Clearwater Beach

State: Florida. Type: Gulf of Mexico barrier-island beach and resort area in Pinellas County, part of the city of Clearwater in the Tampa Bay region. Features about 2.5 miles of white-sand beach connected to the mainland by the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. Landmark: Pier 60, built in 1962, named for State Road 60, extending into the Gulf. Known for the nightly 'Sunsets at Pier 60' festival. Named the best beach in the United States by TripAdvisor in 2019.

Clearwater Beach is a barrier-island beach and resort area on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County, part of the city of Clearwater in the Tampa Bay region of Florida's west coast. About 2.5 miles of soft, white sand front the Gulf, connected to the mainland by the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The beach has earned a string of national accolades, including being named the best beach in the United States by TripAdvisor in 2019 and 'Florida's Best Beach Town' by USA Today in 2013. At its center is Pier 60, a fishing and recreation pier built in 1962 and named for State Road 60, which terminates at the beach. Each evening the pier hosts 'Sunsets at Pier 60,' a long-running daily festival featuring street performers, artisans, and crafters that runs around the sunset hours. A pedestrian promenade called Beach Walk, completed in 2008, links the beachfront with shops and restaurants. The area combines wide public beach with a family-friendly resort scene of hotels, watersports, dolphin cruises, and dining, and it is easily reached from the Tampa Bay metro area, making it one of Florida's most popular Gulf Coast beach destinations.

Clearwater Beach occupies a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County, on the west-central coast of Florida, and is part of the city of Clearwater. It connects to the mainland via the Clearwater Memorial Causeway (State Road 60). The beach runs about 2.5 miles along the Gulf, with Pier 60 near its center where State Road 60 reaches the shore. The wider Pinellas beaches stretch south along Gulf Boulevard toward St. Pete Beach.

Clearwater Beach has a humid subtropical climate with warm, humid summers and mild winters, and an annual mean temperature around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers bring frequent afternoon thunderstorms, with most of the year's rain falling between June and September, while winters are drier and milder. The Gulf-front location keeps the beach breezy, but the summer months fall within the Atlantic hurricane season (June through November), so visitors in that window should watch forecasts.

Spring and fall generally offer warm, comfortable weather with fewer thunderstorms than midsummer and smaller crowds than the peak seasons. Winter is mild and dry and draws many visitors escaping colder climates, though Gulf water is cooler then. Summer is hot, humid, and stormy and coincides with hurricane season, but remains busy because it lines up with family vacation schedules. The nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival runs year-round, weather permitting.

Clearwater Beach developed as the Gulf-front resort district of the city of Clearwater, on a barrier island in Pinellas County within the Tampa Bay area. A defining landmark, Pier 60, was built in 1962 and takes its name from State Road 60, the highway that crosses the causeway and terminates at the beach. Over the following decades the beach grew into a major tourist destination, and its nightly 'Sunsets at Pier 60' celebration, featuring street performers and artisans, became a signature tradition. In 2008 the city completed Beach Walk, a landscaped pedestrian promenade along the waterfront that upgraded the beachfront with walkways, shops, and dining. The beach has drawn repeated national recognition, including being named 'Florida's Best Beach Town' by USA Today in 2013 and the best beach in the United States by TripAdvisor in 2019, cementing its reputation as one of the Gulf Coast's premier beach destinations.

Swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing along the wide white-sand beach are the main draws. Pier 60 offers fishing and, in the evenings, the daily Sunsets at Pier 60 festival with street performers, crafters, and artisans. Watersports such as parasailing, jet-ski rentals, paddleboarding, and dolphin-watching and sightseeing cruises operate from the beach and nearby marinas. Families gather at the beachfront playground, and the Beach Walk promenade links shops and restaurants for strolling and dining. The wider area offers additional attractions, including the Clearwater Marine Aquarium on the mainland side.

Pier 60 is the central landmark, popular for fishing and as the stage for the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival. The Beach Walk promenade, completed in 2008, runs along the waterfront with shops and restaurants. The beachfront playground is one of the larger beach playgrounds on Florida's west coast. Just across the causeway on the mainland, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a well-known regional attraction. Gulf Boulevard south of Clearwater Beach connects a string of additional Pinellas County beaches.

