The top things to do in St. Petersburg, Florida, are the Dalí Museum, a walk along the downtown waterfront to St. Pete Pier, the Saturday Morning Market, and the galleries and murals of the Central Avenue arts districts during the Second Saturday ArtWalk. Add a sunset at Pass-a-Grille or Fort De Soto Park, 20 to 30 minutes away, and you have the core of a great St. Pete weekend.
St. Pete is the arts-and-waterfront half of the Tampa Bay region, smaller and more walkable than Tampa, with a downtown built around a long string of public parks on the bay. This guide covers the museums, markets, neighborhoods, food and practical details. For the wider region, see the Tampa Bay travel guide, and browse the St. Petersburg area page for more local listings.
St. Petersburg at a glance
- Where: Pinellas County, on the peninsula across Tampa Bay from Tampa, about 30 to 40 minutes from Tampa International Airport.
- Known for: The Dalí Museum, outdoor murals, craft breweries, waterfront parks and easy access to Gulf beaches.
- Best base: Downtown, near Beach Drive or Central Avenue, so you can walk to museums, restaurants and the Pier.
- Free ways to get around: The Downtown Looper trolley circles the waterfront and Central Avenue; the Central Avenue Trolley runs west toward the beaches.
- Best day of the week: Saturday, for the morning market, and the second Saturday of the month, for ArtWalk.
What are the best museums in St. Petersburg?
The best museums in St. Petersburg are the Dalí Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Chihuly Collection and the Imagine Museum, all within a few minutes’ drive of each other downtown. Plan on a half day for the Dalí alone and an hour or two for each of the others.
The Dalí Museum
The Dalí Museum at 1 Dali Boulevard holds one of the largest collections of Salvador Dalí’s work outside Spain, including several of his large “masterworks,” housed in a concrete building with a swirling glass bubble on the waterfront. It is open daily from 10am to 6pm and until 8pm on Thursdays, and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adult gallery admission is $32, seniors 65 and older pay $29, and children 5 and under are free. Timed tickets are recommended, so book online, especially for weekends. Save time for the garden outside, with its melting-clock bench and wish tree, which is part of the visit.
Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg sits on Beach Drive across from the waterfront and covers a broad sweep, from antiquities and Asian art to European and American paintings and photography. It is a quieter, more traditional museum than the Dalí, and a good pairing for a morning on Beach Drive.
Chihuly Collection and Morean Arts Center
The Chihuly Collection at 720 Central Avenue displays large installations by glass artist Dale Chihuly in galleries designed for the work. Across the street, the Morean Arts Center runs a glass studio and hot shop where you can watch artists blow glass, and it offers classes for visitors who want to try it.
Imagine Museum and The James Museum
The Imagine Museum at 1901 Central Avenue focuses on contemporary American studio glass, a natural follow-up to the Chihuly visit. Downtown at 150 Central Avenue, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art shows art of the American West, Native American art and jewelry, and wildlife art from around the world.
What is there to do on the St. Pete waterfront?
The St. Pete waterfront is a chain of free public parks, with St. Pete Pier at its center, and it is the best place in the city for a walk, a bike ride or a drink with a bay view. Start at the Pier and walk north along Beach Drive and the waterfront parks, or rent a bike and loop the whole stretch.
St. Pete Pier
St. Pete Pier extends into Tampa Bay with fishing, a small sand beach, playgrounds, a weekend marketplace and several places to eat and drink. It opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes at 11pm. Teak, on the fourth floor of the Pier Point building, serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, and Pier Teaki, the rooftop tiki bar above it, is 21 and older after 8pm. Parking in the Pier’s Dolphin and Pelican lots runs $2 to $2.50 an hour depending on the day, with a six-hour maximum; weekend evenings fill fast, so consider the trolley.
Beach Drive and Vinoy Park
Beach Drive is downtown’s waterfront dining street, lined with sidewalk tables, galleries and the Museum of Fine Arts. Cassis American Brasserie and Parkshore Grill are two long-standing choices for a meal with a view of the park. Keep walking north to reach Vinoy Park and the historic pink Vinoy hotel, then circle back through the residential Old Northeast, where brick streets and 1920s bungalows make for a pleasant detour.
When is the St. Pete Saturday Morning Market?
The St. Pete Saturday Morning Market runs every Saturday from 9am to 2pm October through May, in the lot next to Al Lang Stadium at 100 1st Avenue SE. From June through September it moves to a smaller summer location at 212 3rd Street North, across from Williams Park, and runs 9am to 1pm. Expect local produce, baked goods, plants, crafts and dozens of prepared-food stalls, with live music most weeks.
Parking is easiest in the South Core Garage at 100 1st Avenue SE, which charges $8 on weekends ($10 during big downtown events). Metered street parking is $1 to $1.50 an hour. Arrive by 9:30am for the best produce and shorter lines. See the Saturday Morning Market listing for event details.
What is the Second Saturday ArtWalk?
The Second Saturday ArtWalk is a free monthly open house when St. Petersburg’s galleries and artist studios stay open from 5pm to 9pm on the second Saturday of every month. Upcoming dates are November 14 and December 12, 2026, and January 9, 2027. The St. Pete Arts Alliance coordinates it across the Warehouse Arts District, the Central Arts District, the EDGE District, the Grand Central District and others, and trolleys loop between stops in the evening. Check the Second Saturday ArtWalk listing and the St. Pete Arts Alliance for each month’s map.
