10 Of The Best Things To Do In St. Pete-Clearwater

Please note: this article is sponsored by our partners at Visit St. Pete-Clearwater and some links on this page will take you directly to the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater website.

Sunshine, sugar sands and sparkling Gulf waters might reel you in, but St. Pete-Clearwater is more than a pretty stretch of Florida’s coast.

Here, art dazzles on streets and in world‑class museums, untamed islands beg to be explored, and dolphins regularly race alongside tour boats.

Whether you’re travelling with kids or chasing thrills, this Gulf‑front playground delivers surprises at every turn. Here are ten essential experiences to get you started.

1. Stroll the sands at Clearwater Beach

Credit: Visit St. Pete-Clearwater

Start with the show‑stopper: Clearwater Beach’s 4km (2.5 miles) of powder‑white quartz sand, groomed daily and patrolled by year‑round lifeguards.

Families love the gentle, bathtub‑warm shallows and umbrella‑lined cabana zones, while fitness buffs jog the paved Beach Walk and cyclists cruise the palm‑shaded promenade beyond.

Hourly rentals for paddleboards, wave‑runners and parasails keep adrenaline levels high, and kiosks sell everything from fruit smoothies to crab‑stuffed empanadas.

Pick up a souvenir at Surf Style, then linger as late‑afternoon sunlight turns the sand rose‑gold; every day here ends with a picture‑perfect sunset.

2. Catch the sunset at Pier 60

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Two hours before sundown, artisans pop‑up stalls, magicians rehearse tricks and roving musicians tune guitars: the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 is about to begin.

As the Gulf swallows the burnt-orange sun, a collective hush falls – then cheers erupt, cameras click, and street performers leap back into action.

Stick around for free al fresco movies on weekends or stroll back along the illuminated pier to survey the vendors’ handmade jewellery, sea‑glass art and chic beach fashion.

The fiesta is free and wildly popular every night of the year, so arrive early to snag a bench.

3. Marvel at masterpieces at the Dalí Museum

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Downtown St. Petersburg’s waterfront dazzler looks like a glass geode cracked open beside Tampa Bay. Inside, the Dalí Museum safeguards the largest trove of Salvador Dalí’s work outside Spain – some 2,400 oil paintings, surreal drawings, sculptures and notebooks.

Ride the helical staircase (a wink to the artist’s fascination with DNA), then lose yourself in 'The Hallucinogenic Toreador' or 'Lobster Telephone'. A virtual‑reality gallery drops you inside Dalí’s mind‑bending landscapes, while rotating exhibitions pair him with modern visionaries from Disney to cryptocurrency creators.

Timed tickets sell out fast in high season. Book online and download the free audio guide for the richest experience.

4. Go wild at Clearwater Marine Aquarium

A close up shot of a dolphin at at Clearwater Marine Aquarium in St. Pete-Clearwater, Florida

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More rescue hospital than theme park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) first stole hearts with Winter the prosthetic‑tailed dolphin of Dolphin Tale fame.

Today, resident dolphins Hope, Nicholas and Rudolph headline daily presentations that spotlight rehab success stories and ocean conservation.

Peer into sea turtle surgery suites and meet mischievous river otters, then board an eco‑boat for a safari through intracoastal waters where wild dolphins, manatees and roseate spoonbills roam.

Every ticket funds CMA’s 24/7 marine‑life rescue team, so you leave with feel‑good vibes as well as holiday snapshots.

5. Admire outdoor art on the St. Pete Mural Tour

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St. Pete boasts more than 600 murals across downtown’s Central Arts District, EDGE District and Warehouse Arts areas.

Download a free Visit St. Pete-Clearwater map or hop on a guided golf cart tour with Florida CraftArt to decode each story.

From large‑scale flamingos dancing on 10‑storey façades to mind‑bending 3D street illusions born during the annual SHINE Mural Festival, every block feels like an open‑air gallery. Many artists lurk nearby in studios, happy to chat process and pigment.

The walk is entirely flat, shaded by banyans and dotted with cafés – perfect for pairing public art with a Cuban coffee or locally brewed sour ale.

6. Explore nature at  Fort De Soto  Park

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Spread across five undeveloped islands at the mouth of Tampa Bay, 1,100‑acre Fort De Soto Park delivers a wild side few beach towns can match.

Kayak mangrove tunnels to spot starfish or paddle over seagrass flats teeming with docile manatees. Cyclists circle a 11km (7 miles) trail that intersects a century‑old fort, while the sandbar-bordered lagoon at North Beach is ideal for toddler paddling.

Pitch a tent at the waterfront campground or catch the ferry to neighbouring Egmont Key State Park for shelling on deserted shores and snorkelling around crumbling lighthouse pilings.

7. Feast on fresh flavours at St. Pete Pier

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Reopened in 2020 after a dramatic rethink, the 26‑acre St. Pete Pier is equal parts playground, science centre and culinary terrace jutting into shimmering Tampa Bay.

Families splash through the boulder‑strewn splash pad, anglers dangle lines from the fishing deck and cyclists cruise the looping promenade (rental bikes and surreys available).

Inside the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center, touch tanks introduce horseshoe crabs and seahorses; outside, Polynesian outrigger tours launch into the bay.

When hunger strikes, you can choose from shrimp tacos at Driftwood Café, craft cocktails at Pier Teaki’s rooftop tiki bar or island‑inspired mahi mahi sliders at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille.

8. Cruise the coast on a dolphin‑watching tour

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Pinellas County claims one of the largest resident bottlenose dolphin populations in North America, and tour captains guarantee sightings so confidently that many offer your next trip free if dolphins play shy.

Board the Little Toot tugboat in Clearwater Marina for a wake‑surfing spectacle as dolphins leap the waves or choose the turbo‑charged Dolphin Racer from St. Pete Beach for high‑speed thrills.

Tours last between 90 and 120 minutes – long enough for breezy Gulf air to tangle your hair and memory cards to overflow with tail‑slapping action shots. Keep your binoculars ready too, as loggerhead sea turtles and cownose rays often make an appearance.

9. Sip your way around local craft breweries

A group of people in a tour at a craft brewery in St. Pete-Clearwater, Florida

Credit: Visit St. Pete-Clearwater

What began with two pioneering brewpubs has now bubbled into a 40‑plus‑strong ale trail stretching from Dunedin to Gulfport.

In downtown St. Pete, Green Bench Brewing pours award‑winning kellerbier in a sun‑splashed beer garden, while 3 Daughters Brewing packs its cavernous taproom with live bands, bocce courts and hard seltzer slushies.

Nearby, Cage Brewing rotates small‑batch sours and IPA experiments, and If I Brewed the World pairs eclectic beers – think dill‑pickle gose – with equally quirky label art.

Grab a free ‘Gulp Coast’ passport at any visitor centre and collect stamps for limited edition pint glasses.

10. Stroll through the Florida Botanical Gardens

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Spanning more than 100 acres, the Florida Botanical Gardens are free to enter and brim with lush plant life, from towering palms and native orchids to vibrant tropical blooms.

Explore themed areas like the Butterfly Garden, Herb Garden and Topiary Walk, or meander through the Wetlands Walkway to spot turtles and wading birds in their natural habitat.

Kids will love the Majeed Discovery Garden, which includes interactive play zones, musical elements and water features designed to spark curiosity.