St. Petersburg, Florida is a fun, hip city near the beach located just south of Tampa on the west coast of Florida. Enjoy the downtown vibe or head out to Treasure Island and St. Pete beach to put your toes in the sand.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT ST. PETE
If you are looking for the best time to visit, come during March or April. The weather is warm, but still cool enough that you aren’t cooking while you are outside. Of course, many people visit during the off-season (the summer) for lower crowds. If this is what you choose, be prepared to get sweaty and bring your sunscreen!
GETTING AROUND IN ST.PETE
It’s fairly easy to get around town in St. Petersburg. If you are staying in the downtown area, you may not even need a car. But, if you have plans to head out to the beaches, it would be nice to have one rather than take the 20 minute Uber out to the coast. What about the best place to stay? We recommend somewhere along the east side of downtown, near the Bayfront. Anywhere near the St. Pete Pier or Vinoy Park is a top choice. There are many places you can walk to from here.
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED IN ST. PETE?
St. Pete can definitely be a weekend destination, and we recommend visiting for 2-3 days. In this time, you can explore all the different areas of downtown, and also check out some of the attractions on St. Pete Beach. If you happen to have a third day, we recommend a trip to Ft. Desoto Park.
TWO DAY ST. PETE TRIP ITINERARY
Spending just a weekend in town? These are our top choices! Whether you are here with your family or with your significant other, these activities will have something for everyone.
DAY ONE
MORNING: Walk the Bay at Vinoy Park
Walk the waterfront area on the Bay starting at Vinoy Park. It is a great place to see the river while taking a light stroll, bike, or run. It has plenty of shade. There is a nice arboretum area at Gizella Kopsick Arboretum which is a good starting point and free place to park. It is open from sunrise to 11pm. Need a refreshing treat? Enjoy some gelato up the street at Pacuigo Gelato & Cafe.
AFTERNOON: Visit the Salvador Dali Museum OR the Great Expectations Children’s Museum
Your choice for the afternoon largely depends on your travel crowd. The Salvador Dali Museum is a must-do for adults in the St. Pete area, as it’s a one of a kind museum. Even if art isn’t your thing, you will enjoy this museum. There are many unique exhibits that showcase Dali’s talents. The exhibits sometimes change, so please check their website for the latest.
If you have young children, you may want to skip the museum and instead head to The Great Expectation Children’s museum, which is an amazing spot for kids 10 and under. It’s $10 a person, but the kids can stay there all afternoon. They have a climbing structure, giant building blocks, a little pretend grocery store and pizza shop. Arrive early in the afternoon as you may have trouble getting your kids to leave in just a couple of hours of play.
EVENING: Head out to eat at one of the local downtown restaurants.
Some recommendations of where to eat:
- Freco’s Waterfront Bistro – If you’re looking for seafood and a waterfront view.
- Sushi Sho Rexley – For classic sushi and other Japaense food.
- Poppo’s Taquerita – for taco Tuesday or any other day of the week when you are craving tacos in a casual atmosphere.
- Stillwaters Tavern – for delicious American style food right across from the waterfront – don’t skip the fried green tomatoes!
DAY TWO
MORNING: Visit the Museum of Fine Arts, The Florida Holocaust Museum, or St. Pete Beach
For the second day, there are a few good choices for the morning. Stay close to downtown and visit another museum or two. The Museum of Fine Arts offers many forms of art from ancient to modern. There’s also a sculpture garden. While the museum isn’t huge, it has a variety of art forms. If history is more your style, visit The Holocaust Museum for a powerful and educational experience. This museum is designed for children as well as adults.
Not into museums? Instead take the morning to head out to the beach! Here are some of the spots you can put your toes in the sand:
- St. Pete Beach – A quaint beachfront with a mix of businesses for lunch and touristy gifts within walking distance of the sand. Here you’ll also find soft sands and beautiful waters as well as some crowds on the weekends. There is public access parking at Upham Beach park, or if you’re looking to get away from the crowds, further south at 4700 Gulf Blvd.
- Madiera Beach – Relaxed, old Florida style beach, right across from St. John’s Pass (one of the activities listed for the afternoon). You can park at Archibald Memorial Beach Park or John’s Pass Park.
- Pass-A-Grill Beach – If you’re looking for a private, quiet beach to check out the sunset or have a nice day at the beach, this is the place for you. This stretch of about four miles of beach is about 20 min outside of downtown St. Pete. They also have a free museum (open Friday, Sat and Sun) to learn about the history of the area.
AFTERNOON: St. John’s Boardwalk or Boyd Nature Preserve
A couple of options here for you to choose from. If shopping is more your style, then you’ll want to choose the St. John’s Boardwalk. If you’re already at St. Pete Beach or Pass-a-Grill, you’ll be super close to the boardwalk. This is your typical tourist destination boardwalk area, with shops, restaurants, and views of the ocean. Although gimmicky, this is still a fun place to take a walk around in nice weather.
There is also a second option to visit a cool nature preserve. The Boyd Hill Nature Preserve is open six days a week (all except Monday) and closes at 6pm. Giving you plenty of time to spend a few hours here in the afternoon. Boyd Hill contains a birds of prey section, an indoor nature learning station, a short challenge course by the front (pictured below), and more. This preserve is around a 15-20 minute drive from the beach, and about 15 minutes from downtown.
EVENING: Watch the Sunset at Treasure Island or St. Pete Beach.
It wouldn’t be a complete trip to the west coast of Florida without making sure you see at least one sunset! Sunsets are an incredibly beautiful experience that if possible, don’t skip. Stop at one of the beaches listed above to park and make sure to check the sunset times. Plan to be parked around 20-30 minutes before sunset so you won’t miss anything.
If you have questions about your St. Pete Itinerary, please feel free to email us at [email protected]