Saint Petersburg Beach, FL Hotels

SAINT PETERSBURG

Imagine the ideal Florida beach destination – glorious sunshine, spacious and spotless beaches, unspoiled islands surrounded by warm, gentle surf and plenty to do, including the temptation to do nothing. Major attractions would be nearby, but far enough away to escape the constant crowds.

This "ideal Florida beach" would also offer world-class art, culture and numerous outdoor recreational and nature-based opportunities. It would have a friendly, family atmosphere and excellent amenities at affordable prices.

This is St. Petersburg/Clearwater on the Gulf of Mexico – Florida's Beach. Thirty-five miles of Gulf of Mexico beaches sparkle in a unique setting that also features the resort communities of St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Dunedin, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs.

Known as the sunshine capital, its picturesque, award-winning beaches – three rated among the nation's finest and eight of them annually receiving the Blue Wave Award for cleanliness, safety and environmentally sound management – offer year-round recreation. The average temperature is 73 degrees (23 C) and the sun usually shines 361 days per year. Given the tropical climate and almost 400 miles of coastline, it is little surprise that activities on or near the water are focal points for visitors and provide year-round opportunities for swimming, sailing, fishing and shelling.

More than 60 marinas and yacht clubs provide pleasure, sight-seeing, dinner and deep-sea fishing cruises. Catamarans, windsurfing, para-sailing and jet ski rentals abound along the beaches and lessons for the novice are easily booked. In addition, Star Dancer and SunCruz Casino offer ships which conduct day cruises with dining, entertainment and casinos.

Florida's Beach activities are not restricted to the water. Golf and tennis play an important role, and the nearly 50 public courses offer some of the finest and most challenging golf anywhere.

Dramatic Gulf sunsets provide a colorful prelude to nightlife which ranges from celebrity entertainment, ballet, opera, symphony performances, and Broadway shows to comedy, music and dancing at numerous nightclubs and lounges.

Dining can be as formal or a casual as one prefers at more than 2,000 restaurants. Seafood is an area specialty.

If shopping is an important part of a vacation, there are more than 78 major shopping centers and modern malls. A variety of quaint, waterfront villages offer antiques, boutiques, one-of-a-kind shops and items created by local artists. Unique settings for shopping and dining are found at John's Pass Village in Madeira Beach, Corey Ave. in St. Pete Beach, Silas Bayside Market in St. Pete Beach and along the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs.

Art and history are celebrated throughout the year at numerous festivals, shows and museums throughout the 26 communities of Florida's Beach. Downtown St. Petersburg is home to six award-winning museums, all within easy reach of each other.

The Salvador Dali Museum contains the world's most extensive collection devoted exclusively to this famous Spanish master. The Museum of Fine Arts is noted for its display of French impressionist paintings. There is also the St. Petersburg Museum of History, while Heritage Village in Largo offers historical exhibits, and a self-guided tour among the restored homes and buildings provides an insight into the lifestyle of Florida's pioneers.

The Florida International Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, brings world-class, Smithsonian exhibitions to St. Petersburg on a regular basis. The museum's permanent exhibits feature the world's largest private collection of President John F. Kennedy's personal items and an interactive exhibit on the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In the north end of Florida's Beach, visitors will find Tarpon Springs – one of Florida's most unique communities. It became America's sponge capital when Greek sponge divers settled there in the early 1900s, and sponge boats still operate from its scenic docks. A visit to Tarpon Springs transports one to a small fishing village in Greece and the Greek heritage is maintained with religious, music and food festivals.

Just north of Clearwater, the town of Dunedin salutes its Scottish heritage each spring with the Highland Games and Festival. Clearwater's Jazz Holiday in October is one of Florida's premier jazz festivals offering four days of free music. This city also heralds the arrival of spring with a two-week Fun 'n Sun Festival. St. Petersburg's Festival of States is another springtime rite that includes parades, art shows, sporting events and concerts and has become the South's largest civic celebration.

The area's public parks and nature trails are a showcase for Florida's natural beauty. Ideal parks for nature study, fishing, swimming and picnics are Fort De Soto Park, south of St. Petersburg, plus Honeymoon and Caladesi Island state parks near Dunedin. All three are undeveloped barrier islands. Fort De Soto and Honeymoon Island are connected to the mainland by causeways. Caladesi Island is accessible only by a ferry service. The Pinellas Trail is a 37-mile linear park perfect for bicyclists, walkers, joggers and roller-bladers.

Florida's famous man-made attractions are nearby. Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay is less than a 35-minute drive away from any point on Florida's Beach. The Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World and Universal Studios Florida are 90 minutes away.

Florida's Beach has a collection of attractions of its own. The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg is a popular festival marketplace of shops, restaurants and entertainment. The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores is the largest wild bird hospital in North America. More than 500 birds are on display including a large nesting colony of permanently injured brown pelicans. Samples of marine life are on exhibit at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a research center that conducts a "head start" program for baby sea turtles and is the area's licensed marine rescue facility.