Sand Key Beaches | BeachHunter.net |
Northern Sand Key and Belleair Beach
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Sand Key describes a long, highly developed barrier island between Clearwater Beach and Treasure Island. It is one long island, but is home to the following beach towns: Sand Key, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores, North Redington Beach, Redington Beach and Madeira Beach. Each city has its own character, but the beaches along the entire island are quite similar. It's what's above the beach that differs in degree of development and commercialization. The various towns also differ markedly in their provision of beach access to the public. Indian Rocks Beach is the most relaxed of the beach towns on Sand Key and provides plenty of free beach access and parking.
The big luxury hotels are on Clearwater Beach (Sand Pearl and the Hilton), and on northern Sand Key (Sheraton Sand Key). Belleair Beach and Belleair Shore are residential. Indian Rocks Beach has quite a few beach cottages and low-rise condominiums. Madeira Beach is the most commercial area and includes John's Pass.
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Sand Key Park is an oasis of calm in a land of commerce and high rises; a sliver of sanity amid the madness of overzealous development. Note the condos towering in the distance like a mountain range, the Sierra del Sand Key. |
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Sand Key Park is popular with day trippers, surfers, skim boarders, and fishermen. The long wide sandy beach is a big draw. And the facilities are excellent. |
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The jetty at Sand Key Park, at the mouth of Clearwater Pass is one of the top surfing spots in Clearwater. |
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Not all of Sand Key Park is sand and water though. A huge grassy and sporadically shaded green belt provides elbow room for the one million visitors that wander through this park every year. A huge parking lot (metered) is provided to accommodate everyone. |
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The Park has plenty of greenery, in stark contrast to the incredibly tall condominiums just a short distance to the south. |
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The tall bridge over Clearwater Pass affords a great view of the entire area. There is a pedestrian walk provided on the bridge. Take a walk up on the bridge and check it out. Don't forget to take your camera and a bottle of water to drink. It's a longer walk than it would first appear. |
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Just south of Sand Key Park it's a different ball game.
The mountainous condos tower over everything, blotting out the late
afternoon sun, and a goodly portion of the sky. Don't even think about
trying to see the beach here unless you are staying in one of the
condos.
I ask: is this really necessary? |
Belleair Beach |
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Belleair has a beautiful beach reserved for the owners of the huge beachfront estates. Most of the beachfront homes are probably unoccupied for at least several months each year. |
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Belleair provides a fine access for the local residents. It is off-limits to the general public. |
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Belleair Beach has a beautiful white beach and has provided a sign marking the "Public Beach Access" (far left sign). Unfortunately there is no public access to the access since the parking lot is for residents with a permit. You can't see the sign until you're already out on the beach anyway. The sign in the parking lot (near left photo) tells the real story. Of course I had to park illegally to take these photos. I was the only car in the parking lot on this beautiful fall afternoon. I was also the only one on the beach, as you can see from the below photo. I wonder why? |
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