Clearwater Beach is consistently voted as one of the best beaches in America in many polls. If you’re planning a visit to the area, here are seven things you don’t want to miss while you’re here. 

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Image via Flickr by WalterPro4755

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is home to Winter the dolphin, star of the movie “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2”. Winter lost her tail when she was stuck in a crab trap as a baby. The aquarium was able to rehabilitate her, and she now swims with the help of a prosthetic tail. Guests staying at Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort are just minutes from the aquarium.

Little Toot Dolphin Tour

The operators of the Little Toot sightseeing tours guarantee you’ll see dolphins in the wild on their trip. The shape of the boat creates large waves that dolphins love to play in, and it can go into shallow waters where other boats simply can’t. Plus, the boat is lower to the water, so riders can get an even closer view of the dolphins. The covered boat even provides nice shade from the sun.

Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise

For the young and the young at heart, Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise lets you set sail on Pirate’s Ransom, a 70.5-foot pirate ship. Guests can go on a treasure hunt, have a water gun battle, get their face painted, listen to pirate stories, and dance to tropical music. Adults can enjoy complimentary beer and wine, and children can choose from free lemonade and soda.

Surf Style’s Indoor Surfing

Since waves on the Gulf of Mexico are pretty calm, surfing isn’t very easy here. However, the 55,000-square-foot Surf Style shopping center has fixed that with their FlowRider wave pool. Plus, the padded walls mean that any skill level can use a skim board to attempt the nonstop waves.

Ruth Eckerd Hall

As one of the best acoustic facilities in Florida, Ruth Eckerd Hall brings in various acts like comedians, Broadway performers, and pop stars. The venue also has on-site dining options and specialty cocktails to complete the entertainment for the evening.

Bright House Field

The Clearwater Threshers, a minor league baseball team that is an affiliate for the Philadelphia Phillies, plays at Bright House Field in Clearwater. This ballpark can hold 8,500 fans and has a children’s play area, picnic area, tiki hut pavilion, and state-of-the-art scoreboard.

Clearwater Beach

Of course no trip to Clearwater is complete without a trip to the actual beach. Here, 2.5 miles of white sand meet up with the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The waters are calm and ideal for swimming, and the temperatures are warm and perfect for relaxing. Visitors who stay at Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa are just steps from the beach, and they can enjoy beautiful sunsets every night.

The local beauty of Clearwater Beach provides countless attractions and entertainment options. The next time you come to the area for vacation, be sure you make time for these hot spots.

Author Bio:

Kristen McCalla is a writer and avid blogger who lives right outside of Clearwater Beach with her husband, cat, and dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys relaxing on the beach with her toes in the sand.