Things to Do in St. Petersburg, Florida -

The soft sand beaches and clear blue water found at the beaches near St. Petersburg, Florida is the initial appeal. This is why I went to St. Pete Beach in the first place. However the close proximity to downtown has a cool laid back artsy vibe, that has kept St. Petersburg as one of my top three favorite towns in Florida.

I love the vibe of St. Petersburg and the Gulf area has some of the best beaches in the U.S.

St. Petersburg has an airport, however we always fly into Tampa because this is where we can get a non-stop flight from our state. St. Petersburg is about 20 miles southwest of the Tampa airport. The last two times we visited we stayed at a resort on St. Pete Beach, so to get to the resort it is an additional 10 miles from the city.

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How to Get Around St. Petersburg

Jump to What You Need

When we visit Florida, we always rent a car. It is much easier to get around the state so we can visit relatives while we’re here. If you’re just staying at a resort and going to St. Petersburg or nearby attractions you could easily use rideshare services. It really depends on how far you plan to explore from where you are staying.

The Beach – St. Pete Beach

St. Petersburg is about 10 miles from St. Pete Beach. I love St. Pete Beach because the vibe is much more laid back than some of the other beach towns on the Gulf. You have soft white sand and clear warm water.

Pass a Grille Beach is at the southern most end of St. Pete Beach. One side of the beach is dog-friendly too. This area had a lot of seashells.

Sunken Gardens

If you love gardens or want a pretty place to walk around, the Sunken Gardens is the perfect spot in St. Petersburg. Go early in the morning to avoid the hottest part of the day and to see the Flamingos before they all get out of the water. Below they are just waking up. This isn’t just a pretty garden though it is an important part of St. Petersburg’s history.

I would recommend visiting the history center. It is near the orchids and flamingos. Here you can learn all about how the Sunken gardens were created, why they were created and how they contributed to the history and economy of the city.

Salvador Dali Museum

A visit to Salvador Dali Museum has been on my list for years because I really love art. If you like surrealism and architecture you’re sure to appreciate this interesting museum.

Vinoy Park

Nice place to take a walk. This waterfront park had a lot of visitors both times we were here. It has a large grassy area and walking paths with views of both the water and downtown St. Petersburg.

St. Pete Pier

This is such a gathering place in St. Petersburg. From here you can swim, see a fantastic sunset or city view, eat, shop, go fishing. This pier is huge.

Imagine Museum

The place we went that surprised me the most was the Imagine Museum. When we were in Seattle we saw Chihuly’s Art Museum, so I debated on whether I wanted to visit his gallery here or go to the Imagine Museum. I decided on the latter since it was something different.

The museum is two stories and you can view every type of glass art from fusing to glass blowing.