How to plan the easiest ever multi-gen family holiday in Florida

Multi-gen holiday in Florida perfect Airbnb Clearwater Beach

Airbnb holiday homes, Clearwater Beach

If you’re looking for authentic beachy charm and enough space for all your family, Airbnb has plenty of properties which fit that description in Clearwater Beach.

There are cute bungalows with pretty porches, picket fences and the sea on your doorstep; luxurious apartments dripping in design detail or large villas with private pools, gardens and an in-built sense of seclusion.

You’ll even find a good selection of quaint holiday homes where a real Old Florida feel has been retained, but balanced with new kitchens and bathrooms, lots of natural light and everyday essentials like aircon and WIFI.

Airbnb apartments, St. Pete Beach

Holiday homes from Airbnb, St. Pete Beach

Bright and spacious family apartments with shared pools, landscaped grounds and beach access work well for multi-gen holidays, and Airbnb offers you a great selection of those in St. Pete Beach.

Sensational views come as standard, of course. And if you want to take advantage of those, look for properties with private balconies or terraces.

Hop on a Jolley Trolley, St. Pete/Clearwater

Things to do and see for everyone in St. Pete/Clearwater

Keeping everyone happy on a multi-gen family holiday is about the smartest stunt you’ll ever pull off. To help you out St. Pete/Clearwater really does have ‘something for everyone’. You don’t even need to go as far as Orlando for theme parks, take a look.

The stunning Dali Museum, St. Pete/Clearwater

Dali Museum: if only all museums were this good

The Dali Museum in downtown St. Pete works on so many levels for families.

For a start it contains the largest collection of the artist’s work outside Spain, so its vast and deeply satisfying to explore.

Next up, is the cleverly designed museum building which is set in beautifully landscaped gardens and incorporates a 75ft tall geodesic dome window looking out over Tampa Bay.

Then, as the permanent collection is so large, it’s shown in rotation, so there’s always something new to see no matter how many times you visit.

Just add in temporary exhibits, children’s events, and the extremely cool Gala Café, as well as a great central location and you can see why we’re recommending this as one of our top all-rounders for multi-gen holidays in Florida.

St. Pete Pier, St. Pete/Clearwater

St. Pete Pier: all-round amazing family days out

Another excellent all-rounder and the hub of St. Pete Pier District,  St. Pete Pier features a mix of family attractions, places to eat, great views and shopping. You’ll even find Spa Beach here too, as well as children’s playgrounds and even picnic areas.

Make a day of it and you can take a family tour of Tampa Bay Discovery Center, hang out at the splash pad with younger kids, browse the Marketplace for interesting local art, then finish up with dinner. St. Pete Pier is open from sunrise until 11pm and it’s home to some of the area’s most popular restaurants including the always good fun,  Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille.

Family tour with Bay E-Bikes

E-bike tours: go with a guide or go it alone

Take a tour with Bay E-Bikes and get to know St. Pete/Clearwater with expert local guides. E-bikes make the cycling part easy for even less fit family members and tours take you anywhere from city streets to barrier islands.

The Sights & Murals Tour of Downtown St. Pete is fascinating for all ages, kids will love touring Fort de Soto county park by bike, although super-chill grandparents might enjoy the ZENride with yoga in the mix.

Delivery and pickup of bikes is included in your choice of tour and you also have the option to self-guide, if that suits you better.

Vitale brothers’ Under the Sea mural, downtown St. Pete

Walking Mural Tours: Saturday morning must-do

Set aside a Saturday morning and book one the Walking Mural Tours in downtown St. Petersburg.

Hear the inside story of more than 30 murals in the Central Arts District, and get to know the area at the same time. Tours last for an hour and 30 minutes and are probably best for over-eights, although all ages are welcome – under fives tour free.

Don’t forget to bring water with you and hats for kids, and tours don’t operate in August.

Learn to play shuffleboard on holiday in Florida

St. Pete Shuffleboard Club: take home a new skill

If you’ve never played Shuffleboard, that’s fine, St. Pete Shuffleboard Club invites everyone, even beginners, to its Friday night sessions in Mirror Lake Park.

Rookies can learn the ropes from Club experts, it’s an easy way to meet the locals who love this game, and it couldn’t be more inclusive – if you can hold a cue, you can Shuffleboard.

Plus, St. Pete Shuffleboard Club is 100 years old in 2024, and that’s as good a reason as any to go say ‘hi’ on a Friday night.

Kumba, Busch Gardens, Tampa © Chris Joy

Busch Gardens Tampa: rollercoaster thrills

Busch Gardens Tampa features sensational theme park rides, from the tallest freestanding drop tower in the US to Florida’s first triple-launch rollercoaster.

It’s also home to Adventure Island. And when you want thrills of another sort, recently redesigned Pantopia is there for shopping, live shows and restaurants.

Visit John’s Pass Village in St. Pete/Clearwater

John’s Pass Village: shopping heaven and cute too

John’s Pass Village might look like an authentic Old Florida fishing village – which it is – but dig a little deeper and you’ll quickly find all the reasons why it’s also one of the top places to visit in St. Pete/Clearwater.

Over 100 stores here make for shopping heaven whether you want to buy souvenirs or local art. It’s the launching point for dolphin cruises and shelling tours, and the place to hire boats, go parasailing or even jet skiing. Family friendly restaurants are another local talent and naturally, there’s a sensational stretch of Gulf Coast beach here too.

Last of the roadside attractions, St. Pete/Clearwater

Sunken Gardens: great roadside attraction

Roadside attractions were once the signature of a holiday in Florida, but today they’re few and far between. That’s just one of the reasons why the Sunken Gardens in downtown St. Pete are worth a visit.

Not only are they one of the last remaining Florida roadside attractions, they’re a century old and home to some of the oldest plants in St. Pete/Clearwater.

Stop by to admire the lush greenery, wander the winding paths and wonder at the sheer number and variety of plant species.

Kids might be less taken with the landscaping than parents or grandparents, but they’ll fall head over hills for the flock of flamingos and many rehomed tropical birds including macaws and cockatoos.