ALREADY HERALDED AS a great destination, St. Petersburg just added a spectacular new venue that has everyone buzzing. After $92 million in renovations, St. Pete’s Pier opened in July 2020 and dazzled the city with 26 eco-friendly acres of fun and food jutting out into Tampa Bay. Highlights include sunny and shaded walkways, landscaped green space, a beach, fishing pier, exhibit and event halls, picnic areas, and eateries ranging from a grab-and-go food shop to rum bars and seafood restaurants.
When you leave the pier and come into downtown, an array of attractions awaits. Renowned for its cultural scene, St. Pete is home to vibrant street murals, galleries and world-class arts facilities: Salvador Dali Museum, Chihuly Glass Collection, Morean Arts Center, Museum of Fine Arts and Mahaffey Theater, to name a few. Gorgeous historic hotels and buildings, such as the Vinoy, are showcased around the city. Sunken Gardens and Florida Botanical Gardens are a botanist’s dream.
Nearby professional sports teams, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (football), Rays (baseball) and Lightning (hockey), bring year-round excitement to the region. But if you’d rather play than spectate, you have plenty of outdoor options. At North Shore and Vinoy Parks, you can hike the trails, swim in a pool or paddle board on the waves, play tennis or beach volley ball along the shore, take kids to seaside playgrounds, and run your pup at dog parks. At Fort De Soto Park, you can kayak in mangroves or beach camp under the stars.
If all this activity works up an appetite, St. Pete’s got you covered. Strolling along Central Avenue, you find an assortment of restaurants, pubs and cafés featuring cuisines from Cuban and Italian to classic seafood and Southern BBQ. The Craft Beer Passport 2.0 lets you travel to 35 local breweries along the Gulp Coast, and downtown distilleries introduce you to regional rums and liquors. In between meals, indulge in retail relaxation at a plethora of vintage shops, hip boutiques and novelty stores.
Last but not least are St. Pete’s beaches, ranked among America’s best for white sand and clear waters. Head west to discover the convenience of Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach, or travel the 35-mile stretch of sunny spots along the Gulf Coast to explore a chain of idyllic waterfront destinations.
WHERE TO DOCK
WHERE TO DINE
