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Perched on the tip of a narrow peninsula between the Gulf and Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg is surrounded by sparkling, aquamarine water and laced with miles of sandy beaches ideal for swimming, fishing, surfing, windsurfing and just plain browning under the persistent St. Petersburg sun. Even downtown St. Petersburg has a spectacular white sandy beach, North Shore Beach, complete with a palm arboretum. But St. Petersburg's claim to beach fame is the epic Fort DeSoto beach, which in 2005 beat out Hawaii's famed beaches to be voted the best beach in the country. Nature trails, a perfect arch, fishing piers and concession stands, plus the historic Fort DeSoto, combine to make DeSoto beach one of St. Petersburg's top attractions.
Spa Beach
615 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg Florida 33701
One of St. Petersburg's two white sandy downtown beaches, Spa Beach stretches out at the base of the St. Petersburg Pier. For more than just soaking up the St. Petersburg rays, beachgoers can rent paddleboats, jet skis and other water apparatuses. |
North Shore Beach
901 N. Shore Dr. NE, St. Petersburg Florida 33701
A white sandy haven on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, North Shore Beach offers an Olympic-sized swimming pool (open year-round), tennis courts, a playground and a palm arboretum. |
Maximo Park & Beach
34th Street & Pinellas Point Drive S, St. Petersburg Florida 33711
In southern St. Petersburg next to the beautiful Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Maximo Park contains not only a beach but also a nature boardwalk, two playgrounds, multiple boat ramps, bike and nature trails, a disc golf course, a 10-foot observation tower, myriad shady trees and a 70-acre archaeological site. |
St. Petersburg Municipal Beach
11260 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island Florida 33706
Actually located on the shores of neighboring Treasure Island (still easily accessible), the St. Petersburg Municipal Beach features 500 feet of white sand as well as a snack bar, volleyball courts and shower and changing facilities. Winner of the Blue Wave Award, St. Petersburg Municipal Beach maintains the highest standards in environmental, health and safety conditions. |
Fort De Soto Park
3500 Pinellas Bayway S, St. Petersburg Florida 33715; Tel. +1 727.582.2267
Comprising five interconnected islands off the southern tip of St. Petersburg, Fort De Soto Park offers more than seven miles of undeveloped beaches that were collectively ranked the top beach in the U.S. in 2005. A 900-acre nature preserve, Fort De Soto Park also offers camping, boating, fishing, bird watching and miles of nature trails. |
Egmont Key
St. Petersburg Florida 33715; Tel. +1 727.893.2627
Out in the mouth of Tampa Bay, Egmont Key is only accessible by private boat but can be reached from any of St. Petersburg's nine public boat ramps. A wildlife refuge and state park surrounded by beautiful beaches, Egmont Key offers sunbathing and snorkeling and also has an aquarium, a reconstructed lighthouse and the ruins of Fort Dade (built in 1906 during the Spanish American War). |
—St. Petersburg beach reviews by Courtney Winn
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