St. Petersburg/Clearwater area is more than beautiful beaches
Museums, art galleries and summer sports are part of the landscape
By Phyllis Steinberg
 The St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida area has long been known for its
beautiful beaches, but the city is so much more than a place to sun your buns.
You don’t even need a car to see a multitude of sights in the downtown area.
All you require is 25 cents to ride the trolley around town to see them.
The trolley employs drivers with an extensive knowledge of the history of the
city. You also get a guided tour for your quarter. And if you are senior citizen
the fare is only a dime. The trolley driver will also give you advice on area
attractions and the best way to see them.
 Stops along the trolley route include the beautiful Renaissance Vinoy Resort
and Golf Club. Disembark the trolley and check out this luxury resort which is
on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an excellent example of
1920’s Mediterranean Revival architecture. There are free daily tours given by a
docent which recount the history of this stately hotel.
I had the opportunity to stay at this beautiful resort, one of the finest in
the area and found the service to be as outstanding as the elegant surroundings.
I enjoyed the Sunday brunch at Marchand’s Bar and Grill in the Vinoy with its
many choices from its colossal shrimps and stone crabs to caviar, made-to-order
waffles and omelets and outrageous desserts.
 Also on the trolley run is the Museum of Fine Arts. This is an outstanding
museum, one that you would expect to find in a larger city like New York or
Chicago. The Museum was founded by art collector Margaret Acheson Stuart. The
City of St. Petersburg provided the four-acre waterfront site for the
construction of the building. The museum opened to the public in 1965. The
comprehensive collection of more than 4,600 objects includes major works by the
French artists Cézanne, Monet, Morisot, Gauguin, Renoir, Barye, Rodin, and
Bourdelle, and the Americans Inness, Hassam, Bellows, O’Keeffe, and Andrew Wyeth.
The photography collection has more than 1,200 images. Also on view are ancient
Greek and Roman, Asian, African, pre-Columbian, and Native American art and
objects. Two galleries are devoted to decorative arts, including one to Steuben
glass.
Most everyone knows about the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. I had
visited there on a previous trip to the area but enjoyed a return encounter. The
Museum has the most comprehensive collection of this great Spanish artist’s
works. The collection has more than 90 paintings and several watercolors and is
valued at $125 million. The gift shop at the museum is a perfect place to pick
up a great souvenir. It has very unique gift items. The Dali Museum is also a
stop on the trolley ride.
 St. Petersburg is a favorite draw for artists. The Arts Center in the city is
a favorite place for locals and vacationers. The fine arts gallery offers
hands-on creative experiences to people wishing to express themselves
artistically. The Arts Center features galleries works of some of Florida’s best
artists and provides classes for visitors and their children who would like to
improve their artistic skills.
The Florida Holocaust Museum on Fifth Street is part of the trolley tour and
offers an educational opportunity for teens and their families. The visit to the
museum starts with a film that stars teenagers with a Holocaust survivor. The
film explains how teenagers can get involved in stopping prejudice. The first
floor of the museum is dedicated to the history of the Holocaust. The top two
floors contain temporary exhibits by artists. There is also an uplifting section
where gentiles who helped Jews during the Holocaust are pictured with their
stories. A large assortment of books and gift items are available in the museum
gift shop.
 If you like to shop, Bay Walk Entertainment Center, a delightful open air
mall with unique gift items as well as upscale clothing shops such as Chicos
and Black and White is worth a visit. It is also a stop on the trolley tour and
has a multiple screen movie theater as well in the complex.
The St. Petersburg Pier also has unique gift and souvenir shops, craft items
such as homemade candles and casual dining restaurants. This is a favorite stop
for vacationers on the trolley. You can easily spend a few hours at the pier
which often has free entertainment for vacationers.
 Spring training was an early institution in the St. Petersburg area and
several plaques along downtown’s Central Avenue memorialize the history of the
sport. The Tampa Devil Rays still do their spring training in St. Petersburg and
when baseball season starts, the Devil Rays play in the domed air-conditioned
Tropicana Field which is also in the downtown St. Petersburg area. I liked
attending a baseball game in the domed stadium. It was raining outside but there
were thousands of fans cheering for their team inside a comfortable stadium
without getting a drop of rain on them.
 I don’t play golf but if you do, the area has three major golf resorts and 40
other courses.
If you enjoy staying in a bed and breakfast, I spent an evening at the Sunset
Bay Inn which is located in the residential district near the downtown and the
trolley line. Innkeepers Rich and Linda made me feel right at home in their
lovely home which has eight beautiful bedrooms, all distinctively different,
each with its own hot tub.
 What I like best about St. Petersburg is its small town feel and abundance
of activities located in the downtown area.
Photos by Phyllis Steinberg
Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, 727-894-1000,
www.vinoyrenaissanceresort.com
The Arts Center, 727-822-7872,
www.theartscenter.org
Salvador Dali Museum, 727-823-3737,
www.salvadordalimuseum.org
Museum of Fine Arts, 727-896-2667,
www.finearts.com
Baywalk Entertainment Center, 727-895-9277,
www.baywalkstpete.com
Florida Holocaust Museum, 727-820-0100,
www.flholocaustmuseum.org
Sunset Bay Inn, 800-794-6701,
www.sunsetbayinn.com
St. Petersburg/Clearwater Convention and Visitors
Bureau727-464-7200, 877-352-3224,
www.FloridasBeach.com
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