Sleep


Postcard Inn On the Beach

This place is the perfect Florida beach hotel and their website describes it perfectly. It’s definitely in a class of its own.

“From the chill vibes given off by our main lobby, filled with a prominently cool bookshelf with all sorts of books and board games to accompany your beach getaway; to the nautical rustic restaurant with signature smoke infused drinks; to our one-of-a-kind surfer chic rooms, decked out in a homage to hanging ten with photographs by local artists and even some gnarly surfboards; to our complimentary pool-side pampering; the Postcard Inn On The Beach is in a class of its own.”

Right on the beach, clean rooms, super friendly staff, great location, dog friendly, beach bar, two restaurants, two gyms, free bikes, fire pits, outdoor heated pool, beach volleyball, board games, lots of outdoor games, and live entertainment.

PCI has it all!

Eat


Guys, it’s the Florida gulf coast. you can smell the salty air, hear the ocean, and the fresh seafood can be found on every corner. Eat as much of it as you can!

Sea Hags Bar & GrillThe locally caught grouper sandwich is amazing (get it blackened)

Willy’s Burgers & BoozeShrimp, shrimp, and more shrimp! Order it any way you like. Willy’s is a local staple and you can walk there from anywhere on St. Pete Beach

4th Street Shrimp Store You guessed it, more shrimp! If you like peel n’ eat shrimp, order the steamed u-peel-em’s shrimp with some black beans and rice and chat with the bar tender for a casual lunch.

PJ’s Oyster Bar Choose a local craft beer, start with the buffalo shrimp, and end with the fresh sea scallops

PCI Beach Bar & Snack ShackGrab a drink at the PCI Beach Bar and grab yourself a good ol’ burger & fries right on the beach (PCI Beach Bar is nationally recognized as the “Best Beach Bar in Florida”)

Beverly’s La Croisette- Literally anything off of their menu. Croissants, omelettes, crepes, eggs benedict, you name it. We ate here for breakfast every morning because it was too good not to

Angelo’s Grill & BarOrder any pizza while you have a beer at St. Pete Brewing Company (they are right next door and will bring it over to you)

Boulevard Burgers & Tap House- Choose a local craft beer, start with the calamari, and pick any of their amazing burgers made from a blend of brisket, angus chuck, and short ribs

Drink


Gulp coast; St. pete/clearwater’s craft beer trail

Hitting up some local breweries is always on our agenda for any vacation. It’s always been our thing. We really love beer. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that St. Pete is packed full of incredible breweries. In fact, we had some of the best beer we have ever had (also was not expecting this since Asheville has my heart when it comes to great beer). Here’s the breweries we visited in no particular order because we really did love them ALL.

Green Bench Brewing Co. 

St. Pete Brewing Company

3 Daughters Brewing

Cage Brewing

Cycle Brewing

Sea Dog Brewing Co. (Treasure Island) 

Brewery Guides: 

http://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/gulp-coast-craft-beer-trail

http://www.tbo.com/tampa-bay-breweries-map

http://www.thebrewerybay.com/

 Note: I know we missed some other really great breweries, but there are over 30 of them in the Tampa Bay area alone, so the best thing to do is just pick a few you really want to check out and go from there. Being a true Type A traveler means doing some research and making some plans before you get there, but not being stuck to an itinerary. 

Explore


Beaches- This is what florida is ALL about. Get to the beach! White sand, incredible sunsets, and pure relaxation. If you have a car, there are plenty of beaches that are easily accessible from St. Petersburg with plenty of parking. Beachfront accommodations can be expensive, so don’t worry if you need to stay a bit more inland and drive to the beach. Florida’s got you covered. For our short trip, we only made it to St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island Beach, but there are 10 more along the Gulf Coast for you to explore.   http://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com/things-to-do/beaches

Salvador Dali Museum- This is an absolute MUST if you are in St. Pete. It’s a bit on the expensive side once you pay for tickets and parking, but it’s totally worth it. The museum offers ticket discounts with an ID for seniors, military, police, firefighters, educators, students, and children (5 and under are free). The parking is $10, but you can leave your car there all day if you want to and explore downtown St. Pete. This is a huge perk because it saves you the stress/time/worry of having to find a place to park downtown and it’s within walking distance to almost everything.

Saturday Morning Market If you are in St. Pete on the weekend, head down to the Saturday Morning Market. This incredible waterfront market is open every Saturday from 9-2 and features around 170 vendors. Listen to live music, grab some lunch, browse interesting crafts and handmade items, bring your pup, and relax under the palm trees that line the streets. The vibe here is incredible and you can really get a sense of the community that makes St. Pete so wonderful.

 

 


Just go…

***all photos are mine unless stated otherwise***