In February of 2008, I got together with a group of friends from high school (26 years later) and headed down to Florida to escape the ice, snow, and cold temperatures in Central Kentucky and to share some "just the girls" time with old friends -time to reminisce and relax, along with raucous laughter, always good for the soul.
The trip was all that we all hoped for. The beach was pristine -well maintained, not overcrowded, and full of lots of just "good folks", mostly snowbirds from the north; regulars during the winter months. We, in our 40s, were some of the youngest beach bums the week we were there, and we could not have wished for a more pleasant crowd of people with whom to share our time and space.
We stayed in a comfortable, clean condo directly across from John's Pass. We enjoyed all of the shopping and dining experiences afforded by John's Pass, along with Crabby Bill's Restaurant in St. Pete -just south of us.
We would definitely return to Madeira Beach someday. If I could afford it, I would invest in property there. It had its own kind of charm -an enjoyable place to go- a home away from home.

Last 4th of July week my family and I headed to Madeira Beach,FL. We stayed at The Seasons Resort and boy did we love it. Every night there was something new to do at John Pass, which is near by. The restaurants are great and the atmosphere is family oriented. On the 4th of July we had a HUGE fireworks display which we could see from our balcony as we sipped margaritas. What an amazing time we had. We recommend it!

My fiance' and I went to Madeira Beach for our first "real" vacation in 5 years. We were recommended here by a friend. Although we had a good time, we won't go back. Our condominium was right on Gulf Boulevard, "the strip." We expected there to be several things to do, since every website I had researched raved about the town. John's Pass Boardwalk is nice, but 85% of the shops sell the same "touristy" items (you know, shells and sand dollars and cheap T-shirts). After one day there, we had been in every shop and had no need to go back. There are 2 putt-putt courses and that's it. They were doing road construction on both drawbridges so traffic was a bear. The beaches are clean, so that's a plus. I guess if all you want to do is spend money at Johns Pass or lay out all week, this is the place. If you're looking for something more than that, go somewhere else. The roads are also very confusing, since most have at least 3 names. And as far as St. Pete's roads... make sure you know which roads are what before you drive (i.e. there's First Street, First Avenue and First Boulevard). Very confusing! Everything is within driving distance, such as Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, but I must say that $57.95 per person seemed a little high for a mediocre amusement park. We live in the midwest and thought that Paramounts Kings Island put Busch Gardens to shame. I would definitely recommend Disney instead if you're going to an amusement park in the area. MOSI museum in Tampa is about 30 minutes away. We were fortunate enough to see the Bodies in Motion exhibit. Very cool! However, the entire second floor was under construction and the Hurricane Ride they boast about in their advertisements was closed. Derby Lane Greyhound Racing is about 20-30 minutes away and was a blast! As far as dining... we ate at Crabby Bill's and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very casual, fun atmosphere and good prices and food. The Frog Pond is nice for breakfast but get there early, otherwise you'll wait and the owner isn't a very personable guy. To summarize, there isn't much to do right there in Madeira. Nothing is within walking distance, other than the beach and Johns Pass. And after an afternoon at John's Pass and 2 or 3 days laying on the beach, you're left wondering what there is to do around there and grateful that you have a car to get you somewhere else.

Madeira beach is a great place to spend your vacation. It offers great shopping (Johns pass) and great beaches, superb eateries and friendly people. You must take a cab to India rocks though, go to Crabby Bills!