How to plan the easiest ever multi-gen family holiday in Florida (2024)

St. Pete/Clearwater makes planning a multi-gen family holiday in Florida a lot easier all round. You’ll find larger than average places to stay on all its incredible beaches. And as for that elusive ‘something for everyone‘ factor, it’s here, and then some!

Come for Gulf Coast beaches and 361 days of sunshine

It’s beach weather almost every day of the year in St. Pete/Clearwater, so it’s handy that so many award-winning Gulf Coast beaches are at home on its 35 mile long coast. If you want more than sand and sun, this is also the place for world class museums, quaint Old Florida towns, historic state parks, islands, cities and outdoor adventures by the acre.

Adding Orlando into the mix is easy to do

When we said it had ‘something for everyone’ we were not over-promising. Orlando is only a 90-minute drive away from St. Pete/Clearwater, so you can even add in theme parks for a twin-centre multi-gen holiday in Florida.

Find places to stay for larger than average families in St. Pete/Clearwater

There’s no shortage of wonderful family hotels and resorts in St. Pete/Clearwater. But a multi-gen holiday works best with a little more personal space, and that’s just as easy to find here. Take a look at our pick of all-suites hotels, beach apartments, villas and extra large holiday rentals, all on the loveliest beaches, of course.

Beach House Suites by The Don CeSar, St. Pete Beach

Close to the iconic Pink Palace on St. Pete Beach, Beach House Suites by The CeSar is a collection of 71 suites which are ideal for larger families.

Guests get to enjoy all the 5-star luxury of The Don CeSar hotel, only they have their own space, the opportunity to self-cater, and extras like an outdoor heated pool, fireside lounge and pool bar.

Plus, all Queen Suites are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible.

Coconut Inn Pass-a-Grille Beach, Pass-a-Grille

Pretty beachfront apartments at the Coconut Inn sleep up to six people. They also include well-equipped kitchens – perfect excuse to shop at the great farmer’s markets in St. Pete/Clearwater.

Pass-a-Grille is the peaceful little beach town just west of St. Petersburg, known for glorious sunsets, miles of soft sands and a quaint downtown, so it’s only perfect for a multi-gen holiday in Florida.

St. Pete Beach Suites, St. Pete Beach

Between its complimentary guest bikes, beachfront setting, swimming pools and thoughtful touches like beach towels and poolside BBQs, St. Pete Beach Suites hardly needs to say it’s family-friendly.

However, what makes it particularly appealing for multi-gen family holidays in Florida is the variety of accommodation.

As well as one-bedroom and studio suites, a three-bedroom beach house is also available, and a range of different floor plans mean you can choose the layout that works best for everyone.

Pasa Tiempo, St. Pete Beach

Just minutes from award-winning St. Pete Beach, Pasa Tiempo is every bit the laid-back family resort you imagine on Florida’s sunny Gulf Coast.

But not all resorts feature a private waterfront villa with two bedrooms, or give you a choice of suites which can be easily interconnected to create the right size space for larger families.

Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach

Waking up to unbroken views of the Gulf Coast is a promise Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach makes very easily.

Apart from sitting practically on the sand, this sleek beach hotel offers a range of spacious family rooms featuring bunk beds designed to impress kids. There’s even a Winter & Friends dolphin-themed family room, which is cute and conscientious: Wyndham Grand donates part of the proceeds from every stay here to Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Clearwater Beach Rentals, Clearwater Beach

When nothing will do but a holiday home on Clearwater Beach, then you’re in the right place.

Clearwater Beach Rentals specialise in the sweetest spot in St. Pete/Clearwater, so almost all their apartments come with ocean views and easy access to the sands.

Your own kitchen as well as separate living and sleeping space make a multi-generational holiday in Florida a lot easier all round. And naturally, you get a lot more space here than in a hotel or resort: Clearwater Beach Rentals’ properties sleep between three and 10 guests.

Airbnb holiday homes, Clearwater Beach

If you’re looking for authentic beachy charm and enough space for all your family, Airbnb has plenty of properties which fit that description in Clearwater Beach.

There are cute bungalows with pretty porches, picket fences and the sea on your doorstep; luxurious apartments dripping in design detail or large villas with private pools, gardens and an in-built sense of seclusion.

You’ll even find a good selection of quaint holiday homes where a real Old Florida feel has been retained, but balanced with new kitchens and bathrooms, lots of natural light and everyday essentials like aircon and WIFI.

Holiday homes from Airbnb, St. Pete Beach

Bright and spacious family apartments with shared pools, landscaped grounds and beach access work well for multi-gen holidays, and Airbnb offers you a great selection of those in St. Pete Beach.

