Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to spend a few days exploring Clearwater, Florida, and was pleasantly surprised by all that this city has to offer - whether you're looking for a luxury vacation, or a more affordable getaway to a breathtakingly beautiful beachfront community.First and foremost, Clearwater offers absolutely exquisite and pristine white sandy beaches. In fact, you'll find more than 28 miles of lovely beaches in Clearwater, which allow for all sorts of water-based recreation (not to mention sunbathing).
The city is located within a two hour drive from Orlando, and is easy to reach from Sarasota, Tampa and St. Petersburg. The nearby major airport is the Tampa International Airport, although the smaller St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a bit closer.
During my visit, I had the opportunity to stay at the luxurious Sandpearl Resort & Spa (877-726-3111 / www.sandpearl.com), which is located right on the beach. This resort property is as nice as any Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons Resort. It offers spacious, nicely decorated and extremely comfortable rooms and suites (many overlooking the ocean), plus fine-dining restaurants, a full-service day spa, a lovely swimming pool, and plenty of beachfront activities for kids, teens and adults alike.
An alternative (and less costly) alternative to the Sandpearl Resort & Spa is the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa, which is also located on the beach, near Pier 60.
The main reason to visit Clearwater is to experience the award-winning beaches, which have been called some of the most beautiful in the United States. The Caladesi Island State Park offers boat-only access to a wonderful nature reserve and beach area, although there are plenty of public beaches located within a short walk from many of the hotels and resorts in the area.
Clearwater Beach is one of the most popular in the area. Lifeguards are on duty during the day, plus you'll find a wide range of activities available - including jet ski and boat rentals, as well as parasailing. This beach is also home to Pier 60, a boardwalk attraction which offers ongoing special events.
As for nearby attractions, Clearwater offers something for everyone. In addition to the beaches, you'll find nearby theatres, museums, theme parks and family-friendly attractions. Within a short drive, there's Bush Gardens Tampa Bay (888-800-5447), for example, but within Clearwater itself, there's the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (727-441-1790), an attraction which I can't recommend highly enough.
Unlike most aquariums that are open to the public, like SeaWorld, for example, Clearwater Marine Aquarium is primarily a research-based, non-profit facility dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured marine life. This attraction is relatively small and non-commercial. What people of all ages will experience here is a heartwarming and educational look at marine wildlife.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is home to perhaps the world's most famous dolphin, named Winter, who lost his tail after it got caught in a trap. Since being rescued, the aquarium has nursed Winter back to full health and with the help of some of the world's leading experts in prosthetics (including people from Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics), Winter has been fitted with a state-of-the-art artificial limb to replace his tail.
The research being done in conjunction with Winter's artificial tail has directly led to some major advancements in prosthetic limbs for children and injured war veterans. In short, this dolphin has directly touched and improved the lives of many people, and his story is told in a very touching way to visitors of Clearwater Marine Aquarium. In fact, guests get a chance to see Winter up-close as part of the "hands-on" opportunities this very unique aquarium offers.
Even if you don't plan to stay in Clearwater, but you happen to be visiting Tampa or even Orlando, a day trip to Clearwater Marine Aquarium (especially if you're traveling with kids or teens, or someone with a disability) is highly recommended.
Other activities available in the Clearwater area include fishing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and golf. What was pleasantly surprising was that the majority of these activities are offered at very affordable rates. For example, if you'd like to rent an inexpensive sail boat, visit the Clearwater Community Sailing Center (727-517-7776) for boat rentals and sailing instruction.
As for land-based activities, located within Clearwater (or in nearby Tampa or St. Petersburg) are hundreds of wonderful restaurants, shops, museums and galleries. In St. Petersburg, for example, I had the chance to visit the Salvador Dali Museum (727-823-3767), and truly enjoyed my experience.
If you're traveling with kids, the two-hour Pirate Cruise (727-446-2587) offers a fun-filled, high-seas adventure. Okay, maybe not high-seas, but you will enjoy a cruise along the Clearwater coastline in a large pirate ship staffed by pirates who play games with the kids and entertain the passengers.
Clearwater is a wonderful, beautiful and laid back place to visit during a vacation. However, it also provides an ideal setting for a beachfront destination wedding or a romantic honeymoon.
For more information about Clearwater, point your web browser to www.visitclearwaterflorida.com and/or www.myclearwater.com. You can also call the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce at (888) 425-3279.
The following are some photos from my memorable and enjoyable trip to Clearwater...
All images (c)2009 Jason R. Rich. All rights reserved. To see additional images, visit www.JasonRichPhotography.com.
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