St Petersburg Itinerary: 3 Days in St Pete, Florida

St. Petersburg, Florida, has definitely grown in popularity and is now known as one of the best places to visit in Florida.

It is considered part of the Tampa Bay area and is located a little over 20 miles from Tampa. You’ll also find good beaches nearby, a lively downtown scene, world-class museums, and so much more.

Today, I’ll be your local guide to St Pete, Florida, giving you all of the best things to do in the form of a 3 day itinerary. I also included additional activities at the end in case you have longer than 3 days or if one of the things I mentioned doesn’t sound appealing to you!

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Day 1: Museums, Pier, Shopping, and Rooftop Bars

Day one will be a busy one! It’s packed full of food, museums, the pier, shopping, and more. If it feels a little too busy, feel free to adjust and do more of these activities on day 2 instead.

Coffee and Breakfast

I always find that the best way to start the day in a new city is with breakfast and/or a new to me coffee shop. If you’re like me and want to check out some of the best spots, here are some of my favorites:

Best coffee in St Petersburg:

• The Blend – They are famous for their coffee flights which are based on the season (their fall coffee flights are my favorite!) They have several locations across Tampa Bay.
• Bean Wandering started as a food truck then expanded to a storefront that was connected to an indoor kids playground (which is where I found them!) They went viral on TikTok for their canned coffee and now they have their very own storefront right in downtown St Pete.
• Black Crow is one of the most popular coffee spots in town. I love that they are committed to zero waste. They are a staple in the community with regular events and their coffee is good, too (it’s locally roasted!)
• Patrona – Coffee served out of a cute food truck right on the water near the Gandy Bridge. Located in the same place as Urban Kai (kayak and paddle board rentals) in case you want to get on the water after picking up your coffee.

Best Breakfast in St Pete:

• Perry’s Porch is one of the area’s newest additions. It’s a cafe located right by the pier with great coffee and breakfast options. They’re also a great option for a specialty cocktail in the evening.
• The Wooden Rooster is known for their amazing homemade crepes
• The Library is good for both coffee and breakfast and if you love books/reading, you’ll love the vibes here, which kind of remind me of The Beauty and the Beast.
• The Lure is one of my favorite breakfast spots with unique and creative breakfast options – they even have breakfast sushi!

Museum

After you grab your breakfast or your coffee, spend the morning checking out a museum. It’s a great way to learn more about the area based on your interests.

Here are some great museums in St Pete:

• The Dali Museum – Home to an extensive collection of Salvador Dalí’s surrealist works. It’s the largest collection of his artwork outside of Spain. There is another room dedicated to rotating exhibits.
• The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art – A stunning collection of Western-themed art, including Native American sculptures and landscapes.
• The Museum of Fine Arts – Features a diverse collection from ancient artifacts to modern masterpieces, including Monet, O’Keeffe, and Warhol.
• Imagine Museum – Focuses on contemporary glass art, featuring intricate and colorful glass sculptures.
• Chihuly Collection – Showcases glass installations by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly.
• St. Petersburg Museum of History – Explores local history, including the world’s largest collection of autographed baseballs and exhibits on the first commercial airline flight.
• Florida Holocaust Museum – A powerful and educational museum dedicated to Holocaust history and remembrance.
• Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum – Celebrates African American history and culture through exhibits, events, and educational programs.
• Great Explorations Children’s Museum – A hands-on, interactive museum designed for young kids to explore science, art, and the world around them.
• Fairgrounds St. Pete – A unique immersive art and technology museum featuring interactive exhibits and installations by local artists.

Pictured: The Florida Holocaust Museum and Great Exporations

Lunch

One of the best things to do when visiting a new place is trying the local restaurants. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Teak – A rooftop restaurant at the St Pete Pier with good views of the bay and fresh seafood (and good drinks)
• Red Mesa Mercado for a laid back vibe with outdoor seating. They serve delicious Mexican food, I love their shrimp tacos and chips and salsa.
• Mazarro’s Italian Market isn’t downtown, but it’s famous for their sub sandwiches
• Bodega on Central has incredible classic Cuban sandwiches

St. Pete Pier

After lunch, check out the St Pete Pier. It has a playground, splash pad, green spaces, and of course, stunning views.

