161 Club Trip - Suncoast Cavalcade of Cars

Suncoast Cavalcade of Cars

Florida, in February, has become the place to be for 161Club members.  The activity-filled tour is a must-do with memory-making visits to car collections, a restoration shop,  museum and fine dining.  Plus, there will be a leisurely program for women.

The host hotel is the Clearwater Beach Holiday Inn, 521 S. Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater Beach, Florida 33767.  Phone: 1-800-443-5888. 
    
The Cavalcade of Cars itinerary will begin on Thursday, February 18, with a catered cocktail party and dinner in the gallery of the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum which features 48 unique vintage vehicles with engineering achievements that added to the evolution of the automobile. 

On Friday, February 19, Club members will visit Al Wiseman’s private collection, his restoration shop and the Wiseman collection at “Classic Corvettes and Collectibles” – all in Tarpon Springs, the sponge capital of the world. Those who prefer to relax by shopping and/or to revel in a stroll on the Tarpon Springs waterfront will be dropped off in Tarpon Springs to spend the morning on their own.  We’ll all meet for lunch at Zante’s Cafe Neo for lunch and browsing through the restaurant’s collectibles market.  We can rest a bit during our minibus trip to St. Petersburg where we will visit the Dali Museum, the largest collection of Salvatore Dali’s works outside of Spain. This collection spans his lifetime as leader of the Surrealist movement with beautiful, exotic and sometimes bizarre artwork.  The day will conclude with dinner at the Parkshore Grill.

Saturday, February 20, will takes us to Ocala to tour Jim and Rich Schmidt’s 130 car collection at National Parts Depot.  Most of the cars are American-made, ranging from 1903 to the present.  Ten pre-WWII vehicles are included although most are cars of the  50s, 60s and 70s.  The collection includes some milestone cars and many low mileage, unrestored originals.

Those who find recreational riches in shopping and browsing may visit the downtown area with many neat independent shops for clothing, jewelry, art and nick-knacks.

After lunch at Felix’s, we’ll motor to the  Florida Carriage Museum & Resort in Weirsdale  to view 160 of the finest horse-drawn carriages in the world, including the State Dress Chariot of former Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and a fire horse exhibit.  And, there are many other exhibits to visit, too.

Wine and cheese will be served on the return bus ride to Clearwater Beach.  On the way  back, we’ll stop for dinner at the Colonnade Restaurant.

In the morning on Sunday, February 21, we’ll head for the island of Casey Key off of Sarasota to see Archie Urciuoli’s cars and racing memorabilia. Then, we’ll visit Arnold Bern’s Texaco Gas Station.  The last stop on the tour will be a tour of the Sarasota Auto Museum where we’ll enjoy our farewell lunch.

Those who prefer to spend the day at St. Armand’s Circle will be dropped off there.  They may have lunch on their own at one of the out –door cafe’s such as Tommy Bahama or other fine restaurants.   

The 161Club’s tour will offer you frolicking summer fun in February.   Join your 161Club friends to relax and revel in Florida’s old car and recreational riches.  Your guests are welcome to join us – just include them on your Tour Registration Form.

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