The St. Pete Pier and Sunken Gardens are 10 minutes apart. They make a better day together than either one alone.
The Pier is free, loud, and wide open. There's a splash pad, a big playground, a small beach, and a tram for tired legs. Sunken Gardens is the opposite: quiet, shady, and a little mysterious, with flamingos around a bend in the path. Do the Pier while the kids have energy, and save the gardens for when everyone needs shade.
Here's how to plan it, with the 2026 prices and hours from each place's official site.
St. Pete Pier at a glance
| Address | 800 2nd Ave NE, St. Petersburg 33701 |
| Hours | 30 minutes before sunrise to 11 p.m. |
| Admission | Free |
| Splash pad | 9 a.m.–10 p.m. |
| Playground | 7 a.m.–10 p.m. |
| Tram | Free, 9 a.m.–11 p.m., usually under a 10-minute wait |
| Parking | $2/hr weekdays, $2.50/hr weekends (first 4 hours) |
What kids actually do at the St. Pete Pier
Glazer Family Playground and the splash pad
These two sit side by side near the entrance end of the Pier, and they're where most young kids will want to spend their time. The nautical-themed playground has slides, swings, climbing structures, and little obstacle courses. Next to it, the Majeed Foundation Splash Pad at Pier Plaza is a fountain-style pad with tall and small jets.
There are shade trees and a covered pavilion close by. Pack a change of clothes. Everyone gets wet, including the kid who swore they'd only watch.
Dogs aren't allowed on the splash pad or Spa Beach. For more free splash pads around the bay, see our Tampa splash pads by area guide.
Spa Beach
This is a small beach inside the Pier district, facing the downtown skyline. It isn't a Gulf beach. The water is calm bay water, which is exactly why it works for little kids who want to dig and wade. You can also launch kayaks and paddleboards here. If you want real Gulf sand, see our family beaches near Tampa guide.
Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center
This is the one paid stop at the Pier, and it's cheap. It sits on the over-water walkway toward the Pier head. Inside are exhibits about the Tampa Bay estuary, live animals, and a touch tank. It's small, so plan on 30 to 45 minutes. It's a good air-conditioned break at midday.
- Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily (holiday hours vary)
- Admission: $8 ages 13+, $6 seniors 60+, $3 kids 4–12, free for 3 and under
- Free option: Pinellas Public Library Cooperative libraries lend museum passes that cover family admission
- Museums for All: $3 per person with an EBT card and ID
The center also runs daily programs and wildlife boat tours. Check its calendar for times.
Fishing Deck
Fishing is allowed only on the Fishing Deck, east of the Pier Point building. The hours are the same as the Pier's, 30 minutes before sunrise until 11 p.m. Gator Jim's Tackle next to the deck sells frozen bait, tackle, and nets, and it's open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There's a fish-cleaning station if you catch dinner.
Kids under 16 don't need a Florida fishing license. Adults may, so ask at Gator Jim's before you cast.
Riding the tram
The Pier is longer than it looks, and the walk from the parking lots out to the Pier head wears out small legs quickly. Three free trams run a loop with four stops, including the Pelican parking lot, the Discovery Center, and the Pier head. They run 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the wait is usually under 10 minutes. The trams take wheelchairs and walkers.
There are no stroller or wheelchair rentals, so bring your own.
Parking at the Pier
The Pier has more than 500 spaces in its Dolphin and Pelican lots. You can pay with a card, cash, or the ParkMobile app.
| First 4 hours | 5th hour | 6th hour | 6-hour max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays (Mon–Fri 5 p.m.) | $2/hr | $3 | $4 | $15 |
| Weekends (Fri 5 p.m.–Sun) | $2.50/hr | $3.50 | $4.50 | $18 |
The lots are busiest Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. At those times, try the Sundial Parking Garage (enter on 2nd Street N) or the Al Lang lot (1st Avenue S between Beach and Bayshore). Both are a short walk away.
