{"id":384173,"date":"2026-08-29T03:14:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T03:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/384173\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T03:14:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T03:14:45","slug":"st-petersburg-fl-things-to-do-what-to-see-eat-in-the-sunshine-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/384173\/","title":{"rendered":"St Petersburg FL Things to Do, What to See, & Eat in the Sunshine City"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been to Florida a few times, but each time it\u2019s been for work or to go to Disneyland! This time I wanted a different Florida experience and decided to fill my time with diving<\/a>, swimming with manatees<\/a>, and enjoying the St. Petersburg and Tampa area. I did a total of 6 days of road tripping through west Florida<\/a> and ended with a weekend spent in St. Petersburg, FL.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be honest, I hadn\u2019t heard much about this city before going, but it ended up being a vibrant, artsy, relaxing place that I can\u2019t wait to visit again. Not only that, but Tampa, Florida, is only a quick 15-20 minute drive from St. Pete. And both cities truly have a unique life of their own.\u00a0<\/p>\n

St. Petersburg FL: What to See, Eat & Do<\/p>\n

Below are some fun things to do in St. Petersburg! I\u2019ve also included great places to stay and all of the incredible places I ate that can\u2019t be missed while you\u2019re there.<\/p>\n

While you\u2019re at it, let\u2019s be friends on\u00a0Instagram @travelingspud<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Tiktok<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Read Next:\u00a0What to Pack for Florida in the Winter<\/a><\/p>\n

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Best Time To Visit St Petersburg, FL<\/p>\n

Luckily, St Petersburg, Florida, is gorgeous year-round! The best times to visit are in the late fall and early winter since this is the coolest time of the year. The Florida heat can get brutal in the summer months, making you want to stay in the air conditioning. You can expect an average of 72\u00b0 \/ 57\u00b0 in December and an average of 91\u00b0 \/ 77\u00b0 in July. <\/p>\n

You can truly visit any month out of the year; just be aware of that southern humidity! If you are visiting from June 1st to November 30th, be aware of Hurricanes. This is Florida\u2019s hurricane season, so check the local weather before you leave for your trip. This could prepare you for what storms are coming off of the coast.<\/p>\n

Getting Around St Petersburg, FL<\/p>\n

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Walk Downtown St Pete<\/p>\n

If you stay downtown, you don\u2019t need a rental car. You can simply walk the quaint city streets. There is a walking path along the water which will bring you through Vinoy park to the other side of town. From there, walk to any restaurant or bar that you want to in downtown St Petersburg.<\/p>\n

Bike down Beach Drive<\/p>\n

You can find city bikes to rent in St. Pete all over the place from Coast Bike Share. Just download the app, and you\u2019ll be able to see they are scattered throughout the city. Take a ride down Beach Drive and check out cute shops and restaurants along the way! You can then take your bike over to Vinoy Park and explore the waterfront.<\/p>\n

Take the Looper Trolley around town<\/p>\n

I loved finding this Looper Trolley! I went to all of the main areas of St. Pete on it and thought it was a great way to see the city. The best part? It\u2019s free! You can either opt to tip the driver or not, but it\u2019ll take you to all of the major districts and sights you\u2019ll want to see.<\/p>\n

Uber\/Lyft<\/p>\n

Using a ride-share app is common in St Pete when you don\u2019t want to walk. This is especially convenient if the weather is bad or if you are coming back late at night. While the city is relatively safe, sometimes it\u2019s just nice to grab an Uber instead. Requesting one is easy as there are plenty of drivers around this cool city.<\/p>\n

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St Petersburg, FL Things to Do:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dali Museum<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not typically a huge museum-goer, but the Dali Museum was gorgeous, and I couldn\u2019t say no. In fact, St. Petersburg is full of amazing museums, so I knew I needed to go to at least one! Plus, this museum was short and sweet but also full of Salvador Dali\u2019s incredible works of art. I recommend going because it will only take you an hour or two to get through. Stop in the gardens outside to get some different views and photos of the museum.\u00a0Book your tickets here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Walk around the Central Arts District<\/p>\n

I could have spent most of my time in the Central Arts District! It\u2019s such a cute neighborhood that has the best shops and restaurants. I loved going to see all of the art on the alley walls and people-watching. I highly recommend walking down Central Avenue North for all of the shops and restaurants and then going into the back alleys to see all of the murals! They also do\u00a0tours of these murals here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Fort De Soto Park<\/p>\n

