With as much access to the sun as we get here in St. Pete, it’s no wonder so many people take to the local parks and public areas, basking in the pockets of Florida nature throughout the area. Here, they can soak up the rays and enjoy the calmer corners of the bustling downtown as well as the calm gulf waters nearby.
Regardless of your preferred entertainment, trips to the park for exercise or relaxation help us separate from typical negative feelings and work stress. Don’t neglect taking advantage of some of the most beautiful parks and recreational centers you’ll find in Florida! They’re free, they’re fun, and they can provide a lot of healthy benefits.
Here’s what you need to know about Crescent Lake Park:
Crescent Lake Park
1320 5th Street North
St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701
Hours of Operation: Opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes after sunset.
Crescent Lake Park is the quintessential public outdoor adventure, offering many more beautiful sites and activity spaces than your average park. Crescent Lake Park is nearly 53 acres in total, and, as you’ve probably guessed, is centered around the serene Crescent Lake.
You might have seen it on your drive through Crescent Heights: jogging paths and a great open field next to a glassy lake with plenty of other amenities (tennis courts, a jungle-gym for the kids, and the iconic St. Petersburg Banyan tree). It’s not uncommon to stumble upon yoga classes in full swing on the grassy field or a baseball game in the Huggins Baseball Field.
The Huggins Field is a marvel in itself; a perfect little baseball field in the thick of the city that’s available to rent. For the history buffs, the field was the former spring training field for the New York Yankees, hosting such well-known ball players as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio.
Perhaps most picturesque of all, Crescent Lake Park (and the Huggins field especially) falls in the shadow of the Crescent Lake Water Tower, a local landmark built in 1923. Today, the painted water tower is the only remaining historic water tower in St. Petersburg.
Size: 52.5 acres
Art: Crescent Lake Water Tower mural, painted by Tom Stovall
Amenities: Tennis courts, dog park, jungle gym, jogging tracks, baseball field, benches
Bathrooms: No
Kid-Friendly: Yes
Dog Friendly: Yes
Fishing: Yes, open for shoreline fishing until Labor Day
