When Covid was in full swing we tried to get to the Salvador Dali Museum a few times as its a short walk from Albert Whitted airport in St. Pete. Each time I tried get tickets they had sold out all their timed entrance tickets for the weekend we had available to visit. Fast forward to 2022 and Brian asked if we wanted to join them on a trip there. Of course! And now getting tickets is not an issue as they had every time slot available. My mom was in town visiting making (5) of us in Orlando. Luckily Brian and Lucy had an extra seat and offered to pickup Karrie on their flight from Atlanta so we had enough seats in Skyscraper to take the remaining (4) of us on the short flight.
When you fly from Orlando to St. Pete you must contend with the Tampa Bravo as well as MacDill AFB airspace. You have a few choices:
I generally fly below the busy Tampa Bravo airspace and transition MacDill. This allows for the shortest distance between takeoff and landing as well as flying the shortest distance over water. It also keeps you from having to chop and drop into KSPG out of the Bravo as KPSG is right on the edge of MacDill’s airspace. The runways at Whitted are not all that long so coming in high or fast is a poor choice. If you opt to talk with Tampa Approach its not uncommon to get vectored WAY south of MacDill and add needless time and open water to the trip. This time MacDill tower was closed and Tampa controlled their airspace. The Tampa controller was kind enough to let us transition MacDill.
A short walk from the plane and we arrived at the Dali Museum. They do not allow backpacks inside but do offer free lockers just south of the entrance doors. Having not eaten lunch yet we opted to eat at the Cafe Gala in the museum. The food was fairly priced and really great. The kids picked up activity books and spent some time working on those during lunch. After ascending the spiral staircase to the second floor we enjoyed the museum before coming down and taking in the outdoor garden where we placed are wrist bands on their “wish tree”.
After departing the museum we took a mile or so walk to the St. Pete Pier and its Teak restaurant. When you land on runway 25 at KSPG, out the right window you fly right past the massive, multi level St. Pete Pier. The top of the pier is an outdoor tiki bar (Pier Teaki) while the mid level is the Teak restaurant. Either space has an exceptional view of the bay and city. While eating dinner an afternoon thunderstorm rolled in that passed before we finished dinner. A short tram ride from the end of the pier to be beginning of it and we took the walk back to the airport.
Of note, while walking around we saw plenty of non native Monk parakeets. These green birds flew among the tall palm trees making all sorts of noise. Lets hope they like the salt air and don’t migrate to Orlando!
KSPG bound – London reading her book up front with grandma and Violet in back.
Brian and Karrie up front and Lucy in back of Bubbles.
Dali Museum in the back ground.
Beautiful as struck concrete spiral stairs.
London, Lucy, Violet, and The Font.
Lucy, London, Violet, and The Ecumenical Council.
Karrie and the girls with their activity books.
Near entrance to St. Pete Pier.
Almost to the end of the Pier.