Sensational views come as standard, of course. And if you want to take advantage of those, look for properties with private balconies or terraces.

Things to do and see for everyone in St. Pete/Clearwater

Keeping everyone happy on a multi-gen family holiday is about the smartest stunt you’ll ever pull off. To help you out St. Pete/Clearwater really does have ‘something for everyone’. You don’t even need to go as far as Orlando for theme parks, take a look.

Dali Museum: if only all museums were this good

The Dali Museum in downtown St. Pete works on so many levels for families.

For a start it contains the largest collection of the artist’s work outside Spain, so its vast and deeply satisfying to explore.

Next up, is the cleverly designed museum building which is set in beautifully landscaped gardens and incorporates a 75ft tall geodesic dome window looking out over Tampa Bay.

Then, as the permanent collection is so large, it’s shown in rotation, so there’s always something new to see no matter how many times you visit.

Just add in temporary exhibits, children’s events, and the extremely cool Gala Café, as well as a great central location and you can see why we’re recommending this as one of our top all-rounders for multi-gen holidays in Florida.

St. Pete Pier: all-round amazing family days out

Another excellent all-rounder and the hub of St. Pete Pier District, St. Pete Pier features a mix of family attractions, places to eat, great views and shopping. You’ll even find Spa Beach here too, as well as children’s playgrounds and even picnic areas.

Make a day of it and you can take a family tour of Tampa Bay Discovery Center, hang out at the splash pad with younger kids, browse the Marketplace for interesting local art, then finish up with dinner. St. Pete Pier is open from sunrise until 11pm and it’s home to some of the area’s most popular restaurants including the always good fun, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille.

E-bike tours: go with a guide or go it alone

Take a tour with Bay E-Bikes and get to know St. Pete/Clearwater with expert local guides. E-bikes make the cycling part easy for even less fit family members and tours take you anywhere from city streets to barrier islands.

The Sights & Murals Tour of Downtown St. Pete is fascinating for all ages, kids will love touring Fort de Soto county park by bike, although super-chill grandparents might enjoy the ZENride with yoga in the mix.

Delivery and pickup of bikes is included in your choice of tour and you also have the option to self-guide, if that suits you better.

Walking Mural Tours: Saturday morning must-do

Set aside a Saturday morning and book one the Walking Mural Tours in downtown St. Petersburg.

Hear the inside story of more than 30 murals in the Central Arts District, and get to know the area at the same time. Tours last for an hour and 30 minutes and are probably best for over-eights, although all ages are welcome – under fives tour free.

Don’t forget to bring water with you and hats for kids, and tours don’t operate in August.

St. Pete Shuffleboard Club: take home a new skill

If you’ve never played Shuffleboard, that’s fine, St. Pete Shuffleboard Club invites everyone, even beginners, to its Friday night sessions in Mirror Lake Park.

Rookies can learn the ropes from Club experts, it’s an easy way to meet the locals who love this game, and it couldn’t be more inclusive – if you can hold a cue, you can Shuffleboard.

Plus, St. Pete Shuffleboard Club is 100 years old in 2024, and that’s as good a reason as any to go say ‘hi’ on a Friday night.

Busch Gardens Tampa: rollercoaster thrills

Busch Gardens Tampa features sensational theme park rides, from the tallest freestanding drop tower in the US to Florida’s first triple-launch rollercoaster.

It’s also home to Adventure Island. And when you want thrills of another sort, recently redesigned Pantopia is there for shopping, live shows and restaurants.

John’s Pass Village: shopping heaven and cute too

John’s Pass Village might look like an authentic Old Florida fishing village – which it is – but dig a little deeper and you’ll quickly find all the reasons why it’s also one of the top places to visit in St. Pete/Clearwater.

Over 100 stores here make for shopping heaven whether you want to buy souvenirs or local art. It’s the launching point for dolphin cruises and shelling tours, and the place to hire boats, go parasailing or even jet skiing. Family friendly restaurants are another local talent and naturally, there’s a sensational stretch of Gulf Coast beach here too.

Sunken Gardens: great roadside attraction

Roadside attractions were once the signature of a holiday in Florida, but today they’re few and far between. That’s just one of the reasons why the Sunken Gardens in downtown St. Pete are worth a visit.

Not only are they one of the last remaining Florida roadside attractions, they’re a century old and home to some of the oldest plants in St. Pete/Clearwater.

Stop by to admire the lush greenery, wander the winding paths and wonder at the sheer number and variety of plant species.

Kids might be less taken with the landscaping than parents or grandparents, but they’ll fall head over hills for the flock of flamingos and many rehomed tropical birds including macaws and co*ckatoos.