Take Fido On a Free Art Safari Anytime in St. Pete
Have Wall-To-Wall Fun Day and Night.
By Robin Tierney
A knight riding a giant snail.
A pirate ship festooned with a huge skull and football.
Two-story-tall bunnies ready to hop onto the sidewalk.
Pink elephants soaring through the air.
A Doberman nearly as wide as a city block.
A Dalmatian, hound and pit bull bellying up to a bar.
Sometimes you can barely believe your eyes in downtown St. Pete, Florida!
The first five are painted images. The last? An actual scene at The Dog Bar, an open-air venue where dogs frolic freely while their people sip craft brews.
Stretching between Tampa Bay and the Gulf Coast, St. Pete offers artful sights, sips and snacks. In recent years, St. Pete has gained fame for its outdoor wall murals (now surpassing 500), craft breweries and dogs-welcome attitude. The downtown has undergone remarkable revitalization, with the annual SHINE mural festival entries distinguishing its urban landscape.
SHINE has attracted regional and international artists who’ve created images from comical characters to fantasy landscapes, surreal to hyper-realistic, on walls all around downtown. Wherever you stroll with Fido, keep watch and you’ll see incredible works. Some will make you laugh, others will compel you to contemplate contemporary issues. Use online maps to chart a loose course for an hour, or a day. The experience is free and ideal for spending time with Fido on leash.
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