Tiki Bay Island isn't your average bar, or boat ride. Originally launched in October 2017, it's a floating watering hole in the middle of the bay on which guests can sip their favorite cocktails, beer or wine surrounded by water.
Yup — nothing like those landlocked bars.
To hop aboard this 2,400-square-foot, fully functional wooden tiki boat, which is in the process of relocating from Gandy Beach in St. Petersburg to Beer Can Island off Apollo Beach, guests must first catch a shuttle ride. The water taxi will make several trips back and forth from Beer Can Island once the bar reopens; it's shooting for a soft opening at the end of March.
The concept of a floating bar came to Tiki Bay Island partner Russell Loomis while watching TV. A show about a guy in Mexico who built his own floating island from plastic bottles was on the tube, and Loomis thought it'd be fun to create a similar concept, combined with elements of an Airbnb.
According to partner James Wester, part of the reason he decided to join forces with Loomis and their third partner, Cole Weaver, is that Tiki Bay Island was something he believed in. He knew it could be done.
"I knew it was something new and unique that nobody's ever seen before," Wester said. "It would make people think, 'Holy crap, that's awesome,' and it would be fun."
Tiki Bay Island has some other major changes in store, too. The 140-seat boat aims to become a one-stop shop for almost anything ye landlubbers have ever considered doing in the Florida sun. As Wester puts it, the goal is to morph into something much more than a bar — an entertainment hub of sorts.
"We're going to be so many different things once we're done. We're going to have bungalows for rent, water cannons so it's more family-friendly, a driving range to knock golf balls into the ocean that are eco-friendly, weddings, bands, and festivals," he said.
Other ideas include an obstacle course, parasailing, and even yoga fitness classes, in which participants ride Kraken CycleBoats over to Tiki Bay Island, then finish off their workout with a cool-down yoga session.
The partners, who also own Beer Can Island, are working on meeting with the Land & Sea Masters of Apollo Beach to stop the island's erosion process, with environmental scientist Kate Hansen to discuss invasive species like the Brazilian pepper plant, and with first responders to address safety issues and plans in case of emergencies (AEDs are a possibility, for example — just in case). To top it off, they're adding solar panels on the tiki boat for some green energy.
Fortunately for Tampa Bay, there isn't really another destination like Tiki Bay Island locally. The closest thing is a floating restaurant with drinks and water sports called WaterWorld in Destin, a little over an hour east west of Panama City.
But in addition to serving up fun, there's a philanthropic angle that the partners are considering. They're in talks with Feeding Tampa Bay to do charity events, as well as the Florida Aquarium to raise awareness for manatees and host beach cleanups.
"This would be really good for tourism because it makes people think about the area more," Wester said. "[Tiki Bay Island is] something no one's ever seen, and it makes people want to come here to check us out — and check out everything else Tampa has to offer."
