Welcome to the
Tampa / St Pete Areas
A world-class city skyline, legendary white-sand beaches, a vibrant arts scene, championship sports, fresh Gulf seafood, full-service RV resorts, and an unbeatable coastal lifestyle — Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota, and Siesta Key are all waiting for you.
A Place Like No Other in Florida
The Tampa / St Pete area is Florida’s most multifaceted destination — a place where a thriving metropolitan city, the most colorful downtown waterfront in the South, the world’s most photographed white-sand beach, and a string of acclaimed arts communities exist within an easy hour’s drive of each other. Tampa anchors the east side of the bay with its electric Ybor City entertainment district, the spectacular Riverwalk, the Florida Aquarium, and a food scene that has become one of the hottest in the entire Southeast.
Across the Howard Frankland Bridge, St. Petersburg dazzles with its legendary sunshine, the waterfront Mahaffey Theater, and a concentration of world-class art museums — including the Salvador Dalí Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts — that rivals cities ten times its size. The reimagined St. Pete waterfront, Central Avenue’s gallery and bar district, and the Grand Prix street circuit have turned this once-sleepy city into one of Florida’s most exciting urban destinations.
Heading south down the Gulf Coast, Bradenton, Sarasota, and the incomparable Siesta Key complete the picture. Sarasota’s circus heritage, world-class Ringling Museum, and performing arts scene give it a cultural depth rare in beach cities, while Siesta Key’s powdery quartz sand — consistently ranked the finest beach in the United States — offers the quintessential Gulf Coast experience. And for those who prefer to travel with their own home on wheels, the Tampa / St Pete area offers outstanding RV resorts and campgrounds from Hillsborough to Sarasota County.
Siesta Key: America’s #1 Beach
Siesta Key Beach has been ranked the number one beach in the United States by TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards multiple times — and for good reason. The sand is composed of 99% pure quartz crystal, making it extraordinarily fine, blindingly white, and cool to the touch even on the hottest days. The shallow, calm Gulf waters run a brilliant turquoise, the sunsets are legendary, and the laid-back village atmosphere is unlike anything else in Florida. A visit to Siesta Key is the single most essential experience this entire region offers.
- Clearwater Beach is one of America’s most beloved family beach destinations, with the famous Pier 60 nightly sunset celebration drawing thousands year-round
- The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Pete holds the largest collection of Dalí’s work outside of Europe — a genuine world-class cultural landmark
- Tampa’s Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark — birthplace of the Cuban sandwich and once the world’s cigar-rolling capital
- The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota is one of Florida’s premier cultural institutions, set on a breathtaking 66-acre bayfront estate
- Home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Tampa Bay Lightning — one of the most sports-rich mid-size cities in the country
Everything You Need to Plan Your Trip
From celebrated restaurants to welcoming accommodations and unforgettable activities — it’s all here.
Dining Guide
From legendary Cuban sandwiches in Ybor City and fresh Gulf grouper on Clearwater Beach to Michelin-recognized tasting menus in Tampa and Sarasota’s thriving farm-to-table scene — this region’s dining is extraordinary.
Browse RestaurantsPlaces to Stay
Whether you’re dreaming of a beachfront resort on Clearwater Beach, a boutique hotel in St. Pete’s arts district, a luxury downtown Tampa high-rise, a Siesta Key cottage, a full-service RV resort, or a campground by the Gulf.
Find AccommodationsThings to Do
Tour the Dalí Museum, kayak the mangroves of Weedon Island, watch the sunset from Pier 60, explore the Ringling Estate, catch a Rays game at Tropicana Field, or melt into the powdery sand of Siesta Key at golden hour.
See All ActivitiesOutstanding Dining, Rich Culture & Gulf Coast Adventure
The dining landscape across the Tampa / St Pete area is one of Florida’s most exciting. Tampa leads with a food scene anchored by the legendary Cuban sandwich tradition of Ybor City — where Columbia Restaurant has been serving Spanish-Cuban cuisine in a landmark setting since 1905, making it the oldest restaurant in Florida. The city’s modern dining scene is equally compelling, with the James Beard Award-recognized Bern’s Steak House, a Michelin-starred dining room at the Edition Hotel, and a thriving waterfront district along the Riverwalk. St. Pete’s Central Avenue has evolved into one of Florida’s most dynamic restaurant corridors, with acclaimed concepts alongside craft breweries and rooftop bars that make the most of the city’s legendary 361 days of annual sunshine.
Sarasota and Siesta Key punch well above their weight at the table. Sarasota’s downtown Main Street and St. Armands Circle have long been destinations in their own right — a walkable concentration of fine dining rooms, wine bars, and waterfront bistros drawing visitors from across the state. Bradenton’s Riverwalk district adds another layer with a growing cluster of independent restaurants and rooftop views over the Manatee River. And Clearwater Beach’s restaurant scene ranges from Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill — an institution on the Gulf for over four decades — to sophisticated dining at the Sandpearl Resort.
Accommodations across the Tampa / St Pete area cover every style and budget. In Tampa, the JW Marriott Water Street and the Edition Hotel represent the city’s gleaming waterfront luxury district, while the historic Floridan Palace recalls Tampa’s grand Gilded Age tradition. On Clearwater Beach, the Sandpearl and Opal Sands offer some of the finest Gulf-front resort experiences in Florida. St. Pete’s boutique hotel scene has exploded in recent years, with historic buildings converted into stylish properties steps from the Dalí Museum and Central Avenue. Down the coast, the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Lido Beach Resort, and a collection of intimate Siesta Key cottages complete the picture — and for RV travelers, a fantastic array of full-service resorts and waterfront campgrounds stretches from Tampa Bay’s shores to the Sarasota coast.
For activities, this region is endlessly generous. The Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens, and ZooTampa anchor the family scene, while the Dalí Museum, Ringling Museum, and Museum of Fine Arts offer world-class cultural experiences. On the water, dolphin kayak tours through the mangroves of Weedon Island, sunset sailing on the bay, parasailing over Clearwater Beach, and fishing charters out of Cortez — Florida’s oldest commercial fishing village — provide endless adventure. The region’s 35+ miles of Gulf beaches, from Caladesi Island State Park to Coquina Beach in Bradenton, ensure that paradise is never far away.