St. Pete Beach is a barrier island city on Florida's Gulf Coast, separate from — and quieter than — both Clearwater Beach to the north and downtown St. Petersburg on the mainland. The island runs about 3.5 miles from the Blind Pass bridge at the north end to Pass-a-Grille at the south tip. It's got the same white sand and calm Gulf water as Clearwater, but with a more laid-back vibe, smaller crowds, and a historic beach village that most tourists never find.
Here's what's worth doing — from Pass-a-Grille and Shell Key to the hotel strip and the restaurant scene.
1. Pass-a-Grille
The historic village at the southern tip of St. Pete Beach is the gem of the island. Pass-a-Grille predates everything else on the barrier islands — it was a fishing village before the hotels existed. Today it's a handful of blocks with independent restaurants, a small inn or two, a community church, and the Pass-a-Grille Beach, which is wide, less crowded than the resort strip, and faces directly west for unobstructed sunsets. The 8th Avenue beach access is the most popular. The vibe is old Florida without trying to be.
Parking tip: Metered street parking fills fast on weekends and in season. The municipal lot on Pass-a-Grille Way is your best bet. Arrive before 10 AM in summer or take the Jolly Trolley from further north on the island.
2. Shell Key Preserve
Shell Key is an uninhabited barrier island just south of Pass-a-Grille, accessible only by boat. Several operators run shuttle boats from the Pass-a-Grille marina. The island has pristine sand, clear shallow water, good shelling (especially on the bay side at low tide), and nesting sea turtle and shorebird habitat. You can swim, wade, snorkel in the shallows, or just sit on an empty beach. It's a half-day trip and one of the best island excursions on the Gulf Coast.
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Boat shuttles, dolphin cruises, and sandbar trips departing from the St. Pete Beach area — compare options and check live availability.
Browse All Tours →3. The Don CeSar
The Pink Palace. The Don CeSar is a 1928 resort hotel that dominates the St. Pete Beach skyline with its pink Mediterranean Revival architecture. You don't have to be a guest to enjoy it — the lobby is worth a walk-through, the beachfront bar (Rowe Bar) serves cocktails with a Gulf view, and the Sunday brunch has been a local institution for decades. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone both stayed here, and the building served as a military hospital during World War II before being restored as a hotel.
4. Corey Avenue
Corey Avenue is the main commercial street in the center of St. Pete Beach — a few blocks of local shops, restaurants, ice cream parlors, and a weekend market. It's walkable and low-key, nothing like the tourist strips on Clearwater Beach. The Sunday market has local produce, baked goods, and craft vendors. For food, the neighborhood has everything from casual fish tacos to upscale seafood. It's where locals go when they don't want to deal with the resort strip.
5. Sunset Beach
At the north end of St. Pete Beach, Sunset Beach is a residential area with public beach access and fewer people than the main strip. The sand is the same white quartz, and the water is calm and shallow. There are no resorts here — just a quiet beach with neighborhood parking. It's connected to Treasure Island across the Blind Pass bridge, so you can walk or bike between the two. The sunsets are excellent from this stretch.
6. Dolphin Watching and Eco Tours
The waters around Boca Ciega Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway between St. Pete Beach and the mainland are prime dolphin habitat. Several operators run dolphin-watching cruises, eco tours, and kayak trips through the mangrove-lined waterways. The dolphins are residents — not seasonal — so sighting rates are high year-round. Some tours combine dolphin watching with a stop at Shell Key or a sandbar.
7. Fishing Charters and the Gulf
The deep water off St. Pete Beach drops to productive grouper and snapper bottom within a few miles, and the nearshore reefs hold kingfish, cobia, and permit. Inshore fishing in the bay targets redfish, snook, and spotted seatrout on the flats and around the mangroves. Several charter captains operate from the Pass-a-Grille marina and the Merry Pier. Party boats (head boats) also run daily half-day trips to the offshore reefs.
8. The Merry Pier
At the south end of Pass-a-Grille, the Merry Pier is a small working pier with a bait shop, rod rentals, and some of the best people-watching on the island. You can fish from the pier without a boat, and the bait shop sells tackle and licenses. The pier faces the shipping channel, so you'll see freighters, sailboats, and dolphins passing by. It's a low-key spot — nothing fancy, just a pier and the water.
9. Kayaking Boca Ciega Bay
The bay side of St. Pete Beach has calm, protected water that's ideal for kayaking and paddleboarding. You can paddle through the mangrove tunnels of Boca Ciega Bay, around the spoil islands, or down to Shell Key. Outfitters on the island rent kayaks and SUPs by the hour, and guided eco tours are available if you want a naturalist pointing out the manatees, rays, and wading birds. Morning paddles before the wind picks up are best.
10. Day Trip to Downtown St. Pete
Downtown St. Petersburg is 15 minutes east and has become one of the best small-city downtowns in the Southeast. The Dali Museum is world-class. The St. Pete Pier is a waterfront park with restaurants, a playground, and a small beach. Central Avenue has craft breweries, murals, and independent restaurants. The Saturday Morning Market (October through May) is one of the largest in the state. It's an easy day trip or evening outing from St. Pete Beach.
11. Gulf Boulevard Beach Hopping
Gulf Boulevard runs the length of the barrier island chain from Pass-a-Grille north through Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Redington Beach, Indian Shores, and up to Clearwater Beach. Each town has public beach access, slightly different character, and its own restaurants and bars. The Jolly Trolley makes the full run, or you can bike it on the road shoulder. Madeira Beach has Johns Pass Village with its boardwalk and fishing fleet; Treasure Island has a wider, quieter beach; Indian Rocks is a locals' favorite with good tide pools.
12. Upham Beach and the Resort Strip
Upham Beach is the main public access point in the central resort area — between the Don CeSar and the TradeWinds. It has restrooms, showers, and metered parking. The beach here is wide and well-maintained, though it's the most crowded section of the island because of the resort concentration. The advantage is walkability — restaurants, bars, and ice cream shops are all within a few blocks along Gulf Boulevard and Corey Avenue.
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Dolphin cruises, Shell Key shuttles, fishing charters, and sunset sails — compare options and check live availability.
Browse All Tours →Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Pete Beach the same as St. Petersburg?
No. St. Pete Beach is a separate city on a barrier island on the Gulf side. St. Petersburg is the larger city on the mainland/peninsula, known for its downtown arts district, the Dali Museum, and the Rays. They're about 15 minutes apart by car.
What is St. Pete Beach best known for?
Pass-a-Grille — a small historic village at the southern tip with great restaurants and some of the best sunsets on the Gulf Coast. Also the Don CeSar (the Pink Palace hotel), Shell Key boat trips, and wide white-sand beaches with fewer crowds than Clearwater.
When is the best time to visit St. Pete Beach?
March through May for warm weather and manageable crowds. October and November are also excellent — warm water, lower humidity, and hotel rates drop. Summer is hot with daily afternoon thunderstorms, but mornings are usually clear and the water is warmest.
Is St. Pete Beach good for families?
Yes. Wide calm beach, Shell Key boat trips for kids, Corey Avenue ice cream shops, and a quieter vibe than Clearwater Beach. The south end near Pass-a-Grille is especially family-friendly.
How do you get around St. Pete Beach?
Gulf Boulevard runs the length of the island. The Jolly Trolley connects to Clearwater Beach and all the beach towns in between. The island is bikeable. Parking at Pass-a-Grille fills fast in season — arrive early or take the trolley.