This beach-lined, sun-drenched region of Florida that stretches from Tarpon Springs, down through the barrier islands of clearwater beach and Treasure island to the vibrant and culturally savvy city of St. Petersburg has a lot to offer visitors.
From swimming or watersports in the warm and gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the downtown energy of the city, spurred on by the hip independent restaurants & cafes, craft breweries, farmers markets and artsy galleries that line St. Pete’s Central Ave, St. Petersburg and Clearwater offer the opportunity to combine a beach holiday and city break in one easy trip. Here are my favourite things to do in this northern Florida destination.
The Best Things to do in Clearwater & St. Pete
1. Dali Museum
2. Check Out the Murals and Street Art of Downtown St. Pete
3. See Wild Dolphins with Little Toot Dolphin Adventures
4. Watch the Sunset from Pier 60
5. Relax on the Pristine Sands of Honeymoon Island and Caladesi State Parks.
6. Do the ‘Friday Night Shuffle’ at St. Pete Shuffleboard Club
7. Drink along the Gulp Coast, the St. Pete & Clearwater Craft Beer Trail
8. Get Some Local Flavour at St. Petersburg’s Saturday Morning Market
9. Hang Out on America’s Best Beach
10. Stop by Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill for One of Their Famous Grouper Sandwiches
11. Check Out the Local Art Scene
12. Go Bar Hopping in Dunedin
13. Party Florida-Style at No Vacancy
Dali Museum
In 1982, after a wide-ranging search by a Cleveland couple looking to donate their expansive Dali collection, the Dali Museum was inaugurated beside St. Petersburg’s harbour. This crowning jewel in the city’s collection of museums hosts around 2,000 of the surrealist’s works, including some of his most celebrated pieces, in a structure – a contorted, geodesic mass of glass, steel and concrete designed by one of the architects who helped create the Louvre’s famous glass pyramid – that is almost as impressive as the art that it contains.
The Dali Museum contains the most comprehensive collection of the artist’s works outside of his native Spain. Masterpieces in the collection include The Persistence of Memory and The Hallucinogenic Toreador. As well as the permanent collection, the museum also hosts exhibits such as an augmented reality area where you can use your mobile phone camera to bring the surrealist’s pieces to life or a VR experience where you can virtually step inside Salvador Dali’s most famous work.
Where: 1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg
When: Galleries are open daily 10am – 5.30pm (until 8pm on Thursdays). The Museum Store & Avant-gardens remain open for 30 minutes after the galleries close.
General admission tickets cost $25 dollars per person or $18 for students and $23 for seniors.
Check Out the Murals and Street Art of Downtown St. Pete
Although St. Pete is home to myriad fantastic museums and galleries, some of the best art that the city has to offer can be found on the street. The entirety of downtown St. Pete is one huge canvas, with many of the city’s walls bearing colourful and stunning murals painted by local and international artists.
With the annual two-week long SHINE mural festival, St. Pete aims to showcase their creative street art scene. Now in its 5th year, SHINE has resulted in over 50 murals going up around the city (although estimates for the number of murals in St. Petersburg as a whole go as high as 500), with the local authorities creating a fund to go towards the creation of murals and fees to pay artists. Normally, between 15 and 20 new works are produced each year, but for 2019, 26 local and international artists were selected, importantly, with a call going out to the St. Pete art scene for local artists to be featured and selected on the strength of their portfolio.
Florida CraftArt run guided tours of the city’s murals each Saturday morning from 10 am that last for 90 minutes. The meeting point is Florida CraftArt. The cost for the Mural Tour is $19 for adults, $11 for children ages 6-18, and free for children under 5.
For more information and to book a tour, click here. A portion of the proceeds from the tours will is used to fund future murals.
See Wild Dolphins with Little Toot Dolphin Adventures
The waters of the coast of Clearwater are packed with interesting marine life, but you don’t have to don a snorkel or scuba gear to see the region’s much-loved porpoises in the wild.
