I have been traveling to Florida for many years but I had never been to Clearwater Beach. My default choice for many years has been Bonita Springs for the beautiful beaches. When I got a chance to check out Clearwater Beach, I was hesitant. How could Clearwater Beach be anywhere near as fun as the town I fell in love with years ago?
I decided it was time to try something new and Clearwater Beach seemed like a good choice. Sometimes change is a good thing.
Changing to see Clearwater Beach was a good idea! A very good idea!! Of course, my first Florida love is Bonita Springs but Clearwater Beach has a lot to offer and I realized is a good place for me to go.
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Clearwater Beach Chairs – Buy vs Rent
Something I LOVE about Clearwater Beach is the beach chair rental option. Beach chairs are not vital but really nice to have if you spend the whole day or even several hours lounging on the sand. I love to have a chair so I can read, people-watch, or even take a nap.
Unless you live there or plan on staying for several weeks, buying a chair can be expensive and what do you do with it when it’s time to go home?
Renting a chair is by far the best way to go!! Not only can you rent a chair but you can rent a cabana too. Before you think you don’t need a cabana, hear me out.
Why get a cabana?
The sun on Clearwater Beach gets HOT and unless you are used to it, you can overheat quickly. Having a place to duck into and get out of the sun for a few minutes can feel wonderful. The intensity of the sun is a lot, especially for those of us heading south in the winter. I for one love the warm sunny weather of Florida in the winter. But I can admit I need to ease myself into it. A cabana is a great way to do that.
Another great reason to get a cabana is the cabana boys!! Ok, so there are no cabana boys unless you bring your own. These cabanas are big enough for two chairs and all of your stuff. The shade is a good way to keep your cooler and water bottles out of the sun and will keep your food and drinks cooler longer.
The cost is very affordable and easy to reserve. There are several options along the beach. All you need to do is find a spot to sit and they will find you.
Clearwater Beach is Very Busy
I read that Clearwater Beach is a vacation hot spot but I didn’t realize how busy it really was. There is a ton of traffic, restaurants were packed with people, and stores had long lines at the checkout. I expected a lot of people on the beaches but not everywhere else.
We also discovered the crowds didn’t thin out until well after the bar close either.
You can either let this deter you from taking a vacation on Clearwater Beach or you can use the time to people-watch. One of my favorite pastimes on vacation!
If you are having a hard time finding a place to eat, go a couple of blocks off the beach or during off times to find a place to sit. Also, never forget about the bar. Most bars don’t require reservations and offer the same full menu.
Clearwater Beach is very Walkable
Unsure what to expect we rented a car. Our VRBO was at one end of the beach and many things we wanted to do were at the other end. We also were not sure we could stay busy the whole time “just on the beach.” We were wrong. Not only did we stay occupied the whole time but we were also easily able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.
Other than going to a baseball game, we did not need a car. Not only did we not have to worry about fighting traffic or finding a parking spot, we also didn’t need to worry about a designated driver.
You can easily walk anywhere you need to go. It’s good exercise and what is better than a walk on the beach.
Many Restaurants are the Same
When we looked for places, we wanted to eat while on Clearwater Beach, we found there are a TON of options. It seems like every few steps are another restaurant. This self-proclaimed foodie was in food heaven!
The first restaurant we went to was a cute bar, with touches of upscale and touches of a dive bar. Just my style!! Even better, they had great food. It was late when we got in and most places had already stopped serving food. We asked around and found the Brown Boxer had a limited menu that late. We were in!
Since the first place was great, I was excited for the rest of the week. The second place we went to was super cute and had great food! I was more and more excited. The third place we ducked into was a cute dive bar on the beach. I looked at the menu and everything seemed familiar…
I love to journal while traveling so I took pictures of the menu so I could remember what we had. I pulled out the picture and sure enough, the menu was the same. The names were different but the description was the same.
No, we were not at the same restaurant, but what was happening in the restaurants was all part of a family of brands. The best I can tell there are 3 large restaurant brands that own about 75-80% of the restaurants along the beach.
The food was very good so we didn’t worry too much about this but it is something to be aware of, if you are looking for something different, you need to get off the beach.
Dry Beach = Ice Cream
Something I’m quite used to from the beaches in Bonita Springs, Clearwater Beach is also dry. At first, I was bummed, having dinner and a drink on the beach is something I love to do. I realized however since no alcohol was allowed on the beach, there were a lot of options for ice cream!
It’s actually the only option on the beach. While having a cocktail at sunset on the beach is my kind of life. Ice cream on the beach at sunset is right up there!
The Most Important Thing I Learned
The most important thing I learned was changing is good. There will always be a special place in my heart for Bonita Springs. And I’ll never fully stop going there. But Clearwater Beach is a great place to get away, relax, and enjoy the sand and sun!
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