Typically, I would not even attempt to visit this lovely beach area on a weekend during Spring Break. Traffic is a nightmare, parking nearly impossible to find, and if you do find a spot it is prohibitively expensive.

Luckily, there’s the SunRunner, a new transit line that zips people from downtown St. Pete out to St. Pete Beach. I live just a few blocks from one of the stops and I enjoy taking advantage of the service (especially since it’s free until September).

Thanks to a recent shift in the wind which pushed red tide offshore, it ended up being a lovely little beach day. Well, except for having to share it with all the tourists (though they do leave behind some interesting things). But as it turns out, if you walk far enough, you can get away from most of them.