I’ve been to St. Pete’s twice in the four months I’ve lived in to Orlando. Trying to escape the Disney crowds, my friends and I drove out the the Gulf on the 4th of July, and I had the best day trip with them.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I went again to visit and friend’s childhood home and see St. Pete’s through her eyes, as a hometown. It was so fun to go to local spots and see such a beautiful vacation city in the eyes of a local.
Both trips featured coffee runs and long hours on the beach. Here’s what I recommend:
The beaches
There is nothing (and I mean nothing) like a beach day. I normally hate waking up early, but I’ll do it happily for coffee, a walk through an aesthetic beach town, and hours with a book in the sun.
When it comes to beaches, there are so many fantastic options. These are the two I went to that I was perfectly content with:
Indian Rocks Beach
The water is gorgeous and clean, and the sand is powdery. Perfect beach day if you get there early enough. Surrounded by a coastal community bearing the same name, there are many shops and things to do around the beach.
Serena Beach
While the sand wasn’t as soft, the waves were calm and the crowds were manageable, even on the fourth of July.
Both beaches were beautiful, and it was easy to find a spot to put our towels down. However, you will likely have to pay to park. I would recommend downloading the ParkMobile app for your trip, as most of the beaches had that as their easiest payment option.
Cafes
You’ll notice my love for cafes when reading the rest of this blog, but I can’t help it. My preferred beach meals: coffee shop in the morning, cafe/snacks for lunch, fancy dinner out (cocktails included). Rinse and repeat.
Grove Surf Cafe
This St. Pete’s gem went viral on Tik Tok a couple years ago, but there’s a reason. When traveling, I am not typically a repeater, but in the two times I’ve been to St. Pete’s, I’ve been to Grove three times…
It’s that good. Luckily, there are two locations:
Grove Surf Cafe at Indian Rocks Beach is the larger location and has a full menu to choose from. There is plenty of seating to enjoy the clean, beachy aesthetic inside and outside the cafe.
Grove Surf + Coffee is another location. It has the same coffee options but not as much food. However, this is a perfect place to grab a quick coffee before catching the high UV and a shop full of beach essentials.
The food was amazing (I got a breakfast sandwich), but the coffee is what sold this place for me. So many speciality lattes and options.
I would recommend the “Orange Vanilla Latte,” a very popular option for a good reason. If you are a fan of coconut, Grove’s “Toasted Coconut Latte” is another fan favorite!
Fruit Float Cafe
Fruit Float Cafe was one of those places that you would see in 50 First Dates or Mammia Mia!, packed with enough vibrant colors that you’ll almost go blind (in a good way).
We walked into Fruit Float Cafe after a few hours of sunbathing, the smell of fruit a clean and refreshing sense alongside feeling grimy and sun-kissed from the beach.
This is the same business that does Fruit Float Boats – something I didn’t experience but a viral and beloved St. Pete’s tradition.
Pete’s Bagels
Pete’s Bagels was a great spot to grab some food before hitting the road. I had an amazing sausage, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich with the cheesiest asiago bagel I’ve ever had (the center of the bagel was a complete block of melted cheese).
Dinner & drinks
Where to go after you’ve spent a day in the sun:
Jake’s Costal Cantina
What a good meal.
Starving after a sunset swim, my friends and I ate at Jake’s Costal Cantina, where you can walk up and build quesadillas, tacos, bowls, or nachos at the counter.
Every meal comes with chips and amazing salsa. Perfect for a post-beach break.
Hawkers
Hawkers is a fairly big Southern chain, known for their Asian street food. This location is centered in the Edge district of St. Petersburg, surrounded by bars, shops, and people.
Your food will come out when it’s ready, so we slowly started eating at different times. My pad thai dish was very good and nearly impossible to finish.
This is a perfect spot if you’re needing a bite to eat before a night out in St. Petersburg.
May Day Ice Cream
May Day was packed when we walked in after eating at Hawkers. They have unique flavor choices, and I immediately chose a scoop of the Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip ice cream.
Like Hawkers, May Day has many locations throughout Florida. I am not always impressed by hard scoop ice cream (always preferred custard or soft serve), but this is such a cute shop and worthwhile experience.
If I had one day…
I would recommend everything listed above. But, if I only had one day, what would I prioritize?
- Grove coffee in the morning
- Indian Rocks Beach
- Jake’s Coastal Cantina
- Sunset walk along the beach
Here’s to your next trip! 👙