Florida's Suncoast Nature Coast Defrost Tour 2027

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Florida’s Suncoast and Nature Coast Winter Defrost Tour 2027

OVERVIEW:  Leave that cold, dreary weather behind and kick off 2027 in a sunny, warm weather riding destination while enjoying a variety of sights, including pristine white sand beaches, crystal clear spring fed rivers, and some of the state’s most scenic natural areas! The tour starts and ends in Tampa and provides the opportunity to visit both Florida’s “Suncoast” and “Nature Coast.” Florida’s Suncoast encompasses the Tampa Bay area and beaches, while the Nature Coast is the area just north of Tampa, famous for crystal clear spring fed rivers, manatees, and pristine forests. While visiting the Nature Coast, you will be able to rent kayaks in Weeki Wachee and/or Crystal River where you’re guaranteed to see manatees. For the adventurous, you can join a guided tour to swim with the manatees. Beyond the great weather and sights, you’ll also be riding mostly on Florida’s expansive bike trail system, with 75% of the recommended routes on bike trails (though you could do almost 95% on bike paths on optional routes). The trails include the Pinellas Trail, Suncoast Trail, and the majestic Withlacoochee Trail. This will be the third time doing this tour and everyone who has done it has been absolutely blown away by the area’s bike trail network!

·       We’ll meet in Tampa on Sunday, January 31, at the Doubletree Hotel Rocky Point, just a few miles from Tampa International Airport.

·       Monday we’ll ride across beautiful Tampa Bay on the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail, then north along the west coast of the bay through the quaint town of Safety Harbor before taking bike trails on our way to Clearwater Beach. For baseball fans, the route goes right by the Philadelphia Phillies spring training complex.

·       Tuesday we’ll take the beach route south on Gulf Boulevard, riding along the area’s pristine white sand beaches and through the beach towns of Indian Rocks Beach, Treasure Island, St. Petersburg Beach, and Pass-A- Grill Beach. Notably, the beaches along this route are considered some of the prettiest and best beaches in the US. Once through Pass-A-Grill, we’ll take a network of bike trails east to the vibrant and artsy city of St. Petersburg.

·       Wednesday and Thursday we’ll enjoy St. Petersburg, where you’ll have the option to visit the numerous sights there, including the many museums and galleries, highlighted by the Salvador Dali Museum, the Chihuly Collection, and Museum of Fine Arts. If museums aren’t your thing, you can visit the St. Petersburg Pier, the Sunken Gardens, take the fast ferry to Tampa, or arrange for some on the water adventures like a kayak tour. And of course, you’ll have plenty of options for loop rides in the area, including a visit to historic Fort DeSoto. One evening we’ll do a 2-hour sunset and Sunshine Skyway Bridge Light Show cruise on Tampa Bay.

·       Friday we’ll take the Pinellas Trail all the way to the historic Greek fishing village of Tarpon Springs, known as the “Sponge Capital of the World” where about 85% of the world’s sea sponges are harvested. Once in Tarpon Springs, we’ll meet after lunch to do a 45-minute Sponge Diving boat tour on the Anclote River. Either before or after the boat tour, you’ll be able to visit the sponge docks, where you can see docked sponge boats, numerous shops selling sea sponges, and several restaurants serving up authentic Greek cuisine.

·       Saturday we’ll continue north on our way to Weeki Wachee and Florida’s Nature Coast. We’ll hug the coast on our way north, passing through several small towns and plenty of mangrove shorelines and coastal marshes.

·       Sunday we’ll spend the day in Weeki Wachee where you’ll have the opportunity to visit Weeki Wachee Springs State Park and/or visit Weeki Wachee Gardens and it’s fabulous kayaking and manatee watching. Famous as a symbol of yesteryear Florida tourism, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park has been entertaining visitors since 1947. You can watch the iconic Weeki Wachee mermaid show, take a boat tour, and/or kayak down the pristine Weeki Wachee River, enjoying crystal clear water and the very best of Florida’s Nature Coast scenery.

·       Monday we’ll continue north on the Suncoast Trail to the town of Crystal River, known as the “Manatee Capital of the World”.

·       Tuesday we’ll spend the day in Crystal River. The town of Crystal River surrounds Kings Bay, which is fed by over seventy springs that feed over 600 million gallons of 72-degree freshwater a day into the freshwater bay. Due to the warm spring waters, the bay is the leading winter refuge for the Florida Manatee, with some days having over one thousand manatees in the bay. A visit to the Three Sisters Springs Boardwalk, renting kayaks, or swimming with the manatees on a boat tour is a must.

·       Wednesday we’ll ride east until we meet the Withlacoochee State Trail, where we turn south towards Brooksville, a historic and charming small town. The Withlacoochee State Trail is a rails-to-trails bike trail that parallels the Withlacoochee River and crosses the Withlacoochee State Forest and Croom Wildlife Management Area. The trail is considered one of the most scenic in Florida and offers rich opportunities for viewing Florida’s lush forests and wildlife, including an array of birds and the possibility of seeing alligators in the waters near the trail.

·       Thursday we’ll head to the town of Trinity after getting back on the Suncoast Trail, then passing through beautiful Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park.

