Spring break trip report

Question

We had a great short week in St Pete Beach for spring break ! Weather was amazing, mid to high 70s,no humidity, full sun. Gulf water was still a bit cool til our last day, not many people in the water. We stayed at the Sirata( 2nd time there, will write a review separately ) enjoyed our stay. They , like many other hotels are still having ongoing construction for hurricane recovery but the resort was mostly fully open and it didn't impact our stay. Many smaller hotels remained closed (maybe still waiting on insurance ). The Don Cesar had opened back recently but had lots of construction . Tradewinds next to us look fully up and running but was sooo crowded. My son and I would bike around every morning and I ran in the evenings so I could see close up , lots of houses still waiting on construction, vacant . The Pass a Grille area was hit really hard.

The beaches are clean and beautiful and everyone we encountered from resort staff to restaurant staff to Publix and other shop workers were so nice and very happy to have people coming back to visit and put money back into their economy. One frustrating thing was yelp would show many restaurants as open and active and they weren't ( suffering major damage) so I learned to check their facebook pages first before going out. We enjoyed breakfasts at the resort and always love biking to the Paradise Grill for their amazing breakfast sandwiches and also loved Coconut Charlies. Lunches were mostly poolside at the resort. Dinners we enjoyed Red ,White and Booze was soo good, Buoys waterfront, (couldn't get into Mad fish , too crowded , low staffed) , Crabby Bills , Oyster Shucker and Friendly Fisherman when we went to play mini golf at Smuggler's Cove and shopped around John's Pass. Usually got some form of fish at each restaurant ( and key lime pie! lol) and the fish , especially grouper was always fresh and well prepared.

Most days were spent just relaxing by the pools or on the beach . Was a great relaxing get away and we'll definitely be back.

Answer

It sounds like you had a wonderful spring break in St. Pete Beach! The weather in the mid to high 70s with full sun and low humidity sounds ideal for both beach and pool days. Even though the Gulf water was a bit cool early in the week, it seems that didn’t dampen your enjoyment.

Your stay at the Sirata appears to have been very pleasant. Despite ongoing hurricane recovery construction in many hotels, your resort was mostly open and fully functional, which allowed for a relaxing stay without significant disruptions. It's good to note that smaller hotels and areas like Pass-a-Grille were still dealing with repairs, so planning around these conditions can be helpful for future visitors.

Exploring the area by biking and running gave you a close-up look at the recovery efforts and highlighted the resilience of the local community. The staff across resorts, restaurants, and shops were friendly and welcoming, which contributed positively to your experience.

Dining experiences were clearly a highlight of your trip. For breakfast and casual mornings:

Resort breakfast at the Sirata
Biking to Paradise Grill for their popular breakfast sandwiches
Coconut Charlie’s for a fun, casual breakfast option

For lunches, poolside at the resort was convenient and relaxing. For dinners, you sampled a variety of local favorites, often with fresh seafood:

Red, White and Booze – highly recommended for quality meals
Buoy’s Waterfront – excellent waterfront dining experience
Crabby Bill’s – classic Florida beach dining
Oyster Shucker – fresh seafood with good variety
Friendly Fisherman – convenient when visiting John’s Pass and mini golf at Smuggler’s Cove

It’s worth noting that some popular restaurants like Mad Fish were hard to access due to crowding and staff shortages, so checking social media or calling ahead is recommended over relying solely on Yelp. You also enjoyed sampling fish dishes, especially fresh grouper, and indulging in local desserts like key lime pie.

Most of your days were spent relaxing on the beach or by the pools, which seems to have made this a perfect low-stress getaway. The combination of good weather, enjoyable dining, friendly locals, and relaxing activities made for a rejuvenating trip. It sounds like St. Pete Beach is still a fantastic destination for a spring break or short getaway, and you’ll definitely be returning.