John's Pass — Attraction in Madeira Beach

$4 for ONE hour. I try to drop my sibling off here every morning and multiple times I have been harassed by parking nazis despite the fact that I have obviously just pulled in, windows down, key still in car with car still going and I’m NOT paying $4 to drop my sibling off at work every day! Insane behavior and as someone who has always lived in st Pete, my entire life, I shouldn’t have to pay $4 for only an HOUR when I’m not even going to the beach or taking up parking that would be used by other people. I’m sure people are just dying for a parking space in this empty parking lot at 8am 🙄 I’ve been recommending tourists go elsewhere because you’re only going to get cheap drop shipped garbage from the stores, harassed by parking nazis as soon as you pull in, and the beach simply isn’t what it used to be. I would only come here personally if I was in the mood to...

Nearly didn’t stop at the ‘village’ as I was put off by the outrageously high parking cost, but found some free street parking the other side of the bridge near ‘Gators cafe’. The walk back over the bridge to the stairs up to the boardwalk is less than 10 minutes, and is actually quite impressive as the views from its crown are really good. Took a casual wander down the boardwalk taking in the views and perusing the shops, eateries and bars along the way, and went into Scully’s for a craft beer. There is a wide variety of shops to browse around, but browse is the operative word, virtually everything is overpriced! This place is the definition of a ‘tourist trap’, but it’s an o.k. place to spend a couple of hours if you accept it as such. Be aware of where you’re walking though, not much of the village is pedestrianized so cars are moving all around the place all...

The shopping and resturants are great. This is a wonderful place to spend the day but unfortunately there is a terrible scam for parking. $33 to park for 2 hour only to come back to find a $66 ticket. This was supposedly for taking up two spots. We pulled into a spot where someone had just pulled out of. There are no lines on the gravel to designate spots. And no signs telling of prices or policy. On top of it the guy who gives tickets and checks to see if you paid was standing right next to our car after we parked and we asked him where we pay for parking. He never told us we parked over the invisible line. BTW we parked between two cars and there was no room for another car. The others had to have been parked incorrectly as well. BEWARE OF PARKING PAID BY PLATE. This is what they have here. I think the stores will be upset when people stop coming due...