Home to Disney World, bustling coastal hubs bounded by azure waters, and boasting year-round warmer temperatures, Florida is one of the most popular domestic destinations for Americans who won’t be setting foot abroad this year.
While it’s no surprise the likes of Orlando, Miami and Fort Lauderdale will be brimming with visitors this summer, a lesser-known, alternative resort town also looks set for record seasonal tourism, with local authorities expecting a surge in visitors.
As confirmed by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater President and CEO Brian LoJack, tourism-generated bed tax revenues hit a record high in 2023, and if the monthly record set this past March is any indication, 2024 will set the bar even higher.
Offering amazing food and well-frequented beaches, St Petersburg has more casual vibes and reasonably-priced hotels:
Why Is St. Pete Surging In Popularity All Of A Sudden?
Located on the Gulf side, in the wider Tampa Bay Area, but nowhere near as busy as the city of Tampa itself, St. Petersburg is a vibrant mid-size municipality that around 258,000 people call home.
Much like the rest of Florida, it enjoys a sunnier climate regardless of the season: summers are hot and humid, reaching highs of 92°F, while winters and the off-season, in general, are mild at best, averaging 69.8°F.
It’s no surprise it is nicknamed ‘Sunshine City‘: on average, locals enjoy 361 days of sunshine per year, as reported by St. Pete’s official website.
With its wide range of water-based activities and beachfront stays, it’s the perfect answer to a jam-packed South Florida.
What Is The Sunshine City Best Known For?
Other than, well, the great weather.
St Petersburg is administered by Pinellas County.
It is an area of outstanding beauty, with a thin, white-sand coast interspersed with resort zones, from Clearwater down to Treasure Island and the city of St. Pete itself, and from affordable listings to more palatial hotels.
One of the liveliest beach zones in the area, set on a barrier island, St. Pete Beach is best known for its long, wide sandy beach bounded by a bright-blue ocean.
A series of upscale hotels tower over the sun-kissed shoreline.
The most famous of them, the pink-washed Don CeSar Hotel may not be the cheapest in town, but it surely is a sight to behold:
Built with Moorish in mind, an architectural style originating in North Africa, and equipped with an outdoor pool, waterfront bar, and even a private stretch of beach, it is the epitome of luxury with room rates set at $558 this summer.
Located on Treasure Island, the Molloy Gulf Motel & Cottages is a popular alternative to the pricier St. Pete Beach resort strip: it starts from an acceptable $143, and you’ll be staying in close proximity of St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport (11 miles), and of the beach itself.
In the heart of St. Petersburg, the Birchwood has been operating since the 1920s.
It is distinguished for its timeless decor and privileged location, only 500 meters from Spa Beach: for each overnight stay here, expect to shell out $218 per night.
Spoiling us for choice, these are only three options out of at least 435 properties with varying prices available on Booking.com across Pinellas County.
Art Museums And Sunset Cruises
Beyond the paradisiacal beaches, the St Pete area is an underrated cultural destination: the city proper is home to Dali Museum, featuring a vast collection of surrealist works, while the nearby Museum of Fine Arts concentrates a great deal of ancient and contemporary art.
If you’re only there for a short while and would like to dedicate more time to the beach and relaxing activities, booking the sightseeing tour in an electric cart on GetYourGuide for $49 is a great way to explore the town’s highlights in a day.
Lasting two hours, it stops for pictures in iconic places like Downtown St. Pete and the marina, bathroom breaks, and live commentary from a local guide who can tell you unique facts about St. Petersburg’s founding that you won’t find on travel brochures.
Other highly sought-after tours include a sunset cruise with views of the famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and a four-hour catamaran cruise to the peaceful Egmont Key Island, where you can admire a historic lighthouse and the sea-facing Fort Dade, $66.67 each.
The New Foodie Capital Of America
Last but certainly not least, St. Petersburg is a foodie hotspot of the sorts, having ranked as the best food city in the entire U.S. on InsureMyTrip‘s latest survey.
Considering the variety of cafes and bakeries in town, the presence of farmer’s markets, and even the prices of cooking classes, offbeat St. Petersburg came out on top, scoring the highest across multiple categories:
For starters, it has an average rating of 4.41/5, and we’ll take a wild guess and suggest it may be related to St. Pete’s privileged location near the Gulf and the abundant, fresh seafood served at local eateries.
One of the best-rated restaurants in town is Parkshore Grill, with a near-perfect 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor, based on a solid 1,666 reviews so far, and it’s your go-to spot for sampling local crab cakes and oysters at reasonable prices.
Then of course, there is a wide selection of Italian/Mediterranean, Mexican and American diners: the calamari in BellaBrava are particularly tasty, and if you’re just craving the usual burger and fries, Cody’s Original Roadhouse has the best Bar Burger in town.
Other than great meals, travelers can expect amazing coffee, and usually at affordable prices, with the average cost of cappuccino across St. Petersburg’s cafes being $4.39, and it’s also scored points for future development:
Central Park St. Pete is being converted into a five-story court with lots more laid-back restaurants, with opening set for fall 2024: in sum, for our fellow food connoisseurs out there, there’s never been a more exciting time to visit this Floridian gem.
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