St. Pete and the Clearwater Beaches
A narrow peninsula between the Gulf and Tampa Bay that packs in a walkable waterfront city, a string of barrier island beach towns and a few small bayside downtowns. Tampa's airport is close to all of it.
On average, strongest on boating, peace and quiet and beaches. Weakest on nightlife.
Average of the 22 town scorecards. How we score
Port Richey
A small, unfussy river town where the Pithlachascotee meets the Gulf, built around canals, docks and fishing boats.
New Port Richey
A small river town with a 1920s downtown that has been adding breweries, restaurants and a restored theater.
Holiday
A modest, affordable stretch of Pasco coast where canal neighborhoods run out to the Anclote River and the Gulf.
Tarpon Springs
A working sponge port with Greek bakeries and restaurants along the docks and bayous winding through town.
ComparePalm Harbor
A leafy, established town in north Pinellas with an old downtown on the Pinellas Trail and quiet waterfront villages on St. Joseph Sound.
CompareOldsmar
A small, tidy city at the top of Old Tampa Bay, with bayfront parks and the fastest airport run in Pinellas.
Dunedin
A walkable, laid back downtown near some of the Gulf's best island beaches.
Safety Harbor
A small town on Old Tampa Bay with oak shaded streets, a historic spa and a Main Street full of local shops.
Clearwater Beach
Soft white sand, a walkable beach strip and nightly sunset gatherings at Pier 60.
Clearwater
The mainland city behind Clearwater Beach, with a rebuilt downtown waterfront and the sand a bridge away.
CompareBelleair Beach
A small, residential barrier island town on Sand Key, with the Gulf on one side and docks on the Intracoastal on the other.
Indian Rocks Beach
A low key beach town of cottages and small condos, with public beach access at the end of nearly every street.
CompareIndian Shores
A narrow strip of Gulf front condos and beach cottages in the middle of the Pinellas barrier islands, with the Intracoastal on one side and the Gulf a short walk away on the other.
Redington Shores
A small barrier island town with a big public beach park, bay side canal streets full of boat lifts, and a hometown calendar of picnics and holiday parades.
CompareNorth Redington Beach
A tidy little beach town where resorts and condo towers line the Gulf and quiet single family streets reach out into the bay on narrow fingers of land.
CompareRedington Beach
A small, almost entirely residential beach town of single family homes, where the streets are quiet and the Gulf is at the end of the block.
Madeira Beach
Locals call it Mad Beach: a casual Gulf town built around the fishing boats and boardwalk at John's Pass.
Treasure Island
A barrier island with one of the widest beaches on the Gulf.
St. Petersburg
A sunny waterfront city with a walkable downtown, the Dalí Museum, murals on every block and Gulf beaches 20 minutes away.
Gulfport
An artsy little waterfront town with a slow pace and a friendly main street.
St. Pete Beach
A wide Gulf beach anchored by the pink Don CeSar hotel, with the old fishing village of Pass-a-Grille at its tip.
Tierra Verde
A cluster of canal islands at the mouth of Tampa Bay, between St. Pete Beach and Fort De Soto, made for people who live on their boats.