Location

Specifically, we stayed in Pass-A-Grille, which is a smaller community within the general area that is considered St. Pete Beach. Pass-A-Grille has everything that a true beach lover could ever dream of. The area has an inviting, walkable local beach vibe with gorgeous Caribbean-like waters.

However, if you are looking for a bit more to do in the evenings, Pass-A-Grille is just a few miles away from a more populous beach scene in northern St. Pete Beach. And for those who enjoy going into the heart of the city, downtown St. Petersburg is only a 15 minute Uber or drive away.

Getting Around

Flight

We flew from Greensboro to Tampa with Spirit Airlines. It was such an easy, quick, and smooth flight; so just trust me and book it!

Renting a Car VS Uber

Once at the Tampa airport, we rented a car through enterprise (which I booked online the night before on Orbitz.com). Again, this process was so easy and we were glad that we rented a car. Uber would have gotten the job done just fine; but if you are planning on going out much, you’d pretty much come out even in the end.  One way Uber fares from the airport to Inn on the Beach run around $45 (so you’ll at least spend $90), and our car rental was only $116.

Public Transit

Once you arrive at Inn on the Beach, the city has a public bus system that will take you all the way from Pass-A-Grille to downtown St. Petersburg (about a 30 minute ride). We did this one day just for fun, and I actually recommend it. You don’t have to worry about driving or parking, and it is a pretty straight-forward system. The Trolley picks up around 8th street, and you can use this website for real-time locations of the bus (select the Central Avenue Trolley).

Where to Stay

We stayed at Inn on the Beach, which is an adorable small hotel in the Pass-A-Grille area of St. Pete Beach. Read my full review of Inn on the Beach here. Inn on the Beach is definitely The best place to stay in St. Pete Beach, and I highly recommend it for your next Spring or Summer getaway!

Favorite Restaurants/Bars

Our absolute favorite restaurant was Grace. The food was second to none. Grace is the only fine dining setting that is walking distance in the Pass-A-Grille area of St. Pete Beach. Read more about our experience at Grace here.

Other Favorites:

• Hurricane Seafood Restaurant  – beach-bar style food and a great rooftop bar
• Paradise Grille – walk-up shack that is literally right on the beach, and their food was actually really good. They also serve beer/wine
• The Wharf – marina front dining, definitely sit outside

If you are interested in buying a case of water, beer, snacks, etc. Shaner’s Land and Sea Market is an excellent local option. They also have an awesome selection of cheeses, meats, and fresh produce if you are interested in cooking a bit on your own!

Shell Key Shuttle

The beauty of Pass-A-Grille is that everything is walkable. So just down the street is Merry Pier, which is home to the Shell Key Shuttle. During the day, the boat shuttle takes passengers to a small island that is great for shelling, sunbathing, dolphin watching, etc. The shuttle costs ($25). Then later in the evening, the Shell Key Shuttle runs a sunset cruise (also, $25). But sadly, I have to admit that we did not get to take part in this due to maintenance.

Downtown St. Petersburg

One day, we took the trolley/bus to downtown St. Petersburg to lunch and shopping. I wrote about the trolley in the “getting around” section of this blog. The trolley picks up right in Pass-A-Grille, and is super easy to understand. It is about a 30 minute ride to downtown, but it is a unique experience. I suggest getting off anywhere past 11th and Central Avenue. Downtown St. Petersburg has tons of small boutiques and unique bars and restaurants. I’m sure that it becomes a lively place at night!

Thanks for reading my St. Pete Beach Travel Guide! I hope that you have found in useful. If you have any other questions, please let me know! Follow along on Instagram to keep up with all past, current, and upcoming adventures + lifestyle, travel, and fashion inspiration 🙂 Up next: Aruba!

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Until next time,

XO

*Parts of this trip were complimentary from the host providers. However, all opinions and reviews expressed in this post are honestly and organically my own.*