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Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, FL

Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicFamily FavoriteFree

Clearwater Beach

Pier 60 Park, 370 Mandalay Ave · Clearwater, FL

Why you should go…

Clearwater Beach runs about 2.5 miles along a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, reached from the mainland by the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. Pier 60 is the hub, with a fishing pier, playground, covered pavilions, a snack shop, rod rentals and bait. Every evening around sunset, local artists, craftspeople and performers set up for Sunsets at Pier 60. The sand is free to use, and lifeguards are on duty seven days a week.

  • #beach
  • #gulf coast
  • #fishing pier
  • #sunset
  • #swimming

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Clearwater Beach, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Clearwater Marine Aquarium

    $25–$50

    See rescued dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, sharks and sea lions at a working marine animal hospital.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    Iconic

    The Dalí Museum

    $25–$50

    See Salvador Dalí's paintings and drawings in a waterfront museum entered beside a 75-foot glass spiral.

    19 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    ZooTampa at Lowry Park

    $50+

    Meet manatees, elephants, giraffes and rhinos across a 63-acre zoo that also runs a hospital for injured manatees.

    22 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Ybor City

    Free

    Stroll 7th Avenue in Tampa's historic Latin Quarter for cigar shops, hand rollers, free-roaming chickens and the Columbia Restaurant.

    23 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    The Florida Aquarium

    $25–$50

    See a 500,000-gallon coral reef tank, loggerhead sea turtles, moon jellies, lemurs and stingrays in downtown Tampa.

    23 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Siesta Beach

    Free

    Swim and stroll on a very wide Gulf beach of fine white quartz sand that stays cool under bare feet.

    52 mi awayMore like this