Quiet Waters in Indian Shores

If are looking to unwind and relax in a light, sunny, spacious, comfortable waterfront home that is family-friendly, and bike-able, walk-able,  live-able --- and transit-accessible --then you have found the vacation home of your dreams in my unit at Quiet Waters. We've owned it since 1988, use it ourselves as often as we can, and it WORKS!

This incredible TRIPLE WATERFRONT property is located on Florida’s Suncoast, West of Tampa and about eight miles South of Clearwater. Our large bright condo is a corner unit in a 30-unit modern building, which sits on a narrow strip of the coastal Florida town of Indian Shores. It has a big fishing and sun bathing dock on the Intracoastal side, and a pool, hot tub, barbecue and sundeck in the back yard. PLUS we own a private pathway, located directly across the narrow (two-lane+ bike & walking paths) street, which leads to literally miles and miles and miles of sandy Gulf of Mexico beaches.

We love it more every year. I am a writer, still writing a column for the newspapers, and working as an advocate for rail service in America (I negotiated the money out of George H.W.Bush to electrify the Northeast Corridor New Haven-Boston, which cut Boston-NYC travel times almost in HALF; you can find my non-profit, The National Corridors Initiative, or me, on line; just Google me; if you want America to have train service, send money!). When I worked as a reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, now known as the Tampa Bay Times, 40 years ago,  I covered this little  beach island of a town; I knew it well, before I bought – always a good idea by the way if you are thinking, as many now are, of retiring to Florida. Take your time; visit for a few weeks; look around.

What does “TRIPLE WATERFRONT” really mean?

First, you can roll out of the King-Size bed (or the Queen in the second bedroom) and walk downstairs (or take the elevator) to the pool and hot-tub area; second, you can walk out onto the long dock that passes through our wonderful mangrove swamp, to the beautiful, tranquil Intracoastal Waterway where you and your family and friends can watch the sun come up, or fish from the dock, or just visit with the Manatees or the Dolphins (and yes, they do come over and say “hello” --- the Dolphins squeak; the Manatees are Just There --- plus brown rabbits live in the swamp (they are very shy).

Third, or perhaps first if you are a Gulf of Mexico beach lover, is this: we own a very private beach access path to the Gulf of Mexico (see the pictures), which is deeded to us and which is just across the bike-path/walking-path pedestrian-friendly, two-lane street where Quiet Waters sits; this is a very narrow island, as you will discover, made even friendlier by two color-coded bike-paths and two similarly clear walking-paths on either side of this road; the town fathers god bless them resisted the usual highway-lobby pitch to pave and widen everything, unlike elsewhere in Florida, and at Quiet Waters we now have the lifestyle to prove it. Throw in the frequent Suncoast Beach Trolley, and Enjoy!

The apartment itself has a very large master bedroom with a master bath and large walk-in closet, plus a smaller bedroom with an adjacent, separate full bath as well. The kitchen is well laid out, and has all the amenities, including a refrigerator with an incredible ice maker, and plenty of cooking utensils – although the local restaurants are great, and reasonable, so you can go out if you want without breaking the bank. Try the Salt Rock Grille early-bird special for two at $25! Or visit The Pub (you can walk the block to it) for a great Tiki (outdoor) bar with a Happy Hour that is outrageously inexpensive, or eat at PJ’s Oyster House or Crabby Bill’s --- both inexpensive, both with fantastic seafood and in PJ’s case, ribs, too.

The color of the sunlight is buttery and glorious --- it is like the South of France, in my opinion, Because we have a southwestern exposure in our corner unit, the best kind to have,  plus windows on three sides, we get the sun all day long.  As you will see, the days and nights at Quiet Waters combine into an unforgettable experience. We love it, and because at this point (25 years!!!) many of our rentals are repeats, email me as soon as possible with your dates, and we will let you know if our unit is open. We rent by the week or month only!

Here's what a one recent renter wrote me: "Dear Jim...what a wonderful time we had in your condo. You were so informative and the apartment had more than we expected. It was comfortable and clean, and we were welcomed by all whom we met..." (Renter from Florida).

There is so much to do in this area it is hard to know where to begin. As you might expect, there are a zillion golf courses, public as well as private. Indian Shores has tennis courts near Town Hall, and John's Pass at Madeira Beach, nearby to the South, rents boats of all kinds. Cars, bicycles and scooters are readily available, although the trolley/bus system is so good you really don’t need to drive anywhere once you’re here, even to buy groceries.

The Gulf of Mexico and the Intracoastal Waterway are literally a stone's throw away.  Nearby Tampa International Airport has good connections throughout the region, although you can of course rent a car there and drive yourself. Use Hotwire to rent one --- I got a car for $9/day + tax (really) not long ago. Shop around!

The Suncoast (as this part of the Gulf region is called) has tremendous sports and cultural features, and a gentle tempo which simply relaxes you, even if you are like me a Type A.

Swimming, sunning, beaches, music, food, nightlife, tennis, golf, festivals, opera, art, museums, AND DON'T FORGET DOING NOTHING! --- you name it. A great place to do things. Or ro do nothing!!!!

Weekly or monthly only. E mail me for the rates for your dates. Don't delay! We fill up.

Jim