The St. Petersburg beach house region comprises land along the Gulf of Mexico, the Intracoastal Waterway, Boca Ciega Bay, and Tampa Bay. This means that St. Petersburg residents have over 200 miles of shoreline to choose from for a day at the beach. Each of these water sources has a different personality, so you can choose your beach day destination based on your mood or the interests of your beach house party.
For example, the North Beach of Ft. De Soto Park was named the "Best Beach for Families" by USA Today in 2014. It has a white-sand beach, fishing piers, picnic shelters, concessions, nature trails, playgrounds, and even a dog park, so everyone in the family is happy. The Intracoastal Waterway has sheltered waters, which are calmer and great for relaxing water activities like kayaking. Out in the Gulf, you can book fishing charters or take surfing lessons. No matter which beach or body of water you choose to enjoy on any given day, you are sure to see a wealth of Florida wildlife up close and personal. Several of the local beaches are home to sea turtles, which nest from May through October.
St. Petersburg is a magnate for art lovers. The Duncan McClellan Gallery is a contemporary glass art gallery with exhibits from international glass artists. The gallery includes a glass blowing facility that offers live glassblowing demonstrations. The Dali Museum has the largest collection of Salvador Dali works outside of Spain, featuring works from Dali's entire career in many artistic mediums. And if you want to experience a "living museum," visit the Sunken Gardens. The 100-year-old garden has native Floridian tropical plants, as well as exotic plants from across the globe. A new flock of flamingos makes its home in the garden, too.
There are also opportunities to enjoy performance art near your St. Petersburg beach house. The American Stage Theater Company is the area's longest-running and most critically-acclaimed theatre company. The freeFall theater company is a new addition to St. Petersburg, but it too is beloved by critics and theatergoers.
Downtown St. Petersburg is the place to go for shopping and dining. On Saturday mornings you can enjoy a farmer's market, and the waterfront hosts several festivals throughout the year that residents of St. Petersburg beach houses won't want to miss.
