As the largest and sunniest location on Florida’s west coast, the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area boasts 56 kilometres of white-sand beaches, 555 kilometres of shoreline and an average of 361 days of sunshine a year.

Its central location—just 30 minutes from Busch Gardens and 90 minutes from the Orlando theme parks—makes this spot a slam-dunk for nearly any relaxing activity imaginable.

Beach-goers can choose from dozens of top-rated sandy spots along the Gulf of Mexico, including four that have earned healthy beach awards. Golfers can enjoy nearly 50 public courses, culture-lovers can pop into six award-winning museums, and sports fans can see their favourite stars during spring training, test their luck at the horse or dog tracks or watch professional golfers compete in the PGA’s Tampa Bay Championship in March.

Outdoorsmen aren’t forgotten in St. Petersburg/Clearwater. In fact, they’re in heaven, amid more than 250 parks, 30 campgrounds and dozens of marinas, docks and yacht clubs, which explains the area’s title of “Sailing Capital of the South.”

And don’t forget the attractions, from Honeymoon Island in Dunedin to Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise in Clearwater Beach, the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary (the nation’s largest wild bird hospital) in Indian Shores to the historic Sponge Docks and kitschy Spongeorama in Tarpon Springs.

Travel Planner

For more details, see visitstpeteclearwater.com or call 1-800-345-6710.