Beach Travel Destinations > Beaches in the United States > The Best Beaches of St Pete Florida

The Best Beaches of St Pete Florida

February 3, 2022 35 Comments

Beaches in the United States, Best Beaches of Florida

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The Best Beaches of St Pete Florida (including Clearwater Beach) are the only beach travel destinations in America with two beaches in the Top 10 of Top U.S. Beaches, which is based on millions of traveler reviews with Trip Advisor. There’s laid-back St. Pete Beach, which came in at No. 2 on the list, and busy Clearwater Beach, which is No. 8.  The area boasts 35 miles of Florida beaches where you are sure to find your happy place. If you want activities, resorts and colorful drinks with tiny umbrellas in them, Clearwater Beach and St. Pete. Beach will have you covered.  Here you will find families sunning and playing in the sand and mingling singles flying over the water in a parasail, build sand castles, or playing a game of beach volleyball.  Start planning your vacation to St Pete, visit our St Pete Beach guide here or on Pinterest.

If you prefer weathered beach bars and an Old Florida feel then you can hang out at Treasure Island or Pass-a-Grill where there are many unique restaurants and shops to walk through. Another area to not pass up is Fort De Soto.  You have to charter a boat or tour boat to get there.  But with it’s gorgeous beaches, playgrounds, picnic areas, camping, and watersports.  Get away from it all and enjoy nature at Fort De Soto Park. This park is spread over five islands, so you can enjoy beaches, birdwatching on the great birding trail, rent bikes, go to the dog beach and more.

But if you’re craving an escape from reality, there’s no place like Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island, especially during a weekday. These are completely undeveloped Florida beaches that are guaranteed to bring out your inner bliss. So ditch work for a while and lose yourself on one of these fantastic Florida beach spots!  Go here to see our Clearwater Beach Travel Guide and St Pete Beach Travel Guide.

St. Petersburg is my absolute favorite area to go to in Florida for a beach vacation!  I consider it one of the best beaches of Florida.  The top St. Petersburg & Clearwater beaches are:

Clearwater Beach Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaClearwater Beach

There are hundreds of things to do on Clearwater Beach and the main attraction is still pretty much its near-perfect beach (USA Today readers voted Clearwater Beach “Best Beach Town in Florida” in 2013). With it’s beautiful white sand and clear, shallow water, this beach an ideal playground for families.  As far as beach travel goes, it cannot be beat!

Everyone loves a beach this gorgeous. From the walk along the palm-lined Beach Walk Promenade to the tranquil shores of Sand Key Park, you’ll find your perfect spot in the sand on Clearwater Beach. You can rent a cabana and beach umbrella from a local vendor, or walk toward the north side which is more and away from the bustling scene of Pier 60 and the Clearwater Marina. There is free parking in downtown Clearwater where you can hop on the Clearwater Ferry for stress-free ride to the beach.

There is plenty of good food and entertainment with live music with places like Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, Shephard’s Tiki Beach Bar and Grill and Palm Pavilion Beachside Grill & Bar. You’ll find the best shopping in Clearwater Beach at the Shoppes on Sand Key and the SurfStyle store on Beach Walk.  Visit our Clearwater Beach Vacation Guide to start planning your Clearwater Beach vacation.

Indian Shores & Indian Rocks Beach Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaIndian Shores & Indian Rocks Beach

These two beaches are bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway on the east and the Gulf of Mexico on the west.  There’s plenty of beach access parking to these beautiful white-sand beaches with plenty of local restaurants and shops at both these beach locations.

Indian Shores is home to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary who are dedicated to the care and release of injured birds native to the Gulf Coast. Indian Shores is approximately 2.65 miles of re-nourished sandy beaches.  The town has a variety of shops, restaurants, and accommodations including motels, condos, and time-shares.

Indian Rocks Beach offers nearly three miles of beautiful and accessible beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. People come from all over the world to visit Indian Rocks Beach for the beaches and to watch the beautiful sunsets.  There are 27 beach access points along Gulf Boulevard.  There are also plenty of restaurants and quaint shops.  To plan your vacation, head to our Indian Rocks Beach Florida Hotels or Indian Shores Florida Hotels guide.

