theScene
Distinctive hotels and resorts worth building a trip around. Choose your base, then explore the neighborhood.
START WHERE YOU’RE STAYING
Choose your hotel or the area around your rental, or switch to map view below. Find a plan that fits both your home base and your scene.
Explore the whole bay, or choose a home base above.
Area matches use curated neighborhoods and beach towns. They are not walking-distance or drive-time estimates. Google Maps links help you check the route from your exact address.
Find the right setting: a dedicated cocktail lounge, a sunset beach bar, or a wine-led evening.
Each stay has a specific editorial reason to be here. Compare total prices, room details, and booking terms directly. For a rental, choose its neighborhood above.
Tampa · Water Street & Channel District
Water Street & Channel District
For a Water Street base with dining and cocktail lounges in the hotel.
Compare current total rates, fees, room layout, parking, and cancellation terms before booking.
Tampa · Ybor City
Ybor City
For a stay in historic Ybor City, with a courtyard pool, restaurant, and cafe.
Compare current total rates, fees, room layout, parking, and cancellation terms before booking.
St. Petersburg · Downtown St. Pete & Beach Drive
Downtown St. Pete & Beach Drive
For a downtown waterfront base near Beach Drive and the pier.
Compare current total rates, fees, room layout, parking, and cancellation terms before booking.
St. Petersburg · Downtown St. Pete & Beach Drive
Downtown St. Pete & Beach Drive
For a downtown St. Pete stay with a smaller hotel feel.
Compare current total rates, fees, room layout, parking, and cancellation terms before booking.
St. Pete Beach · St. Pete Beach
3400 Gulf Blvd.
The landmark pink hotel earns its place for a classic St. Pete Beach resort weekend: historic architecture, beach time, and an on-site spa.
Compare current total rates, fees, room layout, parking, and cancellation terms before booking.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach
Our classic Clearwater Beach resort pick for a sand-first getaway, with direct beach access and a quieter retreat from the busy Beach Walk stretch.
Compare current total rates, fees, room layout, parking, and cancellation terms before booking.
Indian Rocks Beach · Indian Rocks Beach
Indian Rocks Beach · multiple properties
A collection of restored cottages and smaller guesthouses for an Old Florida beach week. Choose a specific property and layout rather than treating every unit as interchangeable.
Advance bookings generally require Saturday-to-Saturday stays; shorter gaps are released closer to arrival. Check the exact property, occupancy, and total rate.
St. Pete Beach · Pass-a-Grille
109 8th Ave.
A small suite stay in the heart of Pass-a-Grille for a slower beach weekend. Our pick here for village character and a more intimate home base.
No front-desk check-in: the property sends arrival instructions before your stay. Compare suite layouts and current booking terms.
Dunedin · Downtown Dunedin & Islands
453 Edgewater Dr.
Our Dunedin pick for a weekend with character: a historic hotel with a musical past, HEW’s chophouse, and sunset drinks at Hi-Fi.
Best for a dining-and-drinks weekend with downtown Dunedin as your base. Island beaches are a separate outing.
Palm Harbor · Palm Harbor & Innisbrook
36750 U.S. Highway 19 N.
Build the trip around golf. Copperhead is the signature draw, and Packard’s makes a steakhouse dinner part of the same resort plan.
Compare golf packages and confirm course access and tee times before booking. This is a spread-out golf resort, away from downtown nightlife.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater Beach
691 S. Gulfview Blvd.
A polished beach escape at the southern end of Clearwater Beach, with a spa and an elevated pool deck. Our pick for a resort-centered weekend.
Choose the room view deliberately and compare the total rate, including resort and parking charges.
Clearwater Beach · Clearwater Beach
385 S. Gulfview Blvd.
A smaller contemporary beach hotel with a rooftop pool and Gulf views. Ocean Seven and Sielo make the seventh floor a reason to linger.
Best for a rooftop-and-beach weekend. The beach is across Gulfview Boulevard; rooftop bar access does not include the guest pool.
Tampa · Water Street & Channel District
510 Water St.
A strong city-weekend base with pools, a spa, and Water Street’s restaurants and waterfront attractions around it.
Pick this for downtown plans, events, and city dining. Clearwater Beach is a separate drive.
Tampa · SoHo & Howard Avenue
1207 S. Howard Ave.
A hotel built around food and wine, opposite Bern’s in SoHo. Élevage, a rooftop bar, and culinary classes give the stay its own itinerary.
Our South Tampa pick for a food-focused weekend. Reserve Bern’s separately and check the culinary theatre calendar.
Tampa · Rocky Point
2545 N. Rocky Point Dr.
Contemporary rooms with bay views and Casa Camí upstairs make Rocky Point a compelling home base for sunsets and a rooftop evening.
Best for bay views and airport-side convenience. Rocky Point is on the bay; Gulf beach towns and downtown are separate trips.
Tampa · Hyde Park Village
1509 W Swann Ave.
A small, design-minded hotel with 36 rooms and suites in Hyde Park Village. The appeal is a neighborhood weekend: boutiques, dinner, and a lobby nightcap close by.
Compare room layouts and parking terms; choose it for the neighborhood setting.
Wesley Chapel · Wesley Chapel & Saddlebrook
5700 Saddlebrook Way
A golf getaway with 27 holes across three interchangeable nine-hole layouts, instruction, and a Rees Jones practice range. Choose it for a stay built around the game.
Reserve through the resort’s tee-time booking link and confirm current course availability.
Brooksville · Brooksville & Cabot Citrus Farms
17590 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
A destination golf trip on the Nature Coast: Karoo, Roost, inventive short courses, and cottages for a golf-first stay. This is a regional getaway beyond Tampa Bay.
Public day guests can book up to six months ahead. Check maintenance closures; resort guests arrange golf with their stay.
Bowling Green · Streamsong & Central Florida
1000 Streamsong Drive
A golf-first regional getaway with Red, Blue, and Black courses, the Chain short course, and a modern resort lodge. Make it a dedicated golf trip.
Public day-guest golf has a 30-day booking window through May 31, 2027. Confirm maintenance closures and your chosen course.
St. Pete Beach · St. Pete Beach
6300 Gulf Blvd.
A newly opened St. Pete Beach hotel on the former Postcard Inn site, with lanai and bungalow room options, a pool, and coastal dining. A beach base with vintage Florida character.
Check-in 4 pm; check-out 11 am. Confirm current amenities and total booking costs. Marriott still lists Baby Turtle Beach Club as coming soon.
Try another city, area, or category, or reset the filters to explore the whole bay.
Last editorial update: October 11, 2026. Check venues for current menus, hours, tickets, and closures.