When Florida wants to dazzle you with its seafront charms, it will often push Clearwater Beach right to the forefront. And here’s why – this three-mile section of the glittering Gulf Coast boasts just about everything you need for beachy perfection.

 

Just to start with, this wide, gently-sloping section of golden sands is as inviting a coastal vista as you could summon up, with appeal for families and couples alike, all fringed with a terrific array of upscale resorts, like the Sheraton Sand Key and the highly-rated Sandpearl Resort, with its superb Caretta’s restaurant.

 

Beautiful Clearwater Beach not only has brilliant white sands but is also a hub of hubbub with a nightly celebration at Pier 60 filled with crafters, buskers and live music, a great place to watch the sunset.

 

Then consider a cornucopia of water-sports, eco-tours and other attractions based along the waterways, which include the essential Clearwater Marine Aquarium – home of Winter, the tail-less dolphin, and the nightly Sunset Celebration centred on Pier 60. Original restaurants also abound, most notably Crabby’s Dockside overlooking the Municipal Marina and the local institution of Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, with its toes firmly in the sand.