10 Things to Do in May in St. Pete-Clearwater

Your guide to fun things to do in May in Pinellas County

Looking for things to do in Clearwater-St. Pete in May? You’ve come to the right place

We are two local moms and we help families find the best kid-friendly activities in our area. The things you find on our lists are all things we do with our own families, and we hope they give you ideas for new places to explore.

Below you’ll find fun local May activities, like ways to celebrate Mother’s Day and craft beer appreciate week (with kids!). We also include seasonal activities, like hitting up the theme parks during the end of school lull before the summer rush.

May is also hot but not crazy hot, so hit up those last few outdoor things before the summer heat fully sets in.

Let’s find some May fun!

1. U-Pick blackberries and blueberries

In May you can go pick your own blackberries and blueberries. The blueberry season runs April-May and blackberries usually go into June.

Many of the farms with blueberries also have blackberries so you get a few weeks in May when you can pick both. We did this recently and my kids loved it. The blackberry picking seems a little easier for their little hands but both had bushes at toddler-level so good for all ages!

Check out our list of U-pick blueberry farms near Pinellas

toddlers walking in a u-pick blueberry field

2. Skip brunch on Mother’s Day

It seems like every Mother’s Day event is a brunch. Find something different to do this year to celebrate!

Mother’s Day usually has good weather in our area so it’s a great time to do something outdoors, like walk a causeway trail or take a day trip to Keel & Curly Winery.

Here’s our list of 20 ways to spend Mother’s Day in Pinellas

3. Celebrate craft beer week

Craft Beer week falls in mid-May and it’s a great excuse to check out some of our local breweries. We love how many breweries have leaned into being family-friendly spaces. There are lots of local breweries with space for kids to play while parents still get to enjoy a drink.

Not sure which brewery to visit? Try the 11 best breweries for kids in our area

Outside turk grass lawn with tables with red umbrellas at Green Bench brewing in St Pete — Green Bench brewing in St. Pete

4. Take advantage of Teacher Appreciation Week deals

The first full week in May is Teacher Appreciation Week. If you’re a teacher, you can take advantage of deals and specials for teachers. You can find a list of national teacher discounts here.

Locally, many local attractions give discounts for teachers year round, like the Tarpon Aquarium’s teacher discount and Clearwater Marine Aquariums appreciation discount.

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5. Beat the summer theme park rush

May is historically a low season for our Florida theme parks. Families don’t want their kids to miss school during the last few weeks of class before summer.

For locals, it is a great time to head to the theme parks before they get busy over the summer (and before it gets crazy hot).

Don’t forget to check out our list of favorite Dollar Tree items to take to the theme parks.

epcot ball at night light up in a peach color

6. Visit the sponge docks

This is your reminder that sometimes its fun to be a tourist in your own town. If you haven’t gone to the Tarpon sponge docks in awhile, do a visit this month. Since you’re walking between shops, we think this is a good activity before it gets too hot.

We went to the sponge docks last weekend and it’s still delightfully full of tourist kitsch, awesome baklava, and flaming Greek cheese.

Check out our favorite things to do at the Tarpon Springs sponge docks

spongeorama sign of a sponge dock diver's helmet in Tarpon Springs Florida

7. Prep for hurricane season

Hurricane season starts June 1 so May is the time to start prepping. While we usually don’t get hurricanes until later in the season, there are many “hurricane prep” events in May, like extra trash days and hurricane preparedness expos.

Getting yourself hurricane-ready early will also spar you sitting in long lines for sand bags and frantically trying to buy supplies from empty grocery store shelves.

You can get sand bags well before a storm: you can find upcoming Pinellas sandbag distribution dates here and info for year-round sandbags for St. Pete residents here.

Hurricane flooding in Pinellas County, Florida. Water going over a road and sidewalk up to a fire hydrant and palm trees blowing in the wind in the background

8. Sign up for a summer reading program

Pinellas libraries offer summer reading programs for kids of all ages. County-wide, kids can do a summer reading challenge where they get awarded free tickets to a Rays game when they’re done.

Local branches offer their own summer reading challenges with different prizes too, and kids can register for multiple challenges at different libraries.

Most summer reading programs start in June so sign up now! (And psst… we have a list of our favorite children’s library areas around Pinellas while you’re visiting libraries).

children's library area showing two toddlers with their faces obscured, a kids tables, shelves of books and toys

9. See a movie in the park (or pool!)

Many local Parks and Rec departments put on monthly free movies in the park. These family-friendly movies are a great weekend activity. Plus, you’ll find ones happening in waterfront parks, like in Safety Harbor or Tarpon Springs, making it a movie with beautiful Florida views.

And since things are warmer in May, you’ll also start to find “dive-in” movies at community pools. For example, the Morningside Recreation Center does monthly “dive-in” movies all summer.

10. Visit a playground before the equipment gets too hot

Playground equipment in the dead of summer and the surface of the sun are approximately the same temperature. Squeeze in your last few playground days in May before it gets too hot.

These are the coolest playgrounds in Pinellas that are worth the trip.