Travel Tips

Then and Now: St Petersburg, Florida

Peter Greenberg Worldwide
Locations in this article:  Columbia, SC Detroit, MI New Orleans, LA Orlando, FL

The Don CeSar Beach Hotel

Nearby Gulfport, once a quiet strip of beach anchored by the historic Gulfport Casino Ballroom (with its 1930s style dance floor and ongoing dances), has morphed into an eclectic community with artists and artisans hawking their wares at annual festivals and, funky boutiques, as well as trendy restaurants and a fresh produce market on Tuesdays.

St Pete Beach––which officially shortened its name in 1994––has blossomed from the proverbial sleepy beach town into a hip destination. A barrier island community off mainland St. Petersburg, it still houses some small beach cottages and an occasional diner reflecting “old Florida,” but it is also home to swank resorts, luxurious condos and premier eateries.

A retro vibe can be felt along Corey Ave., one of the main streets. Small shops, bistros, a small theater and weekend arts and crafts market promise plenty to do with “shop ops” ranging from year-round Christmas ornaments to jewelry, designer “duds” and imported cigars.

John's Pass

Throughout, you’ll find resorts, nostalgic mom ‘n’ pop motels and cozy B&Bs – many of them on the beach. The legendary Don Cesar Beach Hotel, a.k.a. the “Pink Palace,” which debuted as a hotel in 1928 was a favorite with F Scott Fitzgerald, Al Capone, FDR and other notables. After the death of owner Thomas Rowe, it fell on hard times and served alternately as a military hospital, convalescent center and VA administration until it was abandoned and slated for demolition. Fierce opposition by local residents managed to save it and the Pink Palace was refurbished, opened as a hotel and named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Today the Loews Don Cesar Hotel is a AAA Four Diamond.

The quaint turn-of the–20th century fishing village I knew at John’s Pass has evolved into one of Pinellas County’s top tourist attractions. A boardwalk, with more than 100 shops and a variety of restaurants, combine with dolphin watching, shelling tours, boat rentals, parasailing and jet skiing to assure a one-stop destination. There’s even an alligator attraction where kids can get up close and personal with Florida’s native critter and actually feed and pet them.

Once known as “God’s waiting room,” St. Petersburg and its beaches is no longer for the “old and the ailing.” The median age of its residents is 39.3 and it has become the most popular vacation destination on Florida’s Gulf of Mexico.

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By Michelle da Silva Richmond for PeterGreenberg.com. Michelle da Silva Richmond is an award-winning travel editor and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Her articles have appeared in inflight magazines, consumer publications and newspapers throughout the US and Mexico. She is currently honeymoon editor for www.bellaonline.com.

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