America's top beach

The sugar fine white sand is a trademark of this fabulous beach. Perfect for a day in the sun. You might even spot a dolphin or two playing on the horizon.”

Clearwater Beach’s sandy shores have been named No. 1 in the United States in 2019

Clearwater Beach continues to be one of the best beaches in the world

The Clearwater Beach coastline stretches for 3 blissful miles along Florida's Gulf Coast. This family-friendly beach offers ample outdoor activities, including hours spent sunbathing or swimming in the Gulf of Mexico's gentle, turquoise waves. Spend a few days here and you'll soon discover why any town that turns sunset into a daily festival, celebrated 365 days per year, racks up major points as a vacation destination. After celebrating sunset, families can dine at any number of restaurants lining the Beach Walk promenade before retiring to comfortable, waterfront lodgings.

Florida's Gulf Coast beaches seem to shine a little brighter than the rest, and Clearwater Beach is no different. The sands of Clearwater are white as snow and soft as sugar, while the water sparkles in blue-green brilliance. The calm Gulf waves are popular with stand-up paddle boarders and kayakers, as well as swimmers. The beach stretches for more than 2 miles, and is flanked by the beach walk, a promenade lined with hotels and resorts, as well as restaurants and shops.

As afternoon fades to evening and the sun begins its dip toward the Gulf of Mexico's turquoise waters, Clearwater Beach readies itself for a daily celebration: Sunsets at Pier 60. The pier stretches out over the Gulf, and each night it fills with street performers, like fire eaters and musicians, as well as scores of locals and tourists celebrating the daily sunset ritual. You'll find artisans hawking their wares, like jewelry and glassware.

Clearwater Beach is approximately 20 miles (30 km) from Tampa International Airport and 25 miles (40 km) from downtown Tampa.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also within close proximity of Clearwater Beach.

The Clearwater Jolley Trolley has provided transportation up and down the beach since 1982. It currently runs to North Clearwater Beach and down to Sand Key, including Island Estates. Mandalay Avenue is the main drag on the north end of the beach with Gulfview Boulevard being so on the south. Both areas feature a variety of businesses.

Pier 60, named for State Road 60 which terminates in Clearwater Beach, is a central spot for beachgoers and has a playground, a snack bar with attached souvenir shop, and a long fishing pier. There are professional entertainers who perform on the pier every day, along with children's acts. It's the site of a daily event called Sunsets at Pier 60, which includes street performers and musical acts. On the pier itself is a nightly display of goods sold by local artisans such as jewelry, candles, and other gift items.

Numerous restaurants and shops can be found adjacent to the beach, whose attractiveness was greatly improved in recent years with a beautification project called Beach Walk. The Beach Walk is located just south of Pier 60. There are drinking fountains, shower nozzles for beachcombers to rinse the sand off, and bicycle racks, as part of the upgrade. It also is a great spot for fishing. Beach "renourishment" efforts such as dune restoration enhance the area's natural beauty along a wide curving sidewalk. In addition, directly across from the pier is the Clearwater Municipal Marina, which offers deep sea fishing and boating activities for visitors. ^[10]

In July 2008 the long-anticipated Beach Walk project was completed, featuring a compact pedestrian zone with high-end hotels and condos. The beach is also known for its nightlife scene.

Shephard's Beach Resort and the Palm Pavilion Inn are two of the area's popular night spots. There are also several Frenchy's restaurant locations and retail stores including Surf Style and Ron Jon Surf Shop.

A paved bicycle trail lined by mangrove trees is available nearby which parallels the Clearwater Memorial Causeway to the city.

Just up the causeway from the Beach, in the Island Estates area, is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (home of Winter, the bottlenose dolphin featured in the movie Dolphin Tale) and other amenities.

Although the pier is great for fishing, the main attraction for kids happens right off the pier. Starting at around 6pm every evening, there are a ton of activities for kids — typically two or three street performers ranging from escape artists to stilt walkers. There are also craft booths with vendors selling jewelry, offering to braid hair and even spray painting art for sale. On Friday and Saturday evenings, there is a sunset cinema — an outdoor movie theater under the stars. There is also an amazing beach playground right in the mist of it all for kids to play morning, noon and night. These activities are free and open to the public.