St. Pete Beach Guide
We all know Florida has some of the best beaches in the US, and St Pete Beach is no exception to that rule. But when the entire area is essentially a beach, which one do you choose? That’s where this guide comes in! Honestly you really can't go wrong choosing a beach here - but I definitely have my favorites.
Upham Beach
Upham Beach has slowly turned into my favorite spot. Which I actually stumbled upon one day by accident. I was trying to go to St. Pete Beach proper but got dropped off here instead. Passing through the small parking lot you come upon a sand dune with lush boardwalk access. Crossing the boardwalk leads to a (usually) quiet beach. There aren’t any beach chairs or umbrellas for purchase which I think helps limit the amount of people that hang out at this beach. There’s a cabana bar within walking distance that is super convenient, depending on where you end up laying your beach towel.
St Pete Beach
I would say this is the main beach on the island, I mean the town is named after it! It’s located on a trolly stop and has a decent sized parking lot so it's easy to get to. The beach is also right across the street from a strip mall, with a Publix. So, if you want to pack a picnic you can get some last-minute goods here. There are also umbrellas and chairs for a fee. Since it's one of the main beaches - it can get quite busy, but there’s enough beach space to spread out and you can usually find a quiet spot since the sand portion is so deep.
Pass A Grille Beach
Pass-a-grille beach is one of the farthest beaches from the main connection into St Petersburg proper so it’s definitely not as busy of a spot. One of the reasons I like this beach is because it’s great for shelling. There were so many shells when I was here last. Part of the fun was searching through the shells to see if there were any hidden gems. I would say parking here is limited, which makes it more challenging to get to if you drive. Another feature of this beach is the location of a few restaurants. You can easily bounce back and forth between beach and food. The actual beach portion does get a bit narrow so it can feel a bit crowded at times.
Fort De Soto Park
This is more of a national park than a beach - but definitely worth checking out either way. It’s quite easy to get to but seems very remote once you're there. This is another great spot for those that like to search for seashells. I’m not sure if it was the time of year that I went, or if it’s always like that but man, this really was a sea shellers paradise. As the name implies, the park also has an old fort. Worth checking out and exploring the ruins. Since this is more of a state park with beaches there is more of a variety of activities. Like I mentioned it’s great for shellers and if you want to explore an old fort but there is also paved and unpaved walking/ bike trails. Fort De Soto Park is a great option for those that need to have variety in their beach day.
