These are all the most notable beaches near Tampa, FL from an hour and a half North to an hour and forty minutes South of Tampa. It is the ultimate guide to Tampa beaches with first hand knowledge and tips for every single one.
That’s right, I visited all these beaches with my toddler in tow to try them out for ourselves. Now that I feel like I have a good handle on what each beach has to offer and my own personal favorites it is time to share my knowledge with you!
So whether you are looking for the best beach near Tampa, the best beach in Tampa to visit with kids or the least crowded beaches to visit I am here to help.
We have a lot of ground to cover so let’s get started.
This post may contain some affiliate links. This means I make a small profit from your purchase but at no increased cost to you. I only recommend products that I love and would purchase myself! Full disclaimer here.
Quick List of Tampa Beaches
Before we get to the really good stuff, here is a list of all the beaches we will be talking about listed from North to South. You can click on the name of the beach to jump to the description for that beach if you are looking for details about one place in particular.
Ben T. Davis Beach (coming soon)
Redington Beach (coming soon)
Beaches of Tampa Florida
Alfred A. McKethan Pine Island Park
Located an hour and fifteen minutes north of Tampa is a small beach park called Alfred A McKethan Pine Island Park or Pine Island for short. For only $5 a day you can park and relax on a beautiful gulf shore beach from 8 am till sunset. With everything you could need for a successful beach day there is a concession stand, restrooms, showers, a park for the kids, a sand volleyball court and covered picnic tables.
This is my favorite beach to visit with young kids because the water is shallow for about a quarter mile with no drop offs. And because it is in a bay area there are no large waves. So even though the sand isn’t quite as white and soft as Clearwater Beach I love that I can let my toddler play in the water with minimal stress.
The park does have limited parking though and it does occasionally fill up so try and come early to guarantee a spot.
Rachel’s Beach Rankings: #1 Tampa beach to visit with toddlers.
Address: 10800 Pine Island Drive, Spring Hill, FL 34607
Fred Howard Park
Located near the charming downtown area of Tarpon Springs is Fred Howard Beach. Simply drive to Fred Howard Park and follow the road out across the one mile causeway to the beach. It is a smaller beach but there is no shortage of amenities here, from chair and umbrella rentals, restroom, and watersport rentals it has it all. Plus due to its location in the gulf it is an amazing place to watch the sunset.
This is the closest beach to where I live so we visit quite often. It is a convenient destination, parking is only $5 from sunrise to sunset and the parking lot is very close to the beach. The sand is alright although certainly not the best around and it often has quite a bit of seaweed on it.
Fred Howard Beach is a great place to visit but it does get crowded on weekends and during spring break and summer vacation times.
Address: Howard Park Causeway, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
Sunset Beach
Sunset beach is a small beach not far from Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs. This small beach is very picturesque with nice sand, palm trees blowing in the wind and rocky outposts near the water. The water is shallow a decent ways out making Sunset Beach a great beach to visit with kids in Tampa. The best part is, parking is completely free!! We visited on a Friday morning and it was not crowded at all.
The beach has a large parking lot, restrooms, a small book borrowing library stand and a couple of pavilions. It is not a huge beach or even one of the nicest in the area but it is a great place to relax for the day without spending a single penny.
Address: 1800 Gulf Road, Tarpon Sprins, FL 34689
Honeymoon Island
Honeymoon Island State Park is a beautiful beach destination near Tampa in the city of Dunedin. There is an $8 per day entrance fee per car but you are welcome to leave and come back. So if you want to grab food in town for lunch or dinner and then come back for the sunset you can!
There is the main beach area and then on the southern side of the island there is a large dog beach. Dogs do have to remain leashed but they are welcome to relax on the sand or swim in the ocean with you. Honeymoon also has a few “hiking” trails that are great for birdwatching, restrooms and a couple cafes.
The beach area is large and almost never seems crowded and there is plenty of parking to go around. The sand is nice and soft with a few shells although it is not quite as nice as Clearwater.
Rachel’s Beach Rankings: #1 Tampa Beach to visit with dogs.
Address: 1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin, Fl 34698
Caladesi Island
For untouched natural beach beauty it would be hard to beat Caladesi Island. Reachable only by water you can get here by boat, kayak or paddleboard. There is a ferry from Honeymoon island that will take you to Caladesi Island for the day for $14 per person.
The only buildings house the restrooms, showers and a small cafe and gift shop. There are chairs and umbrellas available for rent if you didn’t bring your own too. The sand is soft and the water is a beautiful emerald green and as clear as water gets on the gulf coast. The best part though is the shells! They cover the ground by the thousands and range in size from tiny to as big as my hand.
