Boca Ciega Isle, St. Pete Beach: Neighborhood Guide

Updated October 2026.

Boca Ciega Isle is a single-family neighborhood on the bay side of St. Pete Beach, laid out along Boca Ciega Isle Drive. Many of its homes face open water across Boca Ciega Bay, and the housing ranges from 1950s originals to homes built in the 2000s.

We are John and Nicole Kavaliauskas, licensed Florida Realtors with LoKation Real Estate. Here is what public sources and listing records show about Boca Ciega Isle, and what to confirm before you buy.

Where Boca Ciega Isle is

Barkett Realty’s St. Pete Beach neighborhood overview places Boca Ciega Isle north of Belle Vista, near restaurants and shopping, and says waterfront homes have wide views across Boca Ciega Bay to downtown St. Petersburg. Recent sales are along Boca Ciega Isle Drive, with house numbers from the 500s to the 1300s (Estately sold listings). Pinellas County parcel data shows 94 parcels in the Boca Ciega Isle plat, all on Boca Ciega Isle Drive: 78 coded as single-family homes, 15 vacant and one small multifamily building.

Homes and lots

Two recent listings show the range. One, built in 1953 and fully renovated, describes water views of Boca Ciega Bay with a dock and boat lift (listing). Another, built in 2004, lists 50 feet of frontage on the Intracoastal Waterway, a rebuilt dock with an 11,000 pound boat lift, a VE flood zone and no homeowners association (listing).

Expect individual homes rather than a planned community: no association, varied ages, and lots that differ in frontage and exposure. Check each home on its own terms.

Water and boating

Open-water frontage gives the views and quick access to the Intracoastal and the Gulf, and it also means more exposure to wind and waves than a protected canal. Check the seawall and dock carefully, confirm depth at the dock, and ask for dock and lift permits. Our seawall and dock inspection guide lists what to look for.

Flood zones, elevation and the 2024 storms

Most homes on St. Pete Beach sit in FEMA high-risk flood zones (AE or VE), so flood insurance is required for a federally backed mortgage and the elevation of the house drives both the premium and what you can do to it later. Hurricane Helene pushed a major surge into Pinellas County in September 2024; the National Hurricane Center Helene report lists water levels of 7.26 feet above mean higher high water at Madeira Beach and a record at the St. Petersburg tide gauge. Hurricane Milton followed two weeks later.

For any Boca Ciega Isle address, look up the zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, check for an elevation certificate on the Pinellas County elevation certificate map, and ask whether the city made a substantial damage determination after 2024. Our St. Pete Beach flood zone and insurance guide and FEMA 50% rule guide explain what those answers mean.

Rental rules

According to the Pinellas Realtor Organization summary of local rental rules, St. Pete Beach allows stays under 30 days only in the RM zoning district and the Pass-a-Grille overlay, and no more than three times in 12 months. Rentals of 30 days or longer are allowed in any district. Check the zoning of the specific lot with the city before you count on rental income, and see our short-term rental rules by city.

Before you buy on Boca Ciega Isle

• Confirm the subdivision and lot on the Pinellas County Property Appraiser record
• Get the flood zone (VE or AE), elevation certificate and current flood policy
• Ask for permits, invoices and any substantial damage letter for work since 2024
• Inspect the seawall, dock and lift and confirm water depth
• Get flood and wind insurance quotes early in the inspection period
• Check the zoning if rental income matters to you

Next step

Thinking of selling? See what your Boca Ciega Isle home is worth. Buying? Call or text (727) 955-1222 or send us a message. Comparing waterfront areas? See waterfront homes on the Pinellas beaches.

More St. Pete Beach neighborhoods: Belle Vista, Vina del Mar, Don CeSar Place, Bahia Shores, Three Palms Point. See the full St. Pete Beach guide and Pass-a-Grille guide.

This page provides general information only and is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Neighborhood boundaries in listing records are informal. Flood rules, substantial damage determinations, permitting, zoning and rental regulations change and apply differently to each property. Verify details with the City of St. Pete Beach, Pinellas County, FEMA, your insurer, lender or a licensed attorney before making decisions. John and Nicole are licensed Florida Realtors with LoKation Real Estate.