Beach to Bayou - August 2016

A Beach Trolley Excursion

Shoofly correspondent and blogger Lisa Monti hails the new Beach Trolley for a test ride and discovers it offers free, convenient - and fun - travel.
- photos by Ellis Anderson

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By now, you’ve seen the CTA Beach Trolley making the 60-minute loop from Silver Slipper Casino, along Beach Boulevard, through Old Town and back to the casino.

Watching the beachfront and store fronts go by from inside the comfortable green trolley is a carefree and fare-free excursion and a handy way to travel. Whether you have a destination in mind - restaurants, shops, the casino floor - or just want to relax, ride and take in the sights - the Beach Trolley is the way to go.

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The Trolley headed down Washington Street, where Lisa was able to hail it for an unscheduled stop in front of her house.

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It’s fun, it’s free (thanks to Silver Slipper’s sponsorship), and couldn’t be easier. Just hail the trolley anywhere along its route and climb aboard.

The collection of passengers enjoying the hourlong ride on a recent Saturday afternoon tells a lot about why we live here (casual beach town lifestyle with plenty to do and see) and why visitors are attracted to this place (all of the above, and more).

There were locals with a swirl of small children who stowed a red wagon and stroller behind the driver’s seat for the duration of the ride. When the trolley reached their starting point at Nicholson Avenue, the group stepped off, red wagon in tow.

A solo passenger who was sitting behind the kids in the rear seat was on his way to hear the band playing at the Silver Slipper. No hassle with driving or parking, he said. It wasn’t his first ride, either. After learning about the service, he became a regular rider and has recommended it to friends.

photos from the trolley window

When we got to Main Street, a couple with two young boys got onboard and settled in the trolley’s front seats. They were from Hungary and were camping at Buccaneer State Park on a friend’s recommendation. Oh, the people you’ll meet in the Bay.

A Hungarian family camping at Buccaneer were among Lisa's fellow riders

It’s easy to see that the novelty of the trolley, with its easy pace and picture-window views of the scenery rolling by, has become a go-to outing for parents and grandparents. And also easy see that the route from Silver Slipper to Main Street, the Depot District, Buccaneer Park and back to the casino is accessible to loads of riders, including boaters at the harbor and campers at the beachfront campgrounds.

CTA describes the Beach Trolley as a stroll along Hancock County’s coastline. Get on board and enjoy the leisurely ride. The service is available through September, when a decision to continue the free trolley rides will be made.

The trolley runs Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.