14 Fun Things to Do In St. Petersburg with Kids

Looking for fun things to do in St. Petersburg with kids?

If you are planning a family vacation or spring break getaway to St. Pete in Florida and are looking for fun things to do in the area, we’ve got you covered.

As the second largest city in the Tampa Bay area, and within a short driving distance of some of Florida’s best beaches for families, St. Petersburg offers many fun attractions! And we got to experience many of them over our week in St. Pete.

One of the best things to do with kids in St. Pete is experience the art scene. Seriously! St. Peter is recognized as American’s #1 Arts Destination in mid-sized cities.

The city has tons of art museums, including the Chihuly Collection and Dali Museum, and also amazing murals throughout the city. And many of them are kid-friendly.

If you only had one day in St. Petersburg and want to know what you cannot miss, these are our 3 favorite things to do in St. Pete:

• The Sunken Gardens: This 100-year-old garden used to be a roadside attraction!
• The Dali Museum: As one of the most well-known and respected artists of all time, this museum is a must-see.
• Dolphin Landings Boat Rides: This boat tour let’s you witness dolphins in their natural habitat.

There are other so many other fun things to do in St. Petersburg with kids, including gardens, boat rides, and kid-friendly museums.

This guide shares our favorites, plus other useful information about visiting St. Pete with kids. Let’s go!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we may receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Getting to St. Petersburg

The closest airport to St. Petersburg is the Tampa International Airport. It’s easy to fly into from most major airports. And it’s just across the bay from St. Pete. You can either rent a car or a take a ride share to your hotel or rental.

If you’re traveling to St. Petersburg with kids, don’t forget to bring your car seat. Or use a travel booster like the mifold.

Where to Stay in St. Petersburg With Kids

There are plenty of hotel options in St. Petersburg, but we recommend staying downtown, close to many of the activities on this list. Many of those hotels are family-friendly, offering multiple rooms and even free breakfast.

Get Around St. Pete for FREE With the Downtown Looper Trolley

St. Petersburg is easy to get around with the FREE Downtown Looper Trolley. Many of the locations we include in this post are serviced by this trolley. Here is the information you will need for the Downtown Looper Trolley, including a map and service hours. Then hop on and enjoy the ride!

Things to Do in St. Petersburg With Kids: Art Museums

Yes! Art museums! They aren’t usually at the top of a kid-friendly attractions list. However, the art museums in St. Pete are incredible and kids really enjoy them.

1. The Dali Museum

Whether or not your kids know who Salvador Dali is, they will really enjoy a visit to the Dali Museum.

The outdoor garden has a wishing tree and a fun maze for kids to explore. Inside the museum, kids will learn about Dali’s early life and his artwork from Mr. Mustache, an audio tour specifically made for children.

2. The Chihuly Collection

With bright colors and unique designs, Dale Chihuly makes art that kids are drawn to. The Chihuly Collection in St. Petersburg is the perfect place to introduce your kids to the artist.

It is large enough to get to experience Chihuly’s style and unique medium, but small enough to see everything within an hour.

Included in your ticket is access to a glass-blowing exhibit at the Morean Arts Center across the street!

3. The Morean Arts Center

The Morean Arts Center is a small gallery located directly across the street from the Chihuly Collection. Featuring local artists, kids will enjoy the unique and modern art designs featured within the gallery. An attached cafe is a great place to stop for a light snack or lunch!

4. St. Petersburg Mural Tour

One thing you will notice when walking around St. Petersburg is all of the beautiful murals! You can take your kids on a self-guided mural tour throughout the city using this map.

If you’d like something more formal, you can participate in a walking tour by the Florida CraftArt. Either way, kids will have fun exploring the city while learning about different kinds of art.

5. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg

Located on the downtown waterfront, the Museum of Fine Arts offers a varied collection of paintings, pottery, and other pieces of art. Styles of art range from classical, to impressionistic, to modern, and everything in between. 

6. Imagine Museum

The Chihuly Museum isn’t the only modern glass art museum in St. Petersburg. Imagine Museum also features gorgeous art made from glass. The Imagine Museum offers discounted days and extended hours various days of the week.

In addition to the museum, visitors have the option to shop at their FREE night market, select nights of the year.

Outdoor Fun in St Petersburg With Kids

7. St. Petersburg City Parks

St. Petersburg has many city parks that line the downtown waterfront. Fountains to splash in, banyan trees to climb, and playgrounds to play on offer kids plenty of things to do and see while exploring the waterfront.

8. Explore Weedon Island Preserve

You can spend a full day in St. Pete with kids just exploring Weedon Island Preserve! There are several trails, including hiking and boardwalk trails, through the 3000+-acre island. Plus observation towers over the water.

Start your visit at the Weedon Island Cultural and Natural History Center to learn about the indigenous people of the area, as well as the natural environment.

Or if you want to spend some time on the water, exploring the mangroves, you can try a kayak tour.

Try this nighttime illuminated glass-bottom kayak tour!

9. Sunken Gardens

Sunken Gardens, a 100-year-old garden, is St. Petersburg’s oldest roadside attraction. What once was an ancient lake became the perfect place to grow beautiful tropical plants.

Kids will love exploring the maze-like paths of the property. Many birds are located on the property, such as flamingos and parakeets, as well as other animals, like the snapping alligator turtle.-

10. Dolphin Landings Boat Rides

While technically not in St. Petersburg, but St. Pete Beach, Dolphin Landings still is a fun thing to do with kids! Dolphin Landings offers dolphin watching charters.

Take a two-hour sailboat ride around the Boca Ciega Bay to find dolphins in their natural habitat. You may get lucky and see a pod of dolphins swimming and playing around in the water!

11. The Cross-Bay Ferry

Another way to spend some fun time on the water is the Cross-Bay Ferry! The ferry offers seasonal transportation to and from Tampa.

The ferry departs St. Petersburg right next to North Straub Park. Arriving right next to the Florida Aquarium (where you can swim with sharks!) and the American Victory and Ship Museum, you can spend the morning and afternoon in Tampa before taking a return trip back to St. Pete.

12. Visit Gulfport, FL

Right in between St. Petersburg and St. Pete beach is Gulfport, a small town with tons of fun things to do. Gulfport’s Historic Waterfront on Shore Boulevard hosts many fun and delicious restaurants and bars.

They also have a big playground right on the waterfront that kids will love! The playground is shaded, so even on a warm day, it it comfortable for kids to play.

If you visit during the week, make sure to stop by Gulfport on Tuesday morning. Over 50 vendors line the streets selling fresh foods and unique goods. 

Fun Places for Kids in (and Near) St. Petersburg

13. Great Explorations Children’s Museum

In the same location as the Sunken Gardens, Great Explorations is a fun, small, children’s museum. This museum is perfect for kids 6 and under. Even babies have a special section just for them!

Kids can pretend to be a doctor, vet, or firefighter. They also can pretend to shop around the grocery store! Plan to spend about an hour in the museum so kids can enjoy each area to its fullest.

Money Saving Tip: If you have a membership to a ASTC museum, you may be able to receive FREE admission to this museum with your membership card if you meet the distance requirements.

14. ZooTampa at Lowry Park.

Although it is not located in St. Petersburg, ZooTampa is still an awesome place to bring the kids! One part zoo and one part amusement park, ZooTampa is 30-minute drive from the St. Petersburg area. Kids will especially love the manatee rehabilitation center and the splash pads in the kids’ area.

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