St. Pete named one of the best cities in the South by Southern Living

St. Pete is no stranger to accolades, regularly appearing on nationwide best-of lists—even if some sources can be a bit dubious. But the Sunshine City’s latest honor comes from one of the most reputable lifestyle outlets in the country.

Southern Living released its list of The Best Cities in the South for 2025, and St. Pete not only made the 25-city ranking but also claimed the No. 7 spot overall. That’s 11 places ahead of its cross-bay neighbor Tampa, which landed at No. 18, while Orlando also made the rankings at No. 15 overall.

Southern Living hired an outside polling firm to compile the ranking based on feedback from the magazine’s print and digital readers, with more than 10,000 respondents expressing their love for cities like Austin, Nashville, Greenville, New Orleans, and Savannah. Charleston, South Carolina, secured the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row.

St. Pete earns acclaim for walkability and arts scene

Southern Living pointed out what those of us who live in St. Pete already know: our little slice of paradise is no longer the hidden gem it once was. With arts, parks, breweries, beaches and far, far more, it’s no surprise that more and more people are flocking with every successive year. The word is officially out.

Southern Living pointed out what locals already know: our little slice of paradise is no longer a hidden gem. With its blend of arts, parks, breweries, beaches, and so much more, it’s no surprise that more and more people are flocking here every year. The word is officially out.

As the article put it, “St. Pete might not get as much attention as other places in the Sunshine State, but that’s not going to last much longer. The city, which has bounced back after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, is more than its beautiful beach. You can go to world-class art museums, kayak in nature preserves, hit up your choice of craft breweries, and even catch a baseball game during spring training. This genuinely fun and funky place is a Florida gem.”

We’ll cut them some slack for not being up to date on the Rays stadium situation, though you can certainly get to Spring Training games in 30 minutes or less by traveling pretty much any direction other than due west.

In Southern Living’s recent feature on the Top 12 things to do in St. Pete, Preserve The ‘Burg Board President Emily Elwyn summed it up: “So much of what people want is what we already have: a walkable downtown, front-porch neighborhoods, funky old buildings, and access to the arts, parks, and recreation.”