Things to Do Alone in St. Petersburg, Florida (Art and Pier)

This page is about St. Petersburg, Florida, the Tampa Bay city on the Pinellas peninsula, not the Russian city. Downtown is compact and built around art and the water: two major art museums, a public-art Pier and a free trolley between them.

Last checked 2026-11-01.

The free trolley and the SunRunner

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) lists the Central Avenue Trolley as a free service between Grand Central Station and the St. Pete Pier. On Sunday to Thursday the first eastbound trolley leaves at 6:45 a.m. and the last eastbound listing is 10:07 p.m. (PSTA: Central Avenue Trolley). The SunRunner is PSTA's bus line between Downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, with a bus every 15 or 30 minutes depending on traffic. Cash is not accepted on the SunRunner but works on other PSTA routes (PSTA: SunRunner, PSTA: fares).

Two museums with Thursday evenings

Salvador Dalí Museum. At One Dali Blvd, open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Thursdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (The Dalí). A late Thursday visit means a quieter hour near closing.

Museum of Fine Arts. At 255 Beach Drive NE. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday and on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On select Thursdays it runs "Art After Dark" from 5 to 8 p.m.; check its calendar for dates. Adults pay $16 (MFA St. Petersburg, hours and admission). The museum offers a free digital guide, which lets you move at your own pace.

The Florida Holocaust Museum. At 55 Fifth Street South, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last admission at 4 p.m. (Florida Holocaust Museum). It is a serious visit, better planned with time to sit afterwards.

The Pier, for art and for company

The St. Pete Pier district includes the St. Petersburg Museum of History, the Marketplace, the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center, Spa Beach and the Pier Plaza. Public art on the Pier includes "Olnetopia" by Nick Ervinck, "Morning Stars" by Xenobia Bailey and "Myth (Red Pelican)" by Nathan Mabry (St. Pete Pier, public art). A sculpture walk gives you something to look at while you walk, which is easy alone.

The Pier's November calendar lists Movement Mondays, a free weekly event every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. with music, flow arts and dance, and Sunset Yoga with The Body Electric, a free monthly event on the first Wednesday of the month (the November session is listed 7 to 8 p.m.) (St. Pete Pier: events). Organised sessions give you something to do with your hands and no need to start conversations.

Museum of History, glass and clay

St. Petersburg Museum of History. At 335 2nd Ave NE, open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Adults pay $17, and Perry's Porch, attached to the museum, serves lunch, dinner and cocktails (St. Petersburg Museum of History).

Morean Arts Center: Chihuly Collection and Center for Clay. The Chihuly Collection is at 720 Central Ave, open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; adults pay $22, and admission includes a live glass demonstration at the Morean Glass Studio (Chihuly Collection). The Morean Center for Clay, billed as the largest working pottery in the Southeast, is free and open to the public (Morean Arts Center). Watching someone at a wheel or a glass furnace gives you something to look at that is not each other.

Sunken Gardens. A garden with a historic 1926 entrance building, open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4:30 p.m., with last admission at 4 p.m. daily. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and visitors tend to spend about 1.5 to 2 hours there. Adults pay $18 (Sunken Gardens).

A day that needs no car

The trolley ends at the Pier, and the Museum of Fine Arts sits on Beach Drive NE, which makes a sensible loop for one person: the Pier in the morning for the public art, a museum in the afternoon, and the Dalí after dark on a Thursday. PSTA's own site suggests skipping downtown parking by taking the SunRunner or the Central Avenue Trolley to a museum, which helps if you are arriving without a car.

Where to eat and sit

The Pier's restaurant page lists Driftwood Cafe for coffee, breakfast, sandwiches and grab-and-go food, Fresco's Waterfront Bistro near the entrance with a wrap-around deck, and Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille at the southern end of the Overlook (St. Pete Pier: restaurants). Pick a deck seat, bring something to read, or take a coffee from Driftwood Cafe and sit by the water. Cafe Clementine at the Museum of Fine Arts is listed as open Tuesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which makes a museum day a simple lunch for one (MFA St. Petersburg).

First solo outings

Easy: trolley to the Pier. Ride the free trolley, walk the public art and sit by the water.
Middle: a Thursday evening at the Dalí. Arrive in the afternoon and stay until 8 p.m.
Bold: Monday at the Pier. Join Movement Mondays for an hour.

For eating alone on a trip, see how to eat alone while traveling.

Solo Era for iPhone

Find one piece of public art

Solo Era has a culture mission at level 1: "Find one piece of public art." The Pier's public art walk is one place to try it: choose a sculpture, such as "Olnetopia", "Morning Stars" or "Myth (Red Pelican)", and spend ten minutes noticing its details. Free to download. A subscription is required to start missions. Prices and any free trial are shown in the app and depend on the offer and eligibility.

Where next

Continue with Tampa, Orlando or Miami, or head north to Savannah. Browse the cities hub, read about a new city on your own or the solo travel guide.

FAQ

Is the Central Avenue Trolley free?

PSTA lists it as a free service between Grand Central Station and the St. Pete Pier.

Which museums are open late in St. Petersburg, Florida?

The Dalí Museum stays open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. The Museum of Fine Arts holds select Thursday "Art After Dark" evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.

Is Movement Mondays free?

Yes. The Pier describes it as a free, weekly, sober, family-friendly event held every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m.

Does the SunRunner take cash?

No. PSTA says cash is not accepted on the SunRunner, though other routes take it.

Is the Museum of Fine Arts open on Mondays?

No. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sources (checked 2026-11-01)

Details change; check the venue before you go.