Tallahassee, while not as well-known or crowded as Miami or Orlando, has a long list of reasons to visit. Burt Reynolds, Rita Coolidge, and T-Pain are among the award-winning artists who have called it home. With annual average temperatures just below 80o F, its location in the Panhandle provides warm summers and cool winters all year.
But, whatever your reason for visiting, you can rest assured that there are numerous options for getting to the city's many attractions. Later in this article, we'll go over those options (spoiler alert: having your own car is a bonus but not required). To begin, you must first determine how to get there, for which there are numerous options.
Getting To Tallahassee
Tallahassee, Florida's state capital, ensures that visitors have multiple options for getting around the city. On the ground, several major highways, including Interstate 10, lead into and out of the city (I-10). If you're driving from anywhere' in Florida along I-10, such as Pensacola or Jacksonville, you'll be in Tallahassee in less than three hours (under regular traffic).
For visitors from the peninsula, the journey is significantly longer. The trip via the Turnpike from Miami can take between seven and eight hours, not including pit stops. Even with breaks, not all drivers have the stamina to drive for that long.
Fortunately, public transportation is available. You can get a one-way Greyhound bus ticket from the Miami Intermodal Center to Tallahassee for around USD$80. The buses run twice a day, once in the early morning and again shortly before midnight.
The disadvantage is that buses make multiple stops, which adds about four hours to the journey when compared to driving. If you need to get to Tallahassee as soon as possible, consider booking a nonstop domestic flight. Although most flights are under two hours long, plane tickets are three times the price of bus tickets.
Getting Around Tallahassee
When you arrive in Tallahassee, the best way to get around depends on your destination. Look up "things to do in Tallahassee" on Google and look at the map that comes up. Apart from a few in the downtown area, there are numerous other points of interest on the outskirts.
A well-planned itinerary allows visitors to make the most of their time in the city. It also determines the most appropriate mode of transportation. Here's a rundown of the various options available to visitors during their time in Tallahassee.
•Private Car/Car Rental
Bringing your own car is the best way to enjoy Tallahassee, given the locations of most points of interest. People can drive to places where' public transportation does not go, such as the Tallahassee Automobile Museum and the Silver Lake Meat Market.
You forgot to bring your car? Car rental services are available in the city's downtown area and at the airport. A few even rent SUVs and cross-country vehicles to take you on a tour of nearby national parks' trails. However, conducting research on such services ahead of time can make the trip more enjoyable.
•Taxi Services
Tallahassee regulates both traditional yellow taxis and ride-hailing vehicles. Taxis, like private cars, can transport you anywhere' in the city for a fee ranging from USD$4.24 to USD$28.30. These aren't Bay Area prices, but they can add up quickly if used frequently.
It can be difficult to choose between a yellow cab and an online transportation service with apps that allow you to book a ride. After all, they both provide on-demand transportation in different ways: taxis via hailing and online transportation via their respective apps.
According to experts, the USD$35 mark can be a deciding factor in choosing the more affordable of the two options. If the fare is below that pivot, traditional taxis are more cost-effective, while online transportation services shine when the fare is above that pivot.
To get around the downtown area, it's a good idea to take a cab. When travelling to Tallahassee's more remote locations, however, book a ride through online transportation services. Keep the driver's or company's contact information on hand just in case.
•Buses
StarMetro, formerly TalTran, is in charge of the city's bus fleet and routes. StarMetro's buses are the most cost-effective of all the options discussed. A one-way ticket costs USD$1.25 (or USD$0.60 if you qualify for a discount). The USD$3.00 unlimited day pass gives you the most bang for your buck if you're going places for the entire day.
The buses of StarMetro follow a predetermined route based on the letter and destination displayed on the ticker. On weekdays, there are 15 regular routes, 12 on Saturdays, and four on Sundays. Within the grounds of Florida State University, buses with two letters run.
StarMetro's free trolley service, which is not a bus, transports people to Tallahassee's diverse culinary options. The weekday lunch trolley route runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. through College Town, Midtown, and Downtown. Weekend dinner trolley service is similar, but it runs from 4:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. the next day.
The trolley service may be operating at a reduced capacity as of this writing due to the city's ongoing COVID precautionary measures. When planning your trip to Tallahassee, keep this in mind.
•Walking
There are numerous points of interest and amenities within walking distance of a hotel in the downtown area. The John G. Riley Center and the Smokey Hollow Commemoration are just two of the many attractions in Cascades Park. In more or less than an hour, you can walk the entire park.
Conclusion
There are as many ways to get around Tallahassee as there are to get to the city, as this guide explains. It is critical to have enough travel money, regardless of your preferred mode of transportation. Even in a single day of touring the city's sights and sounds, a lot can happen. You never know when you'll need to spend more to get to your destination.
