Still a great beach: This is the beach I visited as a child and it is still one of the best municipal beaches on Florida's Gulf Coast. The extra wide, mile-long, white, soft sand provides plenty of recreational opportunities for the public and enough parking for easy access. Lifeguards are on duty year-round, and near the pier entrance are well-maintained picnic shelters, shaded playground equipment, open-air restrooms and concessions.
Pier 60: The concrete pier that juts into the Gulf is the centerpiece of Clearwater. The late-afternoon, early-evening daily sunset celebration, that was inspired by the sunset-watching riutal at Mallory Square in Key West, has been a regular fixture since 1995. Called "Sunsets at Pier 60," they feature art and craft vendors and a variety of "entertainers" — clowns, jugglers, singers and bands. The gathering lasts two hours before and after sunset and is a great night of family fun.
The price of development: Although the beach itself is just as nice as when I visited as a child, the area bears little resemblance. It is definitely overdeveloped with hardly a square inch of property beyond the beach not covered in concrete. Many of the mom-and-pop motels have sold to developers who have replaced them with towering high-rise hotels and condos. Many are convinced that modestly priced accommodations in this community are on the way out.
Location: Somerset Street, 1.3 miles north of Clearwater Pass.
Parking: Metered parking for 25 cents per 15 minutes or gated lot at $1.50 hour.
Hours: One of the few beaches open to the public 24 hours a day, although this guide would recommend caution after dark.
Facilities: This beach is full service with lifeguards, concessions, picnic tables, restrooms and showers.
