St. Petersburg Quick Links

The gorgeous city of St. Petersburg lies on a peninsula along the west coast of Florida. St. Petersburg is an extremely popular tourist destination for travelers all across the country, including LGBT vacationers. One of the things that attracts people to St. Petersburg is the fantastic weather. This west coast Florida city has mild year round temperatures and offers a great escape from the harsh realities of the winter season that runs December through March. In addition, St. Petersburg has numerous gay friendly things to do for the LGBT traveler. St. Pete Beach is a neighboring beachfront city that welcomes LGBT vacationers to its scenic waterfront area. Many tourists flock to this beach to tan, swim, boat, fish, and play in the sand. LGBT travelers who enjoy art and culture will really get a kick out of what St. Petersburg has to offer. The Florida Holocaust Museum is located here and offers a sobering reminder of the tragedies that took place in Nazi Germany during World War II. This historic museum has an original boxcar from Poland that was used to transport prisoners to concentration camps. The museum also has a variety of other exhibits for your exploration. The Salvador Dali Museum is another must see when looking for gay friendly things to do in St. Petersburg. This great artist has some of the most famous paintings in the world, and his surreal displays can be seen here. Theatre buffs will enjoy a trip over to the Mahaffey Theatre for a live play. In fact, St. Petersburg has several historical theatres around the area including The Coliseum and the Palladium Theatre. Be sure to also check out Sunken Gardens when you go to St. Petersburg. This 4-acre plot of beautiful botanical gardens is open to the public and has all types of tropical and subtropical plants, waterfalls, and butterflies.

St. Petersburg also has plenty of gay friendly hotels, condominiums, and luxury resorts. Local hotel chains offer basic gay friendly accommodations including room service, free breakfast, outdoor pool areas, and lounge areas. LGBT travelers wanting to stay outside the local hotel chains can choose from a number of scenic condos in the area. The Boca Ciega Resort offers scenic waterfront views of Boca Ciega Bay and private balconies that are perfect for watching colorful sunsets. The rooms are spacious and are equipped with a large kitchen area, cable TV, along with high speed Internet access. There is a pool and a Jacuzzi for relaxing, and the white sandy beach is only a short walk away. Vacationers also have the convenience of being located near shopping venues, restaurants, and historical attractions. The Larelle House Bed & Breakfast offers an upscale Victorian stay over for travelers and gay friendly accommodations as well. Guest rooms have an antique look to them, and there is a hot tub enclosed within a gazebo when you need some private time with that special loved one.

St. Petersburg also has many gay friendly places to eat. Gay friendly restaurants in St. Petersburg have scenic waterfront views of the bay area and delicious menu options. Bella Brava is a great gay friendly restaurant that serves outstanding Italian food. Pasta, fish, and meat dishes are cooked to perfection and wood-fired thin crust pizzas will simply make your taste buds melt with joy. The Moon Under Water is another great place to dine in gay friendly St. Petersburg. Indian curry, fish and chips, along with import draft beers all await you when you arrive at this cozy, relaxing restaurant. There is also an outdoor table area that offers a spectacular view of the bay and private intimacy for couples. For more information about gay friendly things to do in St. Petersburg, be sure to check out the Florida Tourists Guide quick links section.

-Chris Barry, FHR Creations