Madeira Beach Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaMadeira Beach

Madeira Beach is best known for the sea-themed John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk.  Here there are shops and eateries, and a 1,100-foot boardwalk along the Intracoastal. Madeira’s  beach is 2.5-miles long and attracts devotees of sun and sea.  More grouper is brought into John’s Pass than any other place in the state. If you are traveling in October, be sure not to miss the Seafood Festival at John’s Pass, which attracts as many as 130,000 visitors to its celebration of food, music, and arts and crafts.  Visit our Madeira Beach Florida Hotels guide for information on the Madeira Beach area.

North Redington Beach & Redington Shores Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaNorth Redington Beach & Redington Shores

North Redington Beach has a mile of beautiful sand that slopes gently into the Gulf, providing safe bathing for both children and adults. Here you will not find the crowds, bustle and impatience of a larger city.  The beach offers quaint shops, restaurants, motels, hotels, and condos to meet the needs of any visitor.  Visit our North Redington Beach Hotels guide here.

Redington Shores offers visitors and residents wide white sandy beaches, abundant fishing, boating activities, parks and spectacular natural wildlife and beauty.  It is located midway between Clearwater to the north and St. Pete Beach to the south.  Visit our Redington Shores Florida Hotels guide here.

Pass-A-Grille Beach Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaPass-A-Grille Beach

Pass-A-Grille is at the southernmost end of St. Pete Beach. Historic Pass-A-Grille is a quaint, laid back beach town where you can park your car and walk to the beach.  Here there are plenty of boutiques, an ice cream shop, outdoor art market, restaurants, tennis courts and fishing piers.  A collection of local shops and artists come out every Friday and Sunday from 9 AM till 3 PM.  Listen to local music, enjoy some of the local artists flair and if you get hungry, the Paradise Grille is conveniently located right next door!  In Pass-A-Grille you separate yourself from daily stresses because you are in paradise.  Head to our Pass-A Grille Florida Hotels guide for more information to help you plan your vacation here.

St. Pete Beach Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaSt. Pete Beach

St. Pete Beach was voted #1 in the Top 10 Beach Destinations by TripAdvisor.com!  The is by far, my favorite beach that I have ever been too and I will keep returning there as often as I can.

With its pristine sugary white sand beaches, clear gulf waters, warm sunshine, and great hospitality, you cannot go wrong.  There are family oriented beachfront resorts as well as quaint inns in the Pass A Grille area. St Pete Beach is the perfect vacation destination. There is lots to do on this gorgeous beach including any water sports or beach activity you can think of and plenty of great dining, from casual to gourmet!  St. Pete Beach also hosts a wide variety of concerts, art shows and family events throughout the years.  Stay at one of the top ten beaches in the U.S.  Visit our St. Pete Beach Travel Guide to plan your vacation today!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is treasure-island-beach-300x129.jpgTreasure Island

Treasure Island boasts nearly 4 miles of beaches.  Treasure Island beaches each have a different character and feel. There are three different beach neighborhoods. The first area is mid-island. It is a very wide beach and here you will find most of the gulf-front motels, hotels and condo-hotels. It has many restaurants, shops and conveniences all within a short walking distance. Here you will find the .85 mile Treasure Island Beach Trail which is perfect for walking, skateboarding, dog-walking, or bicycling.

The other neighborhoods are Sunshine Beach and Sunset Beach.  They are more residential than commercial, and you will find quaint beach cottages to Key West-style homes.  You will find dunes of sea oats lining the beach with walkovers providing access at these two beaches. At Sunset Beach there is a 5/10 mile boardwalk which encircles the tip of the island. This is where Blind Pass and the Gulf of Mexico meet. This area is popular for fishing and just strolling. Head to our Treasure Island Florida Hotels guide for more information to help you plan your vacation here.

