Downtown St. Petersburg
Instead of taking my daily walk on the beach today, I decided to walk around downtown St. Pete. As a writer, I am also a lover of books consequently Haslam's Book Store on Central Avenue is one of my favorite places to explore. Filled with new and used books, it is a book browsers paradise. I made a stop there today as I explored downtown.
I walked from there down to Vinoy Park. It was empty except for a few joggers and Mom's pushing carriages. This is a popular location for many of the events held in St. Petersburg. The Crawfish Festival will be held here March 9 through Sunday, March 11th. This now nearly deserted park will be overflowing with people and festivities then.
I ended my walk at "The Pier." It's prominent location and unusual architecture (it looks like an upside down pyramid) make it a downtown landmark. I enjoy visiting all the shops. They sell everything from souvenirs, hats, and clothes to unique gifts at their various specialty shops.
I ate lunch at Cha Cha Coconuts, located on the top deck of The Pier. The food was delicious and the view spectacular. I watched planes take off and land at the nearby Albert Whitted Airport and loved watching the boats sail from the Yacht Club and Marina.
If you enjoy Spanish food, then you will love the Columbia Restaurant located here on the 4th floor of the Pier. They offer a wide variety of choices on their menu including Paella "a la Valenciana and their famous "1905 salad." They serve everything with fresh Cuban bread. It should be outlawed. It is so delicious that even the most avid avoider of carbs will want to eat some.
Downtown is a great place to walk. There are lots of things to see and enjoy. If walking isn't your thing you can rent a surrey bike here at the Pier and pedal around. Another option is our trolley system. You can pick-up a map at any hotel, information center or attraction. You can ride a little or if you prefer, they even offer passes that provide an economical way to ride all day.
In future posts I'll tell you about some of the wonderful museums, attractions and hotels we have downtown. Right now it is time for me to get home and take a much needed shower. Happily we have had sunshine and temperatures that reached 80 today, postcard perfect!
