When Leslie and Dan Hughes cross the bridge into Tierra Verde, they feel it—peace, tranquility, and a tight-knit community they’re proud to call home.

“This place is like a different world,” says Leslie. “It’s a small community where you really get to know people. We love the mom-and-pop businesses, and Fort De Soto being right here on the island is just amazing.”

Their story begins in 1983, when Leslie and Dan met. By 1991, they were married and building a life together. In 1996, they purchased a second home in Florida, then made the move full-time in 1999. Since February 2004, Tierra Verde has been their cherished home base.

Together, they’ve raised two children, both now married with families of their own. With three grandchildren, life is full of joy—and energy!

Professionally, the Hughes family has always been hands-on. “When we first moved to Florida, we bought a mom-and-pop motel on Treasure Island,” recalls Leslie. “We lived there and ran it ourselves for about three years—everything from management to cleaning and maintenance.”

Their next chapter took them to St. Pete Beach, where they purchased and operated another hotel for nearly 20 years. Dan was at the helm, handling day-to-day operations, while Leslie balanced her time between the motel and teaching. She also holds a seminary degree and served as a Christian education director at their church.

After selling the hotel, the couple shifted their focus to rental properties—something they’ve been involved with since the early ’80s. Even now, Dan manages a few, although he officially retired a couple of years ago.

As for Leslie, she recently stepped into an unexpected opportunity. “Through what I would call a divine appointment, I accepted a teaching position with someone campaigning for the school board,” she shares. “It wasn’t something I expected to be doing at this stage in life, but it helps me stay connected with young people.”

Since 2018, Leslie has also owned and operated EyeWatchYourHouse.com, a house watching business. She shares, “I watch houses for people who go away either short-term or long-term, and I have many customers in Tierra Verde!”

In their downtime, the Hughes family loves to soak up everything the area offers. Fishing, visiting Fort De Soto, and frequent Disney trips (especially the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival) are all part of their routine.

But what truly brings them joy is spending time with their children and grandchildren—whenever their busy schedules allow.

At home, they share their space with three beloved pets: Remie, a yellow lab; Sugar, a calico cat turning 21 this year; and Nala, their son’s cat, who’s now a permanent family member. “At this point,” Leslie laughs, “we can officially say she’s ours—she’s not going anywhere.”

Many of their closest friendships in the neighborhood began with dog walks. “This is the second dog we’ve had here,” says Leslie. “Walking your dog really helps you meet people. A lot of our best friends in Tierra Verde are pet owners.”

Dan adds, “We were coming back from an extended stay in Cape Hatteras, and it hit us—we already live in paradise. Fort De Soto is just a 15-minute drive away. It’s easy to forget how lucky we are, but this place is beautiful.”

The Hughes family truly captures what makes Tierra Verde special—warm, neighborly, and always embracing the simple pleasures of island life. There’s no other place this happy couple would rather live than right here in Tierra Verde!