Are you planning to move out of state and sell the house? Most specifically, are you relocating to St. Petersburg, Florida?
If Florida is known as the “Sunshine State,” St. Petersburg is considered the “Sunshine City.” St. Pete has evolved to be the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay area, boasting the distinction of a municipality with the most continuous sunny days in the U.S.
“The Sunshine City” has a diverse range of cultural and outdoor attractions, including the famed Fort De Soto Park, the Dali Museum, and The Mahaffey Theater. Fans who love baseball Tampa Bay Rays can attend a game at Tropicana Field, and tourists looking for unique items can visit the Saturday Morning Market. With a wealth of activities and a bustling downtown area, there’s never a dull moment.
If you wish to reside in St. Petersburg, FL, you should learn everything there is to know about the area before making your move. This piece will serve as both a guide and a tutorial. Check out this list of the best things to do in St Petersburg FL and discover more about what makes it such a fantastic location to live.
About St Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is famed for its gorgeous clear seas and white fine sandy beaches, and it has 35 miles of the greatest beaches in America. In fact, three beaches in St. Petersburg made it to the top of Tripadvisor’s ranking of the best U.S. beaches.
While Florida’s population is older, a strong employment market with Fortune 500 businesses has swamped the area with young professionals eager to reside in the Gulf area.
St. Petersburg now has an eclectic mix of art districts, historical sites, natural beauty, economic areas, and a lively downtown region. With something for everyone, you’re sure to find a spot to nest near some of the country’s most gorgeous beaches.
What Makes St Petersburg a Great Place to Live?
- Affordable cost of living
While you may expect living on the beach in this dynamic city to be pricey, St. Petersburg is really fairly reasonable. Housing costs are 29% less than the national average, and 7% less than the Florida average. If you’re looking for a property, you’ll be able to locate beautiful real estate at a reasonable price.
- Green city
St. Petersburg is Florida’s first certified green city. The city has undertaken the switch to clean and renewable energy as part of its commitment to sustainability and green living.
- Thriving job market
With a current unemployment rate of 4.6%, St. Petersburg is one of the greatest areas in Florida to live and work.
- Easily accessible
St. Petersburg is relatively easy to travel and get around because it was planned in a grid structure. Located directly close to Interstates 75 and 275, you’ll have quick access to the remainder of the city and the Gulf Coast.
Things to Do in St. Petersburg
With Tampa Bay so nearby and a plethora of gardens to visit and clearwater beaches, you’ll never run out of things to do in the city. The following is a list of the top 15 things to do in St. Petersburg.
- The Dali Museum
When architect Yann Weymouth created the structure to house Salvador Dali Museum, he provided the famous artist his own homage. He made a work of art that mixes the surreal with the realistic, similar to Dali’s paintings. The sculpture consists of a modest square box from which a gigantic geodesic glass bubble erupts.
The museum has the biggest collection of Salvador Dali’s works in the United States, with 96 oil paintings, book works, original drawings, sculptures, and prints spanning his entire career.
- Saturday Morning Market
Every week in downtown St. Petersburg, the market is a great location to buy fresh food and a gift or two. Select from over 15 different varieties of ready-to-eat exotic cuisine, such as Jamaican patties and Irish pies. Live music is played in the middle, while performers such as magicians and balloon artists may be found throughout. Recent visitors rated the market as the finest location to go on a Saturday, with many praising the social aspect.
- Mahaffey Theater
The famous Mahaffey Theater is housed in the freshly refurbished Duke Energy Center for the Arts in downtown St. Petersburg. The theater boasts a capacity of 2,031 seats, excellent European-style private box seating, a huge ballroom, and stunning views of the waterfront. The Mahaffey Theater is well-known for hosting world-class performances by well-known performers.
- Sunken Gardens
This four-acre spectacle in downtown St. Pete boasts over 50,000 tropical plants and exotic birds such as flamingos. The botanical garden’s paved paths make it simple to explore. Take some time to smell the blossoms as you walk around Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg’s oldest living museum. Follow the twisting walks through lakes and waterfalls as you marvel at this verdant oasis in the heart of a bustling metropolis.
- Weedon Island Preserve
The Weedon Island Preserve is 3,190 acres in size and has both aquatic and upland habitats. You can go on guided treks, walk the boardwalks through mangrove woods, the tidal flats, and fish from the pier. The Cultural and Natural History Center, located deep within the preserve, has an exhibit gallery named “Connecting People and Place” that inspires visitors to bond with the environment via 6,000 square feet of interactive displays. In addition, the center provides workshops, interpretive hikes, and other events. Thursday through to Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
- Chihuly Collection
The lasting collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly is shown in a 10,000-square-foot structure on Beach Drive, which is located on the waterfront. The distinctive 20-foot sculpture of cerise-colored pebbles dominates the entryway, while the inside is overflowing with beautiful glassworks. The building’s attractions include “Tumbleweeds,” “Persians,” and “Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier.” Stop by the Chihuly Collection in Central Avenue to see mind-blowing glasswork.
- Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts, right in the center of downtown, will take you on a 4,500-year journey through history. Highlights include Renoir and Monet masterpieces, a Steuben glass exhibit, and a sculpture garden. The museum’s touring exhibitions and activities, such as Stuffed Animal Night and the Smartly Dressed Fashion Show make numerous trips worthwhile.
- 3 Daughters Brewing
3 Daughters Brewing Company has a rich history that dates back to 1888 in Lexington, Kentucky. Wilhelm Harting, the very first family brewer, founded the Liugart and Harting brewery, and his descendants jumped on board 150 years later. The only thing that remains of the ancient brewery is one brick, which is now part of the wall of the 3DB taproom bar; however, the heritage of brewing fantastic, unique, and bold beer lives on.
- Skyway Fishing Pier State Park
The Skyway Fishing Pier State Park is located on the southern and northern shores of Tampa Bay and is centered on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which links St. Petersburg and Sarasota. While the bridge’s piers are quite high above the sea, the accessible regions near St. Pete Pier provide great fishing, with both deep-water channels and shallow flats.
- ARTpool Gallery and Vintage Boutique
ARTpool Gallery and Vintage Boutique, founded by local artist Marina Williams, in 2008, has been one of St. Petersburg’s trendiest boutique shops. The business is situated in the city’s Grand Central District, and has developed from its original usage as an art gallery space into a versatile jewelry store and vintage apparel, beverage bar, and vinyl record shop, as well as event space and gallery for the local St. Petersburg art community.
- Florida Holocaust Museum
The Florida Holocaust Museum, the product of the incredible journey and clear vision of St. Petersburg benefactor Walter P. Loebenberg, opened its doors in 1998 in commemoration of the millions of men, women, and children who endured and perished during the Holocaust. The museum’s mission is to prevent such atrocities from occurring again by educating people of all cultures and races about the intrinsic value and shared dignity of all persons.
- Fort De Soto Park
Fort De Soto Park is 1,136-acres in size, spans five tiny islands near the mouth of Tampa Bay, and receives about 2.7 million tourists every year. The park has seven miles of shoreline, two fishing piers, marine life, picnic and camping areas, a four-mile hiking and skate track, as well as a historic fort.
Climb the fort’s steps for a spectacular perspective of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the world’s longest cable-stayed concrete bridge. Then, visit the Quartermaster Museum to explore much more about the fort through historic relics and images from the Spanish-American War.
- St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach is a big island neighborhood located west of St. Petersburg that has a vast stretch of award-winning clearwater beaches. Pass-a-Grille Beach is a long, underdeveloped public beach that serves seafood and is famous for its grouper sandwiches. It’s ideal for water sports such as kayaking, parasailing, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, kiteboarding, and windsurfing.
St. Pete Beach also has a plethora of restaurants and high-end hotels, such as the Don Cesar. After you’ve settled up, head to the Corey Avenue section for galleries, cafés, and unique gift shops. John’s Pass Village in Madeira Beach has practically everything.
- Doo’s Amazing Tours
Doo’s Amazing Tours provides sightseeing tours in and around Saint Petersburg, including paddleboarding tours, Segway, bike tours and rentals, kayaking tours, and Spring River outings.
On the La Dolce Vita Tour, enjoy a wonderful Sunday Italian-style breakfast followed by a bike ride around Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. Hidden mangrove tunnels or a paddleboarding adventure can take you up close and personal with dolphins and manatees.
- St. Petersburg Museum of History
The St. Petersburg Museum of History is Pinellas County’s oldest museum, having been created in 1921 as the St. Petersburg Memorial Historical Society. Mary Wheeler Eaton headed the members of the group, who began collecting natural history objects, historic relics, rare pictures, manuscripts, original documents, and a variety of other items. Their perseverance paid off, and the organization became a museum in 1922, moving to the former aquarium building on the same site as today’s museum, and opening its doors to the world.
Endnote
St. Petersburg provides a broad selection of superb museums, intriguing gardens, excursions, and restaurants. The Dali Museum, the Morean Arts Center, and the Museum of Fine Arts are among the best things to do in St. Pete, FL, for art aficionados.
When considering the cost of living in PA, you can decide to live in St. Petersburg owing to the benefits that come with the area. You could also be a homeowner who is wondering, “Who will buy my house in Pennsylvania?”
At Problem Property Pals we buy houses in Philadelphia and within the cities of Pennsylvania and Florida. For more info, call us now on (267) 244-9163.
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