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SUNSHINE SOCIAL: AUGUST 23, 2022 Watch the recording of our webinar on your options for escaping to warmth this season.

What’s in a name? Well, if you’re planning a trip to Florida, it could mean the difference between a vacation facing the Gulf of Mexico, or facing Tampa Bay. St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach are names that are used interchangeably, but they actually refer to two different vacation spots. St. Petersburg is a city located on Tampa Bay and is the fourth largest city in Florida. Also known as the " Sunshine City ", St. Petersburg holds a Guinness World Record for having the most consecutive days of sunshine - a stretch that began in 1967 and lasted 768 days – over 2-1/2 years! On the other side of the Pinellas County mainland from St. Petersburg, is the City of St. Pete Beach. It is a barrier island community on the Gulf of Mexico. The confusion is natural – even to Floridians! Originally, St. Pete Beach was incorporated in 1957 as the City of St. Petersburg Beach. However, in 1994, the citizens voted to shorten the name to St. Pete Beach to lessen the confusion with the City of St. Petersburg, their mainland neighbour to the east. Whatever you call it, St. Pete Beach is a significant tourist destination. Spanning an area of only 6 miles in length, the city has a population of just over 10,000 permanent residents. A popular destination for snowbirds, the population swells to 20,000 during the winter months. St. Pete Beach welcomes its seasonal residents and boasts over 3,000 seasonal accommodation units, including major hotel and motel operations as well as many smaller, more intimate lodgings. St. Pete Beach is filled with an enormous amount of history. A historic landmark known around the world, is the famous Don CeSar Beach Resort, a pink palace on the gulf. Today, it is only one of eight hotels in Florida that is listed on the National Trust for Historical Preservation. Visitors are brought to the community because of its four miles of beautiful white sandy beaches on the glorious Gulf of Mexico. From the shops and restaurants along St. Pete Beach, to the longest undeveloped stretch of public beach in Pinellas County, there is something for every visitor to St. Pete Beach. You can visit the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum, the site of the first church built on Pinellas County’s barrier islands. Historic Corey Avenue features a variety of unique shops, galleries, restaurants, and the historic Beach Theatre. If you just want to explore, you can hop on the Suncoast Beach Trolley. As you can see, St. Pete Beach is filled with great stories, wonderful restaurants, beautiful sunsets and picture perfect weather.