Rachel’s Beach Rankings: #1 Tampa Beach for Shelling and Seclusion
Address: Caladesi Ferry Tickets, 1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin, FL 34698
Tips for the Perfect Beach Trip:
Cypress Point Park
Only 6 minutes from the airport and conveniently located by all of downtown Tampa is Cypress Point Park. This beach park has free parking and is perfect for anyone looking to walk along the beach one last time before their flight home or for a quick beach visit after dinner downtown.
It is located in the bay so the waves are minimal but the sand is only ok and there are nats that come out in the evening. The park also has sand volleyball courts, restrooms, covered picnic tables and walking trails. Thanks to its proximity to the airport there are near constant planes flying over which are fun to watch especially with young kids.
Address: 5620 W Cypress St, Tampa FL 33607
Read More: Cypress Point Park: What You Need to Know
Clearwater Beach
Arguably the most famous and popular beach in Tampa is Clearwater Beach. With miles of soft pure white quartz sand that never gets too hot. Keep an eye on the waters and you may catch sight of pods of dolphins swimming around or you can head out on a dolphin cruise to make sure you spot them.
There is everything you could need on the beach or nearby. From delicious restaurants, high rise hotels, sand volleyball courts, cabana rentals, kayaks, jet skis, paddleboards, showers and of course restrooms. Parking can be hard to find but there are a couple large parking garages and parking lots on side streets where you can find spots. Just be prepared to trek a decent way to the beach.
Although this beach is popular and it definitely gets busy, the beach is so large that I never feel squished. There is so much room to spread out and find a plot of sand to make your own for the day.
Rachel’s Beach Ranking: #2 Beach in Tampa
Address: 160S S Gulfview Blvd Clearwater, FL 33767
Sand Key Beach
Right below Clearwater Beach is a large beach park called Sand Key Beach. It is still a very busy beach thanks to its close proximity to downtown Clearwater but it doesn’t have the same parking issues which is awesome. The parking lot is HUGE and only costs $5 flat rate for all day parking.
Sand Key Beach is a large beach with shelly sand that kids will love to dig in. There was a lot of seaweed the day we visited but a couple friends I went with had been before and said that isn’t always the case. There are chair and umbrella rentals, public restrooms and shower stations all along the beach.
Address: Sand Key Park, 1060 Gulf Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Indian Rocks Beach
With 27 beach access points that you can park at and walk to the beach from, it is easy to escape the crowds at Indian Rocks Beach. There is a park with a large parking lot but you can also turn down most small roads off Gulf Blvd and snag a spot there. At the large parking lot it costs $2.50 an hour to park.
One of my favorite parts of Indian Rocks Beach are their cute “take a toy leave a toy” bins. If you forgot sand toys or you are visiting from out of town just snag a few toys on your way in and return them as you’re leaving. You can find these bins near most entry points.
The sand is only ok, nothing too special, with quite a few shells. Overall it is a wonderful place to spend the day with family or friends.
Address: 1700 Gulf Blvd, Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
Madeira Beach
Madeira Beach is a thinner strand of beach filled with beautiful white, slightly shelly sand. The parking lot is very close to the beach and there was plenty of parking available. There are restrooms, rinse stations and chair and umbrella rentals.
I visited during spring break season and it wasn’t overly crowded, definitely busy but not crowded. I would consider this a great place to visit if you don’t want to deal with too many people.
Address: 14400 Gulf Blvd, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
Treasure Island
Another stunning image of beach paradise, Treasure Island has huge beaches with pristine sand. This is a good and a bad thing. There is plenty of space to spread out and play games as a family. Bring a football to throw around or spikeball to play as a group and you won’t run into anyone. However, the trek from the car to the beach is brutal especially when you have young kids. All the gear you have to bring in gets heavy quickly so a wagon will be your best friend here.
There is a small playground, concessions, showers and bathrooms right by the parking lot which is all kept very clean. On the beach you can rent chairs and umbrellas if you didn’t bring your own. Overall this is a really nice area to spend the day.
Address: 11040 FL-699, Treasure Island, FL 33706
St Pete Beach
Behind Clearwater Beach, St Pete Beach is the next most popular beach among visitors. It draws a younger crowd in the evenings but it is a truly gorgeous place to spend the day. There is a large parking lot right off the beach but on a busy day it does fill up, I recommend arriving early in the day if you don’t want to have to walk from a further lot.
