St Petersburg advice (Dunedin, Gulfport, South Pasadena: 2013, apartments, rentals)

[Eddy61]

I am considering a move to St Petersburg and am looking for advice. I want to be withing bicycle distance to beach, amenities. night life , public transportation, spend $700-$800/mo for a studio or 1 bedroom.. I am a disabled VET unable to drive for at least another year so bicycling will be my go to mode of transportation for at least year.. I am a musician who enjoys 'alliterative', punk, blues, jazz music so live venues are an interest for me as well. Any and all info is welcome

Thanx ~ Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah 🎶

[wallyb2013]

I don't know that you'll be able to find everything you're looking for in St. Pete, but Gulfport would probably be your best bet. Someone with more experience in that area will have to weigh in with average housing costs, biking proximity to the beach, and public transportation. Gulfport is on Boca Ciega Bay, but it's not on the gulf/ocean. I don't think you'll be able to find a rental that's $700/$800 per month in any of the true beach communities. The areas on the gulf also don't have as much of a late night scene and have almost no music scene. Another possible option would be Dunedin, which is also on the water but not really on the ocean. It's fairly similar to Gulfport in terms of having some restaurant and bar options, but it's even further from the real nightlife in downtown St. Pete.

As far as nightlife goes, the most vibrant and active area is downtown St. Pete and the Grand Central District, but it's not easily bikable to the beach. It's a really great area with a ton of music venues, restaurants, bars, etc., and you can definitely find an older apartment in Old Northeast, Uptown, Kenwood, or south of Central in your price range. It won't be a nice, fancy, new apartment building and will likely be in an older house or more run-down apartment building, but that area is very walkable/bikable, close to all the amenities, and I believe also has public transportation (a bus or trolley bus) to Pass-a-grille beach. Downtown St. Pete is also on the Bay, but at your budget you'd probably be looking at places at least a mile out from the Bay.

[dothetwist]

Live in Gulfport (own my home).

Rentals are pricey here due to most rentals being seasonal furnished vacation cottages; a 2BR 1BA vacation house here averages 1K a week and owners who I know prefer a solid 6 months with vacationers rather dealing with full-time rentals (many of them are snowbirds themselves and close up their own home and their rentals when they head north).

That said, there are 2 rentals near me; one is a 2BR/2BA unfurnished, 1 year lease, that recently got a new tenant who is paying $1500 a month. Another property is a duplex, each side is 1BR/1BA and each unit pays $700 a month (also unfurnished).

There are owners near me with studio-size guest houses. Most have long term tenants (like 20 years long). When there is a vacancy, they do not advertise; they put up a sign. I am guessing these owners are very picky as they live in the 'main' house on the property.

There are run down apartments on the outskirts of the Historic district that I assume rent cheap, but caters to a transient crowd. If you look in Gulfport above 22nd Ave S (aka Gulfport Blvd) and west of 49th Street, there may be some decent rentals in the OPs price range.

Gulfport has live music almost every night in multiple locations. O'Maddy's, Manatees (new), Salty's are the biggest live venues.

[Eddy61]

Thanx very much for your response and advice. Yes Gulf port area / South Pasadena areas south of Central Ave would be very much in tune to what I'm after. I'm pretty sure there is public transportation into St Pete when I do plan on going into town or I even here there are buses going to the beach. I had a look at the CL usual rentals and it seems I will be able to find something for $700-$900 range.

[Eddy61]

Originally Posted by wallyb2013

I don't know that you'll be able to find everything you're looking for in St. Pete, but Gulfport would probably be your best bet. Someone with more experience in that area will have to weigh in with average housing costs, biking proximity to the beach, and public transportation. Gulfport is on Boca Ciega Bay, but it's not on the gulf/ocean. I don't think you'll be able to find a rental that's $700/$800 per month in any of the true beach communities. The areas on the gulf also don't have as much of a late night scene and have almost no music scene. Another possible option would be Dunedin, which is also on the water but not really on the ocean. It's fairly similar to Gulfport in terms of having some restaurant and bar options, but it's even further from the real nightlife in downtown St. Pete.

As far as nightlife goes, the most vibrant and active area is downtown St. Pete and the Grand Central District, but it's not easily bikable to the beach. It's a really great area with a ton of music venues, restaurants, bars, etc., and you can definitely find an older apartment in Old Northeast, Uptown, Kenwood, or south of Central in your price range. It won't be a nice, fancy, new apartment building and will likely be in an older house or more run-down apartment building, but that area is very walkable/bikable, close to all the amenities, and I believe also has public transportation (a bus or trolley bus) to Pass-a-grille beach. Downtown St. Pete is also on the Bay, but at your budget you'd probably be looking at places at least a mile out from the Bay.

