Make your vacation complete with
a visit to St. Petersburg attractions
There's a lot
more to the St. Petersburg area than sun and surf. St. Petersburg
attractions offer a myriad of things to see and do, whether you're
looking to fill an hour or a day. With choices as varied as museums,
cruises, and historical sites, you'll never have a dull moment during
your visit to St. Petersburg. Of course, our beautiful beaches
remain the reason people visit year after year, and we've outlined
the best. And our parks
section gives you the breakdown on the best local, state, and national
parks to see during your visit. So let us show you some of our favorite
places to play.
The Pier at St. Petersburg
 Come
visit one of the area's favorite places to shop, sightsee, or just
relax. The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg is a unique piece of
Florida architecture that offers visitors a chance to experience
the waterfront in the Tampa Bay area. Situated at the end of 1/4
mile long approach, this five-story inverted pyramid features shops,
galleries, resturants, The Pier Aquarium, dophin sightseeing cruises,
pelican feeding, surrey bike rental, a kid's club, live music, and
even boat docks. The top floor of the Pier features a huge observation
deck, giving the visitor a truely unique view of the Tampa Bay area.
Plenty of parking, complete with trolley service, links The Pier
to the rest of downtown St. Petersburg, offering visitors a true
taste of life in Florida.
The Aquarium
at the Pier
 The
Pier Aquarium is a non-profit public aquarium and marine education
center located on the second floor of The Pier at St. Petersburg.
Their mission is to share information with visitors and students
about issues concerning our most valuable natural resource, the
marine environment. The Pier Aquarium invites you to explore diverse
marine environments from around the world, stepping out into our
own backyard in Tampa Bay, and voyaging to the California kelp forests,
the Caribbean, and Pacific coral reefs. A variety of educational
exhibits and programs, along with the large permanent tank environments
give visitors an up close look at marine plants and animals both
within and beyond the Tampa Bay area.
Great Explorations
Hands on Museum
 Great
Explorations, The Hands On Museum, is a museum for children of all
ages. Our mission is to make learning fun! At this hands-on museum,
you don't just look at the exhibits... You touch, move, explore,
and experience them. At Great Explorations, families can stretch
mental muscles, test wits and fire up imaginations! Exhibits encompass
the arts, sciences, technology and health.
St. Petersburg
Museum of History
 On
permanent display is the Walk Through Time Gallery and Try History
On For Size Gallery, where visitors can see themselves in vintage
costumes through mirrors creating the illusion of wearing period
clothing. Significant artifacts include a canoe of the Tocobaga
Indians from the 1500s, a replica of the world's first commercial
airliner, and a 3,500 year old mummy. In Souvenirs of Florida -
From Tasteful to Tacky, the exhibit traces the earliest souvenirs
made of naturally occurring materials such as alligator teeth and
palm fronds from the 1880s through the dreadful kitsch of the 1960s.
The Museum of Fine Arts
 The
Museum of Fine Arts of St. Petersburg was founded by Margaret Acheson
Stuart (1896-1980) and reflects her vision of providing outstanding
examples of world art in an inviting, elegant setting. The museum
has the only comprehensive art collection, extending from antiquity
to the present day, on the Florida west coast. See stellar works
in galleries designed for leisurely reflection. In addition, the
museum's chamber music series is one of the finest in the area and
presents artists from around the world in the Marly Room, an exquisite,
intimate "concert hall."
Salvador Dali
Museum
World-famous, the Salvador Dali Museum ranks as one of the top attractions
in Florida. Daily tours of the museum's fascinating collection will
educate, yet entertain you, about one of the 20th century's greatest
artist. You are assured of finding something special. Be sure to
include time for the Dali Museum in downtown St. Petersburg in your
plans.
Gulf Coast Museum
of Art
Gulf Coast Museum of Art, located in Pinewood Cultural Park in Largo,
features permanent and changing exhibitions of contemporary art
created by Florida artists from 1960 forward and fine craft media
objects from the Southeastern U.S. Experience the museum's galleries,
sculpture gardens, and museum store during your visit.
Florida Craftsmen
Gallery
Florida Craftsmen Gallery, located in downtown St. Petersburg, is
the headquarters and showplace for Florida Craftsmen's statewide
non-profit organization. The sales gallery represents over 130 Florida
fine craft artists showcasing contemporary craft in clay, wood,
metal, fiber, glass, jewelry, paper and mixed media. The exhibition
gallery presents six exhibitions of national and regional scope
annually.
Florida Holocaust
Museum
 Located
in the heart of St. Petersburg's Museum district, the Florida Holocaust
Museum houses the premier permanent exhibit called History, Hope
and Heritage; a compelling history of individuals who confronted
hatred and violence and coped with persecution and isolation. Through
a collection of works of art, photographs and historical artifacts,
you will be guided through a vibrant multi-media presentation.
MAJOR
THEME PARKS
Busch
Gardens
 Combining
thrill rides with wonderful animal attractions, a day at Busch Gardens
will delight everyone in the family. Also known as "The Dark
Continent," the theme park is divided into nine different areas
fashioned after locations in Africa. Morocco, at the park entrance,
features shops, eateries and three theaters presenting great live
shows. The Great Ape Domain, a three-acre habitat of Lowland Gorillas
and chimpanzees, can be found in Nairobi. The largest collection
of the park's animals can be found on the Serengeti Plain, where
over 800 animals roam in a natural habitat setting. The highlight
of Egypt, the newest section of Busch Gardens, is Montu, the southeast's
longest and tallest inverted roller coaster. Timbuktu offers roller
coasters and other midway rides, and Congo is host to Kumba, the
southeast's fastest steel roller coaster. Stanleyville features
two rides guaranteed to cool you off on a hot day; the Stanley Falls
Log Flume and the Tanganyika Tidal Wave. The Bird Gardens and Land
of the Dragons, an adventure play area for children, complete a
tour of Busch Gardens.
Adventure
Island
 Owned
by Busch Gardens, this 25-acre waterpark offers loads of twisting
and turning slides and water attractions. Daredevils will be thrilled
by high speed rides such as The Water Moccasin, a 6-story-high twisting,
extra wide water slide, and Tampa Typhoon, a 76-foot near free-fall
drop. Splash Attack, a 12-level tree house with more than 50 slides,
water jets and rope climbs, guarantee younger visitors will be entertained
for hours. The whole family can get into the fun at Paradise Lagoon,
a giant swimming pool with waterfalls, jumping platforms, cannonball
slides, and translucent water tubes.
WITHIN
ONE HOURS DRIVE OF TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG
Walt Disney World
Encompassing four major theme parks, two shopping areas and three
water parks, Walt Disney World offers a myriad of entertainment
options. All of Walt Disney World's attractions are located within
short driving distance of each other, and many are connected by
monorail or bus.
The Magic Kingdom
at Walt Disney World
 The
first park opened at Walt Disney World, many still feel The Magic
Kingdom is the best of the four theme parks. Children will remember
their visit here for years to come, and adults can revisit the simple
joys of childhood. Divided into six lands, each section of the park
has its ownunique flavor. Main Street USA, an idealized reproduction
of an 1880's town, begins your visit to The Magic Kingdom. In Frontierland,
the days of Davy Crockett and Tom Sawyer are recalled with Disney's
usual pizzazz. If you have young children dying to see Mickey, you
should definitely not miss Mickey's Toontown Fair. Adventureland,
with its themes ranging from the jungles of Africa to the tropical
forests of the Caribbean, features several great rides. The Haunted
Mansion, with its 999 happy ghosts, is the major attraction in Liberty
Square, and Fantasyland showcases rides for the younger set. Tomorrowland
features ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, a sensory thriller
from George Lucas.
EPCOT Center at Walt
Disney World
 Resembling
a massive World's Fair, EPCOT is a celebration of human progress,
imagination, and culture. The park is divided into two sections:
Future World, which showcases the latest in technology and human
innovation, and World Showcase, which highlights the culture, cuisine
and architecture of eleven countries. Focusing on the scientific
aspect of our lives, Future World's eleven pavilions each represent
a different theme. Energy, biology, telecommunications and imagination
are among the topics covered, each presented in dazzling style.
The cuisine at World Showcase is well worth sampling, and each country's
restaurant offers authentic dishes prepared by native chefs. This
section of the park is also a shopping mecca, with an astounding
variety of goods imported from the countries represented.
Disney-MGM Studios
 A
working movie and television studio, Disney-MGM Studios is devoted
to the art of film. Replicas of Grauman's Chinese Theater and The
Brown Derby give the park Hollywood appeal, and the tours and attractions
aim to educate as well as entertain. Complete with special effects
and sets, the Studio Backlot tour gives real insight into film development.
Attractions showcasing stunts, animation and film history are presented
in spectacular fashion, and several thrill rides round out a day
at this park.
Animal Kingdom at
Walt Disney World
 The
newest theme park at Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom features
more than 1,000 animals in habitats replicating those found in the
wild. Asia and Africa are both represented with native animals and
plants, and an archeological dig complete with dinosaur bones is
recreated in Dinoland USA. Showcasing architecture from Africa,
Latin America, and the South Pacific, Safari Village is a collage
of vibrant colors and native art. The centerpiece of the park, the
Tree of Life, is a 14 story man-made tree with over 325 animals
carved into its trunk, roots and branches.
Water Parks at Walt
Disney World
 Three
water parks are located in Walt Disney World, each with its own
unique style and rides. Blizzard Beach, fashioned after a snow ski
resort, features the tallest water slide in the world. With thrill
rides, white-water rafting and toboggan racing rides, this park
is a favorite among teenagers. Typhoon Lagoon, created to look like
a tropical village, features the world's largest inland surfing
lagoon. Mount Mayday, an 85-foot high man-made mountain complete
with a shrimp boat teetering on top, is the parks centerpiece. River
Country, Disney's first water park, was conceived as a modern day
version of Tom Sawyers swimming hole. While lacking the huge slides
of Disney's other water parks, this attraction has plenty of fun
to offer and is usually less crowded.
Downtown Disney
 Encompassing
Downtown Disney Marketplace and Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney
is Walt Disney World's shopping and entertainment district. Downtown
Disney Marketplace showcases over 20 shops and eateries, as well
as artists, dancers, storytellers and comedians. Pleasure Island,
featuring eight nightclubs as well as shops and restaurants, is
the only adult oriented attractions in the Disney universe. This
attraction comes alive after dark, and a New Year's Eve celebration
is held nightly, complete with booming cannons and confetti.
Universal Studios
Florida
The place to "ride the movies"; Universal Studios has
an edge of authenticity as it is the largest active film studio
outside of Hollywood. More than 30 rides, shows and attractions
are featured here, as well as nine sound sets and 40 street sets.
Nickelodeon Studios, a favorite among children visiting the park,
gives the younger set a chance to audition for a show, test games
or be part of a live studio audience. Stunning visual effects and
audio-animatronics are showcased at most of the attractions in the
park, and make experiences like a confrontation with King Kong and
a walk through a tornado seem real.
Islands of Adventure
at Universal Studios
 The
newest theme park in Orlando, Islands of Adventure offers some of
the most technologically advanced rides and attractions ever made.
Designed especially for children, Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon
are whimsical lands filled with rides and characters. Thrill seekers
will flock to the other three "lands": Marvel Super Hero
Island, The Lost Continent, and Jurassic Park. The rides here feature
stomach wrenching drops, twists, and turns, as well as face-to-face
encounters with dinosaurs and dragons.
SeaWorld
Orlando
 A
marine animal adventure park, SeaWorld Orlando offers guests the
chance to touch live stingrays and dolphins, take a journey to the
Artic (complete with Polar Bears), laugh at the antics of seals,
and marvel at the beauty of a tropical coral reef. The undisputed
star of the park is Shamu, the Killer Whale. His audience-drenching
splashes and silly antics have been favorites since the parks opening.
Shows here feature marine animals such as Sea Lions, Otters, Beluga
Whales and a Walrus. The park has recently added its first thrill
ride, Journey to Atlantis, an elaborate water ride.
Discovery Cove
 Operated
by Sea World, Discovery Cove is more an experience than a theme
park. Limited to 800 guests per day, admission to the park is by
reservation only. Guests spend the day swimming with Dolphins, snorkeling
among thousands of tropical fish, exploring man-made underwater
grottos and shipwrecks, and playing with more than 300 tropical
birds.
Cypress Gardens
 Heralded
as "Florida's Original Theme Park", Cypress Gardens has
been delighting visitors since the 1930's. A great place for kids
and adults alike, this attraction lacks the large crowds and frantic
pace of Orlando's larger theme parks. Though missing the spectacular
thrill rides and special effects, there are plenty of things to
see and do. The Original Gardens are a blaze of color year-round,
and over 8,000 varieties of plants from 90 different countries are
featured. Renowned for its world-class water skiing shows since
it's opening, this tradition continues and the shows are more daring
than ever. Island in the Sky, a revolving platform that rises 15
stories, offers an unbelievable view of the gardens. The new ice-skating
show, Fairy Tales on Ice, will delight children of all ages. The
amusement also features "Wings of Wonder", a butterfly
conservatory with over 1,000 free flying butterflies, and a European
Circus Magic Show with everything from fire-eaters to clowns. In
the Birdwalk, lories and lorikeets fly free and can be hand fed.
A petting zoo, model train display; kiddie rides and paddleboat
tour round out the activities.
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