For the past 5 years, Kevin and I have headed to Tampa, Florida for Christmas to visit my family. Rather than haul a bunch of gifts from LA, it’s become a tradition for us to do a big activity with the family.
Kevin takes a break from all the snacking at Sur La Table to smile for the camera!
Over the years, we’ve done a Tuscan cooking class at Sur La Table, a cheese class at Cheese Please in South Tampa, wine tasting and art at Painting with a Twist. And of course, there was that ill-fated food walking tour in St. Petersburg where the tour company (that shall go unnamed!) couldn’t find a guide. So without much of a choice, Kevin and I became official tour guides for the night — following Google Maps and making up facts along the way. Basically, we were like any good tour guide!
The family night out a few years back at Cheese Please in South Tampa — taking the Christmas-themed “Little Baby Cheeses” class.
This year, we decided to try our luck once again in St. Petersburg and surprised the family with a glass blowing class. Luckily, we weren’t responsible for teaching this one. I’m certain someone would have ended up in flames.
Check out our itinerary below for a day out with the family in St. Petersburg, Florida — perfect for a holiday gift or any special celebration.
MORNING
- 11 AM, arrive at the Saturday Morning Market in downtown St. Petersburg. This is the largest weekly market in the Southeast U.S. with more than 130 vendors offering everything from fresh produce to homemade soaps to ready to eat food.
- The market, which is free to enter, runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Pete. Our personal favorite stops included the fresh pineapple and the Asian dumpling stands. This is a great stop for lunch.
We came back for another dumpling after devouring the first!
- 1 PM, Arrive at Zen Glass Studio for a 1-hour workshop making wine glasses. Cost $50 per person if you call directly. Advanced reservations highly recommended.
- The class involves a brief overview and demo. And before you know it, you’ll be picking out your colors and they’ll be lighting up your blow torch. The instructors are attentive and are great with kids (and young at heart!).
- 2-5 PM, Grab an outdoor seat at Green Bench Brewing Company, located just 10 minutes away. This is St. Petersburg’s first microbrewery and paved the way for many others that have popped up in the area.
- Besides the tasty beer, we loved the soft pretzels (which we had plenty of!) and the outdoor patio where you can just hang out for hours. We love a good game of Uno (even if there were a few cheaters in the game!).
The patio at Green Bench Brewery
- 5 PM, quick caffeine jolt at Intermezzo Coffee before heading back to Tampa. Located just across the street from the brewery, Intermezzo is a specialty coffee shop in the Edge District of St. Petersburg on Central Avenue. I totally missed the shop, but my niece spotted it. I couldn’t help pick up a cup for the road.
Kevin enjoys some tea and I order an Americano.
And that’s a wrap! The wine glasses need to be left behind at the shop and can either be picked up a few days later or shipped directly. We can’t wait to see how they turn out — either way, it was a fun way to spend the day. And after a few glasses of wine will look great regardless!
The shop at Zen Glass Studio – where you can always buy some glasswork (in case your creation doesn’t work out!)
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