The 20 Best Beaches in Tampa
Today we are going to discuss the best beaches in Tampa. Or, it’s really the best beaches near Tampa since most of the “best beaches in Tampa” are not actually in Tampa itself but rather just outside on the barrier islands.
If you’ve been here long, you know we love the beach! In fact, the beaches near Tampa are some of our favorites.
Before we get to the list of the best beaches in Tampa, let’s talk about how you will get around in the Tampa area. Unless you drive yourself, you’ll need a rental car! If you decide to rent a car during your Florida vacation, we recommend renting a car from Discount USA Car Rental.
Discount USA Car Rental offers the lowest rates through all the major companies, and you don’t pay anything you pick up your car. I’ve picked up cars from both TPA and PIE from Discount USA with no problems at all.
The 20 best beaches in Tampa
Now, let’s get to the best beaches in Tampa. Here they are, in no particular order. However, one of our personal favorites is first.
Clearwater Beach
If you’re looking for the best beaches in Tampa, look no further than the famous Clearwater Beach. Yes, it’s technically in Clearwater, and you’ll need to cross the Courtney Campbell Causeway to reach Clearwater Beach in Tampa.
This beach is located on a barrier island in Pinellas County, and Clearwater Beach is often ranked as one of the best beaches in the world!
If you go to Pier 60 at night, arrive before sunset. This will allow you to experience the sunset celebration. This celebration features all types of street performers.
St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach is in a popular resort area of Tampa. The parking lot fills quickly at this beach. I recommend taking advantage of the Freebee shuttle as much as possible in this beach town.
There are ten walkways down to the sand. It is one of the beaches in Tampa that offers easy access to the water.
You will find everything you need and want at St. Pete’s Beach.
Ben T. Davis Beach
This beach is the closest to Tampa International Airport and a short drive from downtown Tampa. It’s not the best beach, but it’s a great place to stop if you have some time to kill.
We’ve been to this beach, and if you’re looking for miles and white of pristine sand, this isn’t it! However, it’s great if you want to get away from the crowds and touristy stuff!
You can rent bikes and ride down the 4-mile Courtney Campbell Trails.
Madeira Beach
The locals all call Madeira Beach, Mad Beach. There are more than 2 miles of soft, powdery sand at this beach. Near this beach is Archibald Beach Park.
This is one of the most beautiful beaches, and it is best seen early in the morning or at night.
Garrick enjoying Madeira Beach way back in 2017.
John’s Pass Beach
There is also a beach called John’s Pass near the Tampa area. This is a hidden beach that offers lots of clear water for swimming.
Indian Rocks Beach
One of the best beaches in Tampa is Indian Rocks Beach. There are more than 27 beach access points. This is one of the most family-friendly beaches in Tampa. The water is relatively calm. Keep an eye out for dolphins, you can usually see them from the sandy shoreline.
Indian Rocks Beach is right next to Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, so we recommend checking it out! We discovered it when working on the 50 free things to do in Tampa with kids post, and it’s a must-see if you love animals!
Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is located on Treasure Island. However, it isn’t the only beach on the island. You will find Sunset Beach on the southern side of the island.
Fort de Soto Beach
You will find Fort de Soto Beach within Fort de Soto Park. It is the largest park in the county of Pinellas.
Nature lovers will enjoy kayaking and canoeing around the nearby Shell Key Preserve. If you stay at North Beach, be prepared to spend a lot of time in the tidal pool and by the sandbar.
Apollo Beach Nature Preserve
This is one of the only white-sand beaches in a nature preserve in Tampa.
Pine Key Island
If you don’t want to spend an entire day at Apollo Beach, you can always venture to Pine Key Island. This island is also called Beer Can Island.
Pass a Grille Beach
Pass a Grille Beach is near the southern end of St. Pete’s Beach and it is also close to Shell Key Preserve.
While this white sand beach is not in Tampa, it’s only about half an hour away.
Redington Beach
Redington Beach is in Pinellas County. You can quickly stop at this beach after visiting Madeira Beach. However, if Madeira Beach is too busy, it’s worth the short drive to Redington Beach.
This beach is near a residential area. However, there are public access points.
Fred Howard Park
Fred Howard Park can be found in Tarpon Springs. This is still in the Tampa Bay area. The beach is on one of the natural islands in Tampa. You can only reach it by going over the one-mile causeway.
Since this is a nature park, your family can do much more than swimming. Windsurfing, kayaking, and fishing are all popular at this public beach.
Keep an eye out for dolphins and manatees in the water.
Caladesi Island State Park
A quick ferry ride is necessary to reach this Tampa Bay beach off the Gulf Coast. The water around this island is warm. Perfect for swimming.
Caladesi Island used to be connected to Honeymoon Island. However, a hurricane wiped out the land that connected them.
Honeymoon Island State Park
As I just mentioned, Honeymoon Island was part of Caladesi Island.
This incredible island is divided into three areas. One area is the dog beach, which is self-explanatory, and yes, quite a few of the best beaches in Tampa allow dogs.
The north area of Honeymoon Island is where the best surfing can be found.
Sand Key Beach
Sand Key Beach can be found within Sand Key Park. It is one of the hidden gems in Tampa. You will find this beach about a mile from Clearwater Beach.
It is the perfect place to watch Kemp Ridley sea turtles nest. You can see these sea turtles all year long at this beach. Check out our post for the 10 best places to see sea turtles in Florida.
Egmont Key Beach
Egmont Key Beach is one of the most secluded beaches in Tampa. This is one of the white sand beaches in St. Petersburg.
This beach is on an uninhabited island. You can only reach the island by ferry or boat.
Egmont Key Beach has no restrooms, stores, or other facilities. However, there is a lighthouse! Check out the Ultimate List of Florida Lighthouses to learn more.
This is one of the best Tampa Bay beaches for getting away from it all.
Davis Island Dog Beach
Davis Island Dog Beach is one of the amazing beaches in Tampa if you want to bring along your furry friends. Fortunately, many of Tampa’s Beaches are dog-friendly!
I have you covered if you are looking for a beach with a dog park! Davis Island Dog Beach lets your dogs run on the sand or in the water. No leash is required! If you’re looking for the best beaches in Tampa to visit with a dog, check out Davis Island Dog Beach.
Dogs can also play in a fenced area if you don’t want them to get wet. This is also an excellent place to go when you want to meet new friends who have dogs.
Anna Maria Island Beaches
Anna Maria Island is located near the southern end of Tampa. There are seven different beaches on this island. You can easily visit any white sandy beaches in this area and have a fabulous time.
The best beaches in Tampa
Did this list of the best beaches in Tampa help you find the perfect beach? I hope so! If we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments below. Do you love beaches? Well, so do we! We have so many blog posts about beaches you won’t want to miss any of them.
You can learn about The 25 Best East Florida Beaches, The 20 Best Shelling Beaches in Florida, The 20 Best Beaches near Orlando for Families, and The best place to find shark teeth in Florida, all right here on Florida Travel with Kids.
More things to do in Tampa
About Florida Travel With Kids
Florida Travel with Kids was started by a family who loves to travel the state of Florida with kids! This site will help you explore the fun state of Florida and all of the kid-friendly activities you’ll find hereyou’lllerlite_form form_id=1]
Did you enjoy this post? I would love it if you pinned it for later! Or, make sure to share it with your friends on social media if they are looking for things to do in Florida with kids.
30 Things to Do at Disney World Resorts
Leave a Reply