Without a car, you can take the SunRunner. The closest stop is 5th Street N, and from there you walk down 1st Avenue N to the water. The Downtown Looper trolley also runs nearby. The Cross Bay Ferry from Tampa is expected to restart in fall 2026, but the Pier's site didn't list a date when we checked.
Sunken Gardens at a glance
| Address | 1825 4th St N, St. Petersburg 33704 |
| Hours | Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sun noon–4:30 p.m. |
| Last admission | 4 p.m. |
| Admission | $18 adults, $15 seniors 62+, $8 kids 2–12 |
| Parking | Free, about 200 spaces |
| Closed | Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day |
Sunken Gardens bills itself as St. Pete's oldest living museum. It's a 4-acre garden that has been a roadside attraction for more than a century, sitting below street level in the Old Northeast. It's full of waterfalls, koi ponds, winding paths, and very old trees. Kids who'd be bored at a regular botanical garden tend to like it, because it feels like a maze.
Tickets are in person only
You can't buy admission online right now. You pay at the gate on the day you visit. AAA and military ID each take $1 off per person. There's also a $1 birthday discount if it's your birthday and you bring ID.
The flamingos
The resident flamingos are the main event for most kids. You can see them on a normal visit. If you want more, the Flamingo Experience puts you inside their habitat for 30 minutes to feed them and talk with the animal care staff.
- Price: $40 per person
- Time: 11:30 a.m. Monday–Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday
- Age: 5 and up. Kids 5–12 need a paying adult with them.
- Catch: It isn't guaranteed. Weather or staff can cancel it that morning, and you can't confirm it in advance.
For a flamingo-obsessed 7-year-old, it's worth building the day around. For a 3-year-old, just watching from the path is plenty.
Strollers and accessibility
The gardens have about three-quarters of a mile of ADA-accessible historic paths. Some sections are steep, but there are alternate routes to every area. Wheelchairs and walkers are allowed, though the gardens don't provide them. The site doesn't mention strollers specifically, but a stroller can follow the same accessible routes. A lightweight one handles the inclines better than a jogging stroller.
Shade is excellent, which matters most from May through October.
Only trained service dogs are allowed. Pets and emotional support animals aren't.
How long to spend
Sunken Gardens says most people spend 1.5 to 2 hours, including the small history center and gift shop. With kids under 6, plan on about an hour.
Parking and the bonus next door
The free lot has nearly 200 spaces, shared with Great Explorations Children's Museum and a Carrabba's. Overflow parking is at Crescent Lake Park, a short walk away (use the crosswalk).
Great Explorations shares the lot, so families with younger kids can easily do the gardens in the morning and the children's museum after lunch.
A realistic one-day plan
9:30 a.m. Park at the Pier. Hit the playground and splash pad before the heat peaks.
11:00 a.m. Take the tram out to the Discovery Center and the Pier head. Look for dolphins and pelicans.
12:15 p.m. Lunch at the Pier or downtown. Our St. Pete kid-friendly restaurants guide has picks.
1:45 p.m. Drive about 10 minutes to Sunken Gardens. The parking is free.
2:00–3:30 p.m. Wander the shady paths and find the flamingos. Remember the last admission is 4 p.m.
For two adults and two kids ages 2–12, Sunken Gardens costs $52. Add about $8–$10 for Pier parking, plus $22 if you do the Discovery Center.
Good to know
- Sunken Gardens closes early. The 4 p.m. last entry catches people out, so do the gardens before the Pier if you're arriving after lunch.
- The Pier's splash pad runs until 10 p.m. An evening splash after dinner, when the pavement has cooled, is underrated.
- Summer storms usually arrive midafternoon. Neither place has much indoor space except the Discovery Center and the Sunken Gardens gift shop.
For more zero-cost ideas across the bay, see free things to do in St. Pete with kids. For a Tampa-side waterfront day, see our Tampa Riverwalk family guide.
