Life along the Florida Suncoast is filled with a wide array of leisure and recreational activities. Treasure Island is a wonderful community for enjoying water-, land- and air-based recreation while Madeira Beach is slightly scaled down, offering expansive beaches for tanning and relaxing. Those who enjoy creative and performing arts, listening to live musical groups and attending arts and crafts shows will appreciate all these two coastal communities have to offer. The local flair here is outstanding, with community pride constantly on display. Enthusiastic residents can always be found celebrating and applauding the local talent acts and performers who crowd stages, street corners and parks nearly every weekend and on most weekdays.

Entertainment, dancing and socializing are a part of everyday life in these towns. Twilight Concerts take place every year from November to April, featuring performances ranging from big band music to choral groups to steel drum soloists. The Sun, Sand and Symphony Concerts are a brilliant display of classical music, with the Tampa Bay Symphony performing directly on the beach in Treasure Island. The Annual Bud Light Florida Beach Volleyball Tournament is a weeklong professional event featuring sponsor tents, thrilling matches, social and promotional parties and incredible exhibits. For the family-oriented, the Holiday Celebration and Boat Parade takes place each year in December while the Halloween Spooktacular and Fall Festival occurs around Halloween and is specifically designed for the children to enjoy. On the 4th of July, Treasure Island hosts its own Pirate Celebration. Events like these (and many more) fill the year’s social calendar and keep residents from all walks of life filled with community spirit.

When they are not celebrating an event on the area’s local circuit, residents often make the short drive into either St. Petersburg or Tampa Bay. These two unique and diverse cities offer everything under the sun from recreational amenities to employment opportunities to retail ventures. Attractions such as huge shopping malls, quaint dining spots, exciting nightclubs, professional sports arenas and more await those visiting these cities. Cultural events abound, with large performing arts theaters featuring traveling Broadway shows and famous museums displaying local, national and international artwork. In addition, just minutes away football fans can catch the 2003 Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in action at the Raymond James Stadium.

The introduction of two professional sports teams, baseball’s Devil Rays and hockey’s Lightning, to the area has produced tremendous economic growth for this part of Florida. As a result, it has become an extremely popular destination for visitors worldwide. The influx of profits from tourism has spilled over to residents in the forms of lower taxes, improved and better-financed community services and safer streets. Furthermore, the city areas surrounding the new stadiums and arenas have been modernized to create an attractive downtown center. Visitors can watch a sporting event and then linger in the downtown center to browse the stores, dine at the restaurants and enjoy the pubs and other watering holes. This revitalization has increased employment opportunities for locals and stimulated growth in all economic arenas, from industrial and commercial to agricultural and residential.

The social and economic improvements in Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg are felt throughout the Florida Suncoast region, making life here pleasurable and satisfying. Whether you are looking for big city excitement or a taste of small-town living, Treasure Island and Madeira Beach offer a sample of both. With its sun-drenched beaches and lush native greenery, safe family-friendly atmosphere and convenient access to area amenities, life in this region of Florida is a dream come true.