St. Petersburg - Clearwater, FL

Travel Guide

Fort De Soto Park which includes a sandy beach
Salvador Dali Museum which includes modern architecture
Sunken Gardens featuring a garden
Redington Shores featuring a sunset and a river or creek
Downtown St. Petersburg featuring outdoor art

St. Petersburg - Clearwater Travel Guide Video

Plan time for visits to the top-rated white-sand beaches of the region as well as its varied cultural attractions.  

West of Tampa is a glorious peninsula, stretching from Clearwater south to St. Petersburg. Come for beautiful beaches and discover unexpected cultural treasures.

On the Gulf of Mexico side of the peninsula, the sugary white sands and warm waters of Clearwater Beach make it an award winner, popular with families and singles. Visit the beach year-round. Walk out onto Pier 60 to look for dolphins swimming in the wild and photograph a striking sunset. Nearby is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, with dolphins, pelicans, sea turtles, otters, sharks and rays. Find more than 120 man-made and artistically decorated dolphins along the Clearwater Dolphin Trail throughout the Clearwater and St. Petersburg region.

Cross the causeway to Clearwater. Attend the Capitol Theatre’s big-name comedy and music acts in an intimate venue. See community theater or participate in adult summer acting classes at the Francis Wilson Playhouse. Head east to Ruth Eckerd Hall along Tampa Bay. Major acts, including touring Broadway shows, perform in this larger venue. Nearby, watch the home team Clearwater Threshers play baseball or Philadelphia Phillies in spring training at Spectrum Field.

Head south along the peninsula to enjoy other beautiful beaches all along the Gulf Coast. Stop at the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo. In November, Treasure Island hosts the Sanding Ovations festival, with expert sand sculptors making masterful creations and music, food and beach activities for amateur sandcastle builders.

St. Petersburg offers numerous varied museums, from the Florida Holocaust Museum to the Dalí Museum, with an amazingly large number of the artist’s works, and the Chihuly Collection of exquisite glass.

Just inland is Lake Maggiore with the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. Visit its aviary and look for birds in the wild along its boardwalk.

Complete your Clearwater and St. Petersburg trip at another sandy spot, St. Petersburg Beach. In fact, your vacation could be perfect even if you did nothing but relax on the powdery white sands of the two cities’ famous beaches.

Where to stay in St. Petersburg - Clearwater

Pass-a-Grille

Pass-a-Grille

Discover a quaint beach neighborhood featuring the Pass-a-Grille Historic District and Gulf Beaches Historical Museum. Enjoy walkable attractions like boutiques, an ice cream shop, outdoor art market, and fishing piers around 8th Street.

Pass-a-Grille
Downtown St. Petersburg featuring outdoor art

Downtown St. Petersburg

A noteworthy feature of Downtown St. Petersburg is its fantastic nightlife. While you're in town, be sure to stop and check out Tampa Bay and St. Pete's Historic Coliseum.

Downtown St. Petersburg
Clearwater Beach featuring general coastal views and a coastal town

Sand Key

While visiting Sand Key, you might make a stop by sights like Belleair Beach and Sand Key Park.

Sand Key
Treasure Island which includes a beach and general coastal views

Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach is noteworthy for its beaches, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Sunset Beach and St. Petersburg Municipal Beach.

Sunset Beach
My other favorite beach.

Don Cesar

Don Cesar might not have many top sights, but Splash Island Water Park and Pass-a-Grille Beach are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Don Cesar
Clearwater Marine Aquarium showing marine life as well as a small group of people

Island Estate

While there might not be top attractions in Island Estate, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Clearwater Beach and Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina.

Island Estate
Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
4 out of 5
400 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater Beach, FL
$213 nightly
The price is $240 total per night from Jul 9 to Jul 10
$240 total
Jul 9 - Jul 10
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 4-star beach resort in Clearwater Beach. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 outdoor pools, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,971 reviews)
"!!"

Reviewed on Jun 29, 2025

Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa
Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront
Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront
4 out of 5
333 1st St S, St. Petersburg, FL
$107 nightly
The price is $121 total per night from Jul 20 to Jul 21
$121 total
Jul 20 - Jul 21
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in St. Petersburg. Enjoy breakfast (surcharge), room service, and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful ...
7.6/10 Good! (1,002 reviews)
"Like all Holtons- however parking was so expensive and should be include in the hotel room rate."

Reviewed on Jul 2, 2025

Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront
Island Grand at TradeWinds
Island Grand at TradeWinds
4 out of 5
5500 Gulf Blvd, St. Pete Beach, FL
$238 nightly
The price is $269 total per night from Jul 7 to Jul 8
$269 total
Jul 7 - Jul 8
Total includes taxes and fees
Book a stay at this beach resort in St. Pete Beach. Enjoy free WiFi, 5 outdoor pools, and 2 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,005 reviews)
"Was under construction under us. Which was loud really early. The room we were needed the construction too."

Reviewed on Jun 29, 2025

Island Grand at TradeWinds
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Sunset Vistas Two Bedroom Beachfront Suites
Sunset Vistas Two Bedroom Beachfront Suites
3.5 out of 5
12000 Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL
Stay at this 3.5-star beach condo in Treasure Island. Enjoy 2 outdoor pools, a beach locale, and 2 hot tubs. Our guests praise the pool and the bar in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (3,258 reviews)
"Great location and spacious. Unit needs to have deadbolt replaced as it malfunctioned and locked us in. Maintenance had to come and remove it to get us out. Housekeeping needs to clean mold off shower floor tiles and there was no toilet tissue in the master bath."

Reviewed on Jun 30, 2025

Sunset Vistas Two Bedroom Beachfront Suites
The Avalon Club
The Avalon Club
4 out of 5
24 Avalon St, Clearwater Beach, FL
Stay at this 4-star beach aparthotel in Clearwater Beach. Enjoy a beach locale, a fitness center, and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (425 reviews)
"Everyone was so nice. We really enjoyed how we had such close access to the beach. I think the furniture could use some updating especially in the space we had. Loved our view and will stay there again."

Reviewed on Jun 27, 2025

The Avalon Club
Mint House St. Petersburg - Downtown
Mint House St. Petersburg - Downtown
4.5 out of 5
77 11th St N, St. Petersburg, FL
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in St. Petersburg. Enjoy free WiFi, valet parking (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (640 reviews)
"Really cool location right in the heart of downtown without sacrificing security or cleanliness!! Excellent all around!"

Reviewed on Jun 24, 2025

Mint House St. Petersburg - Downtown
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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Reviews of St. Petersburg - Clearwater

4.5
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
846
5 - Excellent 58%
4 - Good
501
4 - Good 34%
3 - Okay
93
3 - Okay 6%
2 - Disappointing
14
2 - Disappointing 1%
1 - Terrible
8
1 - Terrible 1%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Beautiful beaches, delicious restaurants with many options and an amazing coast !

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Great!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

I absolutely loved it.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Beautiful beaches

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Lots of fun dining and drinking venues nearby. Only takes a day or two to see everything. Looking forward to coming back!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Love the city!

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