Day trip(s) from St. Petersburg...

Have you considered Catherine Palace, located in the town of Pushkin?

Thank you Mary!
I will look into it. How did you travel there? Privately or with a guide?

Thanks again...
Carolyn

My trip was in 2009 so it's been a while. We didn't use a guide because we actually stayed in Pushkin, where we had a family friend. I believe there are minibuses that you can take from St. Petersburg or you can hire a private guide.

http://eng.tzar.ru/info/transport

Thanks again Mary!

Appreciate all the info...

Carolyn

Look down this thread , there is a post asking about Kronstadt . https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/russia/kronstadt-oranienbaum-and-peterhof . I have posted directions and the cathedral and town is a day well spent . Look here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronstadt

Thanks Steven for your suggestion and great links!!!

Looks like a great getaway day....

Carolyn

We did the Peterhoff gardens yesterday and hired a car through the hotel to get there and the hydrofoil back; the day cost about $80 for the two of us. (for comparison the river tour we were on charged $85 per person and spent less time there.) And it was easy. You can also get there through public transport. It makes sense to start on land at the top of the gardens (and tour the palace if you like) and then go down to the gardens and to the dock. You can buy hydrofoil tickets at the pier.

We hired a Tours by Local guide last year to pick us up at an apartment and take us to Catherine Palace and the park; very easy and lovely trip. You can do that on public transport for very little as well but be sure you know when individuals can enter the palace -- it is restricted to groups part of the time.

We are old and use money now to make the trip easier; in our youth and middle age we would have just figured out how to do these things on the local transport and it is very cheap that way.

Janet,
Many thanks for your reply. Peterhoff gardens was not on my list. Will definitely look into it. Also appreciate knowing the cost....

I have heard great things about toursbylocals. Will also look into hiring a car to get there and coming back via hydrofoil. It sounds like a great way to have different views while traveling....

I do a lot of walking from hotel to sites. I find that is a great way to see a city. Also use ubons, busses, trains when needed. Ie, last fall took the train in Copenhagen to Louisiana Museum which is the fastest way to the museum.

Carolyn

We have walked a ton in St. Petersburg -- even today in the pouring rain. Yesterday we took the metro to Gorky station and walked over to the State Museum of Political History of Russia which was fascinating, especially the material on the revolution. And then we walked across the Neva to the Summer Garden and spent a lovely afternoon there before walking over to the Church on Spilled blood and then up Nevsky prospect to our hotel which is a couple of blocks past the Fontanka. We also walked from the Admiralty hydrofoil station back up Nevsky Prospect to the hotel day before yesterday. This is a great walking town -- although we may try to grab a trolley down Nevsky to the Hermitage area tomorrow rather than walk the whole way in the rain; there is quite enough walking in the museum itself.

Janet!!!
I love your emails!!! I can see so many places to visit.

I feel walking one takes in so many sights, sounds. I do a lot of photography so walking is a must for me...

Looking forward to more descriptions of your days!

Cheers,
Carolyn