St. Pete-Clearwater Area Named A Top ‘Beach Escape’ On New Travel List

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The St. Petersburg-Clearwater area was named a winner in Good Housekeeping’s 2026 Travel Awards.

The region was named a top “Beach Town” in the “Beach Escapes” section.

To compile the list of winners, more than 125 travel editors evaluated destinations, experiences and products across five continents. They shared photos, videos, and detailed surveys “rating everything from service, value and food to entertainment, room design and overall vibe” of hotels and resorts, and also “considered the appeal of attractions, accessibility, lodging variety and safety,” the magazine said.

The St. Petersburg-Clearwater area “gives off European vibes, but you can also get your typical ‘beach town’ vacation fix,” said the travel editor who evaluated the area and stayed at the Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in St. Petersburg.

“The Dali Museum was one of the most incredible ones I’ve experienced,” she added, noting that she also loved the Sunken Gardens. “It is retro, has a history to it, and feels like the perfect place to bring your kids but also enjoy as adults.”

Another tester, traveling with her teen, also raved about her stay at the Island Grand at Tradewinds resort, the magazine said.

"Receiving this award serves as yet another source of inspiration for visitors looking for their home away from home in our slice of paradise,” Brian Lowack, president and CEO for Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, said in a statement. “Beyond the validation and prestige of these awards, it is also a celebration of the superior visitor experiences that the destination has become known for."

Other Florida destinations to be named among Good Housekeeping's top Beach Towns include Miami and Miami Beach, the Palm Beaches, Destin and Fort Walton Beach.