With a population of 244,769, St. Petersburg is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything St. Petersburg has to offer.
If you’re looking for affordable options, Noble Crust - St. Petersburg (8300 4th St N, St Petersburg) and Sea Salt - St Pete (183 2nd Ave N) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Roam Steakhouse & Bar (3405 34th St N) and Colony Grill - St. Petersburg (670 Central Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in St. Petersburg.
When flying to St. Petersburg, you’ll arrive at Tampa St. Petersburg (PIE), which is located 10 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to St. Petersburg departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 1h 03m.
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to St. Petersburg. The train journey from St. Petersburg to Orlando takes 2h 08m and costs around $13 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Winter Park, expect to pay about $13 for a 2h 45m trip.
Another option to get to St. Petersburg is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 93 miles from St. Petersburg. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Hertz, among others, in Orlando.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to St. Petersburg, including RedCoach, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Orlando, the bus ride to St. Petersburg takes 100 miles and will cost you around $13. From Sky Lake, the ticket costs about $14 for a journey of 135 miles.
Average rates range from around $217 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $233 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Cordova Inn and The Inn On Third.
Renting a car in St. Petersburg costs $37 per day, on average, or $110 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Budget, Avis and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in St. Petersburg is the Hertz branch at 6190 34th Street North, which is 5 miles from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 10% cheaper than airport locations in St. Petersburg.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in St. Petersburg (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in St. Petersburg is Compact (Toyota C-HR or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Mazda Mazda6 or similar) are, on average, 74% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.