This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Superior Small Lodging of Florida. All Opinions are 100% mine.
Growing up I remember watching a television show with my father about an American Korean War veteran who stayed in the Pacific after the war, as captain of the schooner “Tiki III”. This series created by James A. Michener was Adventures in Paradise.
Well I’ve just come back from my own Adventures in Paradise and it was a lot closer than the South Pacific that James A. Michener used as the location for his tropical adventure.
I was invited to stay at the Island Paradise Cottages of Madeira Beach as part of the Blogger Road Trip that Superior Small Lodging was sponsoring to help build awareness of these “Old Florida Style” accommodations located throughout the state of Florida. My hosts for my adventures in paradise were June and Bill Mohns, proprietors of this outstanding property.
Since moving to the Sunshine State 18 months ago Lisa and I have only seen a small portion of either coast and until this trip we’d never been to Madeira Beach. After spending our first day enjoying the beach and the local flavor of this tropical paradise we knew we’d struck gold with both Madeira Beach and the Island Paradise Cottages.
As soon as we came over the causeway entering Madeira Beach, Lisa and I both knew it was going to be a great vacation! We pulled up to the property to find a heavenly oasis of tropical foliage and bright yellow cottages with red tile roofs.
The pathway to our cottage had been lined with Plumeria blossoms which grow abundantly on the property. Plumeria are native to the Pacific Islands, Caribbean, South America and Mexico. The flowers of this beautiful plant are traditionally used to make Hawaiian leis. Aloha Paradise……..sigh
We had been given Villa Paradiso for our stay at Island Paradise Cottages, one of their larger accommodations with two good sized bedrooms. We were impressed not only with the layout of the cottage but the thought that was given not only to the furnishings, but to all the little extras our hosts provide in each of their cottages.
We found board games, cards, 3 televisions (although we didn’t find time to watch any) a kitchen fully stocked with everything you need to prepare, cook and serve your meals, including a dishwasher and microwave. The attention to detail is very apparent at the Island Paradise Cottages, and you can see that June and Bill both had a hand in every aspect of the design and furnishings of these delightful accommodations. It’s not often that you find so much thought put into making the guests feel as though they were home, and by the end of the first day Lisa and I were ready to move in permanently!
You may also want to take note that the property is dog friendly, which is good to know when we finally feel it’s time to get another companion.
Outside the kitchen door of our cottage we had a Tiki Hut complete with lights, an overhead fan, and gas grill for barbecuing. There are markets in the area selling fresh fish if you wanted to cook up your own catch of the day.
When it was time to head to the beach (a one block walk) we picked up beach chairs and boogie boards as well as a cart to haul everything up to the beach. Our hosts had pretty much thought of everything. Each morning we watched as dolphins swam by, frolicking in the gulf. I was right there with them enjoying the calm and warm gulf waters!
We found time each day to drive around the area exploring, seeing the sights and preparing for our next trip to Madeira beach. Along the way we found Pass-A-Grill Beach and at the end of the Island, more Pelicans than I have ever seen in my entire life. This was just the tip of the iceberg, it was a like a Pelican Colony!
I’m not really sure what type of bird this is, but they have such a diverse population of wildlife in Florida and a lot of them aren’t shy!
The great thing about the Island Paradise Cottages of Madeira beach is how conveniently located they are. Once you get there just about everything is with in walking distance. Great dining and shopping in John’s Pass just a few short blocks away including live music, water sports, fishing, dolphin tours (we saw them right from this pier, a large pod playing in the water), lots of dining options, and lots of fun little boutique shops.
If you’d like to go exploring without a car you can use the easily accessible Suncoast Beach Trolley that runs from Clearwater down past Treasure Island. The trolley runs from 5 am to 10 pm and is only $2 per ride / $4.50 unlimited daily rides
Of course any trip to Madeira Beach wouldn’t be complete without dinner at Walt’z Fish Shak! While it is pretty much a shack, Walt’z is legendary and serves up the best fresh seafood you’ll find in the area. The night we went for dinner they were doing wine samplings in and outside of the restaurant while a live band played in the background. So much for a shack! Just make sure to get there early for dinner because if they run out of fresh fish they close!
We had a nice conversation with Walt himself as he made his way around the dining room, saying hi to old friends and making new ones. We hope to see our new friend again soon!
To say we had a good time would be an understatement. We had the time of our lives and can’t wait to return to this tropical paradise! If you’re traveling to Madeira Beach contact the Cottages of Madeira Beach and tell June and Bill, Chef Dennis sent you!
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