·       Friday is our last day of riding as we continue back to Tampa. We’ll get back on the Pinellas Trail where we exited it on the way north, but we’ll head the other way and go south along the east side of the trail before going back over Tampa Bay on the Courtney Causeway Trail.

HEALTH & SAFETY: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone’s health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leaders and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

RIDE RATING: The ride is rated 1B with an average of 42 miles and 667’ of climbing each day. There is one day with 58 miles of riding and 1370’ of climbing (yes, there are some hills in central Florida!), but also a shorter option of 37 miles if you skip the Withlacoochee Trail. There are eight days of required point-to-point riding and four days with optional loop rides.

CUE SHEETS, MAPS, GPS FILES: The ride leader will provide RWGPS routes prior to the start of the tour.  Participants will receive an email containing a link to the EVENT, which will include all routes for the tour.  Participants will need to have downloaded (at the minimum) the free version of the RWGPS app to receive voice turn by turn directions.  Participants wanting cue sheets will need to print their own from the files provided.  The routes in RWGPS are easily loaded to GPS devices.

WEATHER: The average high temperatures in west central Florida in February are in the low 70s with lows in the 50s.  However, if a strong cold front passes through, highs could only be in the mid to high 40s or 50s. These cold snaps usually last two to three days before temperatures go back up to normal. There’s also a chance to see days in the low 80s. Winters in Florida are typically dry, but there is always a chance of getting rained on for a day or two.

LODGING, MEALS and HAPPY/SOCIAL HOUR: The tour will include stays in an assortment of hotels, with most considered mid-range, nice, but not luxury. Five breakfasts will be included, and all hotels not offering complimentary breakfast have restaurants on-site or within close walking distance. There will be three group dinners included. There will be 11 Happy Hours with various local craft beers, quality California wines, and non-alcoholic drinks, along with plentiful finger foods.

 LOGISTICS: The tour starts and ends at the DoubleTree by Hilton Tampa Rocky Point Waterfront (3050 N Rocky Point Dr N, Tampa, FL). We’ll meet at the hotel on Sunday, January 31st at 4:45 PM, before heading out for a group dinner. The hotel is only a few miles from the Tampa airport. Anyone flying in will need to use a taxi or Uber to get to the hotel since the hotel does not have a shuttle bus. The trip ends Saturday morning, 13 February. Cars (no large RVs) and bike boxes can be left at the hotel free of charge for the duration of the tour.

• VAN SUPPORT: The luggage van or trailer will transport the luggage between hotels. Participants are expected ride the entire route and will be transported only in the case of injury or illness. Riders should be able to handle their own bike repairs - at a minimum how to change a tire.  If you have a major equipment failure, we will assist or direct you to the nearest town with a bike shop.  
• LUGGAGE LIMITATIONS:  We request that each rider limit their luggage to one medium sized suitcase/duffel (40lb. max) and a small backpack.  You will primarily be responsible for moving your own luggage to/from the luggage van, but others may also have to move your luggage, so please be considerate.  If you cannot fit your luggage in one medium suitcase, considering using 2 duffel or carry-on size bags.
• BICYCLES: Tandems and pedal assist e-bikes are welcome on this tour. For bicycle rentals, contact City Bike Tampa, www.citybiketampa.com, 208 E Cass St., Tampa (813-225-1777) or another Tampa area bike shop that rents bikes. We highly suggest reserving the bike well in advance. All arrangements for bike rental are between the participant and the bike shop. The tour leaders cannot guarantee bike rental availability or quality.

COST & ADMINISTRATION: The cost estimate of $2600 per person plus the $85 BAC fee, includes 13 nights lodging double occupancy, luggage van, Happy Hours, three group dinners, two boat cruises, and five breakfasts. Gratuities are included for all group dinners and special events, but not for hotel cleaning staffs. Deposit will be $1000 with the balance due December 1, 2026. The solo supplement is estimated to be an additional $1350.

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY: We recommend that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until December 1, 2026 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee) or pay the $1350 solo supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leaders will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride. 

The solo supplement payment of $1350 is due by 1 December 2026 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle:

● In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org

● Initiate a payment

● In the Message block, enter Florida’s Suncoast & Nature Coast Defrost Tour 2027.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.

CANCELLATION POLICY:  The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled because the number of participants is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped, the cancelling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour.  BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT POLICY: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

INSURANCE STATEMENT: BAC maintains two insurance policies: a) United States, and b) Foreign (all other countries). Both the U.S. and Foreign policies are considered secondary policies to your personal medical insurance policy. They are subject to a $1000 deductible and may not cover all expenses related to an accident. Copies of the current policies are located under the “Docs” tab on the BAC website.

Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. While touring in the U.S, the BAC insurance includes coverage for injuries due to accidents during the bike trip. Members’ personal insurance will need to cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected illness (i.e. treatment for unexpected illnesses, including Covid, are not covered).

While touring internationally, i.e., outside of the U.S., BAC maintains Foreign accident insurance to assist with expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies (including sudden and unexpected sickness), and repatriation. Insurance will apply door-to-door for treatment and travel for a maximum of 90 days overall. Coverage extends to a limited period spanning the published BAC trip dates, allowing for side trips occurring before and after the BAC ride; the limitation period is seven days before or after the published BAC trip dates. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine.

SIGN-UP: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL) and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is an $85.00 domestic ride fee and $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this ride description.