This Florida Destination Is the Newest Bachelorette Party Hot Spot — and Was Just Named the Best Food City in the U.S.

It's not where you think.

When Tampa, Florida, resident Jessica Venditto was figuring out where to plan her bachelorette party in late 2023, she didn’t have to look far.

“We wanted a city, but not just for barhopping,” said Venditto, who ended up hosting her bash just across the bridge in downtown St. Pete, about a 30-minute drive from where she lives.

“There’s more walkability in St. Pete compared to Tampa, and better resorts,” she added, noting that she and her friends opted to stay at the recently updated Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection for the weekend, thanks to its excellent pool and spacious suites prime for getting ready before hitting the town.

Great year-round weather, tons of restaurants and bars within walking distance of a range of hotels, and powder-fine beaches nearby have seen St. Pete storm onto the bachelorette party scene in recent years.

“If you’re in downtown St. Pete on the weekend, you look around and can’t miss running into bachelorette parties all over the place. It’s becoming more and more noticeable,” said Brian Lowack, president of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. “The entire destination has seen a variety of new establishments — hotels of all sizes, rooftop bars and pools, elevated dining, beach bars — all places that lend themselves to fun weekend gatherings with friends.”

Tampa resident Lauren Barnhart launched her business, Tampa Bay Bachelorette, in 2022 after considering holding her own bachelorette party in cities like Nashville and Scottsdale (she ultimately decided on the latter) and noticing similar businesses offering planning services.

And while Barnhart’s company offers itinerary planning and decorating services across the Tampa Bay area, including in downtown Tampa and Clearwater Beach, St. Pete inquiries have been particularly booming lately. “The destination offers the best of both worlds for a lot of groups, especially people who want the nightlife of a city, but also the beach,” she said.

If you’re planning a bachelorette party in St. Pete, here are a few things to know.

Understand the lay of the land.

“I get a lot of groups that don’t understand the difference between downtown St. Pete and St. Pete Beach,” said Barnhart. Downtown St. Petersburg, where most of the bars, restaurants, and shops are clustered, fronts Tampa Bay (which fringes the eastern side of town). St. Pete Beach, on the other hand, is about an eight-mile (or 20-minute) drive west and refers to the sandy part of the equation, with gorgeous beaches fronting the Gulf of Mexico.

“A lot of times, groups end up staying at a house or hotel over at the beach and Uber to downtown for the nightlife,” said Barnhart. However, if your group prefers stepping out to brunch or a bar over the sand, simply reverse that order and plan to bed down in downtown.

Pick the right stay for your group.

When it comes to where to stay, visitors to the area are spoiled for choice. Luxury resorts in St. Pete Beach include The Don CeSar (a.k.a. the Pink Palace), known for its Barbie vibes and lively pool bar, and The Hotel Zamora, with its stylish rooftop. In downtown St. Pete, meanwhile, check out The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, Autograph Collection, retro Hollander Hotel, or the brand-new Moxy St. Petersburg Downtown, complete with a rooftop pool (and three-room blocks that can be cordoned off for your group). In St. Pete Beach, Barnhart points to boutique and retro-inspired properties like The Saint Hotel and The Pearl Cabana Club among the places her company has welcomed bachelorette parties.

But Bellwether Beach Resort has the best rooftop of all the properties along the beach, accessed by a private elevator and offering 360-degree views of the Gulf of Mexico and Intracoastal Waterway.

You can also look for a stay slightly further south on the beach in the charming community of Pass-a-Grille, where the Berkeley Beach Club has a rooftop restaurant, a fun wine bar, suites that can sleep up to six guests, and easy access to the sand.

Find the ideal restaurants and bars for a bachelorette party.

St. Pete was recently named the best food city in the U.S., so knowing where to dine and clink glasses is half the challenge.

Downtown St. Pete — along Central Avenue, the Edge District, and the area around Beach Boulevard — is filled with bars and restaurants. All you have to do is show up to get the party started, especially Thursday through Saturday nights.

Consider kicking off the night early with sushi and karaoke at Good Fortune, where the Sakura Spritz cocktail is as pretty as it sounds. Lala is another restaurant and karaoke spot where you can gather to build your own cheese and charcuterie boards before singing all the bride to be’s favorite songs.

If you’re looking for something swankier, explore the bar scene at Allelo, a sophisticated Mediterranean restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating ideal for people-watching.

Sibling restaurant Juno & The Peacock, a few doors down, just opened in August 2024 and is beautiful — the patio, festooned with red and white umbrellas and French bistro-style chairs, will make you want to sit with an Aperol spritz and platter of oysters Rockefeller for hours.

Just next door, Pluma Lounge has Latin American-inspired cocktails inspired by destinations like Lima and Tulum, as well as a sexy setting. Another cool hideaway on Beach Drive is Helyx Restaurant, located inside Try Wine.

Is your entourage the active type? BYOB to the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club on Friday nights — it’s the world’s largest and oldest shuffleboard club and a fun scene if you’re wanting to ease into the weekend with something low-key.

Watering holes to hit up later in the night include Concrete Jungle, with its awesome basement bar, and The One Night Stand, where you can get a good laugh while tackling the mechanical bull. Also bookmark Good Night John Boy, a 70s-themed bar with a dance floor, disco ball, and Farah Fawcett poster lording over it all, and My Rich Uncle, which has an 80s theme and all the fun you’d expect from the era. For a speakeasy scene, head to The Saint and Dirty Laundry.

Get some culture on the agenda.

Visit The Dali Museum (the on-site cafe serves great espresso drinks), or plan for high tea and a fascinating history tour at The Vinoy. Channel your inner artist with a creative glassblowing class at the Morean Arts Center or Zen Glass Studio & Gallery. And don’t miss a stroll or bike ride to the gorgeous reimagined St. Pete Pier, with its public art installations, urban bay beach scattered with Adirondack chairs for lounging, and boardwalk.

Hit the beach in style.

Florida’s beaches are known for their natural beauty, but you can make the experience more stylish with a service like The Cabana Club, which offers private themed setups. The spreads come with beach chairs, cabanas, Yeti coolers, sunscreen, mini lockers, Bluetooth speakers, phone chargers, and more, as well as a beach concierge service for the setup and breakdown (you can even plan to stay for sunset).

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

Whatever you do, toast early and often to the best things out there: best friends and making memories for life.

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