There are a number of dolphin spotting tours leaving from Clearwater’s harbour each day but a trip onboard Little Toot, a cute, 40 ft Tug Boat, is one of the best. The crew are incredibly knowledgeable about dolphins and well-trained on how to see them in the wild responsibly, without disturbing them or causing distress. Instead, once they spot dolphins in the distance, the captain will chug along slowly, creating a wake that invites the dolphins to approach the boat and play, rather than the other way around.
Over the course of our tour, we saw dozens of dolphins leaping through the waves behind little toot and it was easily one of the most memorable experiences I had while exploring the region.
Departure times are at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm with the tour lasting anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes.
Prices: $22.43 plus tax for adults and $14.95 plus tax for children. Dolphin sightings are guaranteed, otherwise, you will receive a free trip.
Watch the Sunset from Pier 60
Running 365 days a year, this nightly sunset celebration in Clearwater’s Pier 60 Park sees street performers, food vendors and craft stalls descend on the beach’s 1,000 ft long fishing pier to keep people entertained while they watch one of the beach’s famous sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.
For the best sundowner views, you can pay $1 and head to the end of the quaintly retro pier and watch the sun retreat beyond the horizon and light the sky in orange and pink hues alongside the fishermen and pelicans.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, a family-friendly movie is played under the stars at the Sunset Cinema.
Relax on the Pristine Sands of Honeymoon Island and Caladesi State Parks.
The name ‘Honeymoon Island’ is an evocative one. It’s a name that conjures ideas of happy newlyweds frolicking on the white sand beaches and playfully swimming in clear, turquoise waters. However, it hasn’t always had such a romantic title: prior to a Hurricane in 1921, Honeymoon Island and nearby Caladesi Island were one large land mass known as Hog Island. The hurricane split hog island in half, creating two separate islands.
The Island received its new name in 1939 when New York developer Clinton Washburn purchased the island and, together with LIFE Magazine, held a contest for newlywed couples. The winners would stay in a thatched bungalow on the island for a two-week honeymoon.
From 1974, the State of Florida began purchasing parts of the island and on December 7, 1981 Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area was created. Located near the top of Florida’s barrier island chain, the long, sandy beach and white dunes of Honeymoon Island are now home to a huge amount of birdlife. The Osprey Trail which winds its way through the island’s pine forests host rattlesnakes, racoons and gopher tortoises.
Do the 'Friday Night Shuffle' at St. Pete Shuffleboard Club
The classic Florida game of Shuffleboard may have spent decades suffering from image issues, but the sport – once thought of as restricted to OAPs and cruise ships – is seeing a resurgence among a whole new generation in its historic home of St. Petersburg.
First established in 1924, in the days when Florida was opening its doors to a growing influx of visitors as the domestic tourism market was beginning to boom, the St. Petersburg shuffleboard club developed and created the game of shuffleboard as a leisurely way for these tourists to while away the afternoon.
Despite its popularity in the first half of the 20th century, for the past few decades, the game has become synonymous with old age pensioners and cruise ships. But recently Shuffleboard, and its birthplace in St. Pete, has seen a resurgence.
Partly due to the local authorities approving funding to fix the deteriorating clubhouse and to redo the courts – there are now a total of 73, many of them with newly-installed lighting to allow for evening play – generating much local interest in this historic landmark, and partly due to the revitalisation of St. Petersburg itself, the club has become a popular hangout once again, particularly on a Friday evening when St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club opens its doors to non-members between 7pm and 10pm. It is free to play and visitors are welcome to bring their own booze and food.
Where: 559 Mirror Lake Dr N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Membership: You can become a member of St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club for $35 a year. Members can play any day of the week for no additional charge and can bring up to three guests with them.
Non-members can play between the hours of 6pm and 9pm Tuesday – Thursday for a $5 fee and can play for free each Friday night between 7pm and 10pm at the weekly Friday Night Shuffle.
More information is available on their website.
