Spring breakers and snow birds are flocking to the Tampa Bay area right now which means traffic can get jammed up near the waterfront.
This week, I discovered a creative way to avoid driving in spring break traffic that will also allow you to relax and sightsee.
I took the Jolley Trolley coastal route in northern Pinellas County. It runs from Clearwater Beach to Downtown Clearwater, to Dunedin, Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs. I chose the Downtown Clearwater to Dunedin leg and compared it to driving.
The Jolley Trolley has a spring break deal through April 29 that gives riders a free all-day pass if they park at Clearwater City Hall. Parking is also free at City Hall for trolley riders.
Typically, it’s $5 for an all-day pass with discounts given to seniors and disabled riders. Children under five are always free.
I chose to park in the Trolley pick-up lot next to the Clearwater Ferry and Coachman Park. It is free all year here. This is where I boarded for my quick trip to Dunedin.
The Trolley has a classic wooden interior and plays music on the commute. After a few quick local stops and seeing a great view of the water along Alternate 19, we landed in the heart of busy Dunedin on Main Street in just under 20 minutes.
I spoke with snowbird Tim Huyser during my ride. He was taking the Trolley to see the sights.”Instead of concentrating on the road and the cars ahead of me and behind me, I’m actually here looking at all the different scenery and stops and this is much to my liking you know,” he said.
When I got off the trolley on Main Street, I met fellow rider Laurel Richardson who was killing time before catching the Blue Jays spring training baseball game in Dunedin.
“It’s great for a day pass. $5 for the rest of the day, that’s awesome. You don’t have to worry where you want to get on or off if you wanna pause,” she said. Richardson boarded the trolley in downtown Clearwater.
I took Lyft to time the drive back to my starting point. It took just over 12 minutes. So, for eight additional minutes on the commute, I avoided driving in traffic and was able to relax. Keep in mind, if I had driven, I would’ve needed to find and pay for parking in Dunedin, which would’ve taken additional time and money.
Jolley Trolley CEO Rosemary Windsor told me one of the motivations for the Coastal Route is to help get vehicles off the roads near the beaches and to ease congestion in towns by the water. She said that riding the trolley lets both local passengers and sightseers avoid the stress of driving during spring break season. The trolley also has a partnership with PSTA and the Suncoast Trolley, which services the southern beaches of Pinellas County. An all-day pass can connect riders to those options as well.
Learn more about the Jolley Trolley and its other routes here.