St. Petersburg, often just called St. Pete or “The Burg”, is the fourth largest city in Florida and second largest in all of the Tampa Bay area.  It has another nickname – Sunshine City; well deserved as it does have 365 days of sunshine.  It is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico that is also connected to the resort town of Saint Pete Beach.  Living in this area is like living in a gorgeous nature preserve all year round as it occupies the entire space of Long Key.  It is also a prime retirement destination for those looking at active adult communities or families who are looking to move their loved ones to a assisted living community.

imagesFrom the southern tip of Long Key there are three bridges spanning the islands of Treasure Island, South Pasadena and the Bayway Isles area that leads to the location of St Petersburgh. A series of causeways and bridges also connect St. Petersburgh to mainland Florida. St. Peterburg is a very convenient place to live as you have access to both the flora and fauna of the Keys and also access to the sophisticated restaurants, great shopping and thriving gay scene in Tampa, Fl.

The city boasts seven world-class museums, many unique galleries and stores and many large concert venues. The downtown public park is the site of more than 200 fun events held annually including Ribfest, Taste of Pinellas and scores more,

The gay heart of St. Petersburg is The Grand Central District, an urban village downtown that is home to many gay-owned businesses and the annual St. Petersburg Pride celebration that is held every June.  This is a mixed-use neighborhood that has lovely new and older rehabbed condos, townhomes and artist lofts.

Another gay area downtown that is very close to the beach is the Central Oak Park District. This quaint area has houses built on gently rolling hills from the 1920s and 1940s. Many of the streets here are laid with old bricks and reclaimed pressed brick, which give the community an antique or historical feel.

The Old Southeast is an area just south of downtown that dates back to the 1800s and the architecture from that era is still intact. There are many homes located right on the waterfront.

A newer area of development is Historic Round Lake that is just north of downtown and features several older architectural styles from the turn of the century to mid-century, brick streets and very old mature oak trees. This area will be remodeled to meet city standards and to keep the community safe. The brick roads had enough pot holes already and didn’t need anymore so it will be paved with asphalt. The old oak trees will be transplanted in another part of the city to keep its beauty alive, they will be removed from the area since the tree bark that falls from the tree is very flammable and there has already been instances where there have been small fires, so Fire Space Clearance services will be called in soon to get rid of any dead trees that put the community at risk and arborist will come in an evaluate if the oak trees can be moved or if they need to be cut down.

There are also many affordable bungalows from the 1920s with gorgeous hardwood floras and large front porches in the neighborhood of Historic Kenwood. This is a very caring and ethical neighborhood that has a strong community association and that also has many get together in nearby Seminole Park.

If you need more information about St. Petersburgh go to the Chamber of Commerce website at www.StPete.com, or if you’re considering a move, contact any of the St. Petersburg gay realtors at www.GayRealEstate.com for a free relocation kit and information.