Florida Travel Guide
St Petersburg
Situated just across the bay from Tampa and long seen as a retirement town, strictly for the old and wrinkly, St Petersburg has made efforts in recent years to enliven its image. With a selection of museums and galleries and a huge pier, the town fancies itself as something other than a pure run of the mill, beach resort place.
St Petersburg was named, on its foundation in 1876, for the Russian city that had been the home of one of the founding fathers. From the start, it was renowned as a healthy place and the tourists began to arrive.
Sun Comes Up, Sun Goes Down
The sun shines here a lot. From 1967 to 1969, the sun shone every day. No wonder it has become a tourist haven. If you are on the coast or by the water, the sunsets are a thing to behold.
On the Beach
Although a city with a reputation as a cultural centre the primary lure to St Petersburg is the beach. Travel west from the town itself across an area of drab suburbs to reach one of the states busiest coastal strips. Although popular for vacationing Americans for many years, the St Petersburg beaches have increasingly come to the attention of holidaying Europeans. The beaches are situated on a number of islands that act as a barrier protecting Tampa Bay. Mostly this string of islands is an unceasing concrete coastline of hotels and motels. Pass-A-Grille to the south is one beach area that has anything like a unique identity, as is Clearwater Beach to the North. Whatever the surroundings are like, the beaches themselves are stunning; white sand, blue skies, and warm crystal seas who could ask for anything more.
Salvador Dali
This collection of works, by the bizarrely moustachioed surrealist, counts as the highlight of cultural life in St Petersburg. Quite right too. A Reynolds Morse, a northern industrialist, put together this collection and it now constitutes the largest collection of pieces by the Catalonian oddball outside of his native Spain.
Other Cultural Stuff
The best thing about St Petersburg is that the town is such an antidote to the sun, sea, and sand of the coast. Great Explorations, located at the far end of the pier, is one of those hands on, interactive museums so beloved of the children. Elsewhere there is the Museum of Fine Art, notable for its collection of French Impressionists and pre-Columbian art as well as other collections from around the world.
The St Petersburg Museum of History gives information on the lengthy history (just over 100 years) of the city and the surrounding area. A larger museum with a broader appeal is the Florida International Museum, this specialises in mounting exhibitions on loan from the worlds great museums.
The Pier
Stretching over a quarter of a mile into the bay this is one of the world's longest amusement piers. The most prominent feature is the large upside down pyramid at the end of the pier. This houses shops, bars and restaurants as well as art exhibitions and craft shows. This is the focal point for in town entertainment.
Park Life
To escape both beach and town head for the Fort De Soto Park. Named for Hernando de Soto the conquistador who landed in Tampa Bay in 1539 the park comprises 5 islands within the bay. It does have beaches but it also has miles of hiking and cycling trails. At the far end of one of the islands (Mullet Key) is a fort, which dates back to the Spanish American war.
Eating, Drinking and Sleeping
There is plenty of choice in all areas, in high season prices rise, hotels are more difficult to find - unless you booked at this time as well. Motels are widely available year round. For food and drink whilst in town head to the pier the same facilities are available everywhere by the beach. St Petersburg tends to offer a cheaper deal than nearby Tampa.
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