The Warehouse Arts District, south of Central Avenue and west of downtown, is the place to see working studios, while the Central Arts District downtown has more polished galleries. Wear comfortable shoes; the districts are spread out.
Where can you see murals and shop on Central Avenue?
Central Avenue, running west from downtown through the EDGE and Grand Central districts, is St. Pete’s main street for murals, independent shops, bars and restaurants. The city’s murals cover walls throughout downtown and the arts districts, and many are painted during the annual SHINE mural festival, so walking side streets off Central pays off.
Independent shops worth a stop along the corridor include:
- The Carpenter’s Daughter (1624 Central Avenue), a women’s boutique.
- SaltLight ART (1916 Central Avenue), handmade jewelry and art.
- ARTpool (2030 Central Avenue), a long-running vintage clothing and art shop.
- The Lucky Duck Shop (2626 Central Avenue), gifts and local goods.
- Tombolo Books (2153 1st Avenue South), an independent bookstore a block off Central with author events.
Where should you eat and drink in St. Petersburg?
St. Pete’s food scene is strongest at casual, independent places and craft breweries rather than formal dining rooms. A few dependable picks from local listings:
- The Chattaway (358 22nd Avenue South), a quirky, old-school garden restaurant known for burgers and outdoor seating.
- Red Mesa Restaurant (4912 4th Street North), Southwestern and Mexican food north of downtown.
- Mazzaro’s Italian Market (2909 22nd Avenue North), an Italian market with a deli, bakery, coffee bar and wine shop. Go on a weekday morning to avoid the Saturday crush.
- Craft Kafe (200 Central Avenue), coffee and breakfast downtown.
- Cassis American Brasserie and Parkshore Grill on Beach Drive for a sit-down dinner near the water.
For beer, Green Bench Brewing Co. in the Warehouse Arts District has a large outdoor beer garden, and St. Pete Brewing Company is a short walk from Central Avenue downtown. Both are easy stops on an ArtWalk night.
What else is there to do in St. Pete?
Beyond museums and markets, St. Pete has live theater, a historic garden and Major League Baseball.
- Theater: American Stage Theatre Company performs downtown at 163 3rd Street North, and freeFall Theatre Company stages plays and musicals in a converted church on Central Avenue in west St. Pete.
- Sunken Gardens: A historic city-owned botanical garden on 4th Street North with winding paths through tropical plants, a calm hour away from downtown crowds.
- Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays returned to a repaired Tropicana Field for the 2026 season. The stadium is just west of downtown.
- Weedon Island Preserve: A large coastal preserve on the bay side of north St. Pete, with boardwalks and paddling trails through mangroves.
Which beaches are closest to St. Petersburg?
The closest Gulf beaches to St. Petersburg are St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille, about 20 to 25 minutes west of downtown, and Fort De Soto Park, about 30 minutes south. Pass-a-Grille is a small historic beach village with metered parking and one of the best sunsets in the region. Fort De Soto Park is a 1,136-acre county park with almost three miles of beach, a historic fort and $6 parking. Clearwater Beach is about 45 minutes north.
All of these beaches took damage from the 2024 hurricanes, and repairs to some beachfront businesses and facilities continued into 2026, so check before you go.
How does St. Pete compare with Tampa?
St. Pete is smaller, more walkable and closer to the beaches, with a strong arts scene and a relaxed waterfront downtown. Tampa is bigger, with more hotels, pro sports, nightlife and the historic Ybor City district. Many visitors stay in one city and day-trip to the other. The full breakdown is in the Tampa vs. St. Petersburg comparison, and for a different kind of day out, the Tarpon Springs guide covers the Greek Sponge Docks an hour north.
Where should you stay in St. Petersburg?
Stay downtown for walkability. Options from the local listings include The Birchwood on Beach Drive, a boutique hotel with a rooftop bar; the Hollander Hotel on 4th Avenue North, a restored 1930s building with a pool; Avalon, a small hotel next door; the Ponce De Leon Hotel on Central Avenue; and the Mansion Inn Bed & Breakfast on Fifth Avenue NE in the Old Northeast.
FAQ
How much does the Dalí Museum cost?
Adult gallery admission to the Dalí Museum is $32. Seniors 65 and older, educators, first responders and military members pay $29, and children 5 and under are free. Buy timed tickets online in advance, especially for weekends.
Is downtown St. Petersburg walkable?
Yes. Downtown St. Pete is one of the most walkable downtowns in Florida, with the Dalí Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Pete Pier, Beach Drive and Central Avenue all within about a mile. The free Downtown Looper trolley fills in the gaps.
Is the St. Pete Saturday Morning Market open year-round?
Yes, but it changes location. From October through May it runs 9am to 2pm next to Al Lang Stadium, and from June through September it moves to 212 3rd Street North and runs 9am to 1pm.
What is there to do in St. Petersburg at night?
Evenings in St. Pete center on Central Avenue’s bars and restaurants, breweries in the Warehouse Arts District, the rooftop bar at St. Pete Pier, theater at American Stage and freeFall, and the Dalí Museum’s late hours until 8pm on Thursdays. On the second Saturday of each month, ArtWalk keeps galleries open until 9pm.
How far is St. Petersburg from the beach?
St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille are about 20 to 25 minutes west of downtown by car. Fort De Soto Park is about 30 minutes south, and Clearwater Beach is about 45 minutes north, depending on traffic.