Fort De Soto Park Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaFort De Soto Park

Ft. De Soto Beach is located off of St. Petersburg’s southern tip. It is named after the historic fort located on the 900-acre county park.  Ft. De Soto also includes a year-round county campground, miles of nature trails and paved fitness trails, 2.25 miles of canoe trails, an 800-foot boat launch with floating docks, fishing piers, picnic pavilions with grills, a concession stand and restroom and shower facilities. On the island’s southern shores, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.  Visit our St. Pete Beach Travel Guide to plan your vacation today!

Calidesi Island State Park Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaCalidesi Island State Park

Here beach lovers can enjoy swimming, sunbathing and beach combing. Saltwater anglers can cast a line from their boats or surf fish. Here you can spot wildlife while hiking the three mile nature trail through the island’s interior or paddling a three mile kayak trail through the mangroves and bay. Picnic tables and shelters are located near the beach, and picnic pavilions can be reserved for a fee. The park has a marina with electric and water hookups, as well as a snack bar and gift shop. The park is accessible by boat or ferry. Ferry service is provided by the Caladesi Island Ferry (727) 734-1501and departs from Honeymoon Island State Park.

Shell Key Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaShell Key

Shell Key is an uninhabited barrier island located between Fort Desoto Park and Pass-A-Grille. The only way to get to Shell Key is by boat.  The island is about 2.5 miles long and has about 180 acres of dry land. The entire preserve is over 1700 acres which includes Shell Key and some smaller islands.  Shell Key is a favorite of boaters, nature lovers, kayakers, snorkelers, shellers, fishermen, and campers. Astronomers take advantage of the dark nights on the island without  any lights.  If you are staying on St. Pete Beach and don’t have a car, you can take the beach trolley right to the Merry Pier to catch the Shell Key Shuttle.  Head to our Pass-A Grille Florida Hotels guide for more information to help you plan your vacation here.

Maximo Beach Park Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaMaximo Beach & Park

Maximo Park Beach & Park has three boat ramps, a nature boardwalk, two beach-side playgrounds, miles of bike and nature trails, and plenty of shade trees on a 70-acre archaeological site. There is a 10-foot observation tower, where beach goers can enjoy a breathtaking view of Florida’s famous Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the Gulf of Mexico and Boca Ciega Bay. They also have a “Tocobaga Disc Golf Course”, which is a championship 18 hole course for Frisbee and other disc enthusiasts that winds through 47 wooded acres.  Visit our St. Pete Beach Travel Guide to plan your vacation today!

Spa Beach & North Shore Beaches Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaSpa Beach and North Shore Beaches

Both Spa Beach and North Shore Beach offer white sandy beaches on the shores of Tampa Bay. Spa Beach is located at the base of the St. Petersburg Pier.  Beach visitors can relax in the sun or rent paddle boats, jet skis and other water crafts.  North Shore Beach includes a playground, an Olympic-caliber year round swimming pool, tennis courts, ample parking, and a beautiful palm arboretum for beach-side picnics and afternoon strolls.  Visit our St. Pete Beach Travel Guide to plan your vacation today!

Egmont Key Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete FloridaEgmont Key

Egmont Key is a state preserve and island off the coast of St. Petersburg and is accessible by boat from one of the city’s nine public boat ramps. Here you will enjoy a magnificent view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge that spans the mouth of Tampa Bay. The island has an 87-foot lighthouse, a 440-acre wildlife refuge, miles of magnificent beaches, and remnants of the 1906 Fort Dade from the Spanish American War.  Visit our St. Pete Beach Travel Guide to plan your vacation today!

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Bellair Beach Florida, best beaches in the U.S., best Florida beaches, The Best Beaches of St Pete Florida
Belleair Beach

This quiet, laid back beach is home to many sea turtle and sea bird nesting sites scattered about the shore. Why visit Belleair Beach? No crowds, no active sports, just peace and quiet. The ultimate beach destination if you want to pretend to be a millionaire for a day. Head to our Belleair Beach Florida Hotels guide to start planning.

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35 Comments

  1. Kari

    I am bringing my family to Florida the end of March. We are flying into Tampa. We would like a condo with a kitchen as we will be doing most of our own cooking. An outdoor pool. Beautiful view of the beach and sunsets is a must. I know nothing about the area. Can you recommend a condo that is reasonably priced that would meet my needs? Six people. Thank you!

