Pinellas County 2026 Bucket List: Top Events, Dining, and Adventures

I Love The Burg just dropped its 2026 guide. Packed inside is information about events, eateries, and things to do for anyone visiting or living here.

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg roars into town from Feb. 27 through March 1, turning downtown's waterfront into a high-speed track where IndyCar drivers compete while festivalgoers wander through grounds filled with action.

Spring training kicks off in Dunedin on Feb. 27 and runs through March 24. The Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays set up shop at their training parks for this month-long baseball tradition.

Sand sculptors descend on Clearwater Beach for the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, running from March 27 through April 12 with live shows and food stands scattered around the competition area.

June belongs to St. Pete Pride. The Pride Parade marches through downtown on the month's final Saturday, then the Pride Street Festival fills the Grand Central District the next day.

October brings back the John's Pass Seafood Festival. For three days, John's Pass Village transforms into a hub of food stalls, bands, and games.

Elliott Aster at The Vinoy Resort tops the list of places to eat. Over in Dunedin, The Black Pearl finished renovations last year that restored pieces of its century-old past.

Frenchy's Rockaway Grill sits on Rockaway Street at Clearwater Beach, slinging grouper sandwiches. Pia's Trattoria dishes out Italian plates on Beach Boulevard in Gulfport.

The Tides Market on Main Street in Safety Harbor serves double duty — market meets seafood spot where you can grab fresh fish, produce, or sit down for a meal.

Late summer opens scalloping season out of Tarpon Springs, where charter boats haul guests into shallow bays to hunt for live scallops by hand.

Snorkeling trips head to Egmont Key, an island with no residents but plenty of shells and sea creatures swimming in clear waters. The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks on Dodecanese Boulevard pack Greek eateries next to shops hawking natural sponges.

Florida Botanical Gardens stretches across 100 acres on Ulmerton Road in Largo, with manicured gardens, walking paths, and patches of native wilderness waiting to be explored.