Interesting building, tacky shops, below average eateries...does provide for some photo ops, but overall, not worth time or effort

I wouldn’t waste my valuable vacation time by visiting The Pier. From everything I had read in the brochures and advertising I was expecting more.

I feel we wasted 30 minutes each way driving time from St Pete Beach plus the time looking around, for basically a dozen shops that similar one’ s could be found everywhere in the area. There is not one thing here that could not be found closer to where you’re staying.

Don’t waste your time!!!!!!

The only thing my significant other specifically asked to do on our recent trip to the Tampa/Clearwater/St Petersburg area was see the aquarium at the pier. We somehow got the impression that the aquarium was underwater but it is not - its on the 2nd floor of a tourist trap. The first floor of the pier is stores full of Florida tourism chotchky, the third floor was under renovations when we were there, and the fourth and fifth floor are restaurants. The aquarium was disappointing - it was very small and mostly save the coastline and wildlife propoganda. The neatest fish weren't even from Florida (or even the Gulf of Mexico) and came from the Indo-Pacific area. There was some interesting information on hurricanes but that was an unexpected surprise. We wish we'd visited the aquarium in downtown Tampa instead. Don't waste your money - even with the military discount (adult admission = $2.50 per person), we felt like it was a rip off.

We enjoyed the Pier for the first time last week. We spent less than an hour looking in the few shops inside in the mall and ate at Captain Al's. My boyfriend and I both agreed we didn't like the food at Captain Al's though. A great place to sight see and walk with the added bonus of a few stores, restuarant, and aquarium.