Beach Vacations
The Best of Both Worlds: St. Pete & Clearwater, FL
July 9, 2026
In St. Pete–Clearwater, luxury and local live side by side. Sugar-white sand beaches by day, MICHELIN‑recommended plates by night.
Golden hour hits Beach Drive, and you slow down without meaning to. Palms cast long shadows across the sand; The Vinoy Hotel and Resort blushes pink; and the air smells salty with a hint of butter and citrus, surely coming from a table nearby. Your reservation is a short walk away, so you take the long way along the water.
This is what will surprise you about St. Pete-Clearwater: You don’t have to choose between the beach and everything else you want from a vacation. You can have a lazy beach day and then have dinner that looks like a magazine spread at MICHELIN-recommended Il Ritorno, where Italy meets the Gulf on a plate. You can do a mural crawl through the SHINE district’s 600–700 blocks of Central Ave., dip in and out of local shops like Book + Bottle, then end with craft cocktails at Dirty Laundry, a hidden speakeasy disguised as a laundromat. Walkability is a luxury here, and spontaneity is the point.
The beaches are just as close and feel just as easy. In the morning, cross to St. Pete Beach, cruise north along Gulf Blvd. to Upham Beach for beach time with a book and a Cuban from Bodega at the Secret Garden. Another day, check out Clearwater Beach on Mandalay Ave. and tackle a grouper sandwich you’ll need both hands to enjoy. Nights fall warm and fast. Rooftop toast or a pier stroll to catch the sunset show? You can’t go wrong
Plan meals around views and end up with both on the same plate. At Elliott Astor downtown, silky ribbons of house-made pasta come topped with Gulf seafood kissed with citrus as the sun melts into the distance. Drive south to Pass‑a‑Grille for briny oyster flights at Berkeley Beach Club’s rooftop, where the salty air matches what’s on your plate. Check out Ted Peters for smoked mullet that feels like old Florida, familiar, even though this is your first trip. At Fortu, MICHELIN-recommended omakase unfolds at the chef’s counter with grilled Wagyu and creative cocktails that keep pace with each course.
The beach is often why you come, but everything else keeps you going. The Warehouse Arts District on 7th Ave. S pulls you into galleries and studios tucked inside The Factory. Drive north to Dunedin’s brick Main Street for a pint and epic sunset views at Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar, then hop the Caladesi ferry from nearby Honeymoon Island for an hour of empty beach. Or spend a day in Tarpon Springs, a.k.a. Little Greece, and stroll the sponge docks, savoring grilled octopus and authentic baklava. At Wildflower Cafe, brunch tastes better when you’re not rushing. No need to check the time, St. Pete-Clearwater keeps the good stuff coming.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Day 1:
• Check in on Beach Drive, take a dip
• Ted Peters for smoked mullet
• Golden-hour walk to Fortu for MICHELIN-recommended omakase
• Mural walk through SHINE district (600–700 blocks of Central Ave.)
• Nightcap at Dirty Laundry speakeasy
Day 2:
• Coffee at Book + Bottle on Central Ave.
• Grab a Cuban from Bodega
• Drive south to Pass‑a‑Grille Beach (8th Ave.) for beach reading
• Oyster flight at Berkeley Beach Club rooftop
• Sunset spin through Warehouse Arts District (7th Ave. S/The Factory)
• Dinner at Il Ritorno for house-made pasta
• Drive north to Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar in Dunedin for views and cocktails
Day 3:
• Beach walk at Clearwater Beach (Mandalay Ave.)
• Brunch at Wildflower Cafe
•Head home (already planning the next trip) •