I would like to travel to a warm climate February 2022 and spend a week with my family near a beach. We are 6 adults and a 1.5 year old child. I like to rent a house where we might bike or walk to the water and easily get to town or other attractions. Since we are coming from Massachusetts, and Minnesota I thought the gulf coast of Florida might work although I am not at all familiar with Florida.

Can you provide an any suggests for locations easily traveled to and if you have a rental house as well? Thank you

First off it's not "St. Pete's", it's St. Pete or St. Pete Beach (locals get annoyed when you call it that). While we love St. Pete Beach, we always stay at resorts or condos. If you want to rent a house I would recommend Anna Maria Island. This is just south of St. Pete across the bay. It is one of our favorite places and has really beautiful beaches. There are tons of really nice houses to rent, most within a few blocks of the beach. Here's a good example (No, I have not stayed here):

https://www.vrbo.com/9355146ha?noDat...unitId=8426147

It is close the the Sandbar which is the best restaurant on the island. Hope you find what you are looking for and have a great time.

yeah, that is short for St Petersburg, no s at the end of that name.

Don't have a rental but have stayed there on Long Key, which is a convenient location being on the beach but near the roadway to Tampa (Pinellas Bayway). Places to go:

Tampa obviously, they have an acquarium and some museums, can amble around the old town area (Cuban heritage) There is some famous painter's museum there, I forget who as I'm not crazy about him and a little goes a long way but worth a visit if you care about modern art

You can go south to Pass-a-Grille beach and community, sort of cute
You can go north to Clearwater beach area, there is an old Greektown up that way as Greek immigrants came to that area for work collecting sponges, community in Tarpon Springs, lots of good restos. That's about 30 miles away. You can also easily visit Sarasota to the south for a day trip, it's only 50 miles. several good museums there, the Ringling house is nice, and there is a classic car museum I enjoyed.

Just a heads up. Weather can be really iffy in Florida, Jan through March and even April. I have been to Orlando in early April when it was just about freezing. We needed winter jackets. OTOH, I have been to Tarpon Springs and Clearwater in late January when it was gloriously warm beach weather, though water temps were too cool for swimming for my tastes. Point is, you will probably want a heated pool if you want to be in water.

It's the Dali museum in St. Pete, and it can be quite entertaining.