Your Next Adventure
Your Next Adventure
Florida Gulf Beaches & Rail Trails Bike Tour
Trip Overview
Escape the north and enjoy this bike tour on flat, protected rail trails — plus scenic riding on the barrier islands and beaches along the serene waters of Florida’s gorgeous Gulf of Mexico. Relish these carefully designed cycling routes in Pinellas and Sarasota counties. You stay ALL five nights right on the beach, allowing for morning and evening strolls during the ideal conditions in late fall or early spring. Each day features riding on rail trails with options for additional road miles — and the road miles are frequently in bike lanes or on quiet roads. Plus, dine on fresh seafood and other local treats.
You spend the first three days on St. Pete Beach, primarily exploring the Pinellas Trail and numerous state parks and beaches. A short shuttle on Wednesday takes you to the Legacy Trail in Sarasota County, where you enjoy rail trails and easy access to Casey Key — with its slow-traffic road and easy connections to bike trails and to miles of roads with dedicated bike lanes.
Whether you want to ride just on trails, or you are looking for extra early- and late-season miles, this trip provides a great combination of beaches and biking to create a vacation you’ll never forget! This is also an ideal trip to bring along a non-riding companion to enjoy the beaches and museums, including the Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg and options to visit Sarasota’s famous Ringling Museum — with both art collections and circus history. On the March dates, you might even be able to attend an MLB spring training baseball game.
Itinerary
From start to finish, check out the route.
The trip begins at 1 p.m. when you meet your leaders at the Sirata Beach Resort on St. Pete Beach. After brief introductions, you are fitted for your bike, have a safety review, and then begin a ride along St. Pete Beach. You loop around the southern tip of the island and make your way along the edge of St. Pete to Fort Desoto State Park. After exploring the fortifications and beaches, riders return to the Sirata by bike or van. Check in for your first night — right on the beach — and gather for a welcome dinner together.
Bike over the Clearwater Causeway on a dedicated bike lane, stop at two parks, and spin along the Pinellas Trail to Tarpon Springs. Enjoy lunch at a local Greek restaurant and nearby docks and shops. Bike back to Clearwater via Pinellas Trail and visit the famous Dali Museum. Enjoy dinner on your own this evening.
Today’s ride begins with a shuttle to downtown St. Petersburg and to the southern end of the Pinellas Trail. Ride the first 20 miles, then cross the Clearwater Causeway again. After a visit to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, you enjoy lunch at your choice of restaurants in Clearwater Beach. Spend the afternoon biking along a number of barrier beaches with visits to two State Parks. Dinner is together.
Shuttle to Venice and the end of the Legacy Trail. After riding to the northern end, follow dedicated bike lanes and back roads out to Casey Key for an included lunch. Your second hotel is a short 6-mile ride down Casey Key after lunch. Casey Key is known for its lovely beach and the low-light restrictions to improve the success of the many sea turtles that nest there. You can then relax on the beach or choose to do an additional afternoon loop for more miles. End the day with a sunset stroll on the beach and a walk to a delicious waterside dinner nearby.
Today’s ride takes you back along the Legacy Trail into Venice, then along a dedicated bike trail beside the Intracoastal Waterway — part of the network providing protected passage for boats from Boston to Florida and around the Gulf to Texas. After traversing the quiet neighborhood roads of South Venice, you cross a bridge onto Manasota Key and enjoy more riding along a barrier island. At the southern end of Manasota Key, you visit Stump Pass Beach State Park and go for a kayak paddle in the mangroves at Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve. Return to Venice Island — via bike or van — and explore the beaches there, including the opportunity to sift the sand for plentiful fossilized shark’s teeth. Our final celebratory dinner is at a local restaurant.
Today is our final day of riding. You can start early for some longer miles on bike lanes, visiting Myakka River State Park, or you can take a more leisurely ride back to the Legacy Trail and along the beaches of Casey Key. After showers, shuttle back to St. Pete Beach and the Tampa Airport.
Map
Dates & Pricing
Make your reservation with confidence. Your tour is completely 100% refundable until the final payment due date.
What’s Included
5 nights’ lodging, 5 breakfasts, 4 dinners (you are on your own for one dinner), 2 lunches, kayaking at Lemon Bay, entrance to Clearwater Aquarium, entrance to the Salvador Dalí Museum, State Park entrance fees, leaders, van support, maps and route directions. One free shuttle time to and from Tampa Airport per each tour date. And use of a bicycle, helmet, and bike lights. Airfare not included.
Dates & Pricing
Make your reservation with confidence. Your tour is completely 100% refundable until the final payment due date.
What’s Included
5 nights’ lodging, 5 breakfasts, 4 dinners (you are on your own for one dinner), 2 lunches, kayaking at Lemon Bay, entrance to Clearwater Aquarium, entrance to the Salvador Dalí Museum, State Park entrance fees, leaders, van support, maps and route directions. One free shuttle time to and from Tampa Airport per each tour date. And use of a bicycle, helmet, and bike lights. Airfare not included.
Inns
Where you stay along the way.
Gallery
Images from this tour. Click each to see it larger.
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