lollyfrost

Pasadena Ave located in Pasadena, just south of St. Pete, almost feels like a tucked away piece of paradise. It is not nearly as busy as the heart of St. Pete, and yet there is some good shopping as well as a convenient route to the beach. There’s a plaza with a Publix, Dollar Tree, Blockbuster, Hallmark, and other stores. The community for whatever reason always seemed to be very popular among elderly residents and retirees, maybe because it’s sort of tucked away, and a relatively quiet community. Pasadena Ave is definitely worth checking out, if for nothing else, than to see a slightly different side of St. Pete...a kinder, gentler side.

46th Ave N, south of 66th Street, is a very nice neighborhood to live in. Kenneth City Park sits on 46th, and is a great place to bring your kids. The police station is right beside it, which makes the neighborhood very safe and welcoming. It’s also a rather quiet community, yet still convenient to 66th St for shopping and there’s a Walgreens even closer for even more convenience. I really don’t think there is a much safer place to live in St. Pete/Kenneth City, since living so close to a police station is likely to give you a lot of peace of mind.

Central Ave is the middle point between North and South St. Pete, and for this reason it has its ups and downs. There are parts of this street I really like, like near the South Pasadena Walgreens, Little Caesars, and the natural grocery store whose name escapes me now. This part of Central always seemed safe and well kept, but there are parts both East and West of this point that in my opinion aren’t the most welcoming of areas, and there’s also not even a whole lot to see there either. Central is not a street I would personally live on, nor a street a frequently visit because although it may be sort of neutral ground, there’s just not much worth seeing.

34th Street N or also known as U.S. 19 is a main drag in St. Pete, that in my humble opinion does not show off the better side of St. Pete. Comparing 34th to 66th, 34th does have some good places to shop and eat, but parts of 34th are a bit dodgier. There are parts that seem almost more industrial than commercial, and there are a lot of car lots, that make finding some consistent shopping a little more difficult. One of the few reasons I used to go to 34th Street was for Michael’s Arts & Crafts store, but that has since closed and moved to 66th, so honestly I seldom get over to 34th. 66th is a much better alternative if you’re looking to shop in the heart of St. Pete.

Gulf Boulevard is where you want to be if you are visiting St. Petersburg! This is the street that runs through Treasure Island, and takes you to all the shops, hotels, and restaurants on Treasure Island Beach. This is truly the type of street that I’m sure people envision when they think of Florida. Driving down it is not as bad traffic-wise as you might think, but it’s also a great street to walk down to access the beach or to go shopping.

Tyrone Boulevard’s main attraction is the Tyrone Mall which is quite arguably the best mall within St. Pete, but Tyrone Boulevard has other good attributes. Heading south on Tyrone Boulevard you actually head into a nice neighborhood, which I’m sure would be great to live in since it is so convenient to shops and restaurants, but doesn’t sit you right out on a main drag. There’s also a nice shopping plaza on the south end of Tyrone Boulevard, which has a Winn-Dixie, Big Lots, Chuck E Cheese, and smaller privately owned shops.

Park Boulevard is the main drag that essentially separates St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, or that’s how I’ve always seen it. The street is home to some decent shopping and restaurants, and is very easy access for those who live in Pinellas Park, Kenneth City, and Northern St. Petersburg. This is a street I frequent as an alternative to 66th Street because it is not as conjested but still has a lot of places to shop or grab a bite to eat.

66th Street N is probably St. Pete’s busiest main drag, and for good reason. Business has boomed over the years, and you can find just about any shop or restaurant you need just by traveling down 66th Street, whether you are a resident or just visiting. Of course with business comes traffic, and driving to your destination can get to be a bit frustrating. However, I have seen much worse traffic in other cities.

22nd Ave N is conveniently located near some of St. Pete’s best shopping, yet also has some great neighborhoods, especially for families. The neighborhoods are very close to schools and are very safe, yet still in walking distance to places like the Tyrone Mall, 66th St in general, and fast food restaurants like McDonald’s and Burger King. The Pinellas Trail is nearby which can take walkers and bicyclers safely to numerous places all over the city. Azalea Park is also right off of 22nd, which is a very nice, well-kept park for kids. If you want to live in the heart of St. Pete, 22nd Ave is a good place to start your search.

Park Street is home to some of the most beautiful houses in St. Pete. It’s what I like to call a scenic route, if you are heading to the beach. Its more commercial area is home to stores like Target, Walmart, Payless, Walgreens, and several restaurants like Steak N Shake and Outback Steakhouse. Some houses on Park Street sit right out on the water, making the neighborhood very desirable, but in turn rather pricey to live which is perhaps its only downfall.