Exploring the City’s Art, Culture & Nature Beyond the Beach:
When you think of St. Petersburg, Florida, dreamy images of powdery white sand, palms swaying in the breeze, and shimmering emerald Gulf water may very well come to mind… and while the beaches here are undoubtedly breathtaking (they’re continuously named some of the best in the country for good reason), St. Pete offers far more than just sun and surf.
From its thriving art scene to its hidden culinary gems, to its outdoor adventures both on and off the water, this vibrant city has something to offer every type of traveler. So whether you’re a foodie, art lover, outdoor enthusiast, or all of the above (like we are), a sun-soaked weekend in St. Pete is calling… and you must go!
Our most recent visit was in partnership with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, and we fell in love with this little slice of Florida’s Gulf Coast in just over 72 hours. And now, we’re sharing our perfect itinerary for exploring St. Pete… beyond the beach.
Day 0.5: Exploring St. Pete Beach & Shell Key Preserve
Coming from DC, we took an easy and affordable ($96 roundtrip/2.5-hour) flight from to TPA, picked up our rental car, and were on our way. As soon as we got into town, we checked into our room at Hotel Zamora and immediately walked across the street to St. Pete Beach to take a stroll on the sugary soft white sand, dip our toes in the emerald Gulf water, and look for shells (obviously).
We loved our stay at Hotel Zamora for so many reasons! One being that it’s conveniently situated across the street from St. Pete Beach. Beyond its ideal location, the property offers complimentary kayaks, its own private dock/marina, beach cruiser bikes for guests to take out at their leisure, and beautiful outdoor spaces including a spacious rooftop, sundeck, covered and uncovered pool area complete with cabanas, two outdoor bars, and a beautiful waterfront patio.
We then continued our shelling mission at Shell Key Preserve. To get there, we took a clear-bottom kayak eco-tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking and saw some beautiful rare birds, a horseshoe crab, and massive snails. And even though we didn’t see any, manatees and dolphins are also known to traverse this preserve’s waters. The area is also iconic for its mangrove tunnels and wild beach where shells adorn the leafless trees.
We capped off the night a few minutes down the road with cocktails and a seafood boil at the Island Grille and Raw Bar. This waterside restaurant has earned its place as a local neighborhood favorite, but it’s a great option for visitors as well! The restaurant hosts Happy Hour M-F from 11AM – 6PM and serves up fresh seafood specials for both lunch and dinner daily. On top of that, they’ve also been named one of the top 10 best places for oysters in St. Pete.
Day 1: Local Art + Local Food
On our first full day in town, we rented e-bikes from Bay E-bikes and set out on a mission to see as many of the 600+ murals in Downtown St. Pete as humanly possible. We started our journey at Flora Wylie Park and biked south along the North Bay Trail to explore St. Pete’s Central Arts District. You can find a mural map and plan your own route here.
After a few hours of pedaling, we worked up quite an appetite, so we headed to the Edge District where we took ourselves on a little DIY foodie tour. St. Pete was named the best foodie city in the US by Travel and Leisure in 2024 and this February, it was announced that St. Pete-Clearwater is a partner destination of the MICHELIN Guide Florida 2025. After spending just a few days sampling this region’s culinary offerings, we’re happy to report that the destination’s foodie scene lives up to all the hype!
We started at the 2d Cafe, enjoyed some vegan ice cream at Plant Love, and then made our way to Bodega for “the best Cuban sandwich Seth’s ever had.” Our initial plan evolved from there as we got more and more recommendations from local St. Pete-ians (sp?), and you can watch full recap of our day here.
We ended the night in Gulfport with the most delicious Italian dishes at Pia’s Trattoria. The food, service, and secret garden-esque ambiance were all 10/10. We’re suckers for Mac & Cheese so how could we not be drawn to the cheesy Penne Quattro Formaggi al Forno and of course their signature homemade Lasagna complete with a Bolognese sauce incorporating free-fed, Florida-raised beef was also something to write home about.
