St. Pete Beach, Florida - Judy's Journeys

Departure Points

Yankee Trails - 7:00am
Exit 21, Catskill Commuter Lot - 7:45am ***No Parking Available***
Kingston Plaza, Kingston - 8:05am

Thurs, February 20:

Hop aboard our deluxe motor coach with friends, old and new, as we leave for sunny St. Pete Beach, Florida on this spectacular getaway. We will travel south to our first night’s accommodations at the Comfort Suites, Fredericksburg South (540-891-1112). Dinner will be on your own at your choice of several nearby restaurants. You are requested to pack an overnight bag for the first 2 and last 2 hotel nights travel as luggage assistance is not available.

Fri, February 21:

A continental breakfast is included at the hotel this morning before we continue southbound and into warmer weather! Our accommodations this evening are at the brand new Drury Plaza Hotel Savannah Pooler (912) 330-0400 in Pooler, GA. Dinner will be at your leisure this evening at the included Drury Kickback supper & cocktail hour.

Sat, February 22:

A full Drury breakfast is included at the hotel this morning before our departure for the Florida state line, just ahead of us and the completion of our journey to our accommodations accommodations (updated November 2024) at the RumFish Beach at Tradewinds, 6000 Gulf Blvd, 1 mile north of the Dolphin Beach where we have stayed the past few years. This location has 12 acres of beachfront, 5 restaurants on property, one featuring an aquarium with 30 species of fish, 4 swimming pools and access to the Tradewinds pools and bars located next door to our property, beach cabanas, couches with fire pits just off the patios and, of course, gorgeous views of the sunsets!! We are located directly on the beach looking at the Gulf of Mexico! You have your choice of a Standard, Poolside or Gulf Front room. Standard rooms are not poolside or gulf front. Poolside rooms have patios or balconies or a picture window (these are randomly assigned by the hotel. Balconies or patios are not guaranteed). All rooms have a kitchenette. Gulf Front rooms have balconies or patios and are waterfront. There’s a trolley directly in front of the hotel that runs all the way to Clearwater as well as restaurants, pharmacy, grocery store, shops and restaurants across the street from the hotel and nearby within walking distance. Dinner this evening is on your own.

Sun, February 23:

Today you are free to relax, settle in and explore St. Pete at your own pace. For first timers, it’s your opportunity to orient yourself with the hotel and surrounding area while our veteran travelers will immediately head to the pool and beach to relax by the sea! Our time in St. Pete will allow you to spend each day on your own as you like, or you may choose any of our offered optional tours and dinner excursions.
Dinner Option #1 is available tonight at Shrimpy’s Waterfront in Treasure Island.

Mon, February 24:

Option A: St Petersburg Jungle Prada Site History Tour. This tour is an immersive cultural experience at a one-of-a-kind historic landmark where 1,000 years of Florida history come together. There will also be time to roam and enjoy this lush and awesome setting. We will return to the resort following our exploration with a local historian.
Dinner Option #2: This evening’s dinner option will be at Glory Days Grill, a sports themed, family-friendly American Grill and Bar located at Tyrone Place Mall with menu items such as fish fry, wings, steaks and burgers. We will return to the resort following dinner.

Tues, February 25:

Option B: This morning we are off to visit Solomon’s Castle, a tour that takes us on an adventure through the back roads of Florida (as remote as they get) to see how one man’s vision came to life and figured out how to live life this way. Howard Solomon, often called the “Davinci of Debris”, created a gleaming three-story castle that pops up out of the Florida wilderness, looking like a temple from a lost time. His specialty is turning junk into art and we will get a first-hand look at his treasures! Following our tour, a Knight’s Roundtable lunch is included with your choice of sandwich, salad, chicken pot pie or chili before we return to the resort.

Dinner Option #3: Dinner this evening is at Harold Seltzer’s Steakhouse, located at Tyrone Place Mall. We will return to the hotel following dinner.

Wed, February 26:

Today you may choose Option C: Today is our day to travel to Apollo Beach with a mix of activities. Our first stop is the Apollo Beach Manatee Viewing Center where the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach circulates water from Tampa Bay for cooling, then sends warm water flowing clean and warm back into the bay. The manatees love warm water and in the winter months, the manatees leave colder waters to return to this warm and welcoming refuge. After visiting the manatees and their education building there will be time for an included lunch at the authentic German, Old Castle Restaurant and shopping at the hugely popular Beall’s Department and Outlet store all located in the nearby Sun City Shopping Center. We will return to the resort after lunch and shopping.
Dinner Option #4: Dinner this evening is at The Horse and Jockey, a pub offering English grub and a good-time atmosphere in South Pasadena!

