Tradewinds St Pete Beach: Ultimate Family Destination Review

Imagine waking up to palm trees swaying in the breeze, to the turquoise sea sparkling in the sun and to the sand feeling as soft as powder sugar? It is not a just a fantasy, this is for real. While staying at the Tradewinds St Pete Beach Island Resort, we woke up to paradise every. single. day.

Not only is the location gorgeous, but the resort caters to families. Although this HotMama isn’t afraid to make any accommodation family-friendly, I just love when resorts make it easy. The property is huge and fun to explore with activities around every corner. Waterways, bridges, pools, beaches, restaurants, bars, a friendly staff and even a pirate ship are just some of the things that make Tradewinds Island Grand St Pete the perfect spot for a memorable family vacation.

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[EDITOR’S NOTE: Also, feel free to check out our related article on the best family hotels in Clearwater Beach, and our extensive family guide for things to do in to St Pete Beach.]

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Best place to stay in St Pete Beach

The best word I can use to describe the rooms at Tradewinds St Pete Beach Resort is charming. The warm colors and fresh Caribbean style give the rooms an invitingly tropical feeling. There are a number of rooms to choose from with views of the tropical grounds or of the Gulf. We booked a room on with a Gulf view and it was fantastic. I’m a squealer and every morning I woke up and stepped out onto our balcony I squealed with delight. Even the standard rooms come stocked with a kitchenette including microwave, toaster, dishware, mini-bar, mini fridge and coffee maker. Rates range from $200 for a standard room to $500 for a suite with balcony.

Places to Eat near Tradewinds St Pete Beach

There are plenty of places to eat right on the property and even more options at the RumFish Resort (formerly the Guy Harvey), which is the sister property to Island Grand. Since we were there a week, we had the opportunity to try most the restaurants at the Tradewinds Island Grand.

Flying Bridge

This is where we started most mornings. We loved the outdoor seating, which had views of both the pool and beach. The portions are large, especially the sandwiches, which makes it easy to share. My favorite thing was the Chicken Salad Flat Bread!! So yummy. So is the Caesar Chicken Wrap. I’ll get to the AMAZING Bloody Mary’s in the Chulg-A-Lug section. Shout out to Becki, Ginger, Debbie and Myles who treated us like family! You guys were awesome and we can’t to see you next year.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s

For casual dining, Beef O’ Brady’s has a really relaxed atmosphere and great drink special, but again, I’ll get to that later. Wink. We love popping in for a drink and Fish and Chip or some spicy wings after a day on the beach. Sam, you rock! Thanks for taking care of our loud crazy group!

Bermudas Steak & Seafood

Offering breakfast and dinner. The best part? Kids eat free with a paying adult Sunday through Thursday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. They also have awesome nightly specials, including all you can eat crab legs!!! You can bet I was all over that!! Keep them coming!! It is definitely my FAVORITE spot for dinner. This last trip we ate there three times for dinner and Papa ate there every morning for breakfast! Ivan and Tanya were so sweet with my dad and really became friends by the end of our stay. Daniel, Jason and Ali were amazing! They kept the wine flowing and the crab legs coming!! We really felt like family at Bermudas.

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Palm Court

It is known for their Sunday Brunch, but I really enjoy dinner on the patio. The outdoor seating is gorgeous at night with candle light in the center courtyard of the resort. As you dine you can listen to the enchanting sounds of frogs in the pond. Our server was so sweet and gave us great tips for things to do around St. Pete.

RumFish

Okay, RumFish is technically over at Guy Harvey Outpost, but it is apart of the Tradewinds Resorts. The first we visited it wasn’t quite open, but we vowed to hit up the next time we were in town. Oh and we did! We had an amazing breakfast at RumFish!!! We all devoured our southern comforts and kids feasted while being entertained by the HUGE tank, built by the guys from the show Tanked. The girls that clean the tank waved and played the kids and Patrick, our server was great! We can’t wait to come back next year and try some more goodies!!

Where to grab a drink

Yay!!! My favorite section. It’s always cocktail o’clock in my world. Let me just start by saying that the Tradewinds Island Grand has the best Bloody Marys.