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      I live on Clearwater Beach near Tampa. How many is in your family and I will find you a reasonable condo. Thanks!

      Reply ↓
      1. Heather

        Are there reasonable places to stay around clearwater or st Pete’s for 5 people in march?

        Reply ↓
        1. Leahrae (Post author)

          Hi Heather, I live here and March, unfortunately is spring break here…well spring break here lasts about 3 months. Let me do some checking for the most reasonable and I will let you know what I find. How long did you want to stay? I will look at weekly rates for you as they will be better.

          Reply ↓
  2. laurie

    i have been to florida once i always said i was gonna go back and visit now i am going back for sure!!!love your web sight
    laurie

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      Great Laurie! I do love it here (I live in this area) and there are so many things to do, see and great places to enjoy a good meal and great beverages! Thanks for visiting the St. Petersburg & Clearwater beaches.

      Reply ↓
  3. Kien

    Wow..this post is making me excited. I have never been to Florida before. I can pucture how it is in my head while reading this. And are you kidding me! 35miles of coast lines are long!! There are just too many things to see there and I don’t think anyone could discover the whole thing in one trip. Thanks for sharing all the detail. Defenitely helpful for me if I decide to go there one day!

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      You are welcome Kien. Yes! so much coast line, so much beauty and so much to do! Thank you for visiting the St. Petersburg & Clearwater Beaches!

      Reply ↓
  4. gary marcell

    My wife would love to live close by the beach. She loves blue water the sun, I can get use to the life style myself. I will see the beaches before I die!
    This Is A great website hope you are making money from it. Love all the ads on the sidebar area

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      Thank you so much Gary! It is not so much about making money, but providing information for a passion of mine. I hope I can inspire others to enjoy relaxing beach vacations in some of the best beaches in the U.S.! Glad you enjoyed!

      Reply ↓
  5. Adrian

    Hi, I really enjoyed your page. It is very descriptive and has a lot of information.
    I love beach life and grew up next to the beach. We have very nice beaches here in South Africa as well.
    Nothing like white sandy beaches.
    I would love to travel and go visit those beaches.
    I also like the ads you integrated on your page. Very colorful.

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      Thank you so much Adrian! I have only been to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. Those beaches are amazing, so I bet yours are too! thanks for visit Beach Travel Destinations!

      Reply ↓
  6. Patrick

    Greetings, Something about tropical locals piques my interest. Having only ever been to Cuba and some beaches here and there throughout the US. Now i want to go Clearwater beach. Chilling and relaxation are what i am after and that beach looks gorgeous. Nothing like a nice umbrella drink lounging in the sun on a white sanded beach. Thanks for all this wonderful info!

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      I was just there and it is so nice for sure! If you need any additional information, just let me know. Thank you for visiting St. Petersburg & Clearwater Beaches!

      Reply ↓
  7. Candida

    I love beaches there is nothing more relaxing then sitting on the porch and listening to the waves roll in. My husband and I have talked about travelling to Florida but never really knew where to go you have given us several options with a lot of information. Do any of the beach’s have house rental ocean fornt?

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      Yes, I stay oceanfront on St. Pete’s beach in a cottage. And I know that Treasure Island (right next to St. Pete) and Clearwater all have cottages for rent. You can go to VRBO.com or tripadvisor.com and find all kinds 🙂 Last time I stayed a week and paid a little over $400. It was great!

      Reply ↓
  8. Candida Kennedy

    My husband and I have been talking about travelling to Florida and now you have given us many options to choose from with beautiful pictures.

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      Glad I can help 🙂

      Reply ↓
  9. Renee Townsend

    As odd as it sounds, when I think of traveling I think of food. I think it might be because I am in the middle of North Dakota, a place that lacks a lot of variety. I don’t Remember wanting to visit places just to eat before I moved to North Dakota. I like that you mention the different restaurants. I love fish and all things seafood. Do you have any recommendations for those who are lovers of foods that come out of the sea?any must eat stops?

