Sunset Beach, Florida: A Welcoming Oasis Just a Stroll Away from the Madding Crowd

Last Updated on October 15, 2024 by Marybeth

Whether you call them “madding” like Thomas Hardy did back in 1874 or “maddening” as we modern day people do, most crowds are those words and other terms I usually only use around my husband, my friends, and my kids. (My kids are in their 20’s; it’s okay. One of the best things about having grown children is no longer having to pretend to be horrified by swear words.)

Crowds on beaches are even worse than maddening, unless you’re a spring breaker, single and seeking, or drunk, or all of those things.

For the rest of us, there is Sunset Beach.

Sunset Beach is a residential beachfront community, a slight turn off the main drag as you travel from Treasure Island to St. Pete Beach. Residents would like for their little sort-of-secret neighborhood to remain that, but sadly for them there are people like us, guiding fellow travelers off the beaten path: take that right when the road bends to the left.

Officially Sunset Beach is Treasure Island, which was named in 1915 when hopeful developers buried wooden boxes in the sand and then “found” them:  “Buried treasure! Come here and stay, and find your own booty!”

THE BEACH

Sunset Beach Pavilion/ Treasure Island Beach Pavillion

8000 West Gulf Blvd.

THE BAR

Caddy’s Waterfront

9000 West Gulf Blvd.

Quintessential beach bar but also family friendly. Wildly popular with locals and visitors alike, this may seem like the madding crowd to some, but Caddy’s is big enough for everyone to spread out without feeling like you’re going mad.

THE BUNGALOW

Sunset Inn and Cottages

7925 West Gulf Blvd.

Of course the “& Cottages” sparked our interest! This mid-century mom-and-pop was rescued from falling apart at its seams by some innovative women with great vision.

Our cottage, attached to Tandem Two – named for obvious reasons! We fell in love at first sight with just the colors of this Inn alone.

Old Florida meets modern, fresh, whimsical, attention to detail, creative, great energy. The owners’ love and care of the place is evident everywhere, from our welcome as we arrived, to our little tour of our cottage and the “work in progress” updates they gave us on more to come (raising and enlarging “our” porch roof and that of the other cottages to provide more shade.) Even the graphics are appealing and cohesive, from the adorable hand lettered property map to the logo sticker on the folded point of the fresh roll of toilet paper! I almost took a photo of that…

Just a Stone’s Throw to the ocean.  I think I photographed this little gem thirty-five times. Something about that color combo!

The Lookout was the former manager’s quarters, and now is a second story penthouse suite with breathtaking views of the Gulf.

Once sergeant’s quarters on MacDill airforce base, this cottage rode to Sunset Inn on a barge.

Tandem One living/dining. Even my wine glass was cute!

Tandem One bedroom.

Creative attention to detail everywhere you look

When I finally forced myself away from the Sunset Inn to take photos around town, I was happily charmed by Sunset Beach’s tiny cottages, abandoned cottages (how could this happen, a block or two from the gorgeous beach and bay ??) and even the occasional big honker beach mansion.

This bright beauty, and the yellow with the red door, above,  is part of a complex of cottages for sale! Click here to purchase. UPDATE:  This collection of cottages – 5 rental units – sold for $771,791!!!

You’ve got to love a third story lifeguard stand + patriotism!

We have about 300 more photos of this town (only a slight exaggeration) so if you’d like to see more, email us!  I’m pretty sure we don’t have to convince you to visit Sunset Beach –  if you’ve hung with us through all those photos, or even if you just glanced at the first two, I’d bet my rare 1st edition Thomas Hardy that you’ll be booking your trip soon.

Sunset Beach is a residential community in Treasure Island, 10 miles west of St. Petersburg, 28 miles south west of  Tampa, and 17 miles south of Clearwater.