Pass-a-Grille Dog Beach

Pass-a-Grille sits at the southern tip of St. Pete Beach and is considered one of the oldest resort communities on Florida's Gulf Coast. The name likely comes from French-speaking fishermen who used the pass to smoke and grill their catch generations ago — Passe aux Grilleurs. Self-styled "last pirate" John Gomez began bringing visitors here from Tampa as early as 1857, and by 1989 part of the village was designated a National Historic District. Walk the beach today and you're strolling sand people have been visiting for well over 150 years.

Pair it with a stop at a nearby dog-friendly patio and call it a perfect afternoon. The crowd here skews quieter and more local than the beaches further north.