Vote in 2026 St. Pete-Clearwater Awards: Best Beaches, Cuisine, and Activities

Visit St. Pete-Clearwater kicked off voting for its 2026 Best of St. Pete-Clearwater Awards. Thirty-eight categories span Pinellas County. Voting closes at midnight on May 10.

According to I Love the Burg, the competition breaks into four main sections: Best Sips, Best Bites, Best Things To Do, and Stay and Play. Categories run the gamut — best beach bars and best pizza rub shoulders with best live music venue, best dog hangout, and best local influencer.

Write-in votes work in all categories. Voters can pick their favorites even when those choices don't show up on the finalist lists.

Eight beaches made the cut for best beach. Caladesi Island/Honeymoon Island State Park, Indian Rocks Beach/Indian Shores, St. Pete Beach/Pass-a-Grille Beach, The Redingtons, Clearwater Beach/Sand Key, Fort DeSoto Park, Madeira Beach, and Treasure Island/Sunset Beach all compete.

Ten restaurants vie for best pizza. The list has Cristino's Coal Oven Pizza, Jack Pallino's, Gianni's NY Pizza, Madison Ave Pizza, Jay Luigi, Pajano's Pizza & Subs, Nona Slice House, Pizza Box, Toby's Original Little Italy, and The Violet Stone.

Ten spots chase the best grouper title. Caretta on the Gulf, Guppy's on the Beach, The Boardwalk Grill, Hog Island Fish Camp, and Keegan's Seafood Grille got nods. So did Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, Original Crabby Bill's, Mullet's Fish Camp, Salt Rock Grill, and Crabby's Beachside Pavillion.

Museum finalists bring serious variety. The Florida Holocaust Museum, The Chihuly Collection, Dunedin Fine Art Center, and FloridaRAMA appear alongside Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Imagine Museum, The Dali Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art, Museum of American Arts & Crafts, and The Woodson African-American Museum.

Twelve festivals earned spots on the ballot. Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, Clearwater Jazz Holiday, Localtopia St. Pete, Dunedin Highland Games, Geckofest, and John's Pass Seafood & Music Festival made it through. Reggae Rise Up, St. Pete Country Fest, Savor Food + Wine Festival, St. Pete Pride, Tarpon Springs Epiphany, and Sanding Ovations round out the group.

Seven beach bars duke it out for top honors: Shephard's Tiki Beach Bar, Crabby's Beachside Pavilion, Caddy's Treasure Island, Sloppy Joe's, Jimmy B's, Coconut Charlie's, and Ka'Tiki.

Voters cast ballots at the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater website. Midnight on May 10 is the cutoff.