Drink along the Gulp Coast, the St. Pete & Clearwater Craft Beer Trail
Over the past decade, St. Pete has fast become Florida’s premier destination for craft breweries – the Sunshine State’s answer to California’s wine country according to the local tourism board – with the hosting no fewer than 17 brewers, ranging from the small-scale, homegrown likes of If I Brewed the World and Dissent, local pioneers like Greenbench and 3 Daughters, to larger-scale, national brewers like Sea Dog Brew Co.
With many of St. Pete’s craft breweries located within walking distance of the waterfront with only a few that are within a short taxi ride, it’s easy enough to sample the unique vibe and drinks on offer at each of them. Whatever your tastes, St. Pete has something to offer: hop-forward IPAs or fruity sours. The Bay Area even has its own style that is very much unique to the region, Florida Weisse. Inspired by the Berliner Weisse, local brewers make this a tart, cloudy sour using local fruits to give it a hint of Florida sun. Think passionfruit, key lime and, of course, oranges.
The region as a whole is home to 41 craft breweries in total, stretching on a path from Tarpon Springs in the north, all the way down to St. Pete in the south. The small town of Dunedin alone is home to 9 microbreweries. The St. Pete & Clearwater Craft Beer Trail is detailed in the Gulp Coast Craft Beer Passport which you can get for free at Gulpcoast.com, allowing you to tick off each and every brewery that the region has to offer.
Get Some Local Flavour at St. Petersburg's Saturday Morning Market
Each week, over 130 vendors set up shop beside the Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Pete for the largest weekly fresh market in the Southeast US. While it’s a great place to pick up meats, cheeses and baked goods, it is also a great spot for souvenir shopping, with stalls selling craftwork, artisanal jewellery and clothing.
The market, which is free to enter, runs from 9am – 2 pm every Saturday at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Pete between October and May.
Hang Out on America's Best Beach
Named the #1 beach in the USA by Tripadvisor in both 2018 and 2019, this 3-mile long stretch of glistening white sand is the perfect place to sun yourself or do a spot of swimming.
From the activity along the bustling, palm-lined Beach Walk Promenade to the serene shores of Sand Key Park, there are plenty of water sports or fishing activities on offer on Clearwater Beach for those that don’t want to relax and the area is packed with plenty of dining and shopping opportunities
Stop by Frenchy's Rockaway Grill for One of Their Famous Grouper Sandwiches
A local institution, Frenchy’s is synonymous with Clearwater. Although spread over 4 different locations, Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill on Clearwater Beach is the archetypal beachfront bar: a kitsch, rainbow-coloured venue where you can eat and drink while listening to laid-back rock and roll bands knocking out hits from the 70s and 80s.
Most people visit for their Floribbean-style dishes like the She Crab soup or their famous grouper sandwich that comes in a variety of styles, ranging from Cajun and Caribbean to Reuben style, complete with sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and swiss cheese, but they stay for the lovely atmosphere and stellar sunset views over the Gulf of Mexico.
Check Out the Local Art Scene
Almost as soon as the city was incorporated in 1903, it attracted artists. The Florida Winter School opened in 1916 and just a year later, what is now known at the Morean Arts Center became the first art gallery in Florida. Many other institutions followed suit. In 1965, the city gained its first fine arts museum in a Palladian-style building on Beach Drive and in 1982 the stunning Dali Museum was constructed and now contains one of the largest collections of the surrealist’s work.
Even today, St. Pete is a haven for artists, thanks to the city’s rejuvenation and their decision to repopulate the dilapidated 600 block with art galleries, available at reduced rent prices and the city’s monthly ArtWalk, when galleries and art studios could open their doors to visitors and display their works. What started as a small endeavour to showcase local artists now covers five distinct art districts with a dedicated trolley service carrying visitors between them.
The city is now covered in colourful street art murals, filled with world-class museums and more galleries than a city of its size warrants, containing a dynamic mix of ceramics, fine art, pop and street art, and even glasswork.