Thurs, February 27:

Option D: Today is Strawberry Festival Day! We are off to Plant City and as the name suggests, the Festival is about all things Strawberry and it is a super fun day! View exhibits, competitions, arts and crafts vendors, free entertainment and of course, strawberry shortcake! We will return to the hotel mid-afternoon. Dinner this evening is on your own.

Fri, February 28:

Option E: Today we’re off to the famous Red Barn Flea Market in Bradenton, FL. Owned and operated by the same family since 1981, the Red Barn combines a traditional flea market, plaza shops, food courts and an open air farmer’s market in a 145,000 sq ft “barn”. Enjoy air-conditioned, indoor shopping, fresh produce (Florida tomatoes!), entertainment and a variety of prepared foods. A treasure hunt awaits as you stroll through more flea market booths and shops. Following our day at the Red Barn we will return to our hotel.

Dinner Option #5: Dinner this evening is at PoFolks Restaurant, well known for their outstanding fried chicken dinners. We will return to the resort after dinner.

Sat, March 1:

Option F: Today we stay right in St. Petersburg, with a visit to the Florida Holocaust Museum that honors the millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. This is a divergence from “sun and fun” and gives us time to pause and respect the history that is presented for our remembrance, our learning and our teaching for our current times and for our future generations. A sub and salad dinner is included at the resort this evening.

Sun., March 2:

Today is a free day to relax, take in the sun and enjoy a restful beach day. Dinner is on your own this evening.

Mon, March 3:

Option G: Today is Baseball Day with a Yankees Spring Training game at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. Game information is not available until November/December. If you would like to attend the game, please select this item and we will contact you when information and cost is available. Please Note: Game tickets are mobile entry and the MLB Ballpark App is required on a mobile device to receive your ticket and enter the stadium. Dinner will be on your own this evening.

Tues, March 4:

Option H: Today the motorcoach will make its way to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa for several hours of gaming before returning to the resort.

Dinner Option #6: Dinner this evening will be at Carrabba’s Italian Grill at Tyrone Place Mall.

Wed, March 5:

Option I: Today’s activity will be in the evening as we head toward Treasure Island and Coastal Cruises for a 3-hour Island Sunset Cruise. Our cruise will be on their 50 ft custom catamaran for an evening like no other. A scenic trip out the Intracoastal Waterway and along Shell Key Preserve provides ample opportunities for dolphin sightings. A stop at Outback Key is where you can take your cocktail ashore and search for your perfect shell and watch the sun kiss the horizon over the Gulf of Mexico. Returning, we’ll stop by the Skyway Bridge for a spectacular $15 million light show that is truly a “must-see”. There is no dining aboard, however, you are welcome to bring snacks or handhelds to handle hunger pangs. We will return to the resort at 7:30pm for a late dinner on your own.

Thurs, March 6:

Today is a free day at the resort to begin packing preparation for our impending departure and return to the Northeast. All necessary as we have a big event scheduled for Friday! A pizza and antipasto dinner is included at the resort this evening.

Fri, March 7:

Option J: The Suncoast Dinner Theater with their sumptuous buffet lunch is our destination today! The performance this year is “A Tribute to Phil Collins”, a celebration of the remarkable talent of Phil Collins who has transcended superstardom to become one of the world’s best-selling artists. This tribute band flawlessly replicates Phil Collins’ iconic songs and massive drum sounds spanning five decades and resulting in an impressive 150 million albums sold worldwide. Sure to be an incredible afternoon! We will return to the hotel following the show and dinner will be on your own.

Sat, March 8:

Today is departure as we say goodbye to our wonderful hosts, at the Dolphin Beach Resort. Our destination tonight is the Drury Plaza Hotel Savannah Pooler (912) 330-0400 in Pooler, GA. Dinner will be at your leisure this evening at the included Drury Kickback supper & cocktail hour. You are requested to pack an overnight bag for these last 2 hotel nights as luggage assistance is not available.

Sun, March 9:

A full Drury breakfast will be available prior to departure. Today’s destination is the Comfort Inn & Suites, Fredericksburg, Virginia (540-891-1112). Dinner is on your own at nearby restaurants.

Mon, March 10:

A continental breakfast will be available in the hotel lobby prior to departure. We are embarking on the final day of this amazing journey, returning to New York State and our homes with lasting memories of a beautiful beach, amazing visits to some of Florida’s great attractions and most of all, escape from winter’s chill. We arrive home with an appreciation for the friends made and the acquaintances renewed!