Clearwater Beach, Florida
Clearwater Beach boasts a beautiful stretch of white sand leading to the warm waves of the Gulf of Mexico. Located along Florida’s sunny west coast about 20 miles from Tampa International Airport, Clearwater is a beach get-away with an endless array of entertainment and sightseeing options.
Nature and Attractions
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a rescue and research oriented working aquarium. Get up close and personal with dolphins, river otters, stingrays and other rescued and rehabilitated marine animals. The aquarium is also home to Winter, a world-famous bottlenose dolphin that lost her tail in a crab trap line and re-learned to swim using a prosthetic tail fin. She is the star of the movie Dolphin Tale which also stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd.
Cruise along Florida’s intercoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico aboard the Pirate’s Ransom pirate ship. Reggae and steel band music set the mood for dancing, dolphin watching, swashbuckling stories and face painting fun.
Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is home to Asian, Australian and native Floridian animals and mammals. Stroll down shady walkways while viewing tigers, leopards, exotic birds, primates, rescued manatees, koalas, kookaburras and wallabies.
Nightlife and Entertainment
Ybor City is a former cigar manufacturing center turned Latin Quarter. The aroma of Spanish, Italian, Cuban and Greek cuisine fill the air as jazz, blues, salsa and reggae music spill from pubs and clubs up and down the brick-lined streets.
Sunsets at Pier 60 is a nightly sunset celebration. Free to the public, there are fire-eaters, stilt-walkers, magicians and live music from the pavilion. Purchase arts and crafts, paintings and jewelry from local artisans or just sit on the soft sand and enjoy the spectacular gulf coast sunsets.
Ruth Eckerd Hall is a 2,180 seat auditorium designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. It features Broadway shows, plays, concerts and summer arts and drama programs for kids.
