A guide to clearwater beach, Florida

Discovering Clearwater Beach

When Jonah and I first began planning our trip to Florida we knew we wanted to be close to the beach. We also wanted something that had a local feel to it and provided unique experiences. We couldn’t have picked a more perfect spot to make home for our week long vacation. Clearwater Beach met and then exceeded our expectations in every way.

Clearwater Beach is a small island just off of Tampa and Clearwater with a set of two large bridges connecting them all. The drive across is a beautiful mix of ocean views and palm trees with several mini beaches to fish from or relax along the way. The island is known for its laid back, idyllic beaches and the infamous Pier 60 which hosts nightly festivals featuring street performers and local craft vendors.

How we got around

The island is long but many of the experiences and restaurants we frequented were well within walking distance of our Airbnb. As long as you don’t mind 15-20 mins strolls! We did rent a car during our stay as we weren’t quite sure what to expect. However the next time we visit the island we’ve already talked about either using public transportation or an Uber to get around.

Where we stayed

Our home for the week was a vintage motel turned Airbnb. It was located on the island in an area known as Coral Resort. The owners had slowly begun renovating it and we stayed in the their largest apartment which included a living area and kitchenette where we could cook if needed. The place had a cute vintage vibe to it, it’s own pool and was within 2 mins walking distance to the beach! Airbnb is definitely a more budget friendly option when staying in Clearwater Beach. Most resorts are pricey and not necessarily all-inclusive. Here’s a list of a few Airbnb’s I’d recommend with similar locations, beginning with the one we stayed at.

What we did

There are endless activities to keep you busy during your stay and we didn’t nearly get to all of them! A few we did do were dolphin spotting, a visit to Caladesi Island State Park, jet skiing (sort of, we’ll get to that later) as well as snorkeling.

For our dolphin spotting tour we booked the Clearwater Encounter with Dolphins Tour. We’d definitely recommend this fun and tight knit crew. The tour offers not only dolphin sitings but a stop at Compass Island where you can snorkle, collect shells, or simply relax. The dolphins seemed to be a little shy the day we went out but the crew went above and beyond to make sure we got a glimpse of the cute creatures, which we did! They also shared some fun facts about the area as we toured the bay. Including the fact that Tom Cruise prevents the residents of a condo building he sometimes resides in, from having access to an elevator for his personal use. I guess when you’re still making Mission Impossible movies you can make anything you wish possible.

Our next stop was Caladesi Island State Park. The island and vast white sand beaches are left mostly untouched, aside from some trails and amenities such as washrooms and a small souvenir shop with a restaurant attached. Caladesi Island is a shell collectors dream. It also offers lush views of tropical forest making it the perfect photo op. The ferry to get to the island goes back and forth numerous times a day, so you can make your stay as long or as short as you like!

Our last day in Clearwater Beach we had booked a jet ski tour with H2O Jet Ski Rentals, we never ended up going on. The weather that day was the nicest it had been during our entire stay, so we decided to rather lay on the beach and relax before heading home. The tour we had booked offered a portion of guided touring as well as a time for an open ride where you could jet ski to your heart’s content. We called to let them know we wouldn’t be coming and knew our money would not be refunded. The team was super friendly and really encouraged us to come as the weather was great. We politely declined but they let us know our booking was good for a year should we find ourselves back in Clearwater. Next time we’re in Clearwater we’d most definitely book with them again for their friendly and considerate customer service!

When to visit

Now this part is SUPER important if you’re coming from somewhere cold and want a hot weather stay. We did not look into weather before setting a date for our vacation and regretted it. Not to say we didn’t still have a great time. Just some things would’ve provided a, let’s say, more preferable experience had we had nicer weather. We booked our vacation for the end of January and apparently Florida weather can be very hit and miss during this time. Unfortunately much of our stay was cloudy, rainy and cold. I’m talking only 8 degrees celsius some days. Late February or March is said to be a much better time to enjoy the gulfs temperate climate. Book your vacation within these months to enjoy your stay to the fullest!

What we’d do next time

Here’s a few things we missed out on during our stay that we’d like to try next time. Or you can try when planning to make the most of your vacation in Clearwater Beach. Paddle boarding- I’m still dumbfounded we never booked this. Gliding along the bright blue waters with the possibility of dolphin or other wildlife sitings, how’d we miss this?! Another thing I’d love to do next time is spend a day exploring Dunedin. This picturesque town is full of shops, cafes and stunning waterfront views, another idyllic place for photo ops.

All in all, I don’t think you could go wrong with whatever you may choose to do during your stay. Clearwater Beach is simply beautiful at every turn!

If you have questions about our Clearwater Beach stay, let’s connect! Find me on Instagram and send me a DM, I’d be happy to chat more about our travels!