Saint Petersburg, Florida

Ahh, the Sunshine City. St. Petersburg certainly doesn't share its Russian namesake's weather. In 1967, St. Pete (as it's affectionately known by locals) earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for having 768 consecutive days of sunshine. And, on average, the city receives 361 days of sunshine a year. If you're like me, your bags are already packed. But in case you need a little more information on the fourth largest city in Florida, here's what else St. Pete has to offer.

To go along with the vast amounts of sunshine, St. Petersburg has plenty of white, sandy beaches as well as 234 miles (376 kilometers) of shoreline along the Gulf of Mexico, Boca Ciega Bay, Tampa Bay, and the intracoastal waterways (St. Pete is surrounded by water on three sides). Not only does that mean you have access to all the water sports and beach activities you can handle, but St. Pete has created an exciting and attractive waterfront with restaurants and shops. And The Pier, one of the city's most important attractions, consists of a half a mile pier and a modern, multi-level building brimming with shops, restaurants, and entertainment.

If all the beach-and-shop talk is a little too frivolous for you, St. Pete has an active arts community and many galleries including the famous Salvador Dali Museum, as well as performing arts venues including the Mahaffey Theater, which has 2,000 seats and hosts a variety of entertainment from plays to musicals to orchestras.

Sports enthusiasts should know that St. Pete loves its baseball (it was the birthplace of spring training in 1914, after all), and devotees make frequent trips to the Tropicana Field to watch their home team, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, play ball.

So have you got your bag packed yet? Well, if not, perhaps telling you about the manicured parks, Mediterranean-style architecture, abundance of golf courses, beautiful marina, and the excellent quality of life (in 2004, Partners for Livable Communities named St. Pete's America's Most Livable Community of the decade), will convince you. Or, how about the fact that, if you need a change of scenery, St. Pete is in close proximity to Tampa and Clearwater?

St. Petersburg … what are you waiting for?

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