St. Petersburg

About $2 billion has been invested in downtown redevelopment since the late 1990s, establishing St. Petersburg as a leader in the marine sciences and financial services clusters. The city is also building a new $35 million museum to house the works of Salvador Dali. Crislip Arcade is undergoing a rebirth as a hub for aspiring and accomplished artists. Other diversions include visiting an array of funky stores and restaurants, The Pier, the Museum of Fine Arts, American Stage and Tropicana Field for a Tampa Bay Rays' game. Housing choices range from historic bungalows to high-end waterfront condominiums to traditional subdivisions.