Clearwater Beach
About
- Known as the "Best Beach Town in Florida".
- Beautiful, soft, white sand.
- Gulf of Mexico is calmer and warmer than the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
- Except for parking, no access fees.
- Beautiful promenade walk.
- Lifeguards in main section - check hours.
- Clearwater takes care of its natural resources - the shore is immaculate.
Activities and Amenities
- Cabanas, chairs and sun umbrellas for rent.
- Volleyball nets are freely available.
- Restrooms and beach showers available.
- Nice children's playground near Pier 60.
- Pier 60 sunset festival every night.
- Casual restaurants, gift and ice cream shops.
- Many hotels, resorts and vacation rentals.
- Kayak, SUP, wave runner rentals north of Pier 60.
- Marina offers fun/adventure boat rides, cruises, rentals, charters and tours.
Current Conditions
(Fri, Mar 17)- Water temp: 73° F
- Water clarity: Moderate
- Seaweed: None
- Red tide: Yes Level: Low
- Sunset: 7:41 pm
Things To Do
Wow! There are so many things to do besides just "hanging out". Explore or fish on Pier 60. Join the Pier 60 Sunset Festival. Play volleyball on the soft sand. Go parasailing, jet skiing, paddle boarding or any of the many boating excursions available from the marina. Cabana and umbrellas are available for rent.
Pier 60
A well-built concrete pier extends 1,000 feet into the Gulf and offers excellent strolling, viewing and fishing. The first half is free. For those who wish to fish (or just watch the fishing action) there is a small access fee to go beyond the bait house. Fishing equipment and bait is available at the pier bait and tackle shop.
Marina
The nearby marina offers a huge variety of boating excursions, rentals and charters including dolphin watching, inshore and offshore fishing, speed boat rides, parasailing, jet ski rental and much more. Stroll by the charter boats to see their catch after they've returned from their half or full-day outings.
Cabana and Umbrella Rentals
Throughout the area are numerous (maybe too many!) cabanas, umbrellas and beach chairs for rent. These are great for shielding the winter wind or summer sun. North of Pier 60 are some water sports rentals, paddleboards, kayaks and wave runners. Parasail, banana boat rides, and wave runner tours are also available for hire.
Parking
Clearwater Beach is a barrier island and has limited space for parking. Its popularity brings many tourists and locals and thus competition for parking. Nice weekends and holidays can be particularly challenging. Our parking page shows all the area parking lots, rates, hours and locations. Allow extra time during peak periods for very heavy traffic.
Hotels
Over 30 hotels and resorts are located throughout the beach area. A few are directly on the beach with others just across the street or within near proximity to the shore. Hotels range from small, local "mom and pop" owned to large, and upscale brand-name hotels and resorts. See details including star rating, relative cost, location and proximity to the beach at our Clearwater Beach Hotels & Resorts page.
Safety
Lifeguard towers are staffed Sep to Mar. Towers 1, 4, 5 & 7 on the main section from 9:30 am - 5 pm. All towers are staffed Sat. and Sun.
Look for the beach warning flag color for current conditions (see warning flags sign below).
To avoid possibly stepping on a stingray, do "stingray shuffle" - simply slide feet along sand.
Directions
Clearwater Beach is an island separated from the mainland by the intracoastal waterway. There are only two roads to/from this island.
1. From downtown Clearwater, cross intracoastal via Clearwater Memorial Causeway (Hwy 60) .
2. From Sand Key, cross the intracoastal via S. Bellair Causeway (from West Bay Dr, Largo) then north on Gulf Blvd.
Nearby Sand Key Park
Immediately to the south and on the other side of Clearwater Pass is an awesome beach-park. Sand Key continues the string of barrier islands on the West Coast of Florida.
The 65-acre Sand Key Park includes picnic grounds with shelters and grills, a dog park, bath houses, outdoor rinsing showers, umbrella and cabana rentals, and of course, a beautiful, white sandy beach. Parking fee $5 for the day.
Nearby Honeymoon Island
Another popular park just north of Clearwater in Dunedin. This island is not groomed like Clearwater and is considerably more natural. There are 3 main beach areas as well as a dog beach.
Additionally, there are hiking trails, picnic grounds, a bike path and a cafe. For a more natural area, Honeymoon Island is a great choice.
Nearby Caladesi Island
Caladesi Island continues as a barrier island to the north. It's possible to walk to Caladesi from Clearwater Beach, but most beachgoers get there by boat, kayak or via the Caladesi Island Ferry from Honeymoon Island.
While not cleaned and groomed like Clearwater, it is a very beautiful and natural. Caladesi Island is frequently voted one of the best beaches in America.
Dog Beaches and Dog Parks
Dogs are not allowed on the main section of Clearwater Beach. There are two areas in the county for our furry friends to enjoy the shoreline and water.
Fort De Soto Park Dog Beach at the southern end of Pinellas County is the only dog park that allows dogs to run in designated area without a leash. Nearby Honeymoon Island to the north has a large area along the southern end of the island for dogs to walk and play (must be on leash).
News and Events
Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1. Sea turtles come ashore at night to dig holes in the sand and lay their eggs. The turtles and nests are protected by law.
Clearwater Beach Cleanup Series, on the 2nd Friday of every month from May 13, 2022 through Oct 14, 2022.
Pier 60
Winding Walk Along the Shore
Clearwater Beach Pictures
- Beachgoers relaxing in the warm sun
- Volleyball game
- Promenade - beach walk
- Cabana, umbrella and chair rentals
- Luxury bed with deluxe cabana rentals
- Swimmers enjoying the beautiful Gulf waters
- Wide expanse of sand
- The view during spring break
More Info
- The beach is open 24 hours, however, parking lot hours vary - see our Parking Page for hours.
- Pier 60 closes at 10 pm including the bait shop.
- Boats and jet skis must remain outside the 300 foot safe swim area - marked with buoys.
- Various watersports rentals are available in an area north of Pier 60. Rentals include jet skis, kayaks, and paddle boards.
- Animals are not permitted on the beach.
- No alcohol is allowed on the public area. Some hotels serve alcohol on their shorefront property.
- You may bring your own beach chairs and umbrellas.
Red Tide
Current Conditions
(Fri, Mar 17)- Red Tide: Yes Level: Low
The awesome experience at Clearwater Beach is occasionally marred by a naturally occurring algae bloom called red tide. This bloom is harmful to sea life. In greater concentrations, it will discolor the water with a reddish/brown tint, thus the name "red tide".
At sufficient concentrations, it will kill thousands of fish and other sea life. This kill will wash up onto our shore leaving dead fish carcasses and a terrible stench. Fortunately, Clearwater cleans its beaches every day, so this is less of a problem on Clearwater Beach.
Red tide can cause respiratory irritation, coughing, sneezing and tearing of the eyes. An offshore wind will reduce the airborne toxins and thus the potential for respiratory irritation.
At lower levels of red tide, it is safe for most people to swim in the water. However, some people may experience skin irritation and burning eyes.
While red tide is naturally occurring, fertilizer and other man-made nutrient run-off from shores will make in-shore red tide worse. Red tide may last from a few weeks to over a year. There is no known way to stop or dissipate red tide, but efforts are being made to reduce fertilizer run-off and other pollution sources.
