Stay-Eat-Play. A Weekend in St.Petersburg, FL

I’ll admit, vacation is on my mind. It has been for a while so today’s post is exactly about that – how to have a good time not at work:)

There are lots of popular vacation spots in Florida. Entire Florida is one huge sunny vacation spot, if you ask me, a cold-ridden New Englander. However, if you haven’t been to St.Petersburg, FL,  I have a treat for you. A place that is is bustling and quiet, artsy and beachy at the same time.

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St.Petersburg is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on the West coast of Florida and is about a 30 minute car ride from Tampa, FL. It is absolutely gorgeous with its white sand beaches, spectacular sunsets and an example of beautiful coexistence between man and nature.

And, as is with an amazing location, there are SO MANY things to do and so little time.

I had stayed in St.Pete as a teenager and my husband had owned a house there. But that was so long ago, way before we even met so we decided that it was a perfect place for a getaway weekend for just the two of us to reconnect and relax. A little familiarity yet a lot of rediscovering…

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click one some of the links below I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. 

Getting there

Since we had very little time – a 3 day weekend, to be more exact – we had to make sure that we don’t spend two days flying and one day at our destination because what fun is that? Sometimes it can be tricky to find just the right flight for a three-day weekend, especially if your destination is more than a reasonable car ride away.

When I started looking for flights, I had certain criteria: the flight has to be non-stop to save time and enjoy the destination, and, of course, the price had to be more or less okay (we all know that flights are not cheap).

I was able to get a flight with Southwest Airlines flying out early in the morning directly into Tampa. That gave us time to take a nap, rent a car and start our adventure at 11 a.m. vacation bum style.

Southwest is a great choice they have a few price options to choose from and one of them – wanna get away price – was just what we needed. No hassle check-in and a comfortable flight made for an easy trip.

If you cannot find the flight that you desire directly on the airline website, the other ones that I have had success with was cheapoair.com and justfly.com. Try them and you are sure to find something that fits your schedule and budget.

Stay

I always stress out about where we are going to stay. I guess, I just can’t help it… I think it’s because when planning a trip, a place to stay is important and here are a few reasons. First, you don’t want to pay too much because if you are out of your room most of the time, what is the price you are paying for? Second, you want it safe and clean and comfortable. And finally, location location location.

So where do you get the perfect place?

Enter Airbnb. This was the first time we used used it and we really liked it! I had heard a lot about Airbnb and I wondered a lot about it, too. But what better way to find out than to use it? So we booked a room in the gorgeous Isla del Sol community, which is literally 5 minute drive from Gulf Boulevard, the main street with the famous Don Cesar hotel, the Pass-a-Grille “district” and the beaches and other entertainment.

Our hosts Jen and Charles were super nice people! Very gracious, informative and helpful and our room was perfect – a large bed, a TV, a closet and dresser plus a bathroom right next to it. Fantastically clean, invitingly cozy.

There was a kitchen that we could use and a balcony with an amazing view of a pond surrounded by palm trees and full of busy pelicans. Perfect for that relaxing cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of wine after a full day of adventures. You can check it out here.

How is this for a view, eh?;)

As I mentioned, this was our first experience with Airbnb but I am totally hooked. It is a perfect opportunity to experience life like a local and not break a bank doing it!  Plus, as I am planning my future travels, which will most likely be with the kids, this is a great option as well because you can choose not just a room but an entire apartment or even a house and that gives you an opportunity to save on food.  If you are still on the fence,  here is a discount to get you started.

Eat

We arrived in St.Petersburg mid morning and as is usually the case after a flight, we were starved. Since my husband knew the area a little bit, we drove over to Vina-del-Mar, a beautiful waterfront community and decided to have our first meal at Sea Critters Cafe. A quaint restaurant facing the water with beachy decor where people can come enjoy their meal by foot, by car or by boat (there is a dock right outside).

I always think that when you are visiting a place you should try what locals eat. And St.Pete is a great place to try out seafood. Our favorites at the Sea Critters Cafe? Shrimp burger and alligator bites.  Wash it all of it with a white sangria and let your adventure begin!

 

There are multitudes of restaurants in St.Pete and both the kind waiter at the Sea Critters Cafe and our hosts recommended a few to us as well. 

If you are more of an Italian food lover, head on over to Gigi’s for a good old pizza, pasta or ravioli. Food was fresh and really good. They can make pizza to your taste: we ordered a giant Gigi’s special pizza half made with red sauce and half with just cheese and toppings. YUMMO!

Before I go on, one more thing. Trying what locals eat includes tasting some Florida grown oranges! A lot of farmers’ markets are open during weekdays and on Saturdays but what do you do if you want a fresh orange on a Sunday? Well, asking around helps, and we did just that. That’s how we ended up a bit outside of St.Pete, in a Wagon Wheel Flea Market at Seminole. That was the real life as opposed to the dreamy palm-tree laden beaches of the gorgeous St.Pete isles. But at the same time, a bit of reality is good to adjust your focus, isn’t it?:)

Like any flea market, the Wagon Wheel Flea Market catered to any and every taste and need. And yes, we found local oranges there. Boy oh boy did they taste good!

Play

St.Petersburg boasts rich cultural background and yes, it was named after a city in Russia! Although it was incorporated relatively recently, in 1903, it has made its mark on the map of both Florida and United States. If you are interested in the history of the St.Petersburg, here is a more comprehensive and a very worthwhile read. 

Since our main goal was to relax and escape the brutal New England winter, which this year dumped a foot of snow on April 1st (and that was no joke), we decided to explore St.Pete beach,  Pass-a-Grille and Ft.Desoto Park.

St.Pete beach boasts white sands and blue waters, which are very refreshing after an active day of walking. Don Cesar hotel stands out in its majestic pinkness, so if you are going for a walk the other way and are not sure where you are, this beautiful hotel will always be your guiding star.

Pass-a-Grille is a historical section of the Gulf Boulevard, where you can find multitude of restaurants, and shopping. But since shopping and eating alone do not sustain a curious mind, rest assured you will be taken care of: dolphin tours, sunset tours, deep sea fishing at Miss Pass-a-Grille, good ol’ fishing at Merry Pier, kayak and bike rentals – and you have a full day of unforgettable activities in one square mile!

 

Where can you watch a sunset on the Eastern seaboard of the U.S.? You go that right – the Gulf coast of Florida! And since St.Petersburg is right there on the Gulf, there are many places to choose from for this.

Ft.Desoto was the place for us. It is a huge park with camping, biking, kayaking, fishing. Or you simply can just walk around and observe the amazing wildlife that is enjoying their home as much as humans do.

We only went there in the evening and as is usually the case with places like that, we certainly wished we could have spent the day there! It is a historical place with a fort and it is home to many rare species of birds that nest there.

The sunset was spectacular. There are many places you can choose to watch the sunset from in St.Petersburg, including rooftops of popular restaurants and the more crowded beaches. Ft.Desoto offered everything we were looking for – a splendid view with few people around and the beauty of nature.

That was the perfect end to our short but very refreshing (and warm, yay!) weekend. According to research, in order to get your mind off the every day stress, you NEED to get away for at least two days. And this was just what the doctor had ordered:)

Don’t hesitate, go ahead, book that trip – trust me, you will come back a different person!

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Have you been to St.Petersburg, FL?

If so, what are your favorite places there? Let me know in the comments below!