Day 2: Chartering, Cruising, and Chowing Down
We met up with Captain Mike, of Reel Animals TV, who hooked us up (literally). We left out of O’Neill’s marina in search of some early spring fish, and as the March sun warmed the Tampa Bay waters, the Spotted Seatrout came to life! After an hour of reeling in this Florida staple, we set our eye(lets) on a true Floridian trophy fish… the snook.
At our last location, Capt. Mike put me (Aleah) on to the biggest catch of my life— a massive (or as Capt. Mike would say, absolute-pig-of-a-) snook who we released safely back into her habitat. Like many other Florida fish species, the Common Snook has a slot size requirement meaning fish that measure under the slot must be released back into the wild due to the fact they are likely juvenile, and those measuring greater than the slot must also be returned to the water in hopes that they breed and pass along their “pig-like” genetics; perpetuating survival of the fittest, right?
Afterwards, we had the most delicious Mediterranean-inspired lunch from Azura Coastal Kitchen on Hotel Zamora’s rooftop. Azura’s dishes are made with locally-sourced ingredients and really are as delicious as they look.
After lunch, we picked up some local craft beverages and headed back out on the bay, but this time on a floating tiki bar known as Cruisin’ Tikis. This outfit offers BYOB cruises that double as wildlife and sightseeing tours. We took their hour-long cruise around St. Pete Pier and saw dolphins, pelicans, and cormorants, and had the opportunity to take in views of the city’s waterfront from a whole new perspective.
When booking, we recommend snagging the spot right before the sun sets, so afterwards you can catch a fiery sunset from the highest point of St Pete Pier— Pier Teaki. We also recommend keeping the party going with one of their yummy cocktails in hand!
After the sun dipped below the skyline, we took a stroll to the other end of the pier en route to our dinner reservation at Perry’s Porch. With its beautiful wraparound porch, Perry’s is inspired by C. Perry Snell, the visionary who shaped St. Pete, and created a place for “friends and family to gather, share stories, and enjoy great food and drink—just as Perry envisioned for the people of St. Pete.” Some stand-out drinks we tried included “Strawberry Park,” with ingredients that more closely resembled a salad dressing than a drink, but has us convinced that we found our new cocktail for the summer and their self-proclaimed famous Espresso Martini which we can confirm will become simply famous in short order.
Day 3: Beaches, Botanic Gardens, Markets, & Museums
We began our last morning in town by grabbing breakfast at Hotel Zamora and then headed down to Pass-A-Grille Beach for a little morning SUP session. We rented paddleboards right on the beach via one of PADL’s self-service rental stations. When you download their app, you can unlock a paddleboard right from your phone for $25 per hour. They have 50 of these stations around the state, and beyond paddleboards, they rent kayaks, mountain bikes, beach chairs, umbrellas, and more depending on the location.
Then we grabbed lunch at Mazzaro’s Italian Market. This local favorite is a must-stop when in St. Pete and home to every Italian staple that you could dream of! We ordered a hot Italian sandwich from the deli, a cannoli and puff pastry, and picked up some olives and spicy garlic to take home with us, but honestly could’ve spent hours browsing its seemingly endless rooms.
After our heavy lunch, we immersed ourselves in one of the largest collections of Salvador Dalí’s art at the Dali Museum. When you go, be sure to book tickets for Dalí Alive 360°, an immersive experience that celebrates the museum’s namesake’s life and leaves time to enjoy the museum’s waterfront Avant-garden which provides habitat for local flora and overlooks the bay.
We then closed out our trip with a stroll along the pretty paths of Sunken Garden St. Pete. Here, you’ll traverse palm-lined paths through a tropical garden that is home to flamingos, colorful flowers, a koi pond, and a waterfall— without even leaving city limits.
While this city’s sun-soaked beaches are alluring, St. Pete’s charm extends far beyond the shoreline. From its art scene and unique museums to its bustling markets, scenic parks, and vibrant culinary hotspots, St. Pete offers an endless array of unique experiences for travelers. So when you visit, be sure to take a break from the Gulf’s beaches and explore the heart and soul of the city—you just might find that its off-the-sand experiences are just as unforgettable as its sunsets.