Chihuly Collection
Featuring a permanent collection by the world’s most famous glass artist, Dale Chihuly, and presented by the Morean Arts Centre, the Chihuly Collection is contained in a building specifically designed to house his work. Some of his most popular pieces are here, including the glass garden Mille Fiori and Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier that was created specifically for the collection
Morean Arts Center
Celebrating its centennial in 2017, the Morean Arts Centre and its contemporary gallery downtown is one of the oldest art galleries in the region and displays works by local, national and international artists. Past displays have included artists’ works by Jasper Johns, Duncan McClellan, Allison Massari, Peter Max, Babs Reingold and Jun Kaneko.
Florida CraftArt
Florida CraftArt is a nonprofit gallery that displays and sells fine crafts – from blown-glass ornaments to statement jewellery to handcrafted furniture—made by artists throughout the state. It is worth visiting just to see the art but it is also an ideal place to pick up a souvenir.
Museum of Fine Art
Still housed in its original Palladian-style building on Beach Drive, the museum of Fine Art contains works of art spanning almost 5000 years, including several significant 18th and 19th-century paintings and a huge photography collection. Included in the collection are works by Monet and Rauchenberg.
Articles Gallery
Run by Leslie Curran, a local artist and frame designer, this gallery exhibits a diverse array of works by emerging and mid-career local artists. The gallery has monthly exhibitions and evening receptions in conjunction with the Second Saturday Gallery Walk.
Go Bar Hopping in Dunedin
One of the oldest towns on Florida’s west coast, Dunedin is just a short taxi ride from Clearwater Beach and is home to an idyllic and walkable downtown packed with great independent restaurants and drinking spots.
Downtown plays host to no fewer than 7 fantastic craft breweries within a short stumble from each other, including Dunedin Brewery, Florida’s oldest microbrewery, local favourite 7eventh Sun, and Woodwright Brewing Co, a hip hangout that is part brewery, part wood shop.
For those looking for something a little fancier, Sonder Social Club is the neighbourhood’s first craft cocktail bar. Here you’ll find unique and tasty hand-crafted cocktails in a setting that is a mix of modern and retro glamour filled with quirky design flourishes, such as the bathroom hidden behind a bookcase lined with antiques, weathered volumes of the classics, and other knickknacks.
Party Florida Style at No Vacancy
Drenched in neon and shades of pastel pinks and blues, No Vacancy brings its own version of Florida kitsch to the Edge District of Downtown St. Pete, taking cues from seedy motels and dimly lit dive bars.
The inviting outdoor patio is lined with artificial turf, pool furniture and an enormous mural of a bright pink flamingo, the screens behind the brightly lit bar play scenes of Scarface on repeat while people play giant lawn games and sip from ceramic pineapple cocktail bowls. The interior is dark and moody, soaked in green and blue neon light. What sounds like it should be tacky, is in fact what makes No Vacancy an extremely fun and cool place to spend your evening.
Where to Stay in St. Pete & Clearwater
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
There are myriad luxurious hotels lining Clearwater beach, but the domineering dual glass towers of the Wyndham Grand stand out. Offering 343 guestrooms, many of which offer views out into the Gulf of Mexico, the Wyndham has spa and pool facilities and is just a few metres from the sparkling sands of America’s best beach. It is also home to a restaurant featured on this list: Ocean Hai. Serving Asian fusion cuisine and spectacular sushi, Ocean Hai is one of the best seafood restaurants in Clearwater.
The Don Cesar
Built in 1928 during the Gatsby era, people were drawn to St Petersburg as a city of leisure – pristine white beaches, palm trees, the cultured Mediterranean architecture – and the Don Cesar gained renown as the playground for America’s pampered rich. Its grand ballroom has even hosted extravagant parties by the likes of Scott F Fitzgerald and Al Capone. Sitting beside the pristine sands of St. Pete beach like a pink, art deco behemoth, the beautiful Don Cesar remains one of St. Pete’s most exclusive resorts.
I visited Florida as a guest of Visit St. Pete & Clearwater. However, all views are my own.
One Response
The beaches in Clearwater Florida and Saint Petersberg look so pristine. The sunset at Pier 60 the Grouper Sandwich from Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill are a must.