I’ve been to St. Petersburg, Florida on day trips, but never for an entire weekend. What was I waiting for?! Kat and I had the most incredible weekend in St. Petersburg, so I wanted to share the spots we went to with you all today.
Where to stay: the Indie Cottage Airbnb
One of my favorite flea markets in Florida is the Indie Flea. I went to the holiday one in Miami and was pleasantly overwhelmed by how many talented artisans there are right in my own state! When I heard that the owner of Indie Flea was opening up a specially curated Airbnb, I knew I had to stay there. The cottage is absolutely darling, and I’m already looking for an excuse to return. Yes, every corner is a photo-op, but more importantly, there is a certain peacefulness I got from staying in the cottage. There are records galore to set the perfect vibes for your stay there, and almost all of the supplies the cottage is stocked with comes from local vendors.
Where to eat and drink
Coffee: Intermezzo Coffee
There are a few coffee spots in St. Petersburg that I have yet to visit, but on this trip, Intermezzo Coffee stole my heart. I love the open and airy aesthetic of the coffee shop, as well as the fact that there is a full-service bar there as well. It’s located on Central Ave, which is the place to be for food, drink, and shopping in St. Pete. Kat and I went there towards the evening and there were a bunch of dogs outside, how could I not enjoy my time at Intermezzo?!
Froyo: Iceburg
I’m not the biggest fan of frozen yogurt, but since it was super hot the weekend that Kat and I went down to St. Petersburg, it was necessary. I couldn’t help but get my frozen yogurt with the cotton candy ‘cloud’ around it. It wasn’t my favorite dessert, but it wasn’t bad! I think it would be better suited for someone with more of a sweet tooth. The staff was very nice and helpful, so that was a plus. Iceburg is located on Central, just like 70% of my recommendations in this post.
Lunch: Bodega on Central
Bodega on Central is the one place I keep coming back to. Their Latin food is sooo delicious! I usually get the Pollo Asado plate and douse everything in hot sauce, then scarf down an iced cafe con leche down afterward. I have yet to try their fresh juices, but that’s next on my list.
Dinner: Verducci’s Pizzeria Trattoria
This Italian spot was an accidental finding, but I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since eating there. Kat and I found it on our way back to the Airbnb from Pass-A-Grille beach, and we had a late dinner out on their beautiful patio. I had spaghetti and meatballs, and the dish was easily the best spaghetti and meatballs I’ve ever had. The bread and salad came with our meals and were really good as well. I highly suggest Verducci’s over any chain Italian restaurant in St. Pete.
Where to shop: Central Ave
See, I told you Central Ave was the place to be in St. Pete. Kat and I spent a good hour or two going into the boutiques on Central Ave, and we both ended up buying a few things. There’s also a great record store on Central called Daddy Kool Records, which is actually located across from the State Theatre, a concert and event venue.
Pass-A-Grille Beach
One of the best parts about going down to St. Petersburg is, of course, the beach! The Gulf Coast is actually my favorite coast to go to because the sunsets are gorgeous. Pass-A-Grille is located near the iconic Don Cesar hotel, and the beach was surprisingly empty (for the most part) the Sunday evening that Kat and I went down to watch the sunset. As you can tell from my pictures, we were not disappointed!
Excursion: The Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is about 45 minutes away from St. Petersburg, which is way closer than the distance it is from my house. Kat and I decided to take advantage of that and head to Sarasota to check out the Ringling Museum. You could spend a whole day just checking out the Museum of Art, the Circus Museum, and the Ca’D’Zan. While I’m not a huge fan of the circus itself, there’s no dying that it was a huge part of American History. The views you’ll see at the museum are spectacular, seeing that the property is located right on the water! Admission is free on Mondays, so take full advantage of that. (It’s worth mentioning that the Ca’D’Zan and Circus Museum require a separate admission that is not free, but you can still walk around the perimeter of the buildings.)
We went to the Buddy Brew location in Sarasota to fuel up before heading back to St. Petersburg, and we were in for a treat; we ran into the Unconditional Surrender Sculpture…you know, the one of the sailor kissing the nurse.
All in all, Kat and I had such a great weekend! We decided not to post on Instagram or even edit our pictures on our phones until after we left, which was such a great decision. I also had my phone on Airplane Mode for the most part, because I needed the peace and quiet. It made the experience much more enjoyable to me and made taking pictures that much more fun.
We also got to drive down to St. Petersburg and Sarasota in the Mazda CX-5 (courtesy of Mazda), which is the new love of my life. The 2018 CX-5 Grand Touring AWD in Soul Red Crystal Metallic was perfect for the trip. I was really impressed by the 26 MPG on average, the individual temperature control for the driver and passenger seats, and of course the power moonroof. The active driving display with traffic sign recognition also came in clutch when it came to navigating a city I didn’t live in. If I could do the trip all over again, I wouldn’t have changed anything!
What are your favorite spots in St. Petersburg, Florida? I would love some new places to check out on my next trip there 🙂
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