Treasure Island Surf Report: Live, Conditions & Forecast

Treasure Island is a wide, family-friendly Gulf Coast beach town in Pinellas County near St. Pete, running about three miles from John’s Pass at the north end down to Sunset Beach in the south. It is an exposed, sand-bottom Gulf beach break with a gently sloping, often calm shoreline. This is the Gulf of Mexico, so it is flat the great majority of the time and only turns into a surfable wave when a winter cold front or a tropical system stirs up the Gulf.

Best Swell Direction: West to southwest wind swell, generated by Gulf cold fronts and tropical or hurricane systems.

Best Winds: East winds are offshore here, the opposite of the Atlantic coast, since the Gulf lies to the west.

Best Size: Usually flat to small, coming up only briefly when a front or storm pushes wind swell in.

Best Tide: Works through the tide on the rare days it breaks.

Break: A sand-bottom Gulf beach break along a wide, gently sloping beach. Sandbars shift along the shore, so the better banks move around.

Seasons: The best windows are winter, when cold fronts cross the Gulf, and the summer and fall hurricane season. Even then, surfable days are few and short-lived, so Treasure Island is an opportunistic session rather than a dependable surf spot.

Crowds: On the rare good day a few local surfers turn out, but the wide beach spreads everyone out. Most of the time this is a swimming and sunset beach, not a surf scene.

No Lifeguards: Treasure Island does not staff lifeguards, so swimming and surfing are at your own risk. Know the conditions before you paddle out.

Facilities: Restrooms and outdoor showers are at Gulf Front Park (10400 Gulf Boulevard) and the Sunset Beach Pavilion (8000 West Gulf Boulevard), the latter with a playground, picnic areas, and bike racks, plus a paved beach trail. Gulf Front Park has an ADA beach mat, and beach wheelchairs are available from City Hall on weekdays. John’s Pass, with its boardwalk, shops, and restaurants, anchors the north end.

Operating Hours (Subject to change): The beach is generally open during daylight hours. Confirm current rules with the City of Treasure Island.

Fees: Parking is metered across the beach lots, enforced 24 hours a day with no free evening window, paid through the ParkMobile app.