I had the opportunity to check out
TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach. There are two properties that make up this grand 31-acre beachfront playground,
Tradewinds Island Grand and
RumFish Beach Resort by TradeWinds. Both were created with fun in mind and there are so many things for kids and adults of ages to do, there is no way anyone would ever get bored while visiting here. Upon walking into the resort, I noticed right away that their slogan is
Just Let Go and for a few hours, I was able to do just that.
My friend Becca joined me at TradeWinds for a much needed girls day. Fun story with us, we met 10 years ago while we were both living in Daytona through a group of friends. We became "facebook friends" but didn't stay in touch, until I posted 2 years later that I was moving to Tampa. She had just moved over here with her boyfriend (now husband) and we became fast friends. A few months later, my Mom went to her High School Reunion and reconnected with one of her best friends, whose daughter had also just moved to Tampa. They tried to set us up on a friend date - well guess who her daughter is... Becca. Small world!!
We enjoyed our day relaxing in a covered Cabana and catching up. It was just what we both needed. The covered cabana is a perfect place to stay safe in the sun while enjoying the beautiful beach.
There are
14 eateries at TradeWinds Islands Resorts including casual and fine dining. We enjoyed a few adult beverages while hanging in our cabana. This is a 22oz margarita that I ordered from Salty's Tiki Bar and Beach Lounge. You are allowed to drink on the beach at TradeWinds and they have a beach buggy that goes around refreshing your beverages.
If the weather had cooperated with us, we would have experienced the
20,000-square-foot water park that is floating in the Gulf of Mexico! The water park offers more than 11 fun-filled features – from jumping and climbing, to relaxing and sunning - they have floating cabanas which is a dream come true.
Becca did take a ride on Bucky the Shark, a mechanical shark (like a mechanical bull). I was very impressed with her skills.
Right by Bucky, there is also a three-story High Tide Slide on the beach which was very popular throughout the day - I sat that one out but everyone looked like they were having a blast!
Becca has two kids and instantly stated she was going to bring them over for a staycation being there are some
amazing deals this summer at TradeWinds Island Resorts (especially during the week), rates start as low as $243. The property has seven heated pools, stand up paddleboarding, hammocks, paddleboats, mini golf, trampoline park and a surf simulator. You can also purchase a
day pass at TradeWinds to enjoy all the amenities.
My few hours at Tradewinds was just what I needed. A few months ago, laying out and going to the beach/pool was my happy place. However, when I got diagnosed with multiple location melanoma, I have not spent time outdoors and I am extremely self conscious about the melanoma scars all over my legs. I spoke with my Doctor about sun exposure and was told to live my life normally, just smarter. Although my cancer is genetic, I am fair skinned which puts me at higher risk for cell growth. I lathered up in dual spectrum SPF 50 and stayed under the covered cabana - I enjoyed myself and for a few hours, and was able to forget about everything going on... It’s time for me to take back my life and
Just Let Go.
Special thanks to TradeWinds for inviting me out for a beach day. I was not required to write this post and all opinions are my own.
This was the perfect Broadway show to see for the last week of my 30's. I grew up with this music and sang along to songs such as “Every Rose Has It's Thorn,” “I Wanna Know What Love Is,” “Here I Go Again,” “Don't Stop Believin’,” and more! I promise this - the tenth anniversary production will have you ready to rock!
Rock of Ages has been nominated for five Tony Awards® and was quick to jump into my top 5 Broadway shows we've seen.. There were times where I forgot I was watching Broadway and thought I was at a concert.
The musical follows the story of a small-town girl who left home to be an actress and a city boy who has dreams of becoming a famous singer. The love story with some drama along the way features a group of rockers who work together to save a local bar - and save the music. There was a ton of laughter and singing from the audience along the way. 