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      Ok, stick to St. Pete Beach which will be easiest to navigate and get to and you will find some amazing food. Here are my favorites: Shells Seafood Restaurant, Paradise Grill, and my all time favorite is Rick’s Reef. I even have a bumper sticker for Rick’s Reek, I frequent it a lot. Have their blackened grouper sandwich…..so yummy and the staff is amazing!

      Reply ↓
  10. ZEGU

    After reading your article, I am now thinking of nothing else except to escape to a quiet and peaceful place. Thank you for revealing such two beach travel destinations: the Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island. Not only will I be guaranteed of an environment of inner bliss and quite, but of having an adventure since I have never been to a Florida beach.

    Reply ↓
  11. Steph

    Beautiful beach sunset views. I lived in Florida while attending college there and your website makes me want to visit that state again. One of my best friends just got back recently from Tampa and she posted pictures on Facebook of Clearwater Beach and everyone was envious of her trip. Thanks for sharing these amazing beaches.

    Reply ↓
  12. Deadshot

    Hi there ! Ive never been to St. Petersburgh yet but seeing so many lovely beaches makes me feel like getting out of my bed and head straight to these beaches !

    Wonderfully written post and very informative 🙂

    Reply ↓
  13. Mishyboo

    Hi!

    Great Post! I absolutely love Florida and am actually planning to move to Orlando by the end of the year. I’m taking my family to visit in 4 weeks time and we cannot wait. We have been looking at some of the beaches to go and spend a few days at and had been looking at St Petersburg & Clearwater so your article has been extremely informative and helpful!

    Thanks For Sharing!

    Mishyboo! X:-).

    Reply ↓
  14. Vicky

    Great list. I have to go and check out the Madeira beach looks like a lot of fun. We have a place at Bradenton, so this list comes in very handy for some fun day trips!

    This is a little off topic, but we have thought about moving down to the West coast of Florida. We have two kids in elementary school, do you know what areas would be good with kids, areas with great schools?

    Thank you, can’t wait to go back 🙂

    Vicky

    Reply ↓
    1. Leahrae (Post author)

      One I would recommend is Cape Coral. The schools there are great and they have a good mix of private, charter and public schools. Also consider Englewood, Fl. which is a nice area that is between Sarasota and Ft. Myers with plenty of waterfront canals and beach front properties. I have a 10th grader and we are looking at moving to St. Pete. There they have Boca Ciega High School which doesn’t rank high, BUT it has a medical school program for high school age students that gets extremely high marks. Parents are required to be involved which I think is great.

      Reply ↓
  15. heavenly

    WOW! I stumbled upon your site and now I want to make a trip to Florida! These beaches sound amazing. You gave so much detail I could almost plan my trip while I was reading. 🙂

    Reply ↓
    1. admin

      Thank you so much. Beach travel is a passion of mine and I simply love Florida!

      Reply ↓
  16. andrea

    I live in north of Spain, although here you can find some amazing long beaches i think, after reading this article, you got by far a gorgeous selection there.
    I was actually feeling the sand under my feet while doing yoga.
    What the average temperature of the sea in December??

    Thanks for make me have a sunny ride in my head!

    Reply ↓
    1. admin

      The temperature is in the low 70s which is a little chilly. Thank you for your feedback Andrea.

      Reply ↓
  17. Von

    I wish I live close by to these kind of places. I love beaches and the sun. It always rain up here. I will add this beaches to my “to go” list.

    Reply ↓
  18. Kyle

    Hi Leahrae
    This is beauty post, i love the idea on beach travel reviews. I was going to move to California from England. I hope in the future you expand to either one of these places. England you may struggle with but Newquay in cornwall, England is beautiful. You have tempted me to visit florida in the near future.

    Reply ↓
    1. admin

      Thank you Kyle! Florida beaches really are beautiful! I do plan to expand. This is just a place I have traveled often 🙂

      Reply ↓
  19. Julius

    Whoa, that’s a lot of insight you got here. I wish I went to at least one of these. What’s your favorite?

    Reply ↓
    1. admin

      Hands down it’s a tie between St. Pete Beach for action and loads of Tiki Bars 🙂 and Treasure Island for a relaxing atmosphere!

      Reply ↓

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