I never imagined I'd fall in love with a city in Florida. Everyone always makes fun of the state, but those people have obviously never been to St. Pete/Clearwater..
St. Pete is an adorable and colorful town. There are hundreds of murals. It has great food, a flourishing beer scene, and beautiful beaches. The people are super friendly, and it's a surprisingly diverse town. I felt welcomed and like I fit right in. If this city isn't on your travel bucket list, you need to add it asap!
Where to Stay:
- The Vinoy: Historic and elegant. My room and the views from the balcony were stunning. Amazing service. They have a pool, a spa, and several restaurants. Sit on the porch and enjoy a drink here. Very close to lots of fun things.
What to Do:
- The Dali Museum: Beautiful inside and outside. Interactive exhibits.
- Art Pool Gallery: One of the many awesome vintage stores.
- Pinball Museum: This spot has tons of fun games and is also BYOB!
- Sunken gardens: Wander around here for a couple of hours and take countless photos of all the gorgeous plants, trees, and flowers. (Bonus: flamingos!)
- Shuffleboard: Very popular here. Free on Friday nights and BYOB!
- Murals: There are TONS of murals in St. Pete. Click here for photos and a list of where to find them.
Photo Cred 3+5: Tamara Alvarez @the_sunnyside_up
Murals (above): @artbyfoust, @hoxxah, @counttrillions
Photo Cred (left) : Tamara Alvarez @the_sunnyside_up
Coffee:
- The Black Crow: Cute retro vibes.
- Bandit Coffee
- The Bikery
- Brew D Licious
Where to Eat:
- Ichicoro: Hip, asian fusion food. The Ma Po Tofu/Impossible Meat dish is so so good (also very spicy). Great cocktails and dessert as well.
- Annata: Still dreaming about the meal I had here. Hands down the best gnocchi I've ever had. I forget which day it's on.. but they offer half prices bottles of wine.
- Bodega: Sandwich spot. Recommendations: The Cuban, The Tempeh.
- Petes General: Grab a bagel or some breakfast here, and also pick up some beer to go for later.
- Love Food Central: Vegan spot. Get some dessert here!
- Noble Crust: Get the lemon and blueberry pancakes.
- Locale Market: celebrity chef restaurant, hawker stalls, and market.
- Mazarro's: Italian Market
- Angelos': Late night food.
- For seafood: Alto Mare Fish Bar, Ted Peter's Famous Smoked Fish, Trophy Fish
Where to Drink:
- Hawthorne Bottleshop: I spent four hours here. Excellent beer selection, cute aesthetic, and bomb grilled cheese. They also do a monthly bottle share.
- Green Bench/Webbs City: Probably my favorite brewery I visited. Lots of lagers, saisons, and even some funky ciders. Slow pour pils. Outdoor area with a projection screen. Suitable for children and dogs.
- Cycle Brewing: Lots of stouts here. Cool little spot.
- Dog Bar: Dogs. And beer. Need I say more?
- VIP Mexican: I'm sad I didn't make it to this spot. Everyone raved about it. Apparently it's a good spot to catch the sunset with a margarita.
- Intermezzo and Modern Brine: Cocktail spots both located in the same building. Modern Brine has oysters too. - Enigma: Fun gay bar. Good mix of everyone here.
- The Emerald: Great dive bar. Warning: smoking is still allowed in here.
- Steve's: Dive bar.
- The Bends: Hip "dive bar" with a younger crowd.
- 901: Whiskey bar.
- Copper Shaker: Craft cocktails.
- Ruby's Elixir: Jazz and booze.
- Old NE Tavern: Beer and food.
Thanks to the locals at Hawthorne Bottle Shop and everyone at Visit St. Pete/Clearwater for the excellent recommendations.
For more great ideas visit the St. Pete/Clearwater tourism board website by clicking here.
Photo Cred: Tamara Alvarez @the_sunnyside_up