Gulf Beaches of Pinellas County

The Pinellas County Gulf beaches include Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach, among others. The beaches are on a chain of barrier islands beginning in Dunedin and stretching south to the mouth of Tampa Bay. There are dozens of little beach access points, but because you’re probably just driving over for the day from Orlando, I’m just going to focus on three that will be most accommodating to you. These beaches are about a two hour drive from Orlando via Interstate 4.

The four main public beaches in the area are:

• Pier 60
• Sand Key Park
• Pass-A-Grille Beach
• Fort Desoto County Park

BeachHunter’s Recommendations:

1. Clearwater Beach Pier 60 – Park your car for the day. Everything you need is within walking distance. Great for families with kids and teenagers. Beautiful white sand, shallow calm water and top-notch lifeguards. This should generally be your first choice.

2. Pass-A-Grille Beach – A much lower key beach than Clearwater Beach’s Pier 60. Fewer choices in restaurants and shopping. No lifeguards. Still it’s very popular, so plan to arrive by 11 a.m. on weekends and holidays if you want to find a choice parking spot.