Thanx very much for your time. I was able to gain a lot of info and good advice from your response. Bikeable to me is 5 miles and I think Gulfport is where Im leaning. $-5 miles to the coast and plenty of action for a young 56 y/o like me. What is your opinion on public transportation in that area ?.. For all I know I may pass the physical and be driving by spring but, I might as well get all the info I can now.

[wallyb2013]

Originally Posted by Eddy61

Thanx very much for your time. I was able to gain a lot of info and good advice from your response. Bikeable to me is 5 miles and I think Gulfport is where Im leaning. $-5 miles to the coast and plenty of action for a young 56 y/o like me. What is your opinion on public transportation in that area ?.. For all I know I may pass the physical and be driving by spring but, I might as well get all the info I can now.

I'm not familiar at all with public transportation, but I know I've seen buses on Central Ave. downtown that say they're going to Pass-a-Grille beach. Not sure if they go through Gulfport. I know that there are a lot of complaints about public transportation, but I don't use it because I have a car and live a mile from downtown and the Bay, so I can walk or ride my bike almost anywhere in the downtown vicinity.

It seems fairly common here for rentals to advertise via word of mouth or a sign outside vs. posting on Craigslist, so you might want to try making a trip down here for a few days and just drive around the areas you're interested in. As I said before, for $700 - $800/month, you won't be a fancy new apartment in a high-rise, a townhouse, or a condo, but you can very easily find a garage apartment, mother-in-law suite, or studio in an older building for that price.

[smarino]

You can do it, but you won't be bicycling to the beach. You'll have to put the bike on a bus. You can bike to the water downtown of course easy enough. Certainly apts can be found in your price range. Avoid south side and your neighborhood should be fine, but the lower end neighborhoods will be immediately visible even to a newcomer.

Stick to biking in residential areas. These are the most dangerously inept drivers I have ever seen in my life!!! Trust me, it's seriously unsafe to bike here, so I stick to neighborhoods and avoid main streets which are are like highways the way people drive. I haven't owned a car in 30-40 years and biking and busing are how it's done. You will have to get a bus system map to see where the routes go that are late night before you get your apt or you will be stuck on many of the bus lines in the PM. I ride the #4 which is a straight shot into town and arrives every 15 minutes during the week. It runs till 10 something PM I think. If your income is within a certain limit, a monthly bus pass is $11. Otherwise, seniors and disabled pay $35.

As someone who also loves music, I have found St Pete not good for MY tastes. There is music galore, but I like jazz, blues, and good old rock and roll in the Allman Brothers style. Not so much of that here, and venue prices tend to be high. Not a lot of punk. Some, not a lot. It's not L.A. which is good because I couldn't afford to live there.

Be warned, the weather is gorgeous now, but it can be miserable biking in the summers.

[dothetwist]

Buses do run through Gulfport regularly. I have never taken them, but a neighbor uses PSTA to commute to Downtown St. Pete. No idea how long it takes. Here's the link to schedules:

PSTA

[Eddy61]

Guess I'll plan on spending a few extra bux on rent.. Gulfport seems to be a good start

[Eddy61]

Originally Posted by smarino

You can do it, but you won't be bicycling to the beach. You'll have to put the bike on a bus. You can bike to the water downtown of course easy enough. Certainly apts can be found in your price range. Avoid south side and your neighborhood should be fine, but the lower end neighborhoods will be immediately visible even to a newcomer.

Stick to biking in residential areas. These are the most dangerously inept drivers I have ever seen in my life!!! Trust me, it's seriously unsafe to bike here, so I stick to neighborhoods and avoid main streets which are are like highways the way people drive. I haven't owned a car in 30-40 years and biking and busing are how it's done. You will have to get a bus system map to see where the routes go that are late night before you get your apt or you will be stuck on many of the bus lines in the PM. I ride the #4 which is a straight shot into town and arrives every 15 minutes during the week. It runs till 10 something PM I think. If your income is within a certain limit, a monthly bus pass is $11. Otherwise, seniors and disabled pay $35.

As someone who also loves music, I have found St Pete not good for MY tastes. There is music galore, but I like jazz, blues, and good old rock and roll in the Allman Brothers style. Not so much of that here, and venue prices tend to be high. Not a lot of punk. Some, not a lot. It's not L.A. which is good because I couldn't afford to live there.

Be warned, the weather is gorgeous now, but it can be miserable biking in the summers.

I'm hoping to pass my physical and then I'll be able to drive again by June. It does look like the public transportation is pretty reliable and frequent so I'll use it to get around. So far the area is looking good in comparison the the east coast cities which are much more expensive. As far as the heat goes it wont be anything I havent experience before in other locations. Sounds like you're happy there. Have you been there long ?