St. Petersburg - Clearwater

Travel Guide

Fort De Soto Park showing a sandy beach
St. Petersburg - Clearwater
Sunken Gardens showing a garden
St. Petersburg - Clearwater
St. Petersburg - Clearwater

St. Petersburg - Clearwater Travel Guide Video

Plan time for visits to the top-rated white-sand beaches of the region as well as its varied cultural attractions.

West of Tampa is a glorious peninsula, stretching from Clearwater south to St. Petersburg. Come for beautiful beaches and discover unexpected cultural treasures.

On the Gulf of Mexico side of the peninsula, the sugary white sands and warm waters of Clearwater Beach make it an award winner, popular with families and singles. Visit the beach year-round. Walk out onto Pier 60 to look for dolphins swimming in the wild and photograph a striking sunset. Nearby is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, with dolphins, pelicans, sea turtles, otters, sharks and rays. Find more than 120 man-made and artistically decorated dolphins along the Clearwater Dolphin Trail throughout the Clearwater and St. Petersburg region.

Cross the causeway to Clearwater. Attend the Capitol Theatre’s big-name comedy and music acts in an intimate venue. See community theater or participate in adult summer acting classes at the Francis Wilson Playhouse. Head east to Ruth Eckerd Hall along Tampa Bay. Major acts, including touring Broadway shows, perform in this larger venue. Nearby, watch the home team Clearwater Threshers play baseball or Philadelphia Phillies in spring training at Spectrum Field.

Head south along the peninsula to enjoy other beautiful beaches all along the Gulf Coast. Stop at the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo. In November, Treasure Island hosts the Sanding Ovations festival, with expert sand sculptors making masterful creations and music, food and beach activities for amateur sandcastle builders.

St. Petersburg offers numerous varied museums, from the Florida Holocaust Museum to the Dalí Museum, with an amazingly large number of the artist’s works, and the Chihuly Collection of exquisite glass.

Just inland is Lake Maggiore with the Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. Visit its aviary and look for birds in the wild along its boardwalk.

Complete your Clearwater and St. Petersburg trip at another sandy spot, St. Petersburg Beach. In fact, your vacation could be perfect even if you did nothing but relax on the powdery white sands of the two cities’ famous beaches.

Where to stay in St. Petersburg - Clearwater

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Pass-a-Grille

Pass-a-Grille is known for its beaches, and you can plan a trip to Pass-a-Grille Beach and St. Petersburg - Clearwater Beaches while you're in town.

Pass-a-Grille
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Downtown St. Petersburg

A noteworthy feature of Downtown St. Petersburg is its fantastic nightlife. While you're in town, be sure to stop and check out Tampa Bay and Palladium Theater.

Downtown St. Petersburg
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Sand Key

While visiting Sand Key, you might make a stop by sights like Belleair Beach and Sand Key Park.

Sand Key
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Sunset Beach

Sunset Beach is noteworthy for its beaches, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Sunset Beach and St. Petersburg Municipal Beach.

Sunset Beach
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Don Cesar

Don Cesar might not have many top sights, but Splash Island Water Park and Pass-a-Grille Beach are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Don Cesar
Clearwater Marine Aquarium featuring marine life as well as a small group of people

Island Estate

While there might not be top attractions in Island Estate, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Clearwater Beach and Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina.

Island Estate
Sunset Vistas Two Bedroom Beachfront Suites

Sunset Vistas Two Bedroom Beachfront Suites

3.5 out of 5
12000 Gulf Blvd, Treasure Island, FL
Stay at this 3.5-star beach condo in Treasure Island. Enjoy 2 outdoor pools, a beach locale, and 2 hot tubs. Our guests praise the pool and the bar in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (3,294 reviews)
"We just went for the beach relaxing. The beach is easy to get to, love the "toy box" sharing ("take one or leave one"). The pool is great. (Only issue, the jets in the hot tub are too low, for a tailbone massage :-/ ) . The cafe is excellent, reasonable prices, easy, great service, good food."

Reviewed on Aug 10, 2025

Sunset Vistas Two Bedroom Beachfront Suites
The Avalon Club

The Avalon Club

4 out of 5
24 Avalon St, Clearwater Beach, FL
Stay at this 4-star beach aparthotel in Clearwater Beach. Enjoy a beach locale, a fitness center, and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (440 reviews)
"Nice place...near the beach, would've rated it a 5 but I was denied a later checkout. Other than that a very nice place convenient to all the sites."

Reviewed on Aug 8, 2025

The Avalon Club
John's Pass Hotel

John's Pass Hotel

2 out of 5
12854 Johns Wy, Madeira Beach, FL
Stay at this aparthotel in Madeira Beach. Enjoy free WiFi, a marina, and 4 beach bars. Our guests praise the clean rooms in our reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (222 reviews)
"Excellent location, very helpful property manager"

Reviewed on Aug 8, 2025

John's Pass Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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