St. Pete is relatively known for its underground art scene, trending music theatres, historic homes, and warm gulf waters. Becoming increasingly popular over the last few years, many have traded in their city shoes to enjoy the laid back atmosphere of St. Pete. Although the city does not have designated student areas, there are some options to consider.
The city of St. Pete is home to three College; St. Pete College, University of South Florida, and Stetson University College of law. Although these schools are located across town from one another, you will notice a younger and essentially a student population with in the city's borders.
If you are looking for St. Pete apartments located in a student centralized area, you may not find exactly what you are searching for. Although there are several colleges in the area, St. Pete tends to be a larger city than most other college towns. That being said, many students do not tend to inhabit the same areas. However, you will notice that many students tend to be attracted to the downtown location.
Downtown St. Pete is a vibrant powerhouse of history, art and entertainment. Here, you will find that there is plenty to do; another reason students opt to nestle in downtown. For starters, St. Pete beach is just minutes away from the downtown community. There are dozes of fine dine restaurants, bars, pubs, name brand and local boutiques. The art scene is huge in St. Pete and the city celebrates “First Friday” where nearly ever St. Pete citizen shows their support by taking up space in bars while supporting local businesses.
If you are into music, downtown St. Pete is a great area to live. Popular venues such a State Theatre and Jannus Landing are located in the city just near the USF St. Pete campus. This is an especially popular neighborhood to settle down in if you hope to be neighbors with fellow classmates. There are even St. Pete apartments located on top of Jannus Landing, where you can enjoy a free ticket to any show just from your balcony.
If you are a lover of sports, Tropicana field is also located near downtown St. Pete. Home of the Tampa Bay Rays, you can bet on a fair amount of traffic during each game day event. However, despite being stuck in traffic, with sports fans comes a league of college students. Many USF and St. Pete college students head down to the Trop to enjoy an evening of tailgating and baseball watching. To live near this part of town, look for units near 4th street.
Now knowing that downtown St. Pete is probably your best bet when it comes to seeking out the most student-friendly area of town, do know that living downtown does come with a cost. Living downtown, like is most cities, is usually where the more luxury lofts live. Although St. Pete does have an eclectic blend of old and new, the real estate in this area is in high demand. As a result, rent prices do tend to be a little pricey in comparisons to the outskirts of downtown. However, there are affordable areas within the city.