St. Petersburg: travel tips and best time to visit

St. Petersburg lies across from Tampa on a peninsula and rightly carries the nickname Sunshine City. The city combines a lively art and restaurant scene with beaches right on the doorstep. It is known for the Dali Museum with the largest Salvador Dali collection outside Europe, the striking new pier and the fine sandy beaches of the offshore islands.

The waterfront of St. Petersburg on the Gulf Coast.

The Dali Museum

The Salvador Dali Museum is the cultural flagship, an unconventional building on the water with the largest Dali collection in the world outside Spain. A guided tour is worthwhile to understand the works better.

The pier and downtown

The new St. Pete Pier reaches far out into the bay, with views, restaurants and art. All around is a lively downtown full of galleries, colorful murals and good eateries.

Beaches like a picture book

Off the city lie the islands with some of the best beaches in the USA: St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille with white sand and calm Gulf water, ideal for long beach days.

Die Höhepunkte von St. Petersburg

What you shouldn't miss.

1

The Dali Museum

The largest Salvador Dali collection outside Europe, in an unconventional building on the water.

Directions with Google Maps

2

St. Pete Pier

The new pier far out in the bay, with views, art and restaurants.

Directions with Google Maps

3

St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille

Fine sandy beaches on the offshore islands, often ranked among the best in the USA.

Directions with Google Maps

4

Art and downtown

Galleries, colorful murals and a lively restaurant scene in the center.

Practical tips from the forum

Concrete advice from travellers who were there.

Plan a visit to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg and definitely book a guided tour there. It's absolutely top-notch.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Pick one spot and stay put longer instead of booking Clearwater and St. Pete separately. The two are so close together that day trips from a single base are well worth it.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

You'll find a really nice, quiet beach at the southern end of St. Pete Beach, Pass-a-Grille Beach. Fort De Soto Park is also one of the top beaches in the region.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Day trips to Orlando are easy to do from here, the drive takes about 90 to 120 minutes.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Over the Easter break and in peak season, prices in the St. Pete and Clearwater area are huge. Look at cheaper alternatives a little back from the beachfront and book early.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

We really liked the laid-back town of Dunedin a bit to the north, nice places to eat and a very good ice cream parlor, and you're quickly in Clearwater.
from the USA-TALK.DE forum

Voices from the community

What travellers experienced on the spot.

I visited the Gulf Coast with St. Petersburg and Sarasota again and again and find it very beautiful, nicer than the east coast of Florida.
from personal experience

St. Petersburg is unique, be sure to join a guided tour.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

For lovely beaches I would look at St. Petersburg, Sanibel and Naples.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

St. Petersburg lies on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay and is one of the largest cities in Florida. Because the sun shines here on an average of 360 days a year, St. Petersburg carries the nickname Sunshine City.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

The chain of islands off St. Petersburg and Clearwater is a dream. Each of the islands, from Clearwater Beach in the north down to St. Pete Beach in the south, has lovely beaches. We liked St. Pete Beach best.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

There was surprisingly little going on at the pier in St. Petersburg, no parking problem. Pelicans sit everywhere within arm's reach, and from the pier you have a great view of the city and the sea. During a little break we even spotted three dolphins.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

By car St. Petersburg and Clearwater are at most an hour apart. We simply stayed on one of the offshore islands and made day trips from there, that saves a lot of driving.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

On the Gulf Coast the water is pleasantly warm and calm, while on the Atlantic coast it is colder and rougher. With a child you are much better off on the Gulf side around St. Pete.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

In November you already notice that you are in more northern Florida. From Fort Myers southward you are sure to have swimming weather, in St. Pete and further north not necessarily.
from the forum USA-TALK.DE

Have you been here? Share your impression

Your experience helps other travellers more than any glossy brochure. Every post is briefly reviewed before publication.

Climate through the year

Average temperatures, day and night. Large value °C, small value °F.

22°72°F10°50°F

Jan

23°73°F11°52°F

Feb

26°79°F13°55°F

Mar

29°84°F16°61°F

Apr

31°88°F20°68°F

May

33°91°F22°72°F

Jun

33°91°F23°73°F

Jul

33°91°F23°73°F

Aug

32°90°F23°73°F

Sep

29°84°F19°66°F

Oct

26°79°F15°59°F

Nov

23°73°F11°52°F

Dec

Map with viewpoints

Park, entrances and the best viewpoints at a glance.

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Distances and driving times

How far it is to the key places nearby.

From	Distance	Drive time
Tampa	22 mi (35 km)	approx. 0.5 hrs
Clearwater Beach	25 mi (40 km)	approx. 0.75 hrs
Sarasota	37 mi (60 km)	approx. 0.75 hrs
Orlando	110 mi (175 km)	approx. 1.75 hrs

Where to stay

Right in the middle of things, or cheaper a bit further out.

St. Pete Beach

on the beach

Right on the fine sand, ideal for beach days, lively and popular.

Downtown

art and pier

By the Dali Museum, pier and galleries, lively and central.

Pass-a-Grille

quiet tip

A charming, quiet beach spot at the southern end of the island.

Insider tips and common mistakes

What was worth it and what to skip.

Insider tips

Take a guided tour at the Dali Museum, it is what makes the surreal works accessible in the first place.
For the beach choose the quieter Pass-a-Grille instead of only St. Pete Beach.
Explore the colorful art and mural scene downtown on foot.

Common mistakes

Seeing St. Petersburg only as a beach destination, the art scene is just as strong.
Underestimating the heat and afternoon thunderstorms in high summer.
Skipping the pier, the view over the bay is worth it.

Photos

Click to enlarge.

Videos

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Frequently asked questions

What makes St. Petersburg special?

The mix of a strong art scene, above all the Dali Museum, and lovely beaches right on the doorstep.

Which beach is the nicest?

St. Pete Beach is the best known, the neighboring Pass-a-Grille is quieter and especially charming.

Is the Dali Museum worth it even without an interest in art?

Yes, the building and the stories behind it are fascinating. A guided tour helps a lot.

How far is Tampa?

Only half an hour across the bridge, the two combine well.

Nearby

Easy to combine on a road trip.

Gulf Coast

Florida

Tampa

Busch Gardens, Cuban Ybor City and Florida's lively Gulf Coast metropolis.

Sarasota

The Ringling legacy, world-famous Siesta Key Beach and elegant flair.

Fort Myers

Edison's winter estate, palm-lined beaches and the gateway to Sanibel.

St. Petersburg

The Dali Museum

The pier and downtown

Beaches like a picture book

Die Höhepunkte von St. Petersburg

The Dali Museum

St. Pete Pier

St. Pete Beach and Pass-a-Grille

Art and downtown

Practical tips from the forum

Voices from the community

Have you been here? Share your impression

Climate through the year

Map with viewpoints

Distances and driving times

Where to stay

St. Pete Beach

Downtown

Pass-a-Grille

Insider tips and common mistakes

Insider tips

Common mistakes

Photos

Videos

St. Petersburg Travel Guide 4K

The Dali Museum, Tour

Dali Museum and St. Pete Pier

Surrealism, Exploring the Dali

Frequently asked questions

Nearby

Tampa

Sarasota

Fort Myers