Flying Bridge

Grams and I started everyone morning at the Flying Bridge with one of these bad boys. Loaded with lemon, lime, pickles and olives, they were yummy.

Salty’s Tiki Bar at Tradewinds

was another favorite of mine. I loved that the kids could sit and play in the sand while the adults could enjoy cocktails and beer and listen to live music. At night, lights twinkled in the trees and everyone would sit out enjoying the warm Florida nights. We’ve had Jenn take care of us every year and we just love coming back to see familiar faces! David S. you rock too!

Sharktooth Tavern

Here, they have karaoke nights and live entertainment. It’s for adults only so I didn’t to hang there often, but I’m determined to perform mine and HotDaddy’s rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart next time we visit.

RumFish Beach Resort (formerly known as Guy Harvey Outpost)

We often made our way to the RumFish Beach Resort to hang at the SandBox. There, they have live music, open fire lounge seating. It is perfect if you have kids, because the SandBox is on the beach. The kids had a blast playing in the sand, corn hole and this funny ring hook game. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays they even offer kids crafts and activities. It was so relaxing for us adults; we could have sat there all night.

HotMama Tip: Yuengling, a local brew from Tampa, is offered at all the mentioned bars and restaurants. It is really tasty and usually offered at $2 a draft during happy hour! Great value.

Fun Things to do with Kids in St Pete Beach

The Beach:

Having the beach just steps from my room was super convenient. The kids love playing at the beach, plus the sand is so soft and the water is so calm and warm that you could stay for hours. As a guest of the Tradewinds St Pete Beach Island Resort, we had access to the cabana lounge seats, which was a great way to get some shade. My favorite part was that you can drink on the beach, which is not allowed on California’s beaches. HotDaddy and I could relax in the shade, sip on a cold beer as the kids built castles in the sand.

Also on the beach is a three-story high water-slide. It was a huge hit with Firecracker. She went down that thing at least seven times a day. I made the mistake of taking Cuddle Bear down it. Let’s just say he was pretty pissed.

There is also Splash Island Water Park setup on the ocean. as well as other water activities such as jet packing, kayaking, paddle boards and para-sailing.

The Pool:

There are four pools on the property. My kids were regulars at the beachfront pool which is located right next to the Flying Bridge overlooking the Gulf. This is also the site of the daily pool pirate invasions and the Dive-in Movie nights.

There is an adult pool beachfront near Salty’s. Obviously not the pool I could frequent.The other pool longer for those who like to laps in the morning and it is located by the toddler pool if you come with a diverse group that needs to have both options.

Paddle Boat:

Guests can take a relaxing paddle boat ride along the lagoon which weaves through the resort. Every morning I would sit on the balcony with my morning cup of coffee and watch as families float past my room. When we took our paddle boat out, all the paddling was left up to HotDaddy. Good thing he has strong legs. We had a great time and we saw Papa waving to us from our room! Take a beer, take the kids and enjoy a nice paddle around the lagoon.

Pirates:

Captain RedBeard’s ship landed at Tradewinds Island Grand and brought fun for the kiddos. There is a Family Pirate Show, campfire stories, poolside invasions and pirate themed crafts at the KONK club. There is even a tuck-in service, where Beaker the Pelican visits the kids before bed.

KONK:

Stands for kids only, no kidding. This is where parents can do crafts and activities with their kids. They even offer a drop-off camps and KONK Care with supervised programs. Be sure to check the kid’s calendar for a full list of offered activities.

HotMama Tip: KONK is Autism friendly!

In addition to the KONK activities, there is also mini-golf, a bungee trampoline, corn hole, Bimini Ring, an arcade, tournaments and much more. We were there for over a week and still didn’t get to participate in all the activities Tradewinds Island Grand offers, not to mention Guy Harvey Outpost, where kids can try their hand at simulated surfing, corn hole, Bimini Ring, and roast marshmallow with the complimentary s’more kit. Trust me, the kids will be TIRED!

That’s A Wrap!

My kids constantly talk about their trip to St. Pete and most of their fondest memories are from the resort. We all had such an amazing time during our stay at Tradewinds Island Grand that we can’t wait to return every year.

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