A Picture Perfect Day at the #1 Beach in America: St Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach was recently named as the top beach in the country, earning the #1 spot on TripAdvisor’s ‘Best Beaches in the United States’ Travelers’ Choice Awards. (St Pete Beach is #5 in the WORLD).
We’re not really surprised. The sugary sand, plethora of things to do, beautiful and unique resorts…it’s easy to see how St Pete Beach earned the top spot.
While we’ve been to the beach numerous times with the kids, there is always something even we locals miss, so we reached out to Visit St. Pete/Clearwater for some of their top picks of things to do in St. Pete Beach to share with you!
First things first–getting there and parking is always tops on our list when with the kids, so if you’re planning ahead, this is a great resource for parking! Scroll to the bottom to find parking info for St. Pete Beach and/or Pass-A-Grille.
Kid-Friendly Things to Do in St. Pete Beach:
- Go Shopping on Corey Avenue: Nestled right in the heart of St. Pete Beach, Corey Avenue is a stretch of boutiques and restaurants of every kind! You can plan your afternoon of browsing the shops here. There is also a Sunday morning market where you’ll find around 80 vendors on an average year under the beautiful Florida sun!
- Explore Pass-A-Grille by bike: Located on the southern end of St. Pete Beach, this quaint beach town boasts a beautiful white sand beach, eclectic boutiques, and plenty of restaurants to fill your bellies. There’s a lot of old Florida history here too–the area is one of the largest US Historic Districts on the Gulf Coast with some of the oldest houses on Pinellas beaches which you’lll find along 8th Avenue. The Gulf Beaches Historical Museum has an online walking tour you can explore here using your smartphone. Kinda cool! Pass-A-Grille is even known for the Ding Dong bell at every sunset! You can even sign up to ring the bell for yourself!
- DAYcation with a Resort Pass at The Don CeSar. This will allow you access to the amenities like the pool and private beach for the day. You can even upgrade it to take a break at the spa. You can also rent a cabana or beach chairs on the private beach with a picture perfect backdrop! If you really want to upgrade your year, consider joining the The Don Club for member benefits year-round! You can also make it a STAYcation and stay overnight or for a long weekend. They’re currently offering Florida and Georgia residents 15% off their stay along with a $50 resort credit. Learn more here.
- Rent a speed boat with Speed Boat Adventures: This unique adventure is one your family will never forget! YOU get to be the driver of a speed boat as you follow trained guides for a tour of the waterways. You’ll likely spot dolphins, sea turtles and maybe even manatees!
- Visit the secluded Shell Key Preserve – Shell Key Preserve is located on a barrier island just outside of St. Pete Beach and it’s only accessible by boat. You can get there with the help of Shell Key Shuttle if you don’t have your own boat. It takes about 10 minutes to get there. Several shuttles leave throughout the day from St. Pete Beach. Keep in mind that Shell Key is a preserve, so you won’t find snacks and potties. Encourage everyone to ‘go’ before you set sail.
Restaurants in St. Pete Beach to try:
- RumFish Grill – amazing grouper sandwiches!!
- Maritana Grill at The Don CeSar
- Woody’s Waterfront
- Paradise Grille
Make it a STAYcation at the Tradewinds Island Grand Resort:
Tradewinds Island Grand Resort
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- While day passes at the TradeWinds are popular among locals, they’re not currently offered during COVID to give guests plenty of room to safely enjoy all of the amenities. Like the Don Cesar, they have a Florida/Georgia resident offer going on for a 15% discount on a STAYcation!
- This is the ultimate kid-friendly resort with so many things to do for the kids. A favorite among our team is the inflatable waterpark and waterslide on the beach. There are also a ton of activities designed just for the kiddos like arts and crafts, a touch tank, pirate parties, and more! You can see their full line of spring break events here.
Curious about the other beaches that made TripAdvisor’s Best Beaches in the United States list?
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- St. Pete Beach
- Ka’anapali Beach in Lahaina, Hawaii
- Moonstone Beach in Cambria, California
- Wailea Beach in Wailea, Hawaii
- Cannon Beach in Cannon Beach, Oregon
- Napili Beach in Lahaina, Hawaii
- Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit, Maine
- Wai’anapanapa State Park in Hana, Hawaii
- Madiera Beach in Madiera Beach, Florida
- Kailua Beach Park in Kailua, Hawaii
- Driftwood Beach in Jekyll Island, Georgia
- Ormond Beach in Ormond Beach, Florida
- Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, Florida
- La Jolla Cove in La Jolla, California
- Pensacola Beach in Pensacola Beach, Florida
- Treasure Island Beach in Treasure Island, Florida
- Siesta Beach in Siesta Key, Florida
- Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Florida
- Coligny Beach in Hilton Head, South Carolina
- Coronado Beach in Coronado, California
- Virginia Beach in Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Poipu Beach Park in Poipu, Hawaii
- Myrtle Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Santa Monica State Beach in Santa Monica, California
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