Tag Archives: Bike St Pete

Today's bike pic shows some who are lucky enough to find some warm weather riding as the upper Midwest gets hit with snow and brutally cold temperatures.

Bike Pic April 24, riding into the Monday morning sun

Today’s bike pic shows a lucky biker chick enjoying some sun in the south. If you are stuck here in the bold north dress in layers as spring slowly arrives.

So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking destinations. And now, check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic

Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.

As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly, as we enter our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.

Have a great day with a safe and memorable year ahead!

Riding the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail from St Pete to Clearwater, Florida.

Bike Pic Dec 7, a warm weather bike reprieve in Florida

Riding the bike friendly Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail from St. Pete to Clearwater, Florida gave these two Midwest biker chicks a reprieve from the cold weather at home.

What better way to continue your fun and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the latest  Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of the HaveFunBiking Destinations.

Thanks for viewing the ‘Bike Florida’ Pic of the Day  

We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you may know that we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to: [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing this hand information booklet full of maps.

Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.

Have a great day!

After a bike tourism conference in Florida and hearing many interesting facts about the Tampa/St Pete bike friendly options, check them out.

Exploring the Tampa/St. Pete Area bike trails on your next vacation

by Russ Lowthian
Everyone needs a break, especially after the weather turns cold here in the upper
Midwest. Recently I attended a bicycle tourism conference in Florida. Having
heard many good things about the bike-friendly options in the Tampa/St. Pete area,
I wanted to check it out for myself. It also helped my decision learning that these two cities have
spent several million dollars improving their bicycle infrastructure.

Using the areas bike friendly lanes to safely get up to the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail.

Using the areas bike-friendly lanes to safely get up to the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail.

Compared to my visit several years back, cyclists today will find dedicated or protected cycling lanes and more bike trails. These bike lanes make it easy to connect to many popular trail systems. With many improvements in place, I found several safe routes perfect for any family bike outing. As you will note below many of the trails link up with parks, museums, aquariums, beaches, etc.!

Rental options when exploring the Tampa/St.Pete Area bike trails

Like most of the southeast coastal region of the U.S., the area here is pretty flat and the only hills are pedaling over bridges. That said, wind can be a factor and unless you are hanging around the beach, look for a rental bike, that fits you with multi-speeds. If you are going
to the rental shop, understand they usually operate on a first come first serve basis, so be sure to get there early if you are trying to ride on a busy weekend. Googling bicycle rental in St. Petersburg, I found numerous options. Many would deliver and pick up from my
hotel and were competitively priced.

Trails in the Tampa/St. Pete Area to explore by bike

On my last trip to the area, here are some of the bike paths and routes I have briefly checked out. I look forward to a return visit to explore these trails further and find other hidden jewels I missed.

Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail

Riding the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail from St Pete to Clearwater.

Riding the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail from St Pete to Clearwater.

From St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs, this 38-mile trail system lets you explore a scenic blend of bustling downtown areas and residential neighborhoods. Here palm trees shade the trail in between the parks. With several cities that dot the trail, you will find many options for beaches, breweries, dining and shopping along the way. This trail also gives you the option to visit Honeymoon Island State Park where you will find a beach. Nearby, a half-mile off the trail, you will also find the children’s museum at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. It is a 20-mile bike ride up the trail from St. Pete to Clearwater. Here in this progressive downtown area, with a beautiful waterfront, enjoy breweries, restaurants, and shopping.

The North Bay Trail

Enjoying the North Bay Trail

Enjoying the North Bay Trail

This trail picks up in the southern part of St. Petersburg, where the Pinellas Trail ends. A 6.3-mile-long trail it curves along the waterfront in downtown St. Pete and takes riders out to the Gandy Bridge, near Weedon Island Preserve. I hear this trail gets pretty busy, especially along the southernmost reaches that meanders through Vinoy Park and a few small, sandy beaches.

The Tampa Riverwalk

In downtown Tampa, the Riverwalk hugs the Hillsborough River. Only 2.6 miles long this is a great thoroughfare for bikers and a place you might see manatees and dolphins. The River Walk starts at Curtis Hixon Waterworks Park and stretches 2.6 miles to the intersection of Channelside Dr. & Beneficial Dr. If you want to make a day of it with the whole family, the Riverwalk connects to the Florida Aquarium and to the Glazer Children’s Museum, not to mention many restaurants and beautiful parks.

Bayshore Linear Park Trail

Home to Gasparilla, the third-largest parade in the U.S., the Bayshore is billed as the longest sidewalk in the world, clocking in at 4.5 unobstructed miles of pathway. The sidewalk runs along the eastern coast of the Tampa peninsula, offering a view of the bay to the east and some of Tampa’s most stately homes to the west. This Bayshore also connects easily to the Tampa Riverwalk, via the Platt Street Bridge, if you’re looking for a longer ride. Starting at Platt St. this trail ends at W. Gandy Blvd. where there is a dedicated bike lane if pedestrian traffic is heavy.

Selmon Greenway

Riding on the Selmon Greenway Trail

Riding on the Selmon Greenway Trail

This Greenway starts where the Selmon Expressway crosses over the Tampa Riverwalk (just south of Brorein Street). A shady trail, less than two miles long. From Tampa’s historic district it follows the shadows of the expressway rolling northeast to the outskirts of Ybor City. Along the way, you will find plenty of breweries and restaurants to visit when not biking.

Preparing to climb up to the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail

Preparing to climb up to the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail

 

 

 

 

Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail

This trail system, over Old Tampa Bay, connects the city of Clearwater to Tampa. If you are on a single-speed bike, this 11-mile trail system can be brutal if you are not in shape. First, you will need to pedal your bike up onto the bridge. Then, the wind coming across the bay can be strong. That said, the Courtney Campbell Trail makes for a scenic and fun bike ride. From Tampa, this is the perfect bike route to visit the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail or ride up to Safety Harbor.

Ream Wilson Trail (back in Clearwater)

On the Ream Wilson Trail riders will follow Alligator Creek and end in Coachmen Ridge Park

On the Ream Wilson Trail, riders will follow Alligator Creek and end in Coachmen Ridge Park

Back in Clearwater/St Pete, from the Courtney Campbell Trail over Tampa Bay, check out the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail. If you take the trail that parallels North Bayshore Blvd., in the middle of the trail system you have two options. Continue up the Bay and you will hit the charming downtown of Safety Harbor. There check out the Whimzey Bowling Ball House. If you ride the trail to the west, from Bayshore Blvd., the trail doesn’t make it all the way to the Pinellas Trail. It will only get you about halfway across riding along Alligator Creek and ending in Coachmen Ridge Park.

Have fun enjoying the trails I have covered so far in the Tampa/St. Pete area. If you discover another route or an interesting experience riding in the area please, let us know – Thanks!