Located on the southern tip of the Pinellas Peninsula, St. Petersburg is Florida’s fourth largest city. The Sunshine City is currently experiencing a renaissance and the transformation is apparent in the revitalization of downtown, the growing gay community, and the area’s strengthening economy. Surrounded by the sparkling blue waters of Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, St. Pete’s neighborhoods wind along 234 miles of shoreline, bays, and bayous.

Florida’s Beach offers 35 miles of white-sand beaches on some 20 barrier islands, also known as keys, that buffer the Pinellas Peninsula from the Gulf of Mexico. The gentle slope and calm surf make area beaches perfect for water activities. The area’s 345 miles of shoreline around the peninsula encompass the resort communities.

The sun shines an average of 361 days a year in this semi-tropical setting, making the 280 square miles of Florida’s Beach a year-round playground, offering unlimited opportunities to take advantage of a stunning outdoor lifestyle, including water sports; golf, outdoor arts, and cultural festivals; world championship, professional sporting events; and more. World-class museums, symphony performances, Broadway shows, rock concerts, ballet, and art festivals are just a few of the cultural offerings presented throughout the year.

Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from 50 FABULOUS GAY-FRIENDLY PLACES TO LIVE (www.FabCities.com) © 2005 Gregory A. Kompes. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved.