Sunset on the Gulf Coast... I wish I were there right now! It had been many years since I'd been to Florida & thanks to a generous tax return, I was able to take advantage of a USAir package to St. Pete Beach. I stayed at the Sirata Beach Resort, one of several similar hotels along the island (St. Pete Beach is a barrier island right off St. Petersburg proper) - it was comprised of 3 separate buildings, 2 of which appeared to be older motel types with a larger & newer property in the center. During my stay, there were several conferences, weddings, & private parties taking place although there were many individuals & families there as well, so no particular group dominated the scene. All in all, it was a very comfortable place to stay and it was right on the beach (as was one of its 2 restaurant/bars).
Apparently St. Pete Beach "updated" its name recently, the official name being "Pete" & not "Petersburg", but the beach is still the same wide stretch of the famous sugary sand. The hotel provided cabanas for 2 for a small fee, complete with padded lounges, but I was rather disappointed that they closed up at 6 p.m. - in early summer, that's still prime beach time!
Of course, one of the best things about a beach vacation is the chance to eat as much fresh seafood as you can. For the most part, I stuck to the Sirata, which had surprisingly good food (most mid-priced places offer bland, chain restaurant-type fare) but for a treat, I went to the grand old hotel of the area, the Don Cesar. If only I had the money to stay there... at least I could have dinner & look at the sunset (top photo). I also went to the historic district of Pass-a-Grille, a short trolley ride up the island's coast, but sadly my camera died the day before & I couldn't get any shots of that charming area. If I had stayed longer, I would have also taken advantage of the many boat excursions operating at St. Pete Beach - but that gives me a reason to go back, doesn't it?
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