With winter slowly approaching we found ourselves in a beach state of mind. This past weekend we took a few days to enjoy St. Pete Beach and all the food and fun it offers. So if the holidays leave you fatigued, drained and ready for a break, reference our bonus installment in our Staycation series. Here's a day at St. Pete Beach.
Where To Stay:
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The new boutique hotel in St. Pete offers luxury amenities, a rooftop bar, world class dining options with easy access to the beach.
The Hotel Zamora has only been in St. Pete Beach for a short time but has taken the area by storm on the shoulders of excellent staff and the culinary juggernaut Castile. The hotel and its culinary offerings has been lauded by the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Tribune and CNN
Rooms start at $160 per night. The Hotel Zamora, 3701 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
To Do:
We'll keep it simple to start. GET TO THE BEACH. One of the hardest things to explain to anyone up north is why everyone in Florida isn't bronzed. We're so close to the beach but between work, chores, errands, events and the need for sleep, most residents rarely get the opportunity to plant their feet in the sand.
Once you're done lounging by the water we suggest getting elevated. If ever you wanted to know what the seagulls see before they swoop down and try to steal the final bites of your burger then you need to go parasailing.
Contact Sun Sports at 727.542.0054 to book your birds-eye adventure. Just $70 per person. Their Tiki hut can be found outside the Island Grand at the Trade Winds Resort, 5500 Gulf Blvd.
If heights aren't quite your thing then get your adrenaline while gliding over the water with Sun Sports Waverunners. Traverse the Gulf Of Mexico for just $65 per 1/2 hour, $105 for the full hour.
The beach offers more than just water sports and tanning. St. Pete beach also hosts an array of art galleries you need to see. Nancy Markoe Gallery features works of glass that are as mesmerizing as they are unique. Each piece is imbued with its own transcendent hymnal. The shelves are lined with an acrylic color-scheme that at once resists the casual lure of the beach, and then challenges its simplicity with bold, cerebral hues.
Nancy Markoe Gallery, 3112 Pass A Grill Way
When the sun and the waves and the sand have you needing a reprieve The Hotel Zamora offers cabana lounge areas by their pool/hot tub. There is also a poolside bar offering an array of signature cocktails to revitalize your energy. We highly recommend "The Antioxidant," it's a blend of Veev Acai liquer, agave nectar, fresh blueberries and lemon juice. Although if you're feeling classic the Castile Old Fashioned is the bitter citrus nectar to properly toast a perfect day.
If you want to get enjoy a true St. Pete Beach sunset you need to reserve a spot at Castile's 360 Rooftop Bar. The rooftop bar is still under construction however private parties can reserve small sections.
If you're in the mood for live music you will not have to travel far. Harry's Beach Bar (5300 Gulf Blvd), Ka'Tiki (8803 W Gulf Blvd) and Jimmy B's (6200 Gulf Blvd) feature an array of jam bands, reggae stylings, post rock and tinges of funk and jazz.
To Eat:
Breakfast/Dinner: Castile Restaurant – To be honest, whether you're having breakfast, lunch or dinner, there is never wrong time to eat at Castile. Their signature breakfast/brunch items include heavenly deep dish pancakes, Spanish monkey bread, french toast covered in fresh fruit, cream cheese and cinnamon maple syrup and breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs, heirloom tomato caponata, avocado creme, chorizo and chimmichurri.
The waffle flight is also a dangerous entity right before the beach but you won't regret tasting it. This mid-morning flavor behemoth features pineapple rum marmalade, blackberry cardamom jam, navel orange vanilla bean marmalade and chantilly.
Castile Restaurant, 3701 Gulf Blvd.
Lunch: Shaner's Land & Sea Market – When it comes to lunch at the beach we suggest you take the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) approach to eating. Shaner's offers some of the best pulled pork and grouper sandwiches on the beach that you can enjoy without breaking a $10 bill.
If need to pick up some waters, iced teas, a brick of Miller Lite or some light snacks for your relaxing beach holiday, Shaner's is the spot to visit.
Shaner's Land & Sea Market, 2000 Pass a Grille Way
Dinner: The Hurricane – If you want a gorgeous sunset view with a citrus lifestyle cocktail and the best damn grouper sandwich around we recommend The Hurricane.
The restaurant offers 3 different floors to enjoy your meal. One for the casual, another for the formal and a third for the cloud gazers and storm chasers.
*Photo by Hurricane
The Hurricane, 809 Gulf Way.
Dessert: When all is said and done there is nothing as satisfying as a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream in a sugar cone with sprinkles.
It's difficult to compare to Larry's old-fashioned ice cream shop. If you want a warm slice of pie, or a sugary pick-me-up Larry's is kind of a no brainer.
Larry's Ice Cream, 6595 Gulf Blvd.
It's a strange condition of living in the Burg that you sometimes forget which way the beach is. Between work and maintaining a personal life, taking advantage of the small niceties of living in Florida gets cast aside.
We love our beaches just as much as we love our city. Even if you only have a few hours we encourage you to pack up your car and head to the sand. There's history, art, tons of ice cream, great cocktails, sports activities up the ying (including our favorite mini golf), a vibrant community of locals and vacationers, and an expansive view of our coast.
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