1. Spend an afternoon visiting museums.
St. Petersburg is home to many unique museums offering a variety of exhibits. The most prominent museum is the Dali Museum which offers different exhibit throughout the year. Recently, the Dali Museum was home to the traveling Starry Night Exhibit. Additionally, every 3rd Sunday, there is a yoga class starting at 9 AM. More information on the exhibits, hours, and tickets to the Dali Museum can be found here: https://thedali.org/.
The Museum of Fine Arts sits nicely off of Beach Drive between the main restaurants and shopping of Beach Drive and the entrance to the Pier. The Museum of Fine Arts hosts private events and has traveling exhibits throughout the year. Please visit here for more information: https://mfastpete.org/.
The St. Petersburg Museum of History is located right at the entrance of the Pier. Current exhibits include early aviation and the history of the Pier. However, it is also home to a small Cooperstown, a reference to the location of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. This section of the Museum of History has over 5,000 baseballs and holds the world record for most baseballs in one location. For up to date exhibits, please visit: https://spmoh.com/.
2. Attend an event at Mahaffey Theater.
Located at the Duke Energy Center of the Arts, the Mahaffey Theater hosts a wide variety of events including orchestra, stand up comics, various bands, and plays. A list of upcoming events can be found here: https://www.themahaffey.com/.
3. Visit a City Park.
St. Petersburg is home to numerous city parks which each have a unique identity. Some parks have dog parks, others have pickleball courts and at least one has a splash pad for children. . Whatever it is you are seeking, there is a park around St. Petersburg which will be able to fulfill your outdoor activity or hobby.
4. Take a Walk on Coffeepot Towards Vinoy.
There is a 1 mile walking path right on the bay where you can take in some fresh air from Tampa Bay while taking into the daily life of St. Petersburg. On the walk from Coffeepot to North Shore Park, you will find houses on one side of the road, private docks and the nature of Tampa Bay. As you make your way towards Elva Rouse Park and North Shore, you will find beautiful green areas where residents enjoy the outdoors, have outdoor yoga, tennis courts, softball fields, and volleyball courts to state a few. If you continue the path, it can take you to the Vinoy and even to the Pier (1.7 miles one way). While walking, you will find many people biking and rollerblading as well. If you enjoy walking, biking or rollerblading, the Pinellas Trail is a great pathway leading to different parts of St. Petersburg with local shops, restaurants, and breweries only a few blocks away from the Pinellas Trail.
5. Visit the Pier.
Similar to Walking the Bay on Coffeepot, the St. Petersburg Pier reopened in 2020 after being under construction and renovations for several years. Previous visitors and residents knew the St. Petersburg Pier for having the upside down pyramid at the end of the Pier, a unique architectural design.
The Pier is just over a half of a mile long, but for those with mobility issues, the City offers a tram service where you can ride from the beginning of the pier, to the Fishing Dock at the end of the Pier, with stops along the way including Founder’s Plaza and at the Discovery Center.
Beginning at the start of the Pier, the St. Petersburg Museum of History and multiple local shops line the walk way. As you continue your walk, to the North is the Family Park and Bending Arc sculpture which is a grassy area which can be utilized for picnics, and to the South, is the municipal marina where you can find local working on their boats and water vessels.
Continuing the walk, about half way down the Pier, is the Pier Plaza which includes a children’s playground, a splash pad for children, and a grab and go restaurant which offers pizza, burgers, and sandwiches. To the North of Pier Plaza, is a calming beach where you can lay out and enjoy the beautiful sand and weather the Sunshine City has to offer.
To the South is Doc Ford’s restaurant, which has an excellent outdoor seating area where the food focuses on seafood and Caribbean flavors.
For kids, the Pier has a discovery center where children and adults can learn about the St. Petersburg environmental ecosystem, view animals found throughout Tampa Bay, and explore interactive exhibits for hands on learning. The Pier also ha an area where the different Florida native plants, trees, and grass can be found and explored.
Finally, when you make your way to the end of the Pier, you will find a four story building home to the indoor Teak Restaurant, a Café where you can grab a coffee and gelato, and an outdoor elevated area where you can grab a drink and small shareable foods. It is a great view of the St. Petersburg skyline and a great place to watch planes as they land at the municipal airport. Behind the building is the Fishing Deck where you can also view fishermen try to find a good catch.
For a list of events and map of the Pier, please visit: https://stpetepier.org/.
6. Spend the day at the Factory.
The Factory is a creative arts destination for those wanting to hone their craft, or view different types of arts. The Factory is home to approximately ten different types of studios, ranging from sewing to poetry art. There is often live jazz music, poetry, or art shows taking place.
In addition to the arts, the Factory is home to the Fairgrounds where visitors have a unique visual experience viewing different art, and can also take apart of an interactive Halloween scavenger hunt.
The Factory is also home to Daddy Kool Records where vinyl lovers can find artists they enjoy listening to, and find new artists they have not heard before. Spend hour perusing old records, new records, and upcoming artists to take home to your record player.
For more information on the Factory, please visit: https://www.thefactorystpete.com/.
7. Go to a Brewery.
St. Petersburg is home to numerous different breweries in St. Petersburg and depending on the type of atmosphere and style of beer, there is a brewery in St. Petersburg which can cater to your preferences. If you want a specialized stout to enjoy over conversation, Cycle Brewery is available; if you want a lighter beer and enjoy the outdoors and conversation, Green Bench is just a couple blocks from Tropicana Field; but if you want music, ciders, and a variety of different beers with different games, Three Daughter’s Brewery is your place. And this is just to name a few, not including Pinellas Ale Works (PAW) for dog lovers, Cage Brewery for live music and IPAs, St. Pete Brewing Company, Overflow, Grand Central District to just name a few.
8. Visit Sunken Gardens.
This botanical garden destination is a must stop for any flower lover. It is home to over 5,000 plants and flowers and also home to different wildlife including flamingos.
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