This year for spring break we knew we wanted an escape from the city but also didn’t want to break the bank on a trip. My husband and I love the beach but don’t love to spend every single day at the beach and want other activities to do as well. I knew the Tampa area was a popular spring break destination but I also didn’t want to be surrounded by my students as well. I discovered St. Petersburg is a fantastic hub for city items, close to the beach and also outdoor activities close by as well. 

Lodging:

Being near a body of water means the prices will always be a little bit higher. We decided to save money on the lodging by getting an AirBnB that was located more inland in the town of Gulfport. It had the bare minimum we needed but also was a quick drive to everywhere we wanted to go. 

Day 1:

Today we spent the majority of the day driving from Atlanta to Gulfport. We left Atlanta around 9 in the morning and the estimated time was a little over seven hours. It took us around seven and a half hours with a stop for gas, food and traffic along the way. When we arrived we settled into our Airbnb, unpacked and unwinded a little bit. 

Dinner at O’Maddy’s Bar and Grille:

We walked around downtown Gulfport and spotted this sea food restaurant and decided to stop at it for dinner. They don’t take reservations or to-go orders so we sat on their outdoor patio. For an appetizer we ordered the ​​Arika’s Fresh Smoked Fish Spread. It was pretty standard, nothing to swoon over. As for my main dish I ordered Hallie’s Blackened Salmon Salad. The salmon was well cooked and seasoned but a pretty simple salad.

Sunset at William’s Pier:

After dinner we walked around the downtown area to see what other restaurants and shops we wanted to try later in the week and saw the sunset at Williams’ Pier. 

Day 2:

Today was our beach day! As mentioned before we are not huge beach goers but love spending just 3-4 hours there. That is enough to fill our cup!

Lunch at Jungle Prada Tavern:

This morning we decided to sleep in for our first morning of vacation. We then went over to this lovely lunch spot to meet my now late Uncle Billy. As I am writing this blog post he has sadly passed away and we were the last people in my family to see him so I’m so glad we made the time. 

We spent the lunch catching up, sipping white claws and enjoying delicious thin crust pizzas. It is a very local spot with a lovely outdoor patio atmosphere. The coolest part is it is right next to Jungle Prada de Navaez Park which was fantastic to explore after lunch. 

Beach Afternoon/Sunset at Treasure Island:

When looking for a spot to go to the beach for the afternoon I sort of blindly picked one on the map and it worked out beautifully. Treasure Island popped up as well as easy paid parking spots and next to a Publix. It was convenient to grab some pub subs, snacks and drinks and bring them right down to the beach. Treasure Island was also great because it had public restrooms and a pathway where we could easily bring our wagon of chairs, games, food to our spot on the beach. We arrived around 3pm and left around 7:30 pm after sunset which we recommend as well. We then headed back to the Airbnb to shower and relax at home after a busy day!

Day 3:

Morning Walk Trough Gulfport:

Since I always wake up before my husband, especially on vacation, I decided to do a morning stroll through Gulfport. I walked from our Airbnb, through Clymer Park, to the downtown area and back. It was a great start to my day and there was lots of art in the park and cute streets in the downtown area.

Lunch at Birch and Vine:

Today was our day to spend in downtown St. Petersburg. We started it off with a late lunch. We parked on the street in front of Birch and Vine and enjoyed this vibrant spot filled with delicious cocktails and food. I ordered the Florida coastal fish sandwich and I loved their French fries.

Walk down the St. Pete Pier:

After our delicious lunch, we decided to walk towards the St. Pete pier. This pier was recently renovated and was great for a post lunch stroll. The pier is filled with great views of the bay, playgrounds, and they even had a restaurant towards the end of it as well. Near the pier they also have a small beach area if you wanted a more city focused beach spot. 

The Dali Museum:

Continuing our day in St. Pete we headed towards the Dali museum next. We planned our trip around our tickets because they had a special Van Gogh exhibit when we visited. Advanced tickets are required to enter the museum and go on sale 60 days in advance. Something I didn’t know before going is parking is $10 and is pretty much required because there is nowhere else to park nearby so account for that in your budget. We spent about an hour in the museum including the special Van Gogh museum. Looking back, I don’t think it is a must visit compared to the other things we did but we learned a lot.

Let it Be Ice Cream:

Heading back towards Gulfport, we decided to stop in for a quick afternoon snack. This spot was so lovely especially with the retro decor and variety of flavors plus malts on their menu. The downside is after this, we were in an ice cream coma and took a two hour nap. 

Late Dinner at Pia’s Trattoria:

Everyone in the area recommended this spot for dinner and the best advice I can give is put in a reservation early! We did not know this information and waited in line for an hour for a table but it was 100% worth it. Sitting at a cute table outside we got to enjoy their rustic ciabatta (get the half loaf), a lovely glass of red wine, and their fresh mussels. I dream about those mussels to this day! We definitely spent a lot this day on food but this dinner was one of our favorites. 

Day 4:

Kayak Tour with Coastal Kayak Adventures:

My husband and I have a tradition of going kayaking on the majority of our trips and this was one of our favorites. We booked a 3 hour kayak tour where we went through the Shell Key Preserve. The tour was very informative learning all about the local mangroves as well as the birds who followed us throughout our adventures. One of the best parts of the tour is the fact we were allowed to get out of our kayaks for 30 minutes to explore one of the beaches on the key as well. Coastal Kayak did a fantastic job and our tour guide Doug made it even better. 

After our kayaking adventure we hopped in the car and headed back to Atlanta to be back in time for a friend’s engagement! This spring break trip was sort of thrown together last minute but it encompassed so many great things. We had a day at the beach, a day in the city and a day doing adventure activities which combined all the things we love! Gulfport is a great central location without paying the high beach or city prices but still having easy access to those things. Florida is known for their beaches but they have tons of other great activities and I know I am wanting to go back to explore more places!

St. Petersburg Budget: