Plop two major metropolises down right next to each other and there will invariably be rivalry. With only about 20 miles between downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa, this pair's no exception. Residents of “The 'Burg” are quick to point to their funky downtown, their arts scene, their more Bohemian way of life, their unique shops and attractions, their diverse restaurants, and the city's interesting architecture as evidence of their superiority. They also mock Tampa's soulless all-business atmosphere, its boring downtown, its culture void, its traffic and lack of parking, and other perceived shortcomings as further ammo in the war against That Other Place.
Of course, anyone from Tampa will tell you how everyone in St. Petersburg secretly crosses the bay over to their city all the time. And it's true. A dirty little St. Pete secret. When people from St. Pete need to get lots of shopping done, want to catch an arena-sized show or event at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, or crave an active nightlife scene—like the bars and clubs in Tampa's Ybor City or perhaps Tampa's ample stock of strip clubs—they don't hesitate to desert their beloved hometown.
Yeah, they're definitely sons of beaches in The 'Burg. Life is all about the beach, and going anywhere else to kick it in the sand and sun doesn't even cross peoples' minds. But they have good reason to turn their noses up at everyone else's shores; their beach is widely regarded as one of the best and most beautiful anywhere (not to mention they have the largest city marina in the state and the third-largest downtown waterfront park in the country). St. Pete Beach was ranked the No. 1 beach destination in the world by TripAdvisor, and similar accolades are common. It probably doesn't hurt that the city holds the Guinness Book's world record for most consecutive days of sunshine—at 768—and it's the sunniest place on Earth, with an annual average of 361 days of sunshine.
There are plenty of unwashed, broke outcasts hanging around proclaiming their unrecognized genius and lamenting how they're destined to be misunderstood until after they're dead. But the arts are a big part of St. Pete's culture and identity in more tangible ways, too. The Dali Museum houses the largest Salvador Dali collection outside Europe, but that's just the tip of the melting clock-draped iceberg. There's the Museum of Fine Arts, the Morean Arts Center with its awesome Chihuly collection, all sorts of eclectic galleries and theaters, The 600 Block Arts District, and Haslam's Book Store, the largest new and used bookstore in the state, plus plenty more. In 2010 and 2011, American Style even named St. Pete the No. 1 arts destination among mid-sized U.S. cities.
Things move slowly in this city. Blame it on the gorgeous beaches, the endless sunshine, the oppressive heat and humidity, the abundance of artists and elderly, downtown's small-city feel… there are plenty of factors to blame, but nobody in St. Pete's is gonna bother worrying about it. They like it just fine this way. So don't get bent out of shape when your restaurant service takes way too long. And there's your free insider tip: Savvy diners arrive at a restaurant in St. Pete about an hour before they're hungry.
Most big cities have at least one team with fans famous for certain behaviors, but the most notable thing about professional sports in St. Petersburg is, well, that there's nothing notable. The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning play in Tampa. As for St. Pete, it has the North American Soccer League's Tampa Bay Rowdies and the MLB team the Tampa Bay Rays. One's a team with a relatively short history of mostly unimpressive play and the other, it's soccer. It also doesn't help that the Rays' main rivals—the New York Yankees (who hold spring training in Tampa) and the Boston Red Sox—probably have more fans in town than the Rays themselves. In fairness, though, 'The Burg does have the world's largest and longest-running shuffleboard club, the aptly named St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. And those fans are animals.
If you are what you eat, folks in St. Petersburg are warm hunks of Cuban bread stuffed with roasted pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. Mmmm... tasty citizenry. The Tampa Bay area is rooted in Cuban culture, so authentic, quality Cuban restaurants are plentiful. In general, people in The 'Burg have a distinct passion for food with Cuban, Mexican, Colombian, and other Latin influences. The popularity of St. Pete eateries like Barracuda Deli Cafe, Bodega, Pipo's Original Cuban Cafe, and the Taco Bus food truck is a testament to this foodie favoritism.
The people of St. Petersburg cherish their lively downtown because it's really cool, but also because it's where most of what the city has to offer is found. Most of the arts venues, plus other museums like the St. Petersburg Museum of History, the Florida International Museum, and the Florida Holocaust Museum are downtown. Most of the best bars, restaurants, and hotels are, too. And then there are Tropicana Stadium, the University of South Florida—St. Petersburg and a St. Petersburg College branch, as well as the major shopping center The Shops at St. Pete. Downtown also plays host to a number of festivals each year. And beyond downtown's borders? It's mostly residential, and while there are some very nice areas, there are also a number of not-so-nice spots. Which reminds me...
It doesn't hurt to glance back over your shoulder every once in a while. Sure, every place has its non-law-abiding individuals, but St. Pete has a little more than its fair share. The city has one of the highest violent crime rates in the state, and its overall crime rate tends to be about twice the national average. Unfortunately, violent crime in particular is a big problem, but don't feel too bad for property crimes—they get committed plenty, too. Of course, this is an overall generalization; like anywhere else, there are safer areas and higher-risk areas throughout the city.
The folks in this city love their canine companions and they never leave home without them. In fact, BellaDog Magazine ranked S. Pete the third-most dog-friendly city in the U.S. Furry, four-legged friends are welcome in many outdoor seating sections at restaurants and bars, area resorts, hotels and B&Bs, stores, salons, beach areas, parks, and other public places. There's no shortage of pet stores, bakeries, groomers, spas, vets, and other necessities and extras, either. Just watch your step, folks. Feature Image Source: Flickr user Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
