CLEARWATER, Fla. — Spring break is here!
So, if you’re considering heading down to the beach, you might want to know that the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is offering a park-and-ride service from downtown Clearwater to Clearwater beach.
The price sure can’t be beaten. It’s free. The service is being offered between now and April 30.
Buses and trolleys run between the free parking lot at Clearwater City Hall and the beaches. There’s also free parking on the weekends at the nearby county building too.
We climbed aboard the PSTA special park-and-ride bus between downtown and Clearwater Beach and met Bob and Marci Buryea visiting from Chicago for a wedding on the beach.
The couple could not say enough good things — the shuttle to and from downtown took about 15 minutes.
There was no traffic trauma. No parking problems. No fees to deal with.
“Exactly what we need,” Marci said.
The ride was convenient, too.
Buses run every 30 minutes Monday through Thursday and every 15 minutes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Weekdays and Sundays, they run until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, they run until midnight.
Several beach visitors told us they wished they’d known about the service sooner.
“If you spend a day or a couple of hours here then it’s a nice idea,” visitor Dennis Kornet said.
“Yeah — save money and it’s easy. No parking,” Jessica Vensoest said.
Local business owners in and around downtown Clearwater say they like the idea, too. This time of year, most visitors drive right past them to the beach.
The free park-and-ride service gives folks an excuse to check out downtown.
“Maybe they come back to their car and grab a bite or grab a drink around here,” restaurant owner Nola Louvon said.