This is park is comprised of 5 islands off the coast of St. Pete and has beaches that span for 7 miles. You can get here by car to check out the beaches, trails, and historic Fort. This is perfect for people who want to get out of the city and have an outdoorsy day!<\/p>\n

Go to St. Pete Beach\u00a0<\/p>\n

Upon driving into St. Pete from Crystal River (where we\u00a0swam with manatees<\/a>), we drove by the beach to watch the sunset. The first thing we saw was the giant pink hotel, The Don CeSar, on the water. It was remarkable! This beach is beautiful, and I highly recommend going if you have time to spend.<\/p>\n

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Check out the famous Haslam\u2019s Book Store<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t get a chance to go here while I was in St. Pete, but just about everyone I talked to said to go. I think it\u2019s the St. Petersburg version of Powell\u2019s bookstore in Portland!<\/a><\/p>\n

Visit Vinoy Park and the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg<\/p>\n

St. Pete has its share of pink hotels, but each one is so unique. Check out the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg and then take a stroll through the famous Vinoy Park (named after the hotel that was built in 1925). Vinoy park runs 11 miles and is perfect for biking and checking out the waterfront of St. Pete. You might even spot some dolphins in the water! If you\u2019re not into biking, check out the Segway tours<\/a> that will take you through the park.<\/p>\n

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Visit the Chihuly Collection<\/p>\n

St. Pete is home to many artist collections and museums. This museum, located in the Central Arts District, is home to Chihuly\u2019s special collection. I\u2019ve seen his artwork everywhere, so didn\u2019t go inside, but every single person I talked to said it was amazing!<\/p>\n

Go brewery hopping<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, St. Pete is home to a vast plethora of breweries and wineries. I recommend taking a few hours and hopping around to some breweries. Some good ones to note are: Green Bench Brewery, 3 Daughters Brewing, Cage Brewery and Pinellas Ale Works. You can also take a tour of these breweries as well.\u00a0Check here for recent prices.<\/a> Enjoy some ice-cold craft beer while enjoying live music on the brewery\u2019s patios.<\/p>\n

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Go to Honeymoon and Caladesi Island<\/p>\n

If you have the time and a car, I recommend going over to Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island. You can rent kayaks if the day is nice and kayak over from Dunedin Causeway to Caladesi, or just drive your car to Honeymoon and hang out on the beach\u00a0and enjoy St Pete\u2019s clear water.\u00a0. They are both gorgeous and a great little day trip from St. Pete!<\/p>\n

Walk The St Pete Pier<\/p>\n

Check out St Petersburg, Florida\u2019s newest attraction,\u00a0St Pete Pier<\/a>! The pier is 26 acres of nonstop things to do. This includes dining, shopping, swimming, and even concerts. You can enjoy the views of Tampa Bay while also admiring St Pete. It is free to explore too!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Saturday Morning Market<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Saturday Morning Market\u00a0<\/a>is rated one of the best things to do in St Pete! It takes palace every Saturday at the Al Lang Stadium. The market is hosted year-round, depending on the weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You will find over 130 local vendors here, selling fresh flowers to baked home goods. Grab yourself some fresh produce while sipping on a refreshing lemonade. You can admire the local artists and listen to the musicians who fill up the stadium parking lot.<\/p>\n

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IN TAMPA (across the bay)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Go to the Florida Aquarium<\/p>\n

This is one of the better aquariums I\u2019ve been to in my life. I also got to go diving with sharks<\/a> in their coral reef aquarium, and it was EPIC! I highly recommend doing this if you\u2019re a diver (you can swim too) and want a unique diving experience. See recent prices here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Tampa Riverwalk<\/p>\n

I had the best time taking bikes and biking along the Tampa Riverwalk. It was a great way to see the city, and it was so easy to bike along. I recommend stopping at Armature Works and Ulele for some grub!<\/p>\n

Visit Ybor City and SoHo for party vibes<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t get a chance to go to either of these, but had to mention them both in case you\u2019re looking for a great night out! I\u2019ve been told that both of these areas are great for a weekend party night.<\/p>\n

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Where to Eat in St. Petersburg, FL:<\/p>\n

