Two-hour travel – a trip to St. Petersburg, Fl

Our last few trips have been marred with illness. Worried about finding healthcare in far-away places, we haven’t traveled anywhere for almost a year. A recent opportunity to join beloved cousins in celebration of their historic gay marriage in Florida was too tempting to resist, however, and we set about creating the “Two-Hour Travel Plan:” travel experiences separated into two-hour segments. Specifically, we agreed that each transportation segment would involve no more than two hours: two hours maximum in an airplane or car. Two hours maximum of tourist activity each day; no taxing day long excursions.  Two hours of naptime or reading each day were also included in our Two-Hour Travel Plan. Finally, we acknowledged that even two hours was too strenuous for my still-recovering mobility, and arranged to have an electric mobility cart delivered to our hotel to handle those enticing two-hour trips to museums.

It worked!  The use of a nearby small airport allowed us to travel to and through the airport in less than two hours, parking within sight of the airport, traversing the security line without waiting, and actually boarding the flight a mere two hours after our departure from home. The two-hour flight from our home to Fort Myers, Fl was perfect; we didn’t even need the snacks we brought at the suggestion of the low-cost snack-free airline. Within minutes of landing, we located our rental car and took off for our destination in St. Petersburg—a 90minute drive away. Two hours after landing, we arrived at our hotel where the cart awaited. Lunch and nap polished off the day. Each of the following days followed a similar schedule…two hours of touring, two hours of napping, two hours of reading. 

For the travelers among you, St. Petersburg is a destination we’d recommend. A walkable coastal city with great museums, boutique period hotels downtown, and nearby beaches. Our four day trip allowed for two hours in each of three museums: the Dali Museum,

the Imagine Museum

and the new Museum of American Arts and Crafts. Follow the links for more information.

Now we are planning another family trip to Michigan… a two hour flight away followed by a two hour drive from the airport. We will add a wheelchair escort for the larger airport and schedule family visits and celebrations in two hour segments. Old person travel planning, adapting to better fit our needs.