Things to Do in St Petersburg Florida

Central Avenue is the heart of downtown St Petersburg. It has loads of shops, restaurants, attractions (many of the attractions in this article are located on Central Avenue) and street art.

St Petersburg has several trolley services for getting around. The Central Avenue Trolley runs up and down Central Avenue, of course. The Downtown Looper covers a broader route.

Famed for its Cuban sandwiches, Bodega is located at the Western end of Central Avenue. Have a sandwich or a plate of meat with rice and black beans. I loved my pork sandwich and also enjoyed a delicious fresh juice.

Covering 26 acres, St Pete’s Pier is one of the newer attractions in St Petersburg. It has restaurants, playgrounds, green space, shopping, art, a fishing deck and even its own beach. USA Today voted The pier the #2 New Attraction in the U.S..

For those who appreciate fine art, the Museum of Fine Arts is a must-see. The collection includes works from around the world, including ancient Greek and Roman art and contemporary pieces. Museum highlights include masterpieces from Monet, O’Keeffe, De Kooning, Wiley, a sculpture garden, and one of Florida’s most respected photography collections.

The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The Museum is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides. It is one of the largest Holocaust museums in the United States.

The Morean Glass Studio is also part of the Morean Arts Center. Included in every ticket for the Chilhuly Collection is admission to this studio that runs glassblowing demonstrations on the hour. It is fascinating watching the artists move the liquid glass from ovens to twists to cold water and seeing the actual glass blown through long thin pipes. They also have a great shop filled with beautiful blown glass objects.

Don’t miss the small outdoor area that contains some Dali sculptures and a bench with a melting clock.

You can’t visit St Petersburg and not go to The Dali Museum. Firstly, the building itself is extraordinary. Designed by architect Yann Weymouth, its 18-inch thick hurricane-proof walls become a glass dome known as the “engima”.

The flowers made out of glass are extraordinary and the multi-colored garden at the end of the collection is a real highlight. The museum is in the heart of downtown St Petersburg.