Dear Traveler,
For the majority of the United States, winter is a time to stay indoors, bundle up, and wait for warmer days. But here in St. Pete, winter is an invitation to step outside.
From Thanksgiving through March, Albert Whitted Airport welcomes a 25 percent rise in traffic as travelers trade snow for sunshine on our sparkling waterfront. It’s the ideal way to arrive in the Sunshine City—where winter feels wide open, bright, and endlessly welcoming.
Join me and discover how winter transforms into something altogether different here.
There are several ways to arrive in St. Pete:
Fly a scenic approach into Albert Whitted Airport
Charter a flight with Tampa Bay Air Charter
Drive northbound over the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Take the ferry from Tampa
The skies over Albert Whitted Airport are clear, the breeze is cool, and the water is blue. I line up for Runway 25 guided by sailboats and the iconic St. Pete Pier. Each corner of the airport is painted with an inviting opportunity. I can sign up for a helicopter tour from Tampa Bay Aviation. If I want a taste of history, I can take a tour in an authentic WWII biplane. Ready for a meal, I head up the wreath-lined staircase to the Hangar Restaurant for holiday-season comfort food overlooking the airfield.
Adventure Awaits…
Flying Adventure LLC offers an aerobatic experience in a WWII biplane
Executive Helicopter Tours will fly you over Fort De Soto, Egmont Key, and Anna Maria Island
Tampa Bay Aviation customizes aerial tours over St. Pete’s attractions and beaches
Waving goodbye to my airport friends, I’m ready to enter the city. I’ll never have to step foot in a car if I don’t want to. The airport is at the intersection of the local trolley, bike rentals, and the walkable downtown grid. I opt for the scenic stroll on Bayshore Dr., past the Dali Museum, to Demens Landing Park. I come here for a view of Albert Whitted Airport that not many visitors experience. St. Pete sailors rival pilots in friendliness. This vibrant, bustling city keeps a small town charm and I end up invited onto a friend-of-a-friend’s sailboat for a quick race around the Pier. On the water, dolphins play in our wake. Waves crash along the riprap protecting the runway. Airplanes buzz overhead as they fly an approach just four hundred feet above the sails. A few hours ago, I was in an airplane rocking my wings to the sailors below. Now I am below, even beneath airport elevation, watching the belly of a Cessna glide in, knowing the feeling of soaring over. As above, so below.
Exploration outside the airport continues…
Experience the fusion of technology and art inside the Dali Dome at the Dali Museum
Launch a sailboat in the South Yacht Basin
Explore the St. Pete History Museum and Tampa Bay Watch’s Discovery Center on the St. Pete Pier
As the sailors bring me back to shore, the sun gets low, and the lights of downtown and the runway appear. Now, I’m faced with the best kind of vacation dilemma. Where next? Venture north for waterfront parks. Go west for my favorite restaurants and bars. Or head south toward Albert Whitted Airport to catch the sunset. The next steps are yours to discover with your family, friends, or even solo.
See you soon.
Sincerely,
A Friend of Albert Whitted Airport
December 12, 2025
Nisuka Williams