Pacific Counter<\/p>\n

This is a great spot to go if you\u2019re traveling alone and want to grab something to eat quickly. Plus, the fish was super fresh and yummy!\u00a0Pacific Counter<\/a>\u00a0is located in the Central Arts District, making it a quick walk through town. They serve up some fresh gulf coast poke bowls and delicious sushi burritos!<\/p>\n

The Lure<\/p>\n

This was a super hip tapas restaurant that I loved. If you can get the pork belly with mac and cheese tapas, you might die and go to heaven. I also loved the fig flatbread.\u00a0The Lure<\/a>\u00a0is one of the best restaurants in St Petersburg, and they serve sushi, tapas & cocktails! This award-winning restaurant was even named the Best Sushi Restaurant of 2020; need I say more?<\/p>\n

Armature Works<\/p>\n

OMG, this place was soooo amazing. I really wish we had something\u00a0similar in Boise.<\/a>\u00a0This one\u2019s in Tampa and is right off of the riverwalk that we biked down. It has just about every kind of food, drink, or dessert you could ever want. I saw a lot of people working and having coffees here, and it seemed like the perfect place to get work done or hang out.<\/p>\n

Intermezzo Coffee & Cocktails<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t go here, but I had about 100 people tell me I had to go! Clearly a winner.\u00a0Their vibe is inspired by European and American caf\u00e9s from the 1950s and 1960s. They have specialty coffee and hand-crafted cocktails for you to enjoy.\u00a0 Did I mention\u00a0Intermezzo<\/a>\u00a0even has an oyster bar in the back? You have to stop here and try some when visiting St Pete.<\/p>\n

Maple Street Biscuit Company<\/p>\n

This place looked\u00a0bomb.com. I walked inside and knew I needed to come back here for breakfast biscuits. A few different people recommend this place to me as well!\u00a0They have\u00a0 \u201cBiscuits That Wow.\u201d The Squawking Goat was even featured on the foot network! It has battered chicken strips, toasted goat cheese, and scratch-made, sweet-not-spicy pepper jelly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

St. Pete Beach bars<\/p>\n

There are a ton of bars that line the beach, and most are part of hotels. If you want a fun night on the beach, go to the bars on this side of town.\u00a0\u00a0Some of my favorites include\u00a0Salty\u2019s Tiki Bar and Beach Lounge<\/a>, which has tables and fire pits right on the beach.\u00a0Swigwam Beach Bar<\/a>, which is a hole-in-the-wall local favorite with cheap drinks and a pool table. And finally,\u00a0Harry\u2019s Beach Bar<\/a>, a spot that is popular for its live music!<\/p>\n

Karma Juice Bar & Eatery\u00a0<\/p>\n

I went here about 4x while I was in St. Pete. It was a great spot to grab a juice, salad, and sandwich. Plus, everything is healthy, and it\u2019s super popular with the locals.\u00a0Try one of their Acai Bowls, which is blended with almond milk and topped with their house-made, gluten-free granola and honey.<\/p>\n

Bodega on Central<\/p>\n

When in Florida, eat a Cuban Sandwich. Head here for an authentic and amazing Cuban sando.\u00a0The restaurant is in the Edge District, which is a short walk from Tropicana Field. In addition to the Cuban Sandwich, they have Pollo and Tempeh sandwiches along with large Platas for you to try.<\/p>\n

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Where to Stay in St. Petersburg, FL<\/p>\n

Budget & Mid-Range:<\/p>\n

Airbnb\u00a0\u2013 I stayed in the Old Northeast neighborhood and loved the old homes. My spot was so cute as well!\u00a0Here\u2019s the exact spot I stayed.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Avalon\u00a0\u2013 My friend Alex highly recommends this design\/boutique hotel. I passed it on the drive-in and thought it was in a great spot.\u00a0Check out recent prices here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Dolphin Beach Resort\u00a0\u2013 Want more of a budget-friendly spot on the beach, this is your spot!\u00a0Check out recent prices here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Splurge:<\/p>\n

The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club\u00a0\u2013 Want to splurge a bit but want to be central and stay in the famous pink hotel? Stay here!\u00a0Check out recent prices here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Don CeSar\u00a0\u2013 This might be the most famous hotel in St. Pete and splurge-worthy. Another famous pink hotel, only on St. Pete beachside. Perfect for a relaxing weekend!\u00a0Check out recent prices here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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PIN IT:<\/p>\n

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