In 2013, USA Today crowned Clearwater Beach the "Best Beach Town in Florida." Four million people visit every year, easily making it one of the top tourist destinations along Florida's idyllic Gulf Coast. But, Clearwater is more than just sun, sand, and surf. It is a thriving community of more than one hundred thousand residents as well as a key driver of the Tampa Bay Area's economy. In Clearwater and the surrounding environs, you will find and endless supply of things to see and do. Tampa to the east and St. Petersburg to the south are highly touted tourists destinations in their own right, and don't forget that the world-famous Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando is just a mere 95 miles away!
The City of Clearwater gets its name not from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but from the natural springs found in the area by Native Americans and used by them since time immemorial. Their name for the area was "Pocotopaug," which translates literally into "Clear Water." White settlers arrived in the 1830s, including a French doctor named Conte Odet Philippe who planted the area's first citrus trees. Only gradually did "Clear Water" become popular as a destination for tourists, aided in part by Florida's first real estate boom of the 1920s. After WWII, many of the soldiers who had trained at military facilities in the area returned, starting families. In 1947, the Philadelphia Phillies undertook spring training practices in Clearwater and have been a fixture of the community ever since. The population explosion Clearwater witnessed over the ensuing decades mirrored that of Florida as a whole. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, nearly 108,000 people now call Clearwater home.
Visitors to Clearwater have gobs of interesting activities at their disposal. There is Bright House Network Field, spring training home of the Phillies; Coachman Park, an open-air waterfront venue that plays hosts to concerts, festivals, and exhibitions throughout the year; Capitol Theater, one of the oldest operating theaters in Florida; the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home to Winter, the famous bottlenose dolphin with a prosthetic tail; Pier 60, which provides the ideal vantage point for watching beautiful sunsets; Ruth Eckerd Hall, a 73,000-square-foot performing arts venue; Westfield Countryside Mall, which has one of the few ice rinks in Florida; and the Clearwater Farmer's Market, located on the 500 and 600 blocks of Cleveland Street and open every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The fishing in and around Clearwater is also particularly good. The Tampa Bay Area, in general, has a reputation for being one of the best fishing locales in America, with opportunities suitable for anglers of every level of skill. Budget permitting, you can charter one of the many deep-sea fishing vessels that operate out of Clearwater. Prices can be steep but the memories you make will be positively unforgettable. Availability varies depending on the time of year, so be sure to call around, get prices, and lock in a reservation far in advance of your visit. Alternatively, inshore fishing is a more budget-friendly option that you might want to consider. Many places sell (and rent) poles, if you do not have one of your own. Tackle, bait, fishing line, hats, sunscreen, drinks, snacks - these and other fishing essentials are available at any local bait and tackle shop. You will also need a Florida fishing license, even if you'll just be fishing off a bridge or from the shore. Check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to see what type of license you (and any other members of your group) will require.
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