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It's truly a rare treat when a specific geographical area has its history captured as vividly as it is at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. Beginning with the early Native American settlers to the nation's first commercial aircraft, the stories of Pinellas County all come alive quite vividly in this highly engaging museum. You can also trace the fashions and trends of yesteryear with various period costumes and artifacts that echo historical events and pop culture moments quite distinctly. You can also see a mummy, a trolley car, and various other items that have contributed to the area's unique identity.

Going underground has never been as much fun as it is when you take the family out to visit Sunken Gardens. At fifteen feet below street level, a botanical paradise awaits you at this attraction. This is St. Petersburg's oldest living museum that has offered a natural solace to visitors for over 100 years. Find your way through the footpath that will lead you through the gardens as you take in some of the world's most exotic and tropical plants. Also, there is a mesmerizing cascading waterfall that you won't want to miss.

Various events of history can be a bit eerie, but when you experience the unique Ghost Tour of St. Petersburg, that eerie feeling is elevated to a higher, much more chilling level. You'll hear true accounts of wandering ghostly spirits, haunted mansions, displaced phantoms and age old curses. Although the tour is a causal, unassuming walk through the city's quaint streets and beautiful waterfront, there are plenty of startling revelations on this unexpectedly shadowy excursion.

The Salvador Dali Museum is a worthwhile day trip to St. Petersburg from Tampa. The museum holds the largest Dali collection outside of Spain. You'll be astonished to see the huge giant canvases painted with colorful fantastical dream like imagery, straight from the famous artist's head. Bring swimsuits to swim and build sandcastles at one of the nearby beautiful beaches that St. Pete is famous for. This trailblazing Spanish surrealist definitely had a unique way of viewing the world, and his one-of-a-kind viewpoints make up the many visually stunning exhibits you'll find here. When you and your date stroll from one exhibit to another, you will be seeing pieces that make up the world's most extensive collection of Dali's work.