Top 8 Reasons To Move To The Bayway Isles / Isla Del Sol

August 22, 2019 by The727Team

If you found this page and you’re looking to sell your Bayway Isles / Isla Del Sol Home , click here when you’re done reading this article!

Intro

You may have seen the Living Local series videos of local neighborhoods pop up on Facebook in the past year or so. The city commissioned professional videographers to create candid videos of local neighborhoods, interviewing residents and providing a quick snapshot of the super local culture in these areas. What I also noticed is that these videos are really well done but don’t get the attention they deserve!  Our website is one of the first sites to pop up when you search for neighborhoods in St. Pete so I figured it would be great for us to feature these videos and give our opinion on these neighborhoods as well. The neighborhood residents in these videos briefly touch on what makes their area special to them and I will also be expanding on their opinions from my point of view.

8. Bayway Isles Homeowner’s Club

isla del sol
The Bayway Isles Homeowner’s Club is a gated deed restricted community comprised of about 200 single family homes. This neighborhood features 24 hour security which is funded by an annual HOA fee that also covers common area landscaping. You will find some of the most extravagant waterfront homes in this area. 

Here’s a quick excerpt from their website describing the Bayway Isles Community.

“Bayway Isles is a prestigious, 24 hour guarded, deed restricted island community of almost 200 families. Consisting of two main islands, Bayway Isles extends southward from the Pinellas Bayway into the aqua colored warm waters of Boca Ciega Bay. Most of the homes have a waterfront view across Boca Ciega Bay while others enjoy the views across the water toward Eckerd College. These single family homes are valued from the mid $500,000 to the multi million-dollar range.

Unlike other nearby island communities, Bayway Isles is located within the City of St. Petersburg affording its residents all the amenities of a growing and prosperous city including excellent fire and police protection, libraries and a wide range of cultural and sports events.”

If you’d like to learn more about this community, you can visit their webpage here.

7. Proximity To The Beach

Living in this area is the best of both worlds in my opinion. You’re only minutes away from mainland Pinellas and the highway which makes it easy to commute either north to Downtown St. Pete and Tampa or south towards Bradenton and Sarasota. You’re also less than a 10 minute drive to the beautiful beaches of Pass-a-Grille & St. Pete Beach.

6. Boat Life!

This picture is from Freedom Boat Club on Tierre Verde which is only about 5 minutes from Bayway Isles and right across the bridge from Isla Del Sol. I personally don’t own a boat so instead I got a boat club membership which is the better option in my opinion. There’s 20+ locations around Tampa Bay and two of those are within 5-10 minutes of this area.

From here there’s a lot to do. Boca Ciega Bay is the waterfront area in front of Gulfport and also connects to the intercoastal waterways where water is typically pretty calm compared to going out in the Gulf. My favorite thing to do is take the boat down to Bunces Pass which is a little sandbar just north of Fort Desoto. The sandbar shelters the north end of Fort Desoto and provides a nice shallow lagoon which is a great place to anchor the boat for the day. The sandbar on the map below is Bunces Pass.

 

5. Golfing

As you can see I’m not a member of The Isla Del Sol Yacht & Country Club so I had to take a picture from behind the fence. Anyways there is a nice golf course here right on the ocean! Can’t really go wrong there if golf is your thing.


4. Affordable Condos

There are more options for affordable condos on this island compared to right on the beach. Of course it’s a little bit of a different lifestyle but if you’d like to live in a nice condo community that has waterfront views and great amenities, you’ll have some options here.

3. Skyway Marina District

pinellas point

About 5 minutes away from Bayway Isles / Isla Del Sol is the rapidly developing Skyway Marina District. This area is experiencing a revitalization that is changing the area dramatically. What was once dilapidated store fronts and vacant land is now becoming an established district that aims to properly represent Pinellas County as a first impression for all the visitors coming over the Skyway Bridge.

Currently there are multiple luxury apartments being built, new restaurants opening up, a Wawa, among other projects that are enjoying the benefits of government subsidies to help grow this area. We just need a Trader Joe’s and we’ll be in business!

2. Proximity To Downtown St. Pete

This area is about a 15 minute drive to Downtown St. Pete via I-275. If you’re not familiar with DTSP you should know that it’s probably the most exciting Downtown area in all of Florida in my opinion! Downtown has something for everyone and it’s all contained within a couple of square miles. Go experience it for yourself!

1. Proximity to Fort Desoto

Shell Key Bunces Pass

Fort Desoto is one of the main attractions for tourists as well as locals in St. Pete. This area is a great place to spend a day – complete with historical ruins, beautiful clean beaches, peaceful waters for kayaking, mangroves, dolphin watching, walking trails and even a dog beach. You can also camp here but there is usually a waitlist to get a site.

In Conclusion

Bayway Isles / Isla Del Sol can be a great option to explore if you’d like proximity to the beaches, the natural beauty of a national park nearby and also easy access to the highway and mainland Pinellas. No where else really offers the balance of being close to the beach but also easily accessible to the highway. Are you interested in exploring homes in this area? Feel free to leave your information below and we will be in touch! You can also email us at the727team@gmail.com