St. Petersburg

History

St. Petersburg was founded by John Williams of Detroit and Peter Demens.

General John Williams bought over 2,000 acres of land on Tampa bay and envisioned a city of parks and broad streets. Williams’ dream came to realization when Peter Demens, brought Orange Belt Railway to the area in 1888. Demens then named the area after his birthplace, St. Petersburg, Russia.

The railroad provided easy access for tourists who want to spend their summer vacation in St. Petersburg. Since then, St. Petersburg started to grow as a summer resort. The big freeze tragedy of 1894-95 added to its development when citrus growers came to the city for a fresh start.

St. Petersburg’s development soared high in the 1920s when Gandy bridge opened. The newly opened bridge provided tourists quicker trip to the city, making St. Petersburg the largest city of Pinellas County. In 1939, St. Petersburg’s City Hall was built after recovering from economic depression.

Up to this day, St. Petersburg continues to grow at the same time preserving its colorful history. Movie theaters, shopping centers, museums, restaurants and marinas abound the area, providing residents and tourists options for fun and leisure.

Getting There

St. Peterburg is accessible by air or car.

By plane:

St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport is the easiest access to reach St. Petersburg, serving major airlines to accommodate varying needs of travelers going in and out of St. Petersburg. Another airport you can fly into is Tampa International Airport.

By car:

• If driving from points North and South, take I-75 to reach Tampa Bay area.
• Take I-4 if driving from Orlando, then I-275 southwards to St. Petersburg.

Weather

St. Petersburg features a humid subtropical climate; warm weather year-round.

Summer (wet season) in St. Petersburg is very hot and humid with average temperature highs around 80s to 90s. During summer, heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected especially during August, the wettest month of the year.

During winter, people can still go out and enjoy the sandy beaches for St. Petersburg only has mild winter with temperatures dropping around 60s. January is the coolest month of the year.

What to Wear

The warm weather in St. Peterburg allows you to simply dress in shorts and shirts. During cold days or evenings it is best to wear sweater or long sleeved top and long pants.

Make sure to bring “business casual” pieces such as khakis, collard shirt and sneakers for men, nice sandals and sundress for women; for upscale restaurants, nightclubs and places.

Moreover, tank tops, flip flops and swimwear are other essential pieces for beach activities; swimming, strolling, people watching and others. Other essential must haves include insect repellant, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses.

Fishing

Fishing opportunity in St. Petersburg is limitless; whatever time of the year you can access fishing locations rewarding every angler a bountiful catch.

St. Petersburg has some of the best saltwater fishing spots in Florida. Its vast network of lush sea grass, mangroves and reefs act as feeding grounds attracting more salt water fishes. Not only that, ship channels, docks, canals and bridges surrounding the area are breeding grounds of other fish species. Whether you prefer fishing near shore or the deeper waters, you can find it all in St. Petersburg.

Inshore and offshore fishing allow anglers to catch snook, redfish, tarpon, sheepshead, grouper, mackerel, mangrove snapper, trout, pompano, barracuda, amberjack, shark, cobia and more types of fish. Different fishing methods and types of baits are used depending on the location and type of fish to catch.

Although saltwater fishing is the most popular type of fishing in St. Petersburg, there are lakes and ponds within the city to catch largemouth bass, channel catfish and bluegill. Some of these lakes are open for year-round fishing while some are only open for a certain period of time.

St. Petersburg Lakes open for fishing 365 days a year:

• Walter Fuller Lake
• Fossil Park Lake
• Bartlett Lake

St. Petersburg Lakes open for fishing from Memorial Day up to Labor Day only:

• Euclid Lake
• Lake Maggiore
• Crescent Lake
• Lake Eli
• Lake Vista Park
• Mirror Lake
• Crescent Lake Park

St. Petersburg popular fishing piers and bridges:

• The Pier
• Gulf Pier
• Skyway State Fishing Piers N
• Pier Baithouse

BEST MONTHS TO FISH

The calendar below specifies the best months to catch a particular fish type in St. Petersburg waters.