The sand is more rough than Clearwater but it provides many of the same amenities from chair and umbrella rentals, jet skis, restrooms and rinse stations. St. Pete Beach is also popular for water sports like kite sailing, windsurfing and parasailing.
Address: 4700 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
More to Do in Tampa:
- Best Fun Things to Do in Tampa, FL
- 14 Fun Day Trips from Tampa
- 29 Free Activities for Kids in Tampa
- 13+ Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Tampa
Pass-a-Grille Beach
One of the most iconic buildings in Pass-a-Grille is Don Cesar, a large pink hotel that is almost 100 years old. Pass-A-Grille Beach, just south of St. Pete Beach, is a stunning peaceful stretch of beach. The sand is white and slightly shelly, similar to St. Pete. There is street parking very close to the beach all along the stretch of beach with several different entry points.
There are restrooms, rentals and rinse stations for public use. The best part is that it is a less crowded beach than some of the others while being just as beautiful. This is another great beach for kids with few waves and a narrow beach so that you can let them roam a little without leaving your sight.
Rachel’s Beach Ranking: #2 Tampa Beach to Visit with Kids
Address: 1009 Gulf Way, St Pete Beach, FL 33706
Fort De Soto
For a beach full of white sand beaches and history Fort De Soto Park is the place to go. There are batteries to explore and a museum about the area. Of course the beaches are the best part of the park. The sand is white and soft, it is also a great place to go shelling. There are several places to go searching for shells and sand dollars.
My favorite spot to visit in Fort De Soto is by Battery Bigelow on the southernmost end of North Beach. The beach is nice and the water is shallow for a good ways out. It is the perfect beach to visit with kids in tow. Battery Bigalow is part of the fort and it is submerged in the water on the beach. It is fun that the ruins break up the beach and you can walk right up to them.
For something a little bit different you can take a ferry out to Egmont Key, a small island not far off the coast of Fort De Soto.
Ream More about a day trip to Egmont Key.
Address: Anderson Blvd, St Petersburg, FL 33715
Anna Maria Island
If you have the time to drive a little further from Tampa then I recommend visiting two beaches, the first is Anna Maria Island. This quaint island is one of the last frontiers for Old Florida feel. There are no high rises or chains on the island and everyone runs on island time. There is good food and an abundance of cute beach houses to look at or rent. All the beaches on Anna Maria Island have soft white sand and clear emerald water. We even saw a wild star fish on our last visit.
Parking near Bean Beach up north is a bit of a pain to find so you may have to walk from town to the beach but once you get there you can relax on a rental chair as you listen to the waves. Coquina Beach down south is a bit more crowded but the parking lot is HUGE and free in most areas. The island is gorgeous with large beaches perfect for shelling, swimming or digging in the sand.
Rachel’s Beach Rankings: #1 Beach in Tampa
Address: 4000 Gulf Dr, Holmes Beach, FL 34217
Siesta Beach
Siesta Key beach is an hour and a half south of Downtown Tampa but it is worth the drive to see this stunning beach. Voted number one beach in the U.S. a handful of times over the last decade, Siesta Beach has become increasingly popular. This popularity does come with crowds but there is a large free parking lot, restrooms, showers, lifeguards, and more. The SOFT quartz sand stays cool all day and is so fun for kids and adults alike to play in.
Nearby are several places to eat and shop as well if you need a break from the sun and sand or visit the nearby city of Sarasota where there is plenty to do.
Rachel’s Beach Rankings: #3 Beach in Tampa (it may have ranked higher if it weren’t so far away)
Address: 988 County Road 789 Alt, Siesta Key, FL 34242
FAQ‘s About Tampa Beaches
How far is Tampa from the beach?
Times to get to the beach will vary based on where exactly you are but from downtown Tampa the beach will be anywhere from 40 minutes away to an hour and a half away.
Which beach in Tampa, FL has the clearest water?
The water at all the beaches is pretty similar, it all connects after all! The water in Tampa is very clear but it is a greenish color not a crystal blue color that you think of in places like the bahamas.
The clearest water can probably be found around Anna Maria Island or Caladesi Island.
Practical Information for Visiting Tampa, FL
Find accommodation, sign up for a local tour, or buy the Tampa CityPASS for 54% off Tampa’s top attractions.
Best Beaches in Tampa
Tampa is known for a lot of things from amusement parks to Cuban sandwiches but Tampa beaches are really nice. It is the perfect beach destination with powdery soft white quartz sand to clear emerald water and sunshine most of the year. Each beach is unique but there is sure to be one that offers what you’re looking for in your beach trip.
