Standing on baby-powder white sand, starring out at the gentle lulling of the Gulf’s waves, I realized how lucky we are here on Florida’s West Coast to live so close to Clearwater Beach.

It’s the ideal beach to swim, stroll for shells, watch birds and people, eat in some really good beach restaurants, or just sit on a beach towel and read a good book.

If you want to, you can go fishing on Pier 60, rent a Jet Ski or a paddleboard, or soar over the water in a parasail pulled by a boat. You can even cruise past the beach aboard a pirate ship.

All this and more made Clearwater Beach the No. 1 beach in America in 2018, thanks to TripAdvisor’s annual poll of those who visit the popular travel website. It came in a powerful seventh in the world among beaches. And, it was the only beach in America on this year’s world list.

Sometimes tourists find the beach more often than locals do, thanks to its prominence on travel websites, in newspapers and guidebooks.

USA Today ranked it the second-best beach in Florida in 2015. (First: Gulf Islands National Seashore in Pensacola). Two years earlier, the newspaper called Clearwater Beach the best beach town in Florida.

Ironically, Clearwater Beach is not a town at all, but part of the city of Clearwater, whose logo proudly proclaims “Clearwater Bright and Beautiful Bay to Beach.”

The beach is definitely something to be proud of: TripAdvisor recommends 93 things to do in Clearwater. Going to its beach comes in first.

Lots of changes have come to the beach in the last decade. You’ll notice them right away if you haven’t been in a while.

New upscale, pricey hotels — Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach, Opal Sands Resort, Sandpearl Resort, Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa — have all joined what used to be mostly mom and pop motels.

The picturesque Clearwater Beach Walk, a broad promenade lined with palms, billowing grasses and outdoor showers with comical green turtle sculptures on top, now skirts the beach from Pier 60, at the western end of State Road 60, heading south a half mile.

It’s a fun place to people-watch and to ride a bike or skate, when it’s not too crowded. Otherwise, it makes a nice path for walking along the beach, or to go to lunch or dinner in a nearby bar or restaurant.

The restaurants also make Clearwater Beach a great place to visit. They are numerous and varied, and many offer tasty grouper sandwiches, fish spread and other fresh seafood.

Frenchy’s alone has four restaurants, all with excellent food and service, and all within a short walk to the beach.

Heilman’s Beachcomber Restaurant, opened in 1948, is a longtime favorite of old Clearwater families, who have spread the word to younger generations.

And, Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar, with its inn next door, has long been a popular spot for good food, live music and unparalleled sunset views. It opened in 1926 and has been owned by the same family for 44 years.

If you want to get an idea of why Clearwater Beach got its name, go to VisitStPeteClearwater.com, and look at the webcam “Live from Clearwater Beach.’’ You can see in the photos just how clear the water really can be and how green or blue, depending on the sunlight.

You can see the wide swaths of powdery white sand and little kids skimboarding, digging in the sand with beach shovels or flying kites.

If you go yourself – and you really should if you can – you can rent a colorful beach umbrella or a cabana and chairs, or bring your own, and your own cooler, too. Just don’t bring alcohol. It isn’t allowed on the beach.

We like to park in the paid public lot between Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar and Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, off Rockaway Street. We lay our towels on the beach and walk north, where it’s quieter and fewer people go. Homes, some opulent and others more modest, face out to the Gulf on this part of the beach that has limited parking, unlike farther south.

If you walk south, you’ll likely pass Pier 60, where anglers fish day and night for redfish, snook, Spanish mackerel, trout, snapper, flounder and even sharks.

The 1,080-foot fishing pier has a bait shop, sells drinks, food and souvenirs, and offers Gulf glimpses from telescopes.

Two hours before and after sunset every evening, the pier puts on “Sunset Celebrations,’’ drawing crowds to see colorful sunsets, listen to music, watch street performers and buy local crafts.

But, the Gulf is the star here and the main reason many come from all over the world. Its waters near shore are shallow, its waves usually gently lap onto the sugary sand, leaving treasured shells for everyone to find and take home.

Tips for the Trip

How to get there: State Road 60, or Court Street, in downtown Clearwater, heads west over the Clearwater Memorial Causeway straight to the beach. The main beach drags are Gulf Boulevard to the south and Mandalay Avenue to the north.



The Jolley Trolley offers daily shuttles from a few downtown Clearwater paid parking lots. Trolley tickets are $2.25, or $5 for daily passes. For details, visit ClearwaterJolleyTrolley.com, or call (727) 445-1200.

If you drive, check out where to park on a detailed map at MyClearwater.com/parking, or call (727) 562-4704. It is best to go early to find a good spot. Parking machines take credit cards, cash and coins.

Boat racing event: If you like speedboat races, go see the 10th Annual Hooters Clearwater Super Boat National Championship Sept. 30 off Clearwater Beach. Events start on Sept. 28 and run through the day of the race, with a parade, food trucks, music and more on downtown Cleveland Street and nearby Coachman Park. Watch the races from Pier 60 for $20, or $10 for children. Free viewing from the beach. See the race schedule at SuperBoat.com, and click on Clearwater.

Gulf book: University of Florida history professor Jack E. Davis recently won a Pulitzer Prize for his highly readable “The Gulf – The Making of an American Sea.” To learn the fascinating history of this watery treasure, read this book, now out in paperback. It will make you want to get into your car and head to the Gulf of Mexico, and maybe even to take a stand to protect it.

By Karen Haymon Long

Published August 15, 2018