Clearwater Beach sits on a barrier island off the Pinellas County coast, about 25 miles west of Tampa across the bay. It's been voted the #1 beach in America multiple times, and for good reason — wide white sand, calm turquoise water, and a sunset celebration every single night at Pier 60. The beach runs about 2.5 miles from the north end near Mandalay Avenue down to Sand Key.
Here's what's actually worth doing — from the beach itself and the boat tours to the aquarium, the islands, and the restaurants that locals recommend.
1. Pier 60 Sunset Celebration
Every evening, starting two hours before sunset, Pier 60 turns into an open-air festival. Street performers, artisan vendors, musicians, and face painters set up along the pier and the surrounding beach. The sunset itself is the main event — on a clear night, the sky goes orange and pink over the Gulf. It's free, it happens every night of the year (weather permitting), and it's one of the best free things to do on the entire Gulf Coast.
Pier 60 tip: Show up at least 45 minutes before sunset for the best vibe and to catch the performers. The pier itself is a solid fishing spot during the day — rod rentals available at the bait shop.
2. Clearwater Beach Main Stretch
The main public beach runs from Pier 60 north toward the Hilton. The sand is fine white quartz, the water is shallow and calm for a long way out, and lifeguards are on duty in season. Chair and umbrella rentals are available from vendors along the beach. It gets crowded — this is the most visited beach in the Tampa Bay area — but the sand is wide enough that you can usually find space if you walk a few minutes north or south of the pier.
3. Dolphin Watching Cruises
Clearwater is one of the best places in Florida for dolphin watching. Several operators run cruises from the marina, and the resident pods in the Intracoastal Waterway and around Caladesi Island are reliably spotted year-round. Most cruises run 60 to 90 minutes, and sighting rates above 95% are common. Some combine the dolphin loop with a stop at a sandbar or Shell Key.
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Browse All Tours →4. Clearwater Marine Aquarium
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a rescue and rehabilitation facility — not a traditional aquarium with tanks of exotic fish. It became famous as the home of Winter, the dolphin who lost her tail and inspired the Dolphin Tale movies. The facility focuses on sea turtles, dolphins, otters, pelicans, and other marine animals in various stages of rehab. It's smaller than places like the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, but the rescue mission makes it more meaningful, especially for kids.
Tickets: Buy online in advance — walk-up lines can be long in season. The aquarium also runs boat tours that combine a cruise with admission.
5. Caladesi Island State Park
Caladesi Island is one of the few undeveloped barrier islands left on the Gulf Coast, and it's consistently rated among the top beaches in the country. The only way to reach it is by boat — a ferry runs from Honeymoon Island State Park, or you can kayak across. Once there, you'll find pristine white sand, clear water, a 3-mile kayak trail through the mangroves, and a nature trail through the interior. No condos, no shops, no cars.
Ferry info: The Caladesi Island ferry departs from Honeymoon Island (separate park admission required). Boats run roughly every 30 minutes and capacity is limited. Arrive early in summer — the island reaches capacity and the ferry stops running until people leave.
6. Sand Key Park
Sand Key Park sits just across the bridge from the south end of Clearwater Beach, and it's where the locals go. The beach is just as nice — same white sand, same Gulf water — but it's far less crowded. There's a large parking lot (metered), restrooms, picnic shelters, a playground, and a dog park. The park also has a nature trail and regularly attracts shorebirds. It's the quieter alternative when the main Clearwater Beach strip is packed.
7. Jolly Trolley
The Jolly Trolley is a hop-on, hop-off trolley that runs along Gulf Boulevard from Clearwater Beach south to Pass-a-Grille in St. Pete Beach. It connects most of the beach towns along the barrier island chain — Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Beach, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island. A day pass is cheap and it runs frequently enough to be genuinely useful. Good for a beach-hopping day without dealing with parking at each stop.
8. Sunset Sailing and Parasailing
Multiple operators offer sunset sails from the Clearwater Beach marina. Most are catamaran cruises with drinks included — you're on the water for the entire color show without the crowd at Pier 60. If you want elevation instead, parasailing gives you a 400-to-800-foot bird's-eye view of the coastline. On a clear day, you can see the Skyway Bridge to the south and Anclote Key to the north.
