St. Petersburg, FL

As the fourth largest city in the state of Florida, St. Petersburg had a population of 248,232 as reported in the year 2000 census. St. Pete is often referred to as the Sunshine State’s “Sunshine City”, holding a Guinness Word Record for having 768 consecutive days of sunshine in 1967.

St. Petersburg is located on the Pinellas Peninsula, the body of land jutting south and bordered by Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The Howard Frankland Bridge connects St. Petersburg across Tampa Bay to the city of Tampa, allowing tourists and residents to enjoy the best of both major cities. Although St. Petersburg has no land within its city limits that borders on the Gulf of Mexico, it has an abundance of waterfront property on Tampa Bay. (St Petersburg has developed and owns the St. Petersburg Municipal Beach in nearby Treasure Island on the Gulf).

St. Petersburg is just a few miles across the Pinellas Bayway from Ft. De Soto Park, one of the top rated beaches in the United States. The park consists of 5 interconnected islands surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico totaling 1,136 acres of beautiful land. Tourists who wish to experience the natural beauty of Ft. De Soto Park may opt to camp in one of the area’s 238 family camping sites. Tourists can enjoy a recreation trail, a nature trail, a canoe trail, 2 large swimming centers, 2 fishing piers, shopping, and a boat launching facility.

With six museums built and supported within the city, St. Pete is the cultural Mecca of Central West Florida. Visitors can tour the Salvador Dali Museum, The Florida Holocaust Museum, The Florida International Museum, The hands-on Great Explorations Museum, The Museum of Fine Arts, and the St. Petersburg Museum of History. The city also has an active theatre community, including presentations of opera, drama and ballet and many fine arts galleries throughout.

The St. Petersburg Pier is a major area attraction. The Pier has been a landmark in downtown St. Pete since 1899 and was most recently renovated in 1988. The Pier is 5 stories tall and open 7 days a week, rain or shine. Visitors will find 4 sit-down restaurants, 16 specialty stores, a food court and an aquarium. On your trip you can also rent a bike, a fishing pole or jump on the Dolphin Queen sightseeing boat for a guaranteed dolphin sighting. On Sundays, tourists can enjoy live music in the courtyard next to the water.

The best shopping deals in St. Pete can be found at BayWalk, in the heart of the downtown region. At BayWalk, travelers can catch a movie, dine on fine sushi, or purchase jewelry, just to name a few things to do.

If you’re feeling lucky on your trip, take a ride on the Ocean Jewel, St. Pete’s 450-foot, 8 deck gambling boat. The Ocean Jewel premiered in August of 2004. It features many amenities in addition to a casino, such as shops, a dance club, a sports bar, deck activities, and a VIP club. The Ocean Jewel docks at the Port of St. Petersburg, and offers express shuttles to and from many area hotels.

To visit St. Petersburg, there are 2 airports in the immediate area - the Tampa International Airport and the St. Petersburg - Clearwater International Airport. The latter is a much smaller operation with less flight options, but often offers slightly cheaper airfares. If your trip includes a visit to Orlando, the Orlando International Airport is only a little more than 100 miles away.