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Florida, United States

Downtown St. Petersburg

A slow Jan 1 across the bay: brunch, Dali, the pier and a Gulf beach. We have mapped 1 sight, 1 activity and 2 outdoor spots here, each with a reason to go.

Plan Downtown St. Petersburg with friendsBrowse 6 places
Downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, United States
Places
6

1 See · 1 Do · 2 Outdoors · 2 Eat

Curated routes
1

Tampa New Year's Eve

Best season
Dec 30 – Jan 1

from our route notes

Warmest month
June

31°C / 87°F avg high

Coolest month
January

20°C / 68°F avg high

Wettest month
August

about 252 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Downtown St. Petersburg

6 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

The landmarks we would not skip in Downtown St. Petersburg in Downtown.

  • Salvador Dali Museum in Downtown St. PetersburgPhoto: bebatut · CC BY-SA 2.0
    See

    Salvador Dali Museum

    The largest Dali collection outside Europe, in a concrete box wrapped by a glass bubble on the bay.

    Tip Buy timed tickets ahead; holiday days sell out.

    • Downtown
    • $$
    • 2 hr
    • Midday

Do

Hands-on ways to spend time in Downtown St. Petersburg in Downtown.

  • Do

    St. Pete Pier

    Quarter-mile pier into Tampa Bay with parks, restaurants, a splash pad and a rooftop deck at its head.

    Tip Walk to the end for the skyline view back toward downtown.

    • Downtown
    • Free
    • 75 min
    • Afternoon

Outdoors

Trails, views and open space in and around Downtown St. Petersburg.

  • Outdoors

    Sunken Gardens

    Century-old botanical garden in a sinkhole, with waterfalls, flamingos and thousands of tropical plants.

    Tip Check holiday hours before going on Jan 1.

    • Historic Uptown
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Morning
  • Fort De Soto Park in Downtown St. PetersburgPhoto: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Outdoors

    Fort De Soto Park

    County park on five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay, with white-sand beaches, a 1898 fort and fishing piers.

    Tip North Beach is the best for a first walk of the year; bring cash or a card for the toll and parking.

    • Tierra Verde
    • $
    • 3 hr
    • Afternoon

Eat

2 places to eat across Old Northeast and South Pasadena, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • The Vinoy in Downtown St. PetersburgPhoto: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Eat

    The Vinoy

    Pink 1925 Mediterranean Revival resort on the waterfront, with a brunch dining room overlooking Vinoy Park.

    Tip Book Jan 1 brunch in advance; walk the waterfront parks after.

    • Old Northeast
    • $$$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Late morning
  • Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish in Downtown St. PetersburgPhoto: Astrophobe · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Eat

    Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish

    Roadside smokehouse since 1951 serving mullet and mackerel smoked over red oak, with smoked-fish spread.

    Tip Cash only and closed Tuesdays.

    • South Pasadena
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Lunch

How to fit Downtown St. Petersburg into a trip

Downtown St. Petersburg is stop 2 of 2 on our Tampa New Year's Eve route. Follow it as-is or lift Downtown St. Petersburg into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Downtown St. Petersburg month by month

Average daily highs run from 20°C / 68°F in January to 31°C / 87°F in June. August is the wettest month, with about 252 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Downtown St. Petersburg weather and the best time to visit →

Near Downtown St. Petersburg

8 other destinations from our guides within about 350 km (217 mi), measured in a straight line.

Downtown St. Petersburg questions, answered

How many days do you need in Downtown St. Petersburg?

On our Tampa New Year's Eve route it is stop 2 of 2 in a 3-day trip. Split evenly, that is about 2 days here, an estimate rather than a rule. The listed visit times for our 6 places add up to roughly 10 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Downtown St. Petersburg best known for?

A slow Jan 1 across the bay: brunch, Dali, the pier and a Gulf beach. Standouts on our list: Salvador Dali Museum (The largest Dali collection outside Europe, in a concrete box wrapped by a glass bubble on the bay); Sunken Gardens (Century-old botanical garden in a sinkhole, with waterfalls, flamingos and thousands of tropical plants); Fort De Soto Park (County park on five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay, with white-sand beaches, a 1898 fort and fishing piers).

When is the best time to visit Downtown St. Petersburg?

Our Tampa New Year's Eve route is best Dec 30 – Jan 1. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in June (31°C / 87°F), the coolest in January (20°C / 68°F) and the most rain in August (about 252 mm).

What are the best things to do in Downtown St. Petersburg?

Start with Salvador Dali Museum, St. Pete Pier, Sunken Gardens and Fort De Soto Park. Our guide lists 6 places in all, from 1 sight, 1 activity, 2 outdoor spots and 2 places to eat.

Where should a group eat in Downtown St. Petersburg?

Our picks: The Vinoy (Old Northeast); Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish (South Pasadena). Book Jan 1 brunch in advance; walk the waterfront parks after (The Vinoy).

What is near Downtown St. Petersburg?

The closest destinations in our guides are Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk (about 25 km / 16 mi), Walt Disney World (about 125 km / 78 mi) and Winter Park (about 155 km / 96 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Downtown St. Petersburg with your crew

Open the Tampa New Year's Eve route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 6 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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