9. Clearwater Beach Walk
The Beach Walk is a paved promenade that runs along the beachfront from Pier 60 north past several resorts. It's flat, wide, and right on the water — good for walking, jogging, biking, or just watching the beach scene. Street performers and food vendors set up along the route, and it connects to Mandalay Avenue, which is the main commercial strip for restaurants, ice cream shops, and souvenir stores.
10. Honeymoon Island State Park
Honeymoon Island is a state park at the north end of the barrier island chain, accessible by car via the Dunedin Causeway. It has 4 miles of beaches — the Gulf side has wider sand and better swimming, the bay side has calmer water and better shelling. There's also a nature trail through the interior with osprey nests and gopher tortoises. Honeymoon Island is also the departure point for the Caladesi Island ferry, so you can combine both in one day.
11. Deep-Sea Fishing Charters
Clearwater is a major sport fishing port. Party boats (head boats) depart daily for half-day and full-day trips into the Gulf targeting grouper, snapper, kingfish, and amberjack. Private charters are available for inshore fishing (redfish, snook, trout in the flats and mangroves) and offshore trips to wrecks and reefs 20 to 60 miles out. The deep-sea fleet runs out of the Clearwater Beach Marina and also from nearby Johns Pass in Madeira Beach.
12. Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise
A bright red pirate ship that's been running out of Clearwater Beach Marina since 1994. It's aimed at families — face painting, water guns, dancing, and a narrated dolphin-spotting loop. There's also an adults-only sunset cruise with drinks. It's kitschy and the kids love it. Runs year-round, two-hour cruises, multiple departures per day.
13. Sea Screamer
The Sea Screamer is billed as the world's largest speedboat — a 73-foot vessel that holds 130 passengers and does a high-speed loop through the Intracoastal Waterway and out into the Gulf. The first half is a narrated sightseeing cruise past the mansions and marinas; the second half, the captain opens the throttles. It's a 90-minute ride that combines sightseeing with a thrill ride. Dolphin sightings are common on the slow section.
14. Frenchy's and the Restaurant Scene
Frenchy's is the most famous name on Clearwater Beach — a local chain of four locations, each slightly different. Frenchy's Rockaway Grill is right on the beach with live music and grouper sandwiches. The Original is a no-frills counter-service spot. South Beach Grill is the newest. For seafood beyond Frenchy's, try Bob Heilman's Beachcomber (old-school fine dining since 1948), the Island Way Grill (waterfront, great raw bar), or Cooters for casual waterfront beers.
15. Day Trips: Tarpon Springs and the Pinellas Trail
Tarpon Springs is 20 minutes north — a Greek sponge-diving town with the best Greek food in the state, sponge docks, and boat tours to Anclote Key. The Pinellas Trail, a 75-mile paved bike path, runs from Tarpon Springs through Dunedin and down through St. Petersburg. You can rent bikes in Clearwater and ride the trail to Dunedin for a brewery lunch and ride back. Both make easy half-day trips from Clearwater Beach.
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Browse All Tours →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clearwater Beach worth visiting?
Yes. It consistently ranks among the top beaches in the US. White sand, calm Gulf water, and the Pier 60 sunset celebration every night make it one of the best beach destinations in Florida. It's more developed than quieter spots like Anna Maria Island, but the trade-off is more things to do within walking distance.
What is Clearwater Beach best known for?
White sand beaches, the Pier 60 nightly sunset celebration, dolphin watching cruises, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. It's also a gateway to Caladesi Island, one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on the Gulf Coast.
When is the best time to visit Clearwater Beach?
March through May — warm water, manageable humidity, and spring break thins out by mid-April. Summer is the hottest with afternoon thunderstorms but water temperature peaks. October and November offer warm weather with fewer crowds and lower hotel rates.
Is Clearwater Beach good for families?
Very. Wide shallow beach, calm water, Pier 60 playground, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, pirate cruises, and the Jolly Trolley make it one of the most family-friendly beach towns on the Gulf Coast.
How far is Clearwater Beach from Tampa?
About 25 miles west, roughly 40 minutes by car. The Courtney Campbell Causeway across Tampa Bay is the scenic route. From St. Pete Beach, it's about 30 minutes north on Gulf Boulevard.