Gulf Coast beaches: Clearwater, St. Pete Beach and nearby
Florida's west coast is on the Gulf of Mexico. From Orlando it is roughly a two-hour drive, so it works as a long day trip or an overnight. Check a live map on the day; traffic on I-4 and the bridges can change the time.
The St. Pete / Clearwater visitor bureau (opens in a new tab) describes about 35 miles of beaches in the area.
Clearwater Beach
A barrier-island beach in Pinellas County. The visitor bureau reports that Tripadvisor ranked it the number 1 beach in Florida for 2026 (per that site; rankings change yearly).
St. Pete Beach
Known for the Don CeSar hotel, a landmark that dates to the 1920s, along the same Gulf shoreline.
More beaches nearby
The visitor bureau also lists Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island state parks (Caladesi is reached by ferry), Madeira Beach near John's Pass Village, Fort De Soto Park, Indian Rocks Beach and the Redington beaches.
College football on this coast
The University of South Florida Bulls play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. See the college towns page.
Before you go
- Check beach flags, lifeguard hours and parking on the city or county page.
- For Atlantic-side alternatives see Florida beaches from Orlando.
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