residency.
Visitor Parking Rates and Payment
All city-owned parking lots are metered or have pay stations and take credit cards.
The hourly parking rate is
$3.25/hr. weekends and holidays,
$3.00/hr. otherwise, except
$2.50/hr. in the Community Center Lot north of Publix
You can pay by using a smartphone and the ParkMobile app,
or your credit or debit card at the meters or pay stations.
Privately owned lots with parking pay stations are beginning to proliferate, which can charge double or more what the City charges so be sure to check before inserting your credit card.
Finding your quiet spot on Treasure Island is easy – there’s nearly four miles of beaches.
To find your slice of paradise, beach accesses in Treasure Island are marked with distinctive blue and orange seagull signs.
The signs also indicate where there is beach parking, handicapped access, and other amenities.
Parking Areas
An interactive map and parking areas and their sizes are listed based on their location within the City from south to north.
Sunset Beach Parking Lots
Bay Shore Drive & 75th Avenue – Heron (15 spaces)
West Gulf Boulevard @
80th Ave – Sunset Inn (6 spaces)
77th Ave – Tern (55 spaces)
81st – 82nd – Ring-Billed Gull (43 spaces)
80th Terrace – Black Skimmer (16 spaces)
88th Ave Brown Pelican (10 spaces)
Mid-Island Parking (Street Ends)
99th Ave (3 spaces)
100th Ave Sandpiper Lot (16 spaces)
101st Ave E & W (8 spaces)
102nd Ave (6 spaces)
103rd Ave (10 spaces)
Downtown Parking
104th Ave – Gulf Front (77 spaces)
west of Publix
10451 Gulf – New City Hall (62 spaces)
106th Ave. (11 spaces)
106th Ave. & Park Place
Community Center (104 spaces) – $2.50/Hr.
108th Ave. City Hall Lot, (41 spaces)
Sunshine Beach Parking
121st Ave. – Ibis (19 spaces)
124th Ave. 126th (17 spaces)
126th Ave. White Egret (12 spaces)
127th Ave. end-street (6 spaces)
Kingfish Drive (28 spaces)
Madeira Beach
https://madeirabeachfl.gov/parking-map/
Jamal Yahia Parking Supervisor (727) 486-2332 (Text)
300 Municipal Dr Madeira Beach, FL 33708
Mon-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Metered parking costs $3/hour
Tom and Kitty Stuart Park (6am-10pm)
Elsewhere 6 am – 12 am, 7 days a week.
Archibald Beach Park
John’s Pass Village
John’s Pass Parking lot
130th Avenue West
131st Avenue West
132nd Avenue West
133rd Avenue E & W
134th Avenue E & W
135th Avenue W
136th Ave W
There is also privately owned parking around John’s Pass Village including the John’s Pass Village Parking Garage (727-398-3968) and lots operated by
FLParking (727-401-0530). Pinellas County owns and manages the lot located on Gulf Blvd at 145th Ave. and can be contacted at 727-582-2100 Ext. 0.