Our One-Day Itinerary to the Best of Belleview Inn & Beyond
While the on-site plethora of pastimes is enough to keep you busy at Belleview Inn, sister property, Sandpearl Resort, also brings guests a little bit of Clearwater Beach.
Belleview Inn offers the best of both worlds: a plethora of on-site pastimes – everything from two Donald Ross–designed golf courses and tennis courts to bike rentals and the resort-style swimming pool – but it’s also within easy striking distance of Clearwater Beach, meaning the amenities of sister property, Sandpearl Resort, are also right at your fingertips. And Opal Collection is helping guests to best take advantage of that with Belleview Inn’s new three-night package, including two rounds of golf at the Belleair Country Club, two massages at Sandpearl Resorts on-site spa, and a dinner for two at Caretta on the Gulf.
Sure, you have three days to spread out the perks of the package during your stay, but you only need a good 12 hours to relish in all – and then some. Follow this day-long itinerary to experience the best of Belleview Inn and beyond.
9 a.m. | Fuel Up with a Breakfast Basket Delivered to Your Door
While Maisie’s – a marketplace located on the hotel’s first floor that resembles an old-fashioned ice cream parlor – is a darling place to take your breakfast (or any mid-day snack of an artisan cheese board, for that matter), nothing quite tops the experience of having the essentials delivered to your door while you wake up. Belleview Inn’s breakfast baskets come filled with an assortment of muffins, croissants, fresh juice, and piping hot coffee from local artisan roaster, Belleair Coffee Company.
10 a.m. | Bike a Bit of the Pinellas Trail
The Gulf Coast of Florida is home to one of the longest bike trails, as well as what is said to one of the best in the state: The 38-mile Pinellas Trail, running from Tarpon Springs in the north down to St. Pete in the south. That’s because the old rail trail offers a wide range of riding experiences, from picturesque cruises through parks and over causeways to full urban riding, allowing cyclists to take in the views of the many coastal communities it goes through – Belleair being one located smack dab along the route. So grab a bike from the front desk (rentals are included in resort fee) and get to exploring this beautiful and paved path. Nearby notable peddling points of interest: Florida Botanical Gardens and Taylor Lake in neighboring Largo, and Belleair pocket parks like Barbara Circle, Fairview Park, and Wildwood Park.
1 p.m. | Hit the Historic Links
As a guest of the Belleview Inn, you have access to two private 18-hole golf courses: the East and West Course, located at the neighboring Belleair Country Club. Designed and built by Donald Ross in the early 1900s and considered some of the oldest – and most storied – in the state, they boast two different feels: the East Course is more open, the West Course is tighter, but both offer a great pace of play (each one taking about three hours to finish) and retain signature features essentially as Ross designed them. Take, for example, the West Course’s 4th hole, a par-3 that is elevated and entirely surrounded by a sand moat.
4:30 p.m. | A Late Afternoon Spent Spa-ing or Stretching Out at a Semi-Private Beach
After biking and golf, some well-deserved R&R is in order. And an ideal place to get that? Sister Opal Collection property, Sandpearl Resort, located just five miles north on the sugar-white sands of Clearwater Beach. Belleview Inn guests get the perk of free valet parking at the resort, then can pick their choice of stretching out on the resort’s semi-private beach or indulging in a treatment (reservations required) at the 12,000-square-foot spa oasis named one of the “Top Spas in North America” by readers of Condé Nast Traveler in 2016.
7 p.m. | Savor Sunset & Supper from the Terrace at Caretta on the Gulf
While it may be hard to pull your gaze away from watching the sun slipping into oblivion from your white-linen table on the outdoor veranda, the second your dishes deliver, your eyes won’t be able to help themselves from focusing on just one thing: the food. As an AAA, 4-Diamond restaurant, Caretta on the Gulf embodies all aspects of fine dining at its best: an imaginative menu blending a mix of South American, Caribbean, and other international influences; dishes inspired by fresh, seasonal ingredients and local catches; and a sommelier-selected wine collection boasting varietals from around the world. A few of the local favorites: crusted diver scallops, Kobe-style wagyu carpaccio, and Gulf grouper accented with foraged mushrooms and heirloom tomatoes.
Where to Stay Belleview Inn | Sandpearl Resort
