St.
Petersburg is located at the base of the Tampa Bay peninsula in
Pinellas County, Florida, and enjoys a more subdued social atmosphere than
its larger cousin, Tampa. With water on three sides of the city, St. Pete is
a superb location for fishing, sailing, and wandering beaches. St.
Petersburg was founded by John C. Williams from Detroit, Michigan, who
purchased the land in 1876. The town began with the help of Peter Demens,
who was instrumental in bringing a railroad connection there in 1888. St.
Petersburg was named after the Saint Petersburg in Russia, the birthplace of
Peter Demens. A local legend says that John C. Williams and Peter Demens
flipped a coin to see who would have the honor of naming the city. Peter
Demens won and named the city after his birthplace, while John C. Williams
named the first hotel after his birthplace, Detroit. The Detroit Hotel still
exists downtown.Attractions
• Sunken Gardens. A lush oasis of plant life in the heart of St.
Petersburg. The garden offers a maze of paths through dense vegetation, with
the lowest point in the garden at least 15 feet below street level. It was
originally a lake drained by a plumber who charged nickels to enter, but
became a roadside attraction for many years until falling into disrepair. In
1999 the city of St. Petersburg bought the property and began restorations.
The Great Explorations Hands On Museum now inhabits a building on the
property also.
• Fort
DeSoto Park. A grand stretch of beaches and wilderness at the
southwest edge of St. Petersburg. Named for the historic
Fort DeSoto, the park offers fishing,
camping, recreation areas, and several miles of undeveloped beach area.
• Don CeSar Hotel. This majestic pink colossus radiates gold as the
sun sets over the Gulf. Once used as a R&R hospital during World War II,
this high-scale resort offers boutiques, an ice-cream shop, and beautiful
beach access along Gulf Blvd. in St. Pete Beach.
• Florida Holocaust Museum.
• Salvador Dali Museum. From huge canvases to portraits of the
Spanish artist, this museum hosts the largest collection of Dali artwork in
the world.
Activities
• Tampa Bay Devil Rays,
Tropicana Field. This baseball team plays home games in St. Petersburg.
Tickets are between $5-$175. Tickets are widely available for all games.
• Circus McGurkis. "A
celebration of love, community and the power of nonviolence to change the
world." Sponsored by the Quakers, this distinctly local event has been
celebrated for over 30 years. Circus McGurkis is held the last Saturday of
October, bringing together social and political activists, local businesses,
and members of the community in a bazaar-like atmosphere of peace and
friendship.
• Art Walk
in Gulfport. Held 6-9pm on the first Friday of each month in Gulfport along
Beach Blvd. Local artists show and sell their wares, with refreshments and
dining for the community.
• Times Festival of Reading.
A celebration of reading hosted at Eckerd College annually in November.
Acclaimed authors, journalists, and critics join in panels and give talks
while children enjoy theater, storytelling, and games.
• First Friday. On the first
Friday of every month there is a Street party on Central Ave. from 2nd to
3rd St. 5:30 to 10 p.m. It is free and usually has live music.
• Monthly Gallery Walk. Second Saturday of every month. Extended
evening hours at participating galleries throughout downtown, 5:30 to 9 p.m.
See and acquire some of the area's finest art; meet gallery owners and
artists.
• Jannus Landing. Built
in 1888 Jannus Landing is the oldest outdoor concert venue in Florida. Some
of the largest bands come to play the small venue because of its unique look
and feel.
Education
• Schools. There are a variety of available schools to suit
families new to the area. Part of the Pinellas County School System, Saint
Petersburg hosts a number of "Magnet Schools" which focus on a specific
technical vocation. For example, Lakewood High School located in south Saint
Petersburg offers the CAT Program. The CAT program offers a rigorous
four-year curriculum which emphasizes advanced mathematics and science,
computer applications and programming, multimedia and television production.
Other academic alternatives for your child are private institutions. In
Northeast Saint Petersburg, Shorecrest Preparatory School boasts a recently
renovated campus with new state-of-the-art facilities, class sizes of 20
students, and an academic curriculum devoted to college preparation.
• Community College. Also, Saint Petersburg offers post high school
education with Saint Petersburg College as the largest community college in
the area with several branch locations. They offer a wide variety of
programs for students straight out of high school or adults wanting to come
back to school. They offer many two year degrees including A.S., A.A. and
A.A.S. They also offer certification programs.
• Universities. There are also four year institutions in the Saint
Petersburg area. Although centrally located in the heart of Tampa Bay,
University of South Florida has branch locations in the Pinellas County Area
including one located in downtown Saint Petersburg. University of South
Florida offers many programs including the social sciences, business,
natural sciences, and engineering. Also, University of South Florida offers
long distance courses through television and web-based correspondence. A
private four year institution alternative is Eckerd College located in the
southern most part of Saint Petersburg near the Skyway bridge. |
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Get in
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), USA3000 Air
with service to Cleveland, Chicago (O'Hare), Newark, Philadelphia, Detroit,
Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
Hooters Air with service to Allentown, PA and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA.
CANJET service to Moncton, New Brunswick, Halifax, Nova Scotia, St. John's,
Newfoundland and Toronto, Ontario
Shopping
Primary consumer destinations include The Pier and Baywalk downtown and
Tyrone Square Mall in the Gulfport area.
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