In the middle area of the pier is an outreach center for the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center. They have educational exhibits where you can learn more about the local environment. There is also a touch tank.

The pier has a long walking path that has vendors along the way selling things like signs, clothing, and jewelry. There is a tram that will take you to the end if you don’t want to walk or have someone with mobility issues. This can also be really nice on super hot days!

Vinoy Park & Shopping on Beach Drive

When you are done exploring the pier, wander to Vinoy Park (it’s just a short walk from the pier). It’s a huge waterfront park great for relaxing, taking a walk, and it’s also a popular spot for events throughout the year.

Then, wander down Beach Drive, home to high-end boutiques, art galleries, and charming shops.

Dinner & Rooftop Drinks

Here are a few of my favorite dinner options in St Pete:

• Twisted Indian has some of the best Indian food in a casual, laid back atmosphere
• Good Fortune –  A very aesthetic and Instagram worthy Asian fusion restaurant. They have a ton of flowers covering the ceiling of the bar and they serve some great sushi.
• Bella Brava for good Italian food
• Ceviche Tapas Bar and Restaurant – Inspired by Barcelona with delicious tapas and paella

After dinner, consider a good drink on a rooftop for some great views! Here are some great options:

• The Canopy at the Birchwood, a rooftop lounge offering craft cocktails and unbeatable skyline views. They often have live music as well.
• Sparrow Rooftop at the Moxy is a new rooftop lounge in town. It’s trendy and has good appetizers and cocktails. It’s not an inexpensive place for a drink, but their disco balls on fire drink, a mocktail made of watermelon, yuzu, ginger, and habanero!
• Pier Teaki located on the top story of the pier with good views of the bay and downtown St Pete
• Hawkers for Asian street food and good cocktails

Day 2: Central Ave and Breweries

Day two is a bit lighter than your first day was. If you have extra time, you can always do anything you didn’t get around to on your first day. Or pick from my list of extra ideas at the end of this article.

Breakfast and Coffee

I gave you a good list of coffee and breakfast places, so start your day at one of those that I listed out for day one. If you’re like me and enjoy starting your day that way, that is!

Explore Central Ave

Central Avenue is a fun street with unique boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and bars. It’s a great place to wander and spend the morning while you explore unique shops and restaurants that you won’t find in other places.

Some of my favorite spots on Central Ave:

• Sans Market – a zero waste store. Every time I visit, I’m surprised at all of the things that could be zero waste!
• Ashe Couture – cute boho clothing and accessories
• Ferg’s – a legendary sports bar with tons of TVs and a great atmosphere
• Morean Arts Center – a free art gallery with both local, national, and international artists’ work on display
• Jannus Live – a outdoor concert venue
• ZaZoo’d is a gift shop and home store with vintage and new furnishings ranging from traditional to eclectic.

Lunch

For lunch, wander into any place that looks good or head to one of the places I recommended on the first day!

Breweries in St Pete

I mentioned some great rooftop bars for day one, but if you like breweries, there are plenty to keep you busy! Here are some great breweries in St Pete:

• 3 Daughters is probably the biggest brewery in the area (it is in a HUGE warehouse). It’s also the most well-known brewery in the area. Most local restaurants carry their Beach Blonde Ale. They also have ciders and seltzers on tap if you have any non-beer lovers. They also just opened a second location in Clearwater Beach.
• Grand Central Brewhouse is a two story brewery and taproom with a gorgeous beer garden. The space is gorgeous and they’re most known for their lagers.
• Golden Isles has become our favorite since we had kids. It’s a casual spot with space both indoors and outdoors. They serve their own beer as well as rotating options from other breweries (both in state and out!)
• St Pete Brewing Co is a smaller brewery but we absolutely love it. My favorite beer is their St. Pete Orange Wheat.
• Green Bench is a really popular brewery in the area with tons of outdoor space. It’s named for the nearly 2,500 green benches that used to line St Pete’s downtown area. The city was actually known as the City of Benches back in the 1900s! While you’ll probably want to enjoy their gorgeous outdoor area, they do have a tap room and are most known for their IPAs.