The nearest major airport is Tampa International Airport, roughly 20 to 25 miles away, and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is another nearby option. From the airports, a rental car, taxi, or rideshare reaches the beach via the Clearwater Memorial Causeway (State Road 60). A passenger ferry connects downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach, dropping visitors near Pier 60. The Clearwater Jolley Trolley has provided local transportation along the beach area since 1982, and the Suncoast Beach Trolley runs along Gulf Boulevard between St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach.

The public beach and Pier 60 area are generally accessible year-round. The Sunsets at Pier 60 festival runs daily around the sunset hours, weather permitting, with vendors and performers on site in the evening. Individual businesses, cruise operators, and nearby attractions such as the Clearwater Marine Aquarium keep their own hours, which vary seasonally, so confirm specific venue hours before visiting.

Access to Clearwater Beach and the Sunsets at Pier 60 festival is free. Parking near the beach is paid, at metered spaces and parking garages and lots. Fishing from Pier 60, watersports rentals, dolphin and sightseeing cruises, and attractions such as the Clearwater Marine Aquarium each charge their own separate fees, so check with individual operators for current pricing.

A day trip is enough to enjoy the beach and catch the evening Sunsets at Pier 60 festival. Many visitors stay several days to a week to combine beach time with watersports, cruises, and nearby attractions in the Tampa Bay area.

Clearwater Beach offers a dense concentration of beachfront and near-beach lodging, including resort hotels, mid-range and chain hotels, and vacation rentals and condominiums along and near the barrier island. Staying on the beach puts visitors within walking distance of Pier 60 and Beach Walk, while additional options are available on the mainland side of the causeway in Clearwater. Rates and availability peak during winter and summer high seasons and around holidays.

The beachfront and Beach Walk promenade are lined with restaurants, casual beach bars, and cafes, with fresh Gulf seafood a local highlight. Options range from waterfront seafood spots and family restaurants to more upscale dining in the beach hotels. Additional dining is available across the causeway in the city of Clearwater and along the neighboring Pinellas beaches to the south.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium sits on the mainland side of the causeway. To the south, Gulf Boulevard connects a chain of Pinellas County beaches leading toward St. Pete Beach. The greater Tampa Bay area, including downtown Tampa, St. Petersburg, and their museums and attractions, is within a short drive for visitors extending their trip.

Tampa International Airport, about 20 to 25 miles away, is the nearest major airport, with St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport a closer alternative. Local transport options include the Clearwater ferry from downtown Clearwater, the Clearwater Jolley Trolley, and the Suncoast Beach Trolley along Gulf Boulevard, though a rental car is convenient for exploring the wider region. Paid parking is available near the beach for those driving in.

Check the posted beach warning flags before swimming, as rip currents and changing surf conditions can develop on the Gulf; if caught in a rip current, stay calm and swim parallel to shore. Florida's strong sun calls for sunscreen and hydration, and summer afternoon thunderstorms with lightning are common, so leave the water and seek shelter when storms approach. During hurricane season (June through November), monitor forecasts and heed local guidance. For any emergency, dial 911.

Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and plenty of water are beach-day essentials. A beach towel or mat, sandals or water shoes for hot sand, and a light cover-up help with the strong sun. Cash or a card is useful for paid beach parking and pier or vendor purchases, and a light rain layer is handy during the summer storm season.

Because beach parking fills up and is paid, arriving early or using the Clearwater ferry, Jolley Trolley, or Suncoast Beach Trolley can ease access on busy days. Timing a visit to catch the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 festival is a popular plan. Booking accommodations ahead is advisable in the winter and summer peak seasons. Pairing the beach with the nearby Clearwater Marine Aquarium or a dolphin cruise rounds out a family visit.

For any emergency, dial 911, the nationwide emergency number in the United States. Clearwater Beach is served by the City of Clearwater and Pinellas County public-safety agencies; consult local official sources for non-emergency contact numbers.

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater - https://www.visitstpeteclearwater.com ; City of Clearwater - https://www.myclearwater.com

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This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.