St Petersburg flights and travel guide

The city of St. Petersburg is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. With a reputed 360 sunny days a year and an average temperature of 22 degrees Celsius there really is no bad time to take cheap flights to St. Petersburg. It couldn't be further removed from the other, snowy, St. Petersburg, although it did receive its name from a land speculator who hailed from that city in Russia. 

Downtown St. Petersburg has 11km of waterfront parks, six leading museums and more than 20 galleries. One of downtown's most impressive buildings is The Pier. This inverted pyramid strucutre is located at the end of a causeway that stretches into Tampa Bay. The Pier boasts restaurants, shops, an aquarium and observation platform, a hugely popular venue in St. Petersburg. 

The jewel in St. Petersburg's crown might just be Ft. DeSoto Beach, a county park made up of five interconnected islands that lies off the southern tip of the city. Ranked the No. 1 beach in the United States, there is a campground, nature, fitness and canoe trails, and from the southern shore, a breathtaking view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. 

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St Petersburg climate

St. Petersburg's climate is semitropical. There are 360 or so sunny days a year, but watch out for high humidity levels and frequent thunderstorms in the summertime. June to September is the rainiest time of the year. November through March is very pleasant. Humidity levels are lower and Bay and Gulf breezes moderate temperatures.

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When to fly to St Petersburg

Peak Season:
November through March is high season when most visitors (seniors and snowbirds) take cheap flights to St. Petersburg. 

Off Season:
The summer months can see highs of 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Humidity levels are high and there are frequent downpours.

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Getting downtown St Petersburg

Two airports serve St. Petersburg - Tampa International Airport and the smaller Clearwater/St. Petersburg International Airport. 

If arriving at Tampa International Airport, renting a car is a good option if you wish to explore the area. SuperShuttle provides shared passenger van service to Pinellas County. There are also limousine services and taxi services with United or Yellow Cab. 

Visitors who have taken cheap flights to St. Petersburg International can rent a car with any of the companies at the airport including Avis and Alamo. Taxi service is provided by several companies. SuperShuttle offers shared passenger van service. Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority offers bus service to and from the airport seven days a week.

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Getting around St Petersburg

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides bus services for Pinellas County. Fares on local routes are about $2. There's also a trolley, the Looper, that links shopping, restaurants, The Pier, BayWalk and downtown hotels. The fare is just $0.25 per trip.

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St Petersburg insider information

• The Salvador Dali Museum on Third Street South has the most comprehensive collection of works by the late Spanish surrealist. The collection, celebrated for its 96 oil paintings spanning 1917 to 1970, was compiled over 45 years by A. Reynolds Morse and Eleanor Morse. There are also more than 100 watercolours and drawings and 1,300 graphics, photographs, sculptures and objects d'art. 
• The Sunken Gardens in downtown St. Petersburg is almost two hectares of lush, tropical plants (more than 500 species), butterflies, flamingos and other exotic birds. Have a seat on the Growing Stone, a fossilized limestone rock. A sign reads: "Legend has it that 'he who sits upon the ancient stone shall be granted tranquility, inner harmony and the talent to make things grow.'" 
• Weedon Island, located at 1800 Weedon Drive NE is an archeological preserve. It offers canoeing/kayaking trails and 7km of nature trails. Locals head here for fishing and picnicking too. On a clear day visitors can see most of the Preserve, Tampa Bay and the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg from the 14-metre-high observation tower. 
• The Pinellas Trail, a paved trail for walking, jogging, biking and roller blading, extends from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs, 54km in total. 
• Mahaffey Theater plays host to Broadway shows, ballet, jazz and music and Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team, is just a few blocks away.

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St Petersburg airports

Clearwater/St Petersburg International Airport (PIE) (website: www.fly2pie.com) is 10km north of St. Petersburg.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) (website: www.tampaairport.com) The airport is located 6km west of downtown Tampa. Tampa is about 35km from St. Petersburg.

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