St Petersburg vs St Pete Beach??? What's the diff?

visiting a friend this weekend who lives in st petersburg. looking to book a hotel. originally attracted to Renaissance Vinoy but now see a whole other set of hotels listed under ';st pete beach';. is this a totally different area? which is closer to the action, ie restaurants, bars, music, nightlife, etc? are they far from one another? which is overall nicer?

St Petersburg vs St Pete Beach??? What's the diff?

Hi, Michelle,

St Petersburg and St Pete Beach are two different municipalities. SP is a large city which sits on a peninsula. SPB is a small town on a barrier island on the Gulf, beside SP. Access is over short causeways. It is about a 15-20 minute drive from SPB to the downtown part of SP. Both have restaurants, bars, etc., but on SPB, they are more casual shorts-and-flip-flops places, for the most part. (There are exceptions.) SP is more sophisticated and cosmopolitan (again, exceptions).

Overall, nicer? I couldn%26#39;t say. It depends on whether you%26#39;re looking for a laid-back beachy trip or a city experience. You could easily stay at one and visit both.

The Vinoy is lovely and is right on the waterfront overlooking Tampa Bay. It is in easy walking distance to many nice restaurants and nightlife.

Whichever you choose, I hope you have a nice weekend! Weather looks like it%26#39;s going to be great!

St Petersburg vs St Pete Beach??? What's the diff?

Thank you so much for the reply. It%26#39;s such a big help to have those in the know participate in these forums. Thanks for taking the time.