Wander Here: Our Top 10 Stops in Clearwater, Florida (part I)

Mar 22

Wander Here: Clearwater, Florida, USA

I’ve always pictured Clearwater, Florida as a busy tourist destination, and let’s be honest - Clearwater Beach pretty much is! But the area around Clearwater from Dunedin all the way down to Anna Maria Island (as far as we went this time), has so much to explore and so many different types of things to experience. We spent two weeks in the area and wished we’d had even more time. And let’s be honest, there are enough beautiful beaches and sunsets to last a lifetime, which I am more than happy to enjoy on the daily!

Learn, explore and fall in love at Seaside Seabird Sanctuary

Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is a beautiful little sanctuary in Indian Shores, Florida (just next door to Clearwater). Each member of our family has a project they are working on throughout our adventure, and the girls chose to visit a sanctuary in every state. Seaside Seabird Sanctuary was their second one in Florida (here’s the first!). Their mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and (in the best circumstances) release native birds back to the wild. They also work to educate the community on how important birds are to the ecosystem and how we can all help protect them. A non-profit that is free and open to the public, you can stop in anytime and explore! Some of the birds are in enclosures, but there are also birds that roam free greeting you as you arrive and milling around as you meander the path toward the back to find the beach. There is also an upstairs deck where you can sit and enjoy the beautiful views of the gulf. It really is a special place and was one of our favorite and most memorable stops in Florida. We saw so many shore birds + seabirds as well as owls, hawks, a falcon, a bald eagle, turkey vultures and so much more. You can even meet the birds and learn more about them here.

Become one with nature at Weedon Island Preserve

Weedon Island Preserve, which sits on Tampa Bay, is a well known birding and fishing site, as well as home to lots of native plants and animals. There is a visitor’s center where you can learn all about the history and culture of the area before heading out for a hike along the boardwalks + trails or a paddle through the mangroves. We didn’t have time to get our paddleboards out the day we visited, so we explored the trails and saw lots of insects, birds, fish and even a snake! We watched sunset from the kayak launch area, which I highly recommend…but next time we will make sure to get out on the water because I hear it’s one of the best places to paddle in the area.

Explore the beauty + island charm that is Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island will steal your heart with its charming streets, laid back island vibes and insanely beautiful beaches and sunsets. The sand here is