Destin or St. Petersburg, Florida?

On the sand itself there is little between them. Destin's beaches are fine white quartz in front of clear green water, and they start at the doorstep, with Henderson Beach State Park, Okaloosa Island and the dune lakes of 30A all along the same shore. The Crab Island sandbar adds a shallow, sociable spot on the bay side. Rip currents on rough days mean you should watch the flags.

St. Petersburg's beaches lie on the barrier islands west of a downtown that faces the bay, so you need a short drive or bus ride to reach them. In return you get more variety, from the calm shallows of Pass-a-Grille to the wilder park shore at Fort De Soto and the ferry-only sands of Caladesi Island. Occasional red tide is the local drawback.

Both eat mainly from the Gulf, but St. Petersburg offers more choice. Along Central Avenue and in the Grand Central and Edge districts there are chef-led kitchens, brunch places and a strong craft brewery scene. The Cuban and Spanish cooking of Tampa's Ybor City is close enough for dinner.

Destin's best meal is fresh snapper or grouper at a harbour deck, ideally one that will cook what you caught that morning. Away from the water the coast highway is mostly chains with long summer waits, and the more ambitious cooking is out in the 30A communities.

This is where the two differ most. Destin grew from a fishing village and kept little of it. A small fishing museum, the prehistoric temple mound in Fort Walton Beach and an outdoor collection of military aircraft are about the extent of it.

St. Petersburg has a museum quarter on its waterfront, led by the Dalí Museum's huge collection in its glass-bubble building, with fine art, Western art, Chihuly glass and Arts and Crafts collections close by. Its 1920s Mediterranean Revival buildings, such as the pink Don CeSar, and the downtown murals add something to look at between museums.

St. Petersburg has more evening life and spreads it across the year. Cocktail bars, rooftops and taprooms on Central Avenue sit close enough to walk between, the winter season keeps them busy, and Ybor City across the bay is there for a rowdier night.

Destin's going out is open-air and seasonal: decks on the harbour boardwalk, beach bars on Okaloosa Island and afternoon boat raft-ups at Crab Island. In summer and spring break a few dance floors stay open late. Out of season most evenings end early.

Both are flat, water-bound places with no hills, and the outdoors is about equally good. What differs is the setting. Destin points out to sea, with deep-sea charters, snorkelling off the jetties, dolphins in the pass and calm Choctawhatchee Bay for paddling. Its land attraction is the high white dunes and rare coastal dune lakes in the state parks to the east.

St. Petersburg is a place of mangrove backwaters. Paddling trails at Weedon Island and Shell Key bring you close to rays, wading birds and, in winter, manatees. The long, paved Pinellas Trail makes cycling easy.

St. Petersburg has more to choose from within reach. Tampa's Ybor City and riverwalk are across the bay, and the Ringling's mansion and circus museum at Sarasota are about an hour south. Tarpon Springs' Greek sponge docks are to the north, and Orlando's theme parks are within a long day.

From Destin the good options are fewer: the pastel planned towns of Seaside, Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach on 30A, and Pensacola's colonial district, naval aviation museum and brick forts an hour west. After those you are into similar resort coast.

Both are very good for a family beach trip, with gentle shallow water and condos set up for children. Destin keeps the extras close to the beach: a marine park with dolphin shows, a water park, go-karts, mini golf and pirate-ship cruises from the harbour.

St. Petersburg has bigger attractions, but they are further apart. Great Explorations is in town, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is to the north, and Busch Gardens, ZooTampa and the Florida Aquarium are across the bay, with Orlando within reach. Expect more driving to get to them.

Both are car country, but St. Petersburg has a usable core. Its downtown is compact enough to walk between the pier, museums and Central Avenue. A trolley loop, a rapid bus to St. Pete Beach and the Pinellas Trail cover the rest of the basics.

Destin strings out along a single coastal highway that clogs in summer and has few safe places to cross on foot. Apart from the harbour boardwalk and the 30A bike trail, you will be driving or calling a ride.

Neither is a shopping destination, and they lean in opposite directions. Destin is about brands, with a large outlet centre near Miramar Beach and an open-air chain mall. The 30A boutiques and galleries are its more stylish side.

St. Petersburg is independent and small-scale: vintage and record shops along Central Avenue, galleries selling local glass and the winter Saturday Morning Market. For big names you drive to Tampa's malls.

Both cost what American beach resorts cost, made worse by car hire and parking. The useful difference is timing. Destin is at its dearest in summer and cheap from late autumn to early spring, when the water is too cold to swim. St. Petersburg charges most from February to April and eases off in the hot, stormy summer. A condo with a kitchen, or a bed a little back from the sand, saves money in either place.

St. Petersburg has a modest but dependable stage. The Florida Orchestra and touring shows play at the waterfront Mahaffey Theater, and there is a professional regional theatre, a former church used for concerts and live bands in bars at weekends. Tampa's large arts centre is nearby for opera and ballet.

In Destin you would cross the bay to a college arts centre in Niceville for the symphony. Otherwise it is small theatre groups, summer lawn concerts in the 30A towns and cover bands on bar decks.

St. Petersburg is the easier place to slow down. Its historic beach hotels have spas, downtown has yoga studios, and quiet Pass-a-Grille and the nightly sunset over the Gulf set an unhurried pace. All of that is at its best in the mild, dry winter.

Destin's pampering is concentrated in the golf and beach resorts around Sandestin and Miramar Beach. The calm it offers is simple: empty sand early in the day in spring and autumn, before summer traffic and crowds take it away.