January – Grouper

February – Cobia & Grouper

March – Cobia, Grouper, King Mackerel, Sea Bass & Shark

April – Cobia, Grouper, King Mackerel, Sea Bass & Shark

May – Barracuda, Dolphin, Grouper, Red Snapper, Sailfish, Sea Bass & Shark

June – Barracuda, Dolphin, Grouper, Red Snapper, Sailfish, Sea Bass, Shark & Wahoo

July – Amberjack, Barracuda, Dolphin, Grouper, Red Snapper, Sailfish, Sea Bass, Shark & Wahoo

August – Amberjack, Barracuda, Dolphin, Grouper, King Mackerel, Sailfish, Sea Bass & Shark

September – Amberjack, Grouper, King Mackerel, Sailfish, Sea Bass & Shark

October – Amberjack, Grouper, Sea Bass & Shark

November – Grouper & Sea Bass

December – Grouper

WHAT TO BRING AND WEAR WHEN FISHING

• Warm clothing (winter season)
• Rain gear (rainy season)
• Hat
• Polarized sunglasses
• Towel
• Sunscreen
• Food & Snacks
• Drinks (softdrinks, energy drink, water)
• Camera
• Motion sickness medicine

Attractions and Activities

St. Petersburg is a holiday destination for family, beach worshipers and outdoor lovers. Blessed with turquoise waters and beaches, vibrant history and picturesque landscape, visitors are offered with limitless opportunity to discover, enjoy and appreciate the “Sunshine City” of Florida.

Cultural tourism is an additional attraction to the area with several museums located in downtown St. Petersburg. A sunny day trip to Florida International Museum, Salvador Dali Museum, Museum of History, Museum of Fine Arts and Florida Holocaust Museum allow you to take a glimpse of St. Petersburg’s history, see impressive art collections and paintings.

Stroll through nature parks and preserves to experience St. Peterburg’s abundance of ecological life. Fort De Soto State Park is the perfect destination to get reunited with nature. The park features shopping and swimming facilities, fishing piers, camping and picnic facilities, hiking and biking trail.

For a lazy afternoon, you can watch a movie or shop for souvenir items at Baywalk. Located at the heart of St. Petersburg, Baywalk hosts some of the best retail stores, bars and restaurants in the area. Special events and live musical performances are also held in Baywalk.

Where to Stay

St. Petersburg lodging options range from luxury hotels, vacation rentals, cottages, bed and breakfast and inns, all with distinct services and features to suit your vacation lifestyle.

The Pier Hotel
Address: 253 2nd Avenue North St. Petersburg, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.thepierhotel.com/

America’s Best Inn
Address: 342 3rd Avenue North St. Petersburg, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.americasbestinnstpete.com/en/

Hampton Inn St. Petersburg Suites Downtown
Address: 80 Beach Drive NE • St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.stpetehamptonsuites.com/

Dickens House Bed and Breakfast
Address: 335 8th Avenue Northeast • St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
For more information, visit their website:

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Mansion House Bed and Breakfast
Address: 105 5th Avenue Northeast, St. Petersburg Florida 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.mansionbandb.com/

Capalbo Rental & Management Corp
Address: 4700 34th Street South St. Petersburg, FL 33711
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.capalborental.com/

La Veranda Bed and Breakfast
Address: 111 – 5th Avenue North St. Petersburg, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.laverandabb.com/

Inn at the Bay Bed and Breakfast
Address: 126 4th Avenue Northeast St. Petersburg, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.innatthebay.com/

Ramada Inn
Address: 5005 34th Street North (US 19) St. Petersburg, Florida, 33714
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.ramadastpete.com/

Comfort Inn & Suites At Tropicana Field
Address: 1400 34th St. N.,St. Petersburg,FL,US,33713
For more information, visit this link:
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-st_petersburg-florida-FL484

Where to Eat

Dining option in St. Petersburg has so much to offer from seafood restaurants to upscale steakhouses to local favorites. Enjoy your breakfast, lunch or dinner in waterfront setting, under blue sunny sky or romantic sunset.

Arigato Japanese Steakhouse
Address: 3600 66th St., St. Petersburg, FL 33710
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.dinearigato.com/

Guppy’s
Address: 1701 Gulf Blvd, Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.3bestchefs.com/guppys/

Madfish
Address: 5200 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
For more information, visit their website:

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Red Mesa Cantina
Address: 128 3RD STREET SOUTH ST PETERSBURG, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:

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Parkshore Grill
Address: 300 Beach Drive NE St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.parkshoregrill.com/

St. Pete Brasserie
Address: 539 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.stpetebrasserie.com/

Marchand’s Bar and Grill
Address: Renaissance Vinoy, 501 5th Ave. N.E., St. Petersburg, FL 33701
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.marchandsbarandgrill.com/

Red Lobster Restaurant
Address: 6151 34th Street North St. Petersburg, Florida 33714-1213
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.redlobster.com/

Primi Urban Cafe`
Address: 27 Fourth St. N,St. Petersburg,FL
For more information, visit their website:
http://www.primiurbancafe.com/

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant
Address: 10 Beach Drive,St. Petersburg,FL33701
For more information, visit their website:

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