Another stop along my beach road trip through Florida was St Petersburg and Clearwater. Clearwater has recently been named “Best Beach Town in Florida” by USA Today. I didn`t have enough time to explore both extensively, but I did manage to have a stroll on Clearwaters` white sandy beach.
What to see?
Clearwater Beach, as seen as the photo above, perfect place to sit back and relax. If you prefer to be a bit more active, join in for a beach volleyball game. Or walk along the gulf front promenade and have a drink at one of the many beach bars.
St Pete Beach, another stretched sandy beach that offers the opportunity for beach walks, building sand castles with the kids, … I can see that this is a place where families would enjoy their time as there are hotels & resorts along the coastline offering you direct access to the beach.
My biggest surprise to find in St Petersburg was the Dali Museum. I wasn`t aware there was another one outside of Spain. As I enjoyed it so much, I wrote a whole post about it, which you can check out here.
What else is there to do?
St Petersburg is not only home to the iconic Dali Museum but also the Museum of Fine Arts, the Chihuly Collection,… and lots of art galleries. Shops, restaurants, bars,… you can all find them here.
Where to stay?
We stayed at the Postcard Inn, located at St Pete Beach, and offers great access to the beach. Unfortunately it`s also known with the youngsters as a party place, so if you`re looking for some rest during a trip or holiday, having a quiet night is not possible with the thin walls.
Practical tips
- Parking at Clearwater Beach is 2.75$* per hour
- 0.75$* toll to cross the bridge to go to St Pete Beach
- Parking at the Dali Museum is 1$* per hour across from the museum and 5$ at the museum if you`re a non-member
- Driving times from: Tampa: 24 mi/39 km approx. 30 mins – Orlando: 107 mi/172 km approx. 90 mins – Fort Lauderdale: 249 mi/401 km approx. 3 hours 45 mins – Miami: 269 mi/433 km approx. 4 hours 10 mins
If you want to read up on Florida, then check out my other stops on this beach trip: Pensacola, Panama City Beach, Apalachicola, Cedar Key and St Augustine.
*Prices were accurate at time of publishing.
This trip was made possible with the support of Visit Florida. Special thanks to St. Petersburg & Clearwater.
7 Responses to “Things to do in St Petersburg and Clearwater”