Fun for All in Florida at Tradewinds on St. Pete’s Beach

Tradewinds Island Grand Waterway on St. Pete’s Beach

Off-season is drawing to a close in most of our mountain towns here in the Rockies. Locals are heading home after trips to all kinds of exciting hot spots. Most appear tanned and well-rested and eager to take on the busy summer season in our resort communities. I rarely travel far in the spring since there’s so much catching up to do at my desk after the busy ski season. I do, however, enjoy hearing everyone’s tales about their time away.

Many head to exotic locales in Central and South America, others opt for more genteel destinations, such as Florida, within the United States. I’m more of a fan of the latter, especially when it comes to enjoying fun and relaxation at a resort in a safe, scenic part of my own country.

Tradewinds Island Grand, on St. Pete’s Beach in Florida, appeals to me the most out of all my friends’ sun-soaked travel tales this off-season. First of all I love the sugar-sand beaches of the Gulf Coast of Florida and with twenty acres of beachfront playground, Tradewinds Island Grand ranks as one of the best.

Free Fall Action at Splash Island Water Park

Palm Court Terrace: Perfect for One Enchanted Evening

And this is by no means a tired old Florida resort. This long-established retreat just completed a $20 million renovation, making it one of the most alluring properties on Florida’s West Coast. With so much to do and so many amenities to be enjoyed, it’s no wonder it’s a great family fun destination for kids of all ages. At the Tradewinds Splash Island Water Park, you can relax in the warm, crystal blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico while your kids romp on slides and floats nearby.

For me though I’ll take a romantic dinner on their Palm Court Terrace any day. There’s nothing like those sultry Florida evenings. We can’t come close to those balmy temperatures here in Colorado, even in the dead of summer which is one more reason why Florida is also alluring in the summer. It serves as the perfect antidote to our monsoon season that occurs in the mountains during July and August. Best of all:  you can benefit from lots of special rates during the summer (their off-season) and delight in diminished crowds. Why, you might even claim a section of their beach all to yourself.

Ahhhhh, Florida. Ahhhhh, off-season—thank goodness the mountains and the beach balance out their seasons so exceedingly well. Tradewinds Island Grand sounds like my kind of place.

Florida at Dusk: Its Most Sultry Hour