Dinner

For dinner, wander into any place that looks good or head to one of the places I recommended on the first day!

Day 3: Beaches & Outdoor Adventures

I think that a lot of people think that St Pete (and even Tampa, for that matter) is close to the beach. And that’s true, it’s just a short drive, but St Pete is not on the beach.

Luckily, if you’re staying in downtown Saint Petersburg, you can now take public transport. The SunRunner is a bus that goes back and forth between downtown and St Pete Beach. This is great if you don’t have your own transportation (or if you do but don’t want to deal with parking).

In my humble opinion, we have some of the best beaches you can find. Here are some of my top picks for enjoying Florida’s natural beauty at the beach!

Clearwater Beach: a bit more “touristy” but has everything you could want from charters to chair/umbrella rentals. Pier 60 is a popular spot for fishing, good views of the coastline, and if you’re lucky, views of dolphins. There are a lot of great restaurants in Clearwater Beach as well. Palm Pavilion is my favorite for beach views.

Indian Rocks Beach – The best “small town” beach in the area. It’s less crowed than some of the other beaches mentioned. You can go for a walk at the Nature Preserve and grab a coffee from one of our favorite coffee shops, Grove. There are a lot of great restaurants in Indian Rocks Beach, too.

St Pete Beach – Not quite as touristy as Clearwater Beach but busier than Treasure Island.

I also have a more detailed post on all of the beaches in the St Pete area if you want more details before you make a choice.

If You Have More Time

If you have more time in St Pete, or if you prefer to switch out some of my recommendations, here are some great ideas:

• Take a day trip from St Pete: Our personal favorite are Sarasota, Weeki Wachee, and Dunedin
• Sing karaoke at LALA (you can rent out your own karaoke room!)
• Sunken Gardens has botanical gardens (and flamingos!) The gardens have existed for more than a century, and are one of the oldest roadside tourist attractions in the United States.
• Park and Rec is a fun bar with games such as arcade games, outdoor games (like giant beer pong where the “cups” are garbage cans), pinball, pool, and more.

Where to Stay in St Pete, Florida

If you want to stay in downtown St Pete, here are my personal favorite choices:

The Vinoy is one of the most luxurious spots to stay in St Pete. It has two outdoor heated swimming pools, five restaurants, a spa, and a full-service marina. The rooms have private balconies.

The Hollander is a laid back hotel. They have a poolside bar and a non-poolside bar, often with live entertainment. It’s an older building that’s been remodeled with vintage decor.

We stayed at the Hyatt Place many times when we were displaced due to back-to-back hurricanes. If you’ve been following here long, then you already know I love Hyatt hotels for their good point redemptions. The Hyatt is a pretty good value here. The rooms aren’t anything extraordinary, but they are consistent and the hotel is in a good location.

If you want to stay on one of the beaches, you can’t go wrong with these:

Don Cesar – this is a famous pink building that looks like a castle or grand palace right on St Pete Beach. It’s been around forever and besides its iconic pink building, it also has good restaurants and a full service spa.

Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa is in a great location close to all of the fun things to do in Clearwater Beach. They have on site restaurants, a fitness center, and a spa. But my favorite part is that there is a pool on the 8th floor with incredible ocean views. Oh, and the rooms are very large!

Island Grand at the TradeWinds is one of the best hotels in St Pete Beach. It is a *huge* resort with multiple pools, beach bars, on site restaurants, activities, and it’s beachfront. It’s great for both families and adults.

Photo: TradeWinds resort from Hotels.com

Final Thoughts

St. Petersburg, Florida, is a diverse destination in the Sunshine State.

It offers culture, nature, good restaurants, breweries, beaches, and more. Whether you’re into art, beaches, or nightlife, St Pete is always a good idea!

This 3-day itinerary gives you the best overview of how to spend your time in the sunshine city! Whether it’s your first time visiting or you’re coming back for more, I hope you have the absolute best time!