St. Petersburg, FL

St. Petersburg is the largest city in Pinellas County, set on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. People come for its downtown waterfront parks, museums like The Dalí Museum, a busy arts and mural scene, and easy access to the Gulf beaches about 20 minutes west.

Where is St. Petersburg?

St. Petersburg sits at the southern end of the Pinellas peninsula, directly across the bay from Tampa in the Tampa Bay region. I-275 crosses the Howard Frankland Bridge from Tampa and continues south over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge toward Bradenton. St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) is about 20 minutes from downtown, and Tampa International (TPA) is about 25 to 30 minutes.

Things to do in St. Petersburg

Downtown’s waterfront is lined with public parks, from Vinoy Park and North Shore Park to Straub Park, with the St. Pete Pier reaching out into the bay with a beach area, playgrounds, fishing and wide views of the skyline. The Dalí Museum holds one of the largest collections of Salvador Dalí’s work outside Europe, and the Museum of Fine Arts, the Chihuly Collection and the Imagine Museum are all close by.

Central Avenue is the main street for shops and food, running west from the waterfront through the Edge District and the Grand Central District, with murals painted on walls throughout. Sunken Gardens, a century-old botanical garden north of downtown, is a quiet escape. Tropicana Field hosts the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Saturday Morning Market draws crowds downtown for much of the year.

For nature, Weedon Island Preserve on the bay has boardwalks and paddling trails, and Fort De Soto Park sits at the city’s southwest edge with some of the best beaches in the region.

When to visit St. Petersburg

October through May is the most comfortable time, with dry, sunny days and the full calendar of markets and festivals. Spring adds baseball and the busiest hotel weeks. Summer is hot and humid with afternoon storms, best for museums and early mornings. Downtown parking is in garages and metered spaces, and the free Downtown Looper trolley helps you skip the car.