Some accommodations are memorable before you ever spend a night there.
While filming in SouthShore, Florida for Love Eat Travel with Michelle Valentine, we visited Pirate’s Pointe Resort in Ruskin, a small waterfront property tucked away near the Little Manatee River. We didn’t stay overnight, so I can’t tell you what it’s like to wake up in one of the cottages or spend an entire vacation here. What I can tell you is that it was an incredibly photogenic little property and unlike the typical hotel experience.
Instead of a large hotel building with hallways full of identical rooms, Pirate’s Pointe is made up of individual cottage-style accommodations surrounded by a laid-back Florida setting. The property currently has 16 units in a variety of sizes, including studios and larger cottages.
A Different Kind of Florida Stay
What immediately makes Pirate’s Pointe interesting is the scale.
This isn’t the high-rise, sprawling-resort version of Florida. The cottages and waterfront surroundings give it a much smaller, more casual atmosphere.
That’s particularly appealing in this part of SouthShore, where some of the most interesting experiences aren’t about big attractions at all. They’re about being near the water, seeing wildlife, boating, fishing and discovering some of the quieter communities along Tampa Bay.
Pirate’s Pointe fits naturally into that kind of trip.
Individual Cottages Instead of Traditional Hotel Rooms
The accommodations are individual cottages rather than rooms stacked inside a traditional hotel building.
Current options range from studios and one-bedroom cottages to larger configurations for families or groups, with some waterfront accommodations available. The resort currently lists kitchens among its amenities, which could be particularly useful for travelers staying several nights.
We were able to photograph quite a bit of the property while we were there, and the cottages were certainly part of its visual charm.
For travelers considering a stay, I’d pay attention to the particular cottage you’re booking rather than assuming every unit has exactly the same layout or features.
Made for Travelers Who Love the Water
The waterfront setting is really what gives this property its identity. Pirate’s Pointe sits near the mouth of the Little Manatee River, with access toward Tampa Bay. The resort currently offers dock space and lists fishing, fishing guide services, fishing-pole rentals, and canoe and kayak rentals among its amenities.
Even if fishing isn’t the reason for your trip, there’s something wonderfully Florida about staying somewhere where the water is such a central part of the experience.
It’s easy to understand why this type of property would appeal to anglers and boaters, but I can also see the attraction for travelers who simply want to slow down and enjoy being near the water.
There’s a Pool, Too
The resort also has a heated outdoor swimming pool. That gives travelers another way to spend some downtime between excursions, especially if you’re building a SouthShore itinerary around boating, wildlife and other outdoor activities.
And in Florida, I will almost always consider a good pool a plus.
A Glimpse of Old Florida
One of the things I’ve come to appreciate about traveling around Florida is how dramatically the experience can change depending upon where you stay.
There are times when I want the amenities of a large resort. There are other trips when something smaller, quieter and more connected to its surroundings sounds much more appealing.
Pirate’s Pointe falls firmly into that second category.
Its cottages, waterfront setting and fishing heritage offer a glimpse of a different kind of Florida vacation, one that’s less about staying inside a huge resort complex and more about spending time outdoors.
Who Should Consider This Kind of Stay?
I think Pirate’s Pointe is worth considering for travelers who specifically like smaller properties and want something different from a conventional hotel.
Anglers and boaters are an obvious fit, but the cottage format could also be interesting for couples, families or small groups who prefer having their own space. Travelers who enjoy kayaking, fishing and quieter waterfront settings may find the concept particularly appealing.
Because we visited for filming rather than staying overnight, I can’t personally evaluate the beds, nighttime atmosphere or the experience of staying inside the cottages. That’s an important distinction.
What I can say from being there is that Pirate’s Pointe gave us plenty to photograph and showed us another side of accommodations in SouthShore, Florida.
Explore More of SouthShore, Florida
Our visit to Pirate’s Pointe was part of our filming in SouthShore for Love Eat Travel with Michelle Valentine. Not everything we film ultimately makes it into a finished television episode, and this particular footage wasn’t included in the final program.
But that’s one of the reasons I love being able to share more of our travels here.
There’s always more to a destination than can fit into a television episode.
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