St. Petersburg Florida Travel Guide
Happy Friday, Friends! A couple of weeks ago I visited St. Petersburg, Florida for the first time and stayed at the iconic and historic Don Cesar hotel. I’ve been going to Florida every year for as long as I can remember but had never been to St. Petersburg before, so I was super excited to explore a new city and stay in the massive pink palace! What I loved about this hotel, is that when you are coming over the bridge to get to St. Pete beach the beautiful hotel is the first thing you see (I mean how can you miss it?!) I was in awe of how gorgeous it looked and new this was definitely going to be my new favorite hotel! Whether you want a family getaway, a bachelorette party or just a weekend away with the significant other, the Don Cesar is where you want to be.
Accommodations & where to stay:
The Don Cesar Hotel: Because we had 2 dogs with us (yes they are SUPER dog-friendly!) we stayed on the first floor (the only floor that allows dogs) and it was extremely convenient to get in and out to let them out. We stayed in a suite that was huge… it had 2 beds, a massive bathroom, and a little living room area with a pull out sofa. You could easily fit 6 people in one of these rooms and be comfortable. Upon arrival, we were greeted with the warmest welcome of fruit and champagne (the bottle even had the Don Cesar branding on it- which you can purchase in the gift shop!) We also got the cutest little pet mat and water bowl as well as some tasty treats for the pups. I was pleasantly surprised by the decor in the room. Since the hotel is very historic (it originally opened in 1928!) I was picturing outdated amenities and decor but boy was I wrong! They are also in the process of a huge remodeling job to the lobby bar and restaurant which looks like it’s going to be absolutely stunning.
Dining:
The Don Cesar hosts 4 restaurants, one upscale dining and 3 more casual restaurants including a pool bar & grill. We ate at the Rowe Bar for lunch and dinner and the Sea Porch Cafe for brunch. All 3 of our meals here were delicious and I would definitely go back even if I wasn’t staying on the property. We got drinks at the pool bar and I had one of the best frozen cocktails I’ve ever had. If you rent a cabana on the beach, you can take your drinks out with you and they do have servers who will come out and check on you to replenish!
Snappers Sea Grill: We dined at Snappers on St. Pete Beach for dinner one night and now I know why they have so many great reviews! While it’s not directly on the beach, they do have outdoor seating and a fun atmosphere. The food we had was delicious- especially the key lime pie with oreo crust… my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Level 11 Rooftop: We decided to come here one night for the sunset as it’s voted one of the best rooftops on the beach. The views of the sunset are unreal and the drink options are endless. We shared a few small plates and stayed there for the rest of the night because the drinks were so good. When we got there about 45 minutes before the sunset, the place was PACKED. Once the sunset was over, it cleared out pretty quickly. If you plan to check it out, make sure to get there early to get a good table with a view!
Locale Market: We ventured off of the beach to the downtown area of St. Petersburg one day and had lunch at Locale Market. There are multiple dining options inside the market, including sushi, pizza, Mexican and a salad bar. I could tell it was definitely a hot spot for locals working downtown. I got a poke bowl and also tried one of the pizzas… both were super delish.
Uncle Andy’s Ice Cream Parlor: For a sweet treat, this place hit the mark! It’s actually located inside the Don Cesar hotel which was convenient for us and had tons of different ice cream flavors, shakes, sundaes, etc. We stopped there 2 nights after dinner to finish off the night.
Things to do:
Rent a Cabana at the Don Cesar hotel
Take a mural tour in Downtown St. Petersburg or just check them out yourself… there are so many amazing ones, perfect photo opps as well!
Shop the Locale Market & other stores located in the Sundial
Visit the Dali Museum– an art museum located downtown
Visit the Sunken Gardens– 4 acres of well-established botanical gardens
Get a spa treatment done at the Don Cesar- I had a 60-minute massage and it was delightful!
If you are looking for a relaxing, yet fun spot to vacation, St. Petersburg is a perfect spot to check out! As I mentioned before, it would be a great spot for so many different types of vacations and the Don Cesar actually does gorgeous weddings! The culture, food, and location can’t be beaten… as it’s about as close to the ocean as can be! It’s no wonder that the St. Pete/ Clearwater beaches were named in the top 5 in the US. The beaches are wide and clean, and the sand is super fluffy and soft. Just dreaming about when I can return…