IRB Holiday Home Tour

Just a quick drive from Tampa or St. Petersburg sits Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.  Called IRB for short, this small town offers nearly 3 miles of Gulf of Mexico beachfront.  I’ve heard from friends that the IRB Homeowners Association puts on a great Holiday Home Tour, but had never been able to make it….until now!  Given that it’s a short drive from our home in St. Petersburg, we decided to strap our bikes to the car and check it out!

Top Rated Holiday House Tour on the Beach

Many people don’t associate the beach with Christmas, but these IRB homes were tastefully decked for the holidays.  Between Christmas trees made of seashells to coral reef wreathes, the “beach feel” abounded.  Weather in the high 60’s to low 70’s gave us born-and-raised Floridians a slight holiday chill to add flavor.

Spoiler Alert

Normally historic homes get me excited, but the big draw at the IRB Holiday Home Tour….the water views!  One glistening waterfront view after another, each more jaw-dropping than the next.  We stood alongside other home tourers in awe thinking about what you wouldn’t give for a view like this out your backdoor!  I just kept thinking; all I need to do is win the lottery!  That’s all .

What was I saying?  Oh yeah, about the home tour.  We found it to be very well organized.  We checked in at the Beach Art Center where there was plenty of parking, and even a small craft fair to peruse before heading out.  Eventually we unloaded our bikes, maps in hand, and headed out!

Homes on the tour were built between the 1950’s and 1970’s.  Most had undergone extensive renovations, once serving as vacation residences, turned full time homes.  Homes featured a variety of styles and finishes with some having local cypress ceilings and others with original terrazzo floors.  One home even featured an outdoor shower tucked into some lush foliage.  What a way to take your morning shower!  Even those homes without astonishing waterfront views featured garden party-worthy backyards.

A Note About Home Tours

I mentioned that my passion really is for historic homes.  But this type of home tour has more “mass appeal” in that people of all ages and walks-of-life can appreciate a stunning water view.  I saw many first-time home tour attendees, which is great!  Many people don’t know what to expect on a home tour, how they work, what to do, which is why I created the FAQ page of the Hot for Home Tours website.  It helps showcase what to expect!

End to the Day

After bicycling our way through 7 homes on the tour, we were tired and ready for a relax by the water and have a bite.  So, we loaded our bikes back up and headed a little south to Redington Shores to the SeaBreeze Island Grill & Raw Bar.  The sun started going down, so it got a little chilly, but we so enjoyed the beautiful view of the intercoastal waterway with drinks in hand.  Shout out to my friend’s online boutique, Love Lay Lay, where I got my cozy faux-fur vest!

After some yummy fish tacos, and cold beers, we called it a day.  Being locals, I have to say that I haven’t spent as much time in Indian Rocks Beach as I should have.  And this home tour has shown that we need to come back and spend some more time perusing the shops, restaurants and beaches of Indian Rocks Beach.

Hot for Home Tours Disclaimer

The review we just shared doesn’t fully convey the experience we had. Understandably, homeowners don’t like it when you take photos of the inside of their homes, so you really don’t get a true feel for the home tour just from this blog. The purpose of this blog is to share our experience at the tour in terms of travel, planning, content and overall experience. But our opinions should not replace your first hand experiences! We recommend you experience a home tour for yourself. Whether it would be a first for you, or you haven’t been to one in a while! Be sure to visit our Home Tour database to find a home tour in your area, or choose a home tour in an area you have always wanted to visit. Use it as a reason to travel! Happy touring!

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