Weedon Island Preserve in Gandy - Tours and Activities

This huge Tampa Bay preserve is an important archeological site and offers plenty of outdoor activities.

Although it’s only a 20-minute drive from downtown St. Petersburg, Weedon Island Preserve feels like it’s a thousand miles away. Come here to appreciate a vast landscape of unspoiled aquatic and wetland ecosystems. Weedon Island Preserve is a peaceful place suited to a relaxed day-trip. If you feel like getting active, hike the boardwalk trails and spot wildlife such as herons, turtles and lizards.Begin your visit at the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, which is free to enter. Explore the interactive exhibits that aim to teach you about Florida’s natural past, or participate in a workshop. Stock up on maps and supplies and find out about the hikes.The boardwalks provide 2 miles (3 kilometers) of manageable hiking routes for visitors and are suitable for prams and wheelchairs. The boardwalks cut through mangrove forests and tidal flats, which is an excellent way to view the creatures that live in these habitats without getting your feet wet.To increase your chances of spotting the wildlife, head to the 45-foot (13-meter) tall observation tower on the west boardwalk route. Another recommended hiking trail is the Boy Scout Loop, which leads you through pine flatwoods and past giant oaks. Rent a canoe or kayak to see the trail from a different perspective.Go fishing on the pier and try to land sheepshead, jack or snook. Find more details about fishing on the website prior to your visit, or ask the staff at the Cultural and Natural History Center.In 2011, a prehistoric canoe was extracted from the shoreline. If Native American history is of interest to you, speak to someone at the Cultural and Natural History Center to see if there are any archeological digs or lectures happening.Weedon Island Preserve is accessible daily from early morning to just before sunset. The Cultural and Natural History Center is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. To get to the preserve, drive northeast from downtown St. Petersburg, a trip of about 10 miles (16 kilometers).

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Ocean Club Treasure Island Hotel

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Nov 22 - Nov 25

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Won’t Be Staying Here Again! Very disappointing experience. We were told over the phone around 1 PM that our room was available for early check-in and that we could go to the hotel. The man I spoke with was not particularly helpful and initially told me that the only way to find out was to come to the hotel. I specifically explained that I didn’t want to drive there just to find out that we had to wait and asked if he could simply check whether a room was available. He then told me that our room was available and that we could come. We left the beach specifically to go to the hotel (4 adults, a kid, and a dog), only to arrive around 2:15 PM and be told the room wasn’t ready yet but would be soon. No one followed up with us, and we ended up waiting for almost **2 hours** until I had to go back to the front desk at 4 PM (our official check-in time) to ask about the room. Also, we had an extra car and were told parking was completely full, forcing us to park elsewhere and pay a significant amount. However, we noticed many empty spaces throughout the night (up to 1 am), which made it feel like the front desk simply didn’t want to help. On top of that, the $80/day pet fee seemed very unreasonable. The property itself was nice, but the poor communication, parking situation, and extra fees made the stay frustrating. **We would not stay here again.**

Reviewed on Sep 20, 2026