Saint Petersburg

A glass-bubble atrium bursting out of a concrete building houses the largest collection of Salvador Dalí's work outside Europe. A vacation in St. Petersburg on Florida's west coast pairs this art with street murals, a long waterfront promenade, and fine sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

Sun City with a Russian Name

The name goes back to Peter Demens, a Russian nobleman who built the railroad to the tip of the Pinellas Peninsula in the 1880s and named the new city after his hometown. With its promise of sunshine, St. Petersburg drew winter visitors and retirees early on; one newspaper reportedly gave away its edition on every day the sun didn't shine. In 1914, the world's first scheduled commercial airline took off here, flying across the bay to Tampa. Today the city is younger and more creative than its reputation suggests.

Things to See in St. Petersburg

The Salvador Dalí Museum on the bay shows paintings, drawings, and objects by the Surrealist. The Museum of Fine Arts and the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art round out the cultural offerings, while the Chihuly Collection displays glass sculptures. The newly built St. Pete Pier stretches far out into Tampa Bay, with parks, restaurants, and pelicans. Hundreds of murals adorn the facades of downtown buildings, especially in the Edge District and the Central Arts District. Sunken Gardens, a tropical garden more than a hundred years old, feels like a green oasis in the middle of the city.

Eating and Going Out in St. Petersburg

Grouper sandwiches, stone crabs in season from mid-October to May, and smoked fish spread are staples of Gulf Coast cooking. Central Avenue is the main strip for restaurants, craft breweries, and bars, as is the Edge District with its galleries. On Saturdays, the Saturday Morning Market at Al Lang Stadium sells fruit, flowers, and street food. The Cuban sandwich, which you'll often find here too, has its roots in the region's Cuban heritage.

Nature, Sports, and Festivals

In spring, IndyCar race cars speed around a waterfront street course at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Things are calmer at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, where hiking trails wind through pine forest and marsh, and at Weedon Island Preserve, which tempts paddlers with kayak routes through mangroves. On the Pinellas Trail, you can bike all the way to Tarpon Springs, a sponge-diving town with Greek flair. In the fall, the SHINE Mural Festival creates new murals, and on many evenings bands play in the parks along the water.

Getting Around St. Petersburg and the Best Time to Visit

The large Tampa International Airport is about 30 minutes away, and the smaller St. Pete–Clearwater Airport lies north of the city. The SunRunner bus rapid transit line connects downtown with St. Pete Beach. Among the most beautiful beaches are Pass-a-Grille and Fort De Soto Park with its white sand dunes. The best time to visit is from November to April, when the weather is dry and warm. Summers are muggy, and hurricane season runs through November; in 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused severe damage in the region. Day trips lead to Tampa with Ybor City or to Caladesi Island State Park.