Your Guide to Clearwater Beach, Florida
Leave the planning to the pros – this Opal-approved guide to Clearwater Beach, FL gives you an easy-to-digest list of all the top attractions, restaurants, beaches, and local favorites in the area. Stress less, enjoy more.
Clearwater Beach lives up to its name, thanks to transparent, teal-blue waters and long stretches of pristine sand perfectly suited for stretching out beneath the Florida sun. From the tropical plants of Florida Botanical Gardens to the tropical drinks at The Salty Crab, this city offers a full day’s worth of delights. So we’ve hand-picked the best Clearwater attractions to keep you enchanted from morning until night.
Top Clearwater Landmarks
Pier 60
Whether it’s sunrise or sunset, this 1,080-foot fishing pier and park buzzes with energy, thanks to its excellent angling opportunities (think Spanish mackerel, spotted and silver trout, flounder, and more), the large beach playground and the fully-stocked Pier 60 bait house. Every night from 6 to 9pm, crafts and entertainment create the magical “Sunsets at Pier 60.”
Caladesi Island
You can get here only by boat, which makes Caladesi Island even more special. Its untouched beauty makes kayaking through bayside mangrove forests and walking along the pristine beaches even more unforgettable.
Clearwater Beach
Sugar-white sand, clear, shallow water, and the palm-lined Beach Promenade make Clearwater Beach one of the top beach destinations in Florida (TripAdvisor even voted it the top beach in the U.S.). Play all day and stay for the laid-back restaurants and nightly live entertainment.
Clearwater Beach,
Clearwater, FL 33767
Most Popular Things to Do in Clearwater
Take a Dolphin Beach Cruise
Departing from the Clearwater Marina multiple times a day, this comfortable, 40-foot boat cruises through the harbor for guaranteed dolphin sightings. Plus, you get to stop at Compass Island to snorkel, swim, look for shells, or just relax on the beach.
25 Causeway Blvd,
Clearwater, FL 33767
Visit the Florida Botanical Gardens
Imagine the fragrances of 120 acres of tropical flowers and the sight of butterflies taking flight: this is the Florida Botanical Gardens, which showcases not only Florida flora but also cacti and other succulents. Be sure to check out the 60-acre tract of wild land under renewal with Florida native plants.
12520 Ulmerton Rd,
Largo, FL 33774
Visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
This facility is more than a showcase of sea creatures; it’s also a working animal hospital and marine life rescue center where you can see dolphins, sea turtles, otters, and more. Immersive exhibits and educational programs make visiting here a win for all ages.
249 Windward Passage,
Clearwater, FL 33767
The Best Restaurants in Clearwater
Obviously no trip here is complete without eating your way through the signature restaurants of each Clearwater Opal Resort, like Clearwater’s only AAA Four-Diamond restaurant, Caretta on the Gulf at Sandpearl Resort, but if you decide you want to venture off property and into town for a bite – here are our local favorites.
Frenchy’s Original
“Frenchy” is the nickname of a Quebec-born restaurateur who established a franchise serving up Super Grouper sandwiches and other fresh seafood fare at four different locations in Clearwater Beach. If you’re in town in October, be sure to check out the stone crab festival.
41 Baymont St,
Clearwater, FL 33767
The Salty Crab Bar & Grill North Beach
Serving everything from fish & chips and other classic seafood platters to breakfast, burgers, pizza, and pasta, this lively eatery is a crowd-pleaser with colorful cocktails and a friendly vibe.
462 Mandalay Ave,
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
Another Broken Egg Café
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and so this café does it right, with strawberry pound-cake French toast, crab-cake benedict and plenty of healthy choices like the “Skinny Omelette,” too.
470 Poinsettia Ave,
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
A Local’s Favorites in Clearwater
Palm Pavillion
Locals love this beachfront bar, restaurant, and live-music venue for its laid-back vibe and art-deco architecture. There’s entertainment every night of the week, and the famous Palm burger pairs perfectly with a pint of local Beach Blond Ale.
10 Bay Esplanade,
Clearwater, FL 33767
Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail
Now four miles long, the Ream Wilson Clearwater has been designed to stretch across Florida from Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Carpenter Field, Cliff Stephens Park, Del Oro Park, and Cooper’s Bayou Park are among the current connections featured on this dynamic trail.
Dunedin Downtown Market (seasonal)
Pick up fresh produce, gourmet items, and more at this market in John R. Lawrence Pioneer Park. Held on Friday and Saturday mornings, it also features entertainment and plenty of pointers from market managers Greg and Tiffany.
420 Main St,
Dunedin, FL 34698
Moccasin Lake Nature Park
Check out gopher turtles, racoons, and birds of prey on this 51-acre nature preserve, which is interlaced with trails and boardwalks under a canopy of mature oaks and across creeks and ponds. Choose from classes and programs or just explore on your own.
2750 Park Trail Ln,
Clearwater, FL 33759
Brimming with possibilities for a perfect Florida vacation, Clearwater Beach offers something for everyone in the family. Strolling along sugar-white sands, fishing from Pier 60, and listening to live music with a Rum Runner are just a few of the reasons to make Clearwater the clear choice of where to stay and play.
Where to Stay: | Sandpearl Resort | Opal Sands | Belleview Inn |
