Indian Rocks Beach

Last year, Courtney and I stayed at Gulfside Resort's Sarah Seaside property in Indian Rocks Beach. Unlike Clearwater and St. Pete Beach, Indian Rocks is one of the quieter Gulf beaches (which is one of it's best qualities, in my opinion). We had such a great time that we returned to Gulfside for Memorial Day this year with Clark (brother-in-law) and Kara (sister-in-law).

Court and I have done a lot of research on beachside hotels, and I've gotta be honest --  a lot of them are really overpriced, not actually within a reasonable walking distance of the beach, or are super outdated. Over our past few trips, we've narrowed down a list of the "must haves" for beachside hotels:

Beach Access - This may sound like a given, but a lot of places use "beach access" as a gimmick, and you can find yourself walking across a road to get to the beach. We do our best to make sure that we can trot down to the water without much fuss and without having to dodge any cars on a busy road.

Pool - The first thing I enjoy doing after leaving the beach is showering off and taking a refreshing dip in a pool. Fortunately, Gulfside Resorts has a GREAT pool. Their property backs up to a little part of Indian Rocks Beach that doesn't get too crowded even during the holiday weekend. They have complimentary beach chairs with cushions and coverings that are available for all resort guests as well as bikes, kayaks, and grills.

Kitchen - Eating out is a blast, but seafood (even here in Florida) can be pricey. We love finding properties that have kitchenettes and grills so we can put together a nice meal without having to leave the property.

We did venture down to Guppy's on the Beach our first night there for some really fresh seafood. Unlike most places near the beach, Guppy's felt like a family restaurant where we were instantly at home. Their atmosphere was intimate and the grouper was VERY good. After dinner, we ventured down to Kooky Coconut for some ice cream. The Coconut may not look like much from the outside, but the line was out the door for their Cuban sandwiches and sweet treats. For coffee, we went to one of our favorite spots, Indian Shores Coffee, the sister property of Black Crow Coffee, where we indulged in one of our favorite coffee drinks: the iced Jet Fuel Latte (made with molasses sugar - need I say more?).

It should be no surprise to anyone that we spent the majority of our weekend either sitting near the Gulf, floating in the pool, or shooting video and photos (thanks for bringing your drone, Clark!!). We enjoyed our lazy time together with family and it was great to sneak away without having to travel too far away from home.

We love all of the Gulfside Resort properties, especially Sarah's Seaside, and we can't wait to visit again soon. We would highly recommend you guys check them out for your next stay!

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