St. Pete, Florida, Is the Latest Bachelorette Get together Sizzling Spot — Tips on how to Plan a Memorable Women Journey

When Tampa, Florida, resident Jessica Venditto was determining the place to plan her bachelorette occasion in late 2023, she didn’t should look far.

“We needed a metropolis, however not only for barhopping,” stated Venditto, who ended up internet hosting her bash simply throughout the bridge in downtown St. Pete, a couple of 30-minute drive from the place she lives.

“There’s extra walkability in St. Pete in comparison with Tampa, and higher resorts,” she added, noting that she and her buddies opted to remain on the lately up to date Vinoy Resort & Golf Membership, Autograph Assortment for the weekend, because of its glorious pool and spacious suites prime for preparing earlier than hitting the city.

Nice year-round climate, tons of eating places and bars inside strolling distance of a variety of inns, and powder-fine seashores close by have seen St. Pete storm onto the bachelorette occasion scene lately.

“In case you’re in downtown St. Pete on the weekend, you go searching and may’t miss operating into bachelorette events all over. It’s changing into an increasing number of noticeable,” stated Brian Lowack, president of Go to St. Pete/Clearwater. “The whole vacation spot has seen a wide range of new institutions — inns of all sizes, rooftop bars and swimming pools, elevated eating, seashore bars — all locations that lend themselves to enjoyable weekend gatherings with buddies.”

Tampa resident Lauren Barnhart launched her enterprise, Tampa Bay Bachelorette, in 2022 after contemplating holding her personal bachelorette occasion in cities like Nashville and Scottsdale (she finally selected the latter) and noticing related companies providing planning providers.

And whereas Barnhart’s firm gives itinerary planning and adorning providers throughout the Tampa Bay space, together with in downtown Tampa and Clearwater Seashore, St. Pete inquiries have been notably booming these days. “The vacation spot gives the perfect of each worlds for lots of teams, particularly individuals who need the nightlife of a metropolis, but additionally the seashore,” she stated.

In case you’re planning a bachelorette occasion in St. Pete, right here are some things to know.

Perceive the lay of the land.

“I get numerous teams that don’t perceive the distinction between downtown St. Pete and St. Pete Seashore,” stated Barnhart. Downtown St. Petersburg, the place a lot of the bars, eating places, and retailers are clustered, fronts Tampa Bay (which fringes the japanese aspect of city). St. Pete Seashore, alternatively, is about an eight-mile (or 20-minute) drive west and refers back to the sandy a part of the equation, with attractive seashores fronting the Gulf of Mexico.

“Quite a lot of occasions, teams find yourself staying at a home or resort over on the seashore and Uber to downtown for the nightlife,” stated Barnhart. Nevertheless, in case your group prefers stepping out to brunch or a bar over the sand, merely reverse that order and plan to mattress down in downtown.

Decide the best keep on your group.

Relating to the place to remain, guests to the world are spoiled for selection. Luxurious resorts in St. Pete Seashore embody The Don CeSar (a.okay.a. the Pink Palace), identified for its Barbie vibes and full of life pool bar, and The Resort Zamora, with its fashionable rooftop. In downtown St. Pete, in the meantime, try The Vinoy Resort & Golf Membership, Autograph Assortment, retro Hollander Resort, or the brand-new Moxy St. Petersburg Downtown, full with a rooftop pool (and three-room blocks that may be cordoned off on your group). In St. Pete Seashore, Barnhart factors to boutique and retro-inspired properties like The Saint Resort and The Pearl Cabana Membership among the many locations her firm has welcomed bachelorette events.

However Bellwether Seashore Resort has the perfect rooftop of all of the properties alongside the seashore, accessed by a personal elevator and providing 360-degree views of the Gulf of Mexico and Intracoastal Waterway.

You too can search for a keep barely additional south on the seashore within the charming group of Move-a-Grille, the place the Berkeley Seashore Membership has a rooftop restaurant, a enjoyable wine bar, suites that may sleep as much as six company, and quick access to the sand.

Discover the best eating places and bars for a bachelorette occasion.

St. Pete was lately named the finest meals metropolis within the U.S., so figuring out the place to dine and clink glasses is half the problem.

Downtown St. Pete — alongside Central Avenue, the Edge District, and the world round Seashore Boulevard — is crammed with bars and eating places. All you need to do is present as much as get the occasion began, particularly Thursday by Saturday nights.

Think about kicking off the night time early with sushi and karaoke at Good Fortune, the place the Sakura Spritz cocktail is as fairly because it sounds. Lala is one other restaurant and karaoke spot the place you possibly can collect to construct your individual cheese and charcuterie boards earlier than singing all of the bride to be’s favourite songs.

In case you’re searching for one thing swankier, discover the bar scene at Allelo, a complicated Mediterranean restaurant with indoor and outside seating superb for people-watching.

Sibling restaurant Juno & The Peacock, a couple of doorways down, simply opened in August 2024 and is gorgeous — the patio, festooned with crimson and white umbrellas and French bistro-style chairs, will make you wish to sit with an Aperol spritz and platter of oysters Rockefeller for hours.

Simply subsequent door, Pluma Lounge has Latin American-inspired cocktails impressed by locations like Lima and Tulum, in addition to a horny setting. One other cool hideaway on Seashore Drive is Helyx Restaurant, positioned inside Strive Wine.

Is your entourage the energetic kind? BYOB to the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Membership on Friday nights — it’s the world’s largest and oldest shuffleboard membership and a enjoyable scene when you’re eager to ease into the weekend with one thing low-key.

Watering holes to hit up later within the night time embody Concrete Jungle, with its superior basement bar, and The One Night time Stand, the place you may get snigger whereas tackling the mechanical bull. Additionally bookmark Good Night time John Boy, a 70s-themed bar with a dance flooring, disco ball, and Farah Fawcett poster lording over all of it, and My Wealthy Uncle, which has an 80s theme and all of the enjoyable you’d count on from the period. For a speakeasy scene, head to The Saint and Soiled Laundry.

Get some tradition on the agenda.

Go to The Dali Museum (the on-site cafe serves nice espresso drinks), or plan for excessive tea and an enchanting historical past tour at The Vinoy. Channel your inside artist with a artistic glassblowing class on the Morean Arts Middle or Zen Glass Studio & Gallery. And don’t miss a stroll or bike experience to the attractive reimagined St. Pete Pier, with its public artwork installations, city bay seashore scattered with Adirondack chairs for lounging, and boardwalk.

Hit the seashore in fashion.

Florida’s seashores are identified for his or her pure magnificence, however you can also make the expertise extra fashionable with a service like The Cabana Membership, which gives personal themed setups. The spreads include seashore chairs, cabanas, Yeti coolers, sunscreen, mini lockers, Bluetooth audio system, cellphone chargers, and extra, in addition to a seashore concierge service for the setup and breakdown (you possibly can even plan to remain for sundown).

It’s a blast to get off the seashore and out onto the water right here, too. Bach Boats rents pontoons with waterslides, deck boats, and different vessels to take out for the day.

No matter you do, toast early and infrequently to the perfect issues on the market: finest buddies and making reminiscences for all times.