St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach, FL
St. Pete Beach is one of the Gulf coast's best known destinations, its wide sand and the pink landmark Don CeSar hotel drawing visitors well beyond the Tampa Bay area. The St. Pete Municipal Beach Access off Gulf Boulevard offers 235 parking spaces, one of the larger public lots on this stretch of coast.
The wide sand and landmark hotel give it real destination status beyond the Tampa Bay area, though its popularity means the two big lots can still fill up on a busy weekend.
How we score beachesUpham Beach Plaza has its own 183-space lot a bit south of the main municipal access, worth trying if the bigger lot looks full. Back-in and pull-through parking are both illegal in the metered spaces here, so park nose-in the normal way to avoid a ticket.
The St. Pete Municipal Beach Access off Gulf Boulevard has 235 metered spaces; Upham Beach Plaza has another 183.
Both main access points are short, flat walks from their lots to the sand.
Dogs are prohibited on St. Pete Beach's sand beaches citywide except for one designated bayside area on Pass-a-Grille Way between 1st and 3rd Avenues.
Winter and spring bring the mildest weather and the biggest snowbird crowds to this stretch of the Gulf coast. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, bring the warmest water and afternoon storms.
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