cities | Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is a separate barrier island city from Clearwater proper, and it’s one of the most famous beaches in Florida – consistently ranked in the top beaches in the country and even internationally. We’re talking about white powdery sand, clear turquoise Gulf water, and that classic Florida beach atmosphere. Clearwater Beach is a major tourist destination with hotels, beach resorts, restaurants, shops, and attractions like the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (home of Winter the Dolphin). The beach itself is wide and beautiful with calm Gulf water that’s great for families. Pier 60 has nightly sunset celebrations that have become a tradition. The vibe is definitely more tourist-heavy compared to some other beach communities, but the beach quality is undeniable. Living on Clearwater Beach means you’re in a resort town atmosphere year-round, which is exactly what some people want and exactly what others want to avoid.
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Clearwater Beach is a barrier island connected to Clearwater proper by the Memorial Causeway. The island runs north-south along the Gulf coast, and unlike some other beach towns, Clearwater Beach is pretty developed with high-rise condos and hotels lining the beachfront. The focus is definitely on tourism infrastructure.
The beach itself is the star – the sand has a sugary white consistency that’s soft and cool even on hot days. The Gulf water is typically calm and clear (hence the name Clearwater), making it great for swimming, especially for families with kids. The beach is wide with plenty of space even when it’s crowded.
The location on the Gulf coast means you get spectacular sunsets every evening. Pier 60 has become famous for its sunset celebration with street performers, artists, and vendors setting up every night. It’s become a community tradition and tourist draw.
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The beach is obviously the main attraction. You can walk for miles along the shore, and the Beach Walk promenade makes it easy to stroll along the beach accessing restaurants and shops. The sand volleyball courts at Pier 60 are active with pickup games. Water sports rentals are available everywhere – jet skis, paddleboards, parasailing, dolphin tours.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a working marine rescue facility that became famous because of Winter the Dolphin from the movie “Dolphin Tale.” It’s actually a legitimate rescue and rehabilitation facility, not just a tourist attraction, and it’s worth visiting if you’re into marine life.
The restaurant and bar scene on Clearwater Beach is heavily tourist-focused. You’ve got chain beach bars, seafood restaurants, casual dining, and some higher-end options. Frenchy’s is a local institution with multiple locations serving fresh grouper sandwiches. But overall, the dining is more about location and beach atmosphere than culinary innovation.
Shopping on Clearwater Beach is mostly beach gear, souvenirs, and resort wear. For more substantial shopping, you’re heading back to the mainland.
Clearwater Beach highlights & amenities
Living on Clearwater Beach means dealing with tourists constantly. The island can be absolutely packed during peak season (winter snowbird season and summer). Traffic on the causeway and on the island itself can be brutal on weekends and during events. Parking is a nightmare if you don’t have your own parking spot.
The schools on the barrier islands aren’t a major draw, so Clearwater Beach isn’t really a family community in terms of school-age kids. It’s more retirees, vacation home owners, and people without kids or with adult children.
The cost of everything on Clearwater Beach is higher because it’s a tourist destination – groceries, gas, dining out all cost more than on the mainland. For medical care, shopping, or services, you’re crossing back to the mainland.
Hurricane and flood risk is real on a Gulf barrier island. You need flood insurance, and you need to be prepared for evacuation orders during hurricane season.
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Clearwater Beach attracts tourists obviously, but also retirees who want to live on the beach, vacation home owners who use their condos part-time and rent them out otherwise, and some full-time residents who work remotely or have flexible situations. The demographics skew older, and you see a lot of snowbirds from Canada and the northern US during winter.
The real estate market on Clearwater Beach is expensive. Condos range from the high $200s for older smaller units up to multiple millions for luxury beachfront condos. Single-family homes on Clearwater Beach are rare and extremely expensive when they do come up. The price per square foot is high because you’re paying for the beach location and the tourist rental potential.
The vacation rental market is strong on Clearwater Beach, so a lot of condos are used as short-term rentals. This affects availability and also the community feel in many buildings. Some buildings are mostly owner-occupied and don’t allow short-term rentals, while others are heavily investor-owned with constant turnover of vacation renters.
If you’re considering Clearwater Beach, you’re paying a premium for one of the best beaches in the country, but you’re also committing to living in a tourist destination with all the challenges that brings. It’s a lifestyle choice that works for some people and would be too much for others.
Clearwater Beach FAQs
Is Clearwater Beach too touristy to actually live there?
That’s a personal decision. Clearwater Beach is absolutely a tourist destination, especially during peak season from November through April and during summer. The beach, restaurants, and main areas are packed with tourists. Traffic is constant. Everything is more expensive. If that sounds exhausting, then yeah, Clearwater Beach might be too touristy for full-time living. But some people love being in the middle of the action, they enjoy the energy, and having the beach right there outweighs the tourist crowds. And during the off-season (September and October typically), the island quiets down quite a bit. A lot of people who live there full-time just adjust their routines to avoid the worst of the tourist crush and take advantage of the beach during slower times.
How does Clearwater Beach compare to St. Pete Beach?
Both are beautiful Gulf coast beaches with white sand and great sunsets. Clearwater Beach is more developed with high-rise condos and hotels, and it’s more touristy and commercialized. The beach itself at Clearwater is wider and the water tends to be a bit clearer. St. Pete Beach has more variety – the northern part near the Don CeSar is similar to Clearwater Beach, but Pass-a-Grille at the southern end has more of a neighborhood feel. Clearwater Beach has Pier 60 and the nightly sunset celebrations which are a big draw. St. Pete Beach has easier access to downtown St. Petersburg which is more interesting than downtown Clearwater. Price-wise, they’re both expensive, but you might find slightly better values on St. Pete Beach. Really it comes down to personal preference – visit both and see which vibe you prefer.
Can you walk to everything on Clearwater Beach?
If you live on Clearwater Beach, you can walk to the beach, restaurants, shops, and bars in your immediate area. The Beach Walk promenade makes walking along the beach and to nearby spots easy. But Clearwater Beach is still pretty car-dependent for things like grocery shopping (there’s a Publix on the island), getting to medical appointments, or accessing anything on the mainland. The island is a few miles long, so walking from one end to the other isn’t really practical for daily needs. A lot of residents have cars, but you could potentially use a bike or golf cart for getting around the island if you don’t need to go to the mainland frequently.
What’s parking like if you live on Clearwater Beach?
Parking on Clearwater Beach is one of the biggest challenges. If you buy a condo, it will hopefully come with at least one assigned parking spot, and you need to verify this before buying. Some buildings have covered parking, others have open lots. Guest parking can be limited, so having visitors can be tricky. Street parking on the island is mostly metered and fills up quickly with tourists. If you’re renting a place, make absolutely sure you have a designated parking spot included. Not having reliable parking on Clearwater Beach would be a nightmare. During peak tourist times, traffic on the island is so bad that some residents avoid driving and just walk or bike when possible. It’s definitely something to factor into your decision about living there.
