Beach 411 ~ St. Pete’s Beach
Gulf Coast barrier island, offshore of Pinellas County mainland
- Beach type: family oriented
- Beach geography: very wide, flat, room to spread out, fine sand with crushed shells, gulf-side with low impact waves and sandy bottom
- Ease of access: lots of access off Gulf Blvd with designated public parking at intervals for a few $$ (metered)
- Extra costs: no extra costs to access the beach, beach chairs and all manner of beach activities are available to rent
- Beach amenities: In front of the major hotels are the activity rentals (paddle boards, wave runners, Aqua cycles) and chair/lounge/daybed rentals. Ample restaurants and washroom facilities along the entire stretch.
- Special note: to keep the kids amused, head up towards the TradeWinds for the multi-story inflatable slides and activities.
- Geo-locator: Where is St. Pete’s Beach Beach?
One of the Top Beaches in the US
Rated #2 on TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers Choice Awards of top US Beaches, St. Pete’s Beach stretches from the Don Cesar north to the break of the island with easily 3 miles of walkable stretches of sand and beach. It’s laid-back attitude 
(due to lots of space to pitch your towel) appeals to families and small groups looking to spend time together, while very close to all the mainline attractions and activities to keep your non-beach hours fun-packed.
St. Pete’s Beach activities & attractions
A few miles from St. Petersburg and the markets, cottage brewery tours and great shopping district, from Clearwater’s aquarium and museums, to baseball spring train in Dunedin and the Tampa Bay Rays in the summer/fall, dolphin watching from the shoreline …If you can imagine it, the St. Pete area offers it!
If you’re into the water activities like swimming, snorkeling and parasailing, to jet skiing, sailing and scuba diving, water rentals can be arranged through your hotel. Watch out for sting rays! If you want you days filled with great stores, live entertainment, ice cream parlors and gift shops – you’re close to everything Florida.
St. Pete’s Beach events
Just to mention a few of the annual events in the St. Pete area:
- Tampa Bay Rays Baseball (spring/summer): Get your glove, peanuts and crackerjacks and take the family out to the ballgame.
- Caribbean Carnival (June): Cultural extravaganza full of costumes, dancing, music and food.
- Annual Sand Sculpture Contest (September/October): St. Pete Pier holds this event for the best of the best sand sculpture genius.
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle nesting (May thru November): The protected nesting grounds of the Loggerhead sea turtles lie up and down the 20 miles of shoreline. GoGirlfriend recommends you respect the fenced off areas and learn more of the eco-partnership with the protection of these important grounds.
St. Pete’s Beach nightlife
Beach bar hot spots keep the volume pumping well into the night. The Hurricane Lounge in Pass-A-Grille is always up for party goers. Madeira is home to the John's Pass Village and Boardwalk, which offers up some trendy restaurants and unique bars. Many of the resorts and major hotels offer clubs to keep your energy going late into the night.
GoGirlfriend St. Pete’s Beach hotel recommendations
Don Cesar Resort: Called the pink palace in respect to it’s grandeur now much like in the Gatsby era, this 277 room luxurious resort boasts every amenity to make you comfortable. Not to mention it’s 11,000 sq ft Spa Oceana, the Don Cesar is definitely the top of it’s class on the beach-front strip. With a first-class experience, you can connect with it’s community on Facebook, Twitter and check their reviews on TripAdvisor.
TradeWinds Island Grand Beach Resort: Located at the opposite end of St. Pete’s Beach from the Don Cesar, this is the beach-end where the action happens. The TradeWinds Island Grand Beach Resort has activities for the kids and adults alike and with a “Just let Go” attitude, the focus is on fun and adventure. GoGirlfriend recommends you have dinner at Spinners (rotating) restaurant – we enjoyed the meal and the view. Check what their community says on Facebook and Twitter and read reviews on TripAdvisor.
Plaza Beach Hotel: While visiting the area we stayed at the Plaza beach Hotel (but specifically their Bayview Plaza Waterfront Resort across the street and marina side). Very clean, spacious simple rooms, but the terrace sitting overlooking the marina with our morning coffee made a great start to the day before traveling across the street to the Beachfront Plaza beach hotel (and the beach access) made our stay here quite enjoyable. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter and read reviews on TripAdvisor.
There's no shortage of places to stay in St. Pete, which is our politically correct way of saying the coast is littered with hotels, luxurious resorts and smaller motels. If you're toting kids, you'll find more room for spreading out in the many condos or houses for rent. There's a room to fit every budget.
For more hotel recommendations throughout St. Petersberg, we recommend exploring Booking.com.
St. Pete’s Beach weather
While seeking hard to break it’s own 1967 Guinness World Record for longest consecutive days of sunshine (768 days – Wow!), clearly this is a sunny place to visit, so pack your sunscreen! Late spring and summer offers light breezes with the growing heat, and fall and winter temps fluctuate from mild to cool, depending how far north a native you are … this sounds like an ideal place to catch some sunshine and warm temps. Water temperature fluctuates between 62°F (coolest December through March) peaking to 86°F in the heat of July and August.
For more information or help planning your next Florida getaway, visit:
Planning your next Florida beach getaway, visit our other Florida Beaches Guides:
- Apollo Beach
- Caladesi Island State Park
- Clearwater Beach
- Cocoa Beach
- Daytona Beach
- Egmont Key
- Englewood Beach
- Fernandina Beach
- Florida's Historic Coast
- Fort DeSoto Park
- Fort Walton Beach
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Haulover Beach
- Honeymoon Island State Park
- Jensen (Blind Creek) Beach
- Marco Island Beach
- Naples Beach
- Navarre Beach
- New Smyrna Beach
- Panama City Beach
- Pass-a-Grill Beach
- Pensacola Beach
- Perdido Key
- Playalinda Beach
- Ponte Vedra Beach
- Seaside Beach
- Sebastian Inlet State Park
- Shell Island
- St. Andrews State Recreational Area
- St. George Island State Park
- St. Joseph Peninsula National Park
- St. Pete’s Beach
- St. Vincent Wildlife Refuge
Ever been to St. Pete’s Beach in the Florida? We'd love to hear what you most loved about it! Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram – and let's continue the conversation!
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