If you find yourself traveling to St. Petersburg, Florida, whether you’re going on vacation or relocating to this beautiful city, you’ll find a plethora of things to do during your free time. The city of St. Petersburg, FL is a great place to visit and many tourists come here. St. Petersburg is known for its weather which is always beautiful as it broke the world record and the city is also nicknamed the Sunshine City.
A Sunshine City in the Sunshine State. It’s quite fitting for St. Petersburg, FL to carry that title and we are going to give you our picks for the top 10 best things to do here that will also allow you to enjoy the amazing weather.
1. Weedon Island Preserve
Spreading over 3,000 acres of land in Pinellas County, the Weedon Island Preserve protects a variety of aquatic and land ecosystems. It was created in order to keep the native plants as well as the animals safe, to protect the natural environment while also educating the general public about them and their purpose in the environment. If you visit the Weedon Island Preserve you can engage in a large variety of recreational activities such as kayaking, canoeing, hiking, bird watching or fishing. There is no entrance fee however donations are welcome. You can come here with the whole family, have a picnic in one of the four picnic areas, while enjoying the sunny weather and amazing scenery.
2. Tropicana Field
In order to see some amazing baseball games you should go to Tropicana Field. Also known as The Trop, Tropicana Field is the home of the Tampa Bay Rays Baseball Team. The Trop is also the only Domed major league baseball stadium. Fully conditioned, the baseball field is perfect for when you want to get away from the hot summer Florida weather, and why not also enjoy a good sport as well. If there are no games at that time, however, you can also pay a visit to the 30-something rays that are residents of the Rays Touch Tank. People can touch them as well as feed them, while the Tampa Bay Rays donate $5,000 for each home run that lands inside the tank. So far, only seven players have managed to get a ball inside the tank.
3. Historic Kenwood
If you want to see a whole district that’s been listed in the National Registry of Historic Places you have to see the Historic District of Kenwood. Spread across 375-acres of residential area, here you can see the renowned bungalows constructed between the 1920s and 1950s as well as other types of architecture.
The whole neighborhood has been preserved with very few structures being taken down since its development 100 years ago. Whenever renovations are in order, they make sure that the historical integrity of the buildings is maintained whether it’s a bungalow, a Tudor revival or Mediterranean revival in style. This is definitely a place to visit for history aficionados along with the best 10 museums in St. Petersburg.
4. Skyway Fishing Pier State Park
An amazing place for fishing is the SkyWay Fishing Pier. Spreading across Tampa Bay, the Pier is adjacent to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge which connects St. Petersburg to Sarasota. All across the bridge you can enjoy amazing views of both cities as well as the whole Bay while beneath the bridge you can be surprised by Dolphins as well as many other marine creatures.
People often come here to fish as it provides a wide range of species to catch at any time of the day or night as the bridge is lighted it attracts interesting nocturnal species of fish to catch. With both shallow waters and deeper water channels, the pier offers many places to fish for any kind of catch.
5. Sunken Gardens
Located in downtown St. Petersburg, this 4-acre garden houses over 50,000 tropical plants and many exotic birds. It is the oldest museum of living things located in St. Petersburg FL, spanning over 100 years of activity and rekindling an appreciation for nature in many of its visitors. This botanical paradise is the perfect get-away from the hectic and busy city life as well as a great activity for families with children.
While walking the paved pathway you can discover the Japanese Garden, the fossilized limestone rock or find the perfect wedding venue, as well as the immaculate Wedding Lawn. There are even botanical courses held here throughout the year for those who want to be able to take care of their own oasis back home.
6. Fort de Soto Park
For those looking for a unique weekend retreat, you can give Fort de Soto Park a visit. Spread across five interconnected small islands off the coast the park has 7 miles of waterfront and several beaches spread around it. There are hiking areas, picnic locations, camping grounds and amazing views of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
If you want to learn a bit of history on this trip, you can go to the Historic Fort Desoto and as you arrive at the camping site you can also stop by the Quartermaster Museum. For adventurers there are kayaks and canoes for rent if you want to go fishing or just paddle around the area for a bit. Fort de Soto Park is also a great destination for couples.
7. St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market
This Market will give you everything that you could possibly want for an amazing Saturday. Aside from the fresh vegetables that you’ll surely purchase here, you can also enjoy great music, indulge in some personal gifts at the art & crafts area and also enjoy foods from 15 different countries, that is if you like to eat. This is a great place to visit if you’re looking for many things to do in St. Petersburg with family and friends. There are many areas where you can just enjoy yourselves while you splurge on take out and dine out.
8. St. Pete Beach
This island community is not technically in St. Petersburg, but it’s just a stone’s-throw away to the west. Getting here takes only about 15 minutes by car or you can take the Central Avenue Trolley for a 33 minute ride. Whichever way you get there you will be mesmerized by the award-winning beaches.
Pass-a-Grille Beach is a long stretch of public beach with beach boutiques and local seafood bars and grilles that are all about escaping from consumerism and just relaxing. The beaches here are entirely amazing with white sand tickling your toes wherever you go. The residents of St. Pete Beach are very friendly and welcoming while there are many accommodations available for visitors.
9. The Canopy Rooftop Lounge
The best view from St. Petersburg is said to be available at The Canopy. This rooftop lounge is located at the top of The Birchwood hotel in the center of St. Petersburg. It allows guests to stay in private cabanas with cozy fire pits and living room seating, while they can enjoy an amazing view of St. Petersburg, without leaving their dinner tables!
The Canopy also has a variety of signature cocktails beside the amazing cuisine that invites people to enjoy the night air atop of a luxury hotel. At night the whole terrace comes alive with amazing lighting fixtures for showing off the city of St. Petersburg or just enjoying a great night out.
10. 3 Daughters Brewing
This is the largest craft brewery that you’ll find in St. Petersburg, but it’s worth noting that the 3 Daughters started off in Lexington Kentucky all the way back in 1888. It doesn’t matter as it came to St. Petersburg 150 years later and it’s here to stay. Here you can sample award winning craft beer while you enjoy being surrounded by family and friends. You can also check the events scheduled as there are many concerts held in the Sampling Room. But of course the most important thing is to sample the many different kinds of craft beer like Beach Blonde Ale or Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter.
Conclusion
There are many amazing things to do in St. Petersburg, FL and every one of them will make you want to plan your next visit. One amazing thing about St. Petersburg as a destination to visit or move to is the weather which has an average of 361 sunny days per year. If you are looking for more cultural things to do in St. Petersburg, FL you can visit the many museums that call the city their home however if you’re limited with time then we suggest you visit the best 10 museums worth visiting. If you think, however, that a visit is not enough for St. Petersburg, we fully agree with you. Get in touch with real estate agents in St. Petersburg, FL in order to find your dream waterfront property.
Comment if you are curious about any of these interesting activities and let us know what you think if you had the pleasure of visiting them. Like & Share with your friends and family so they can get a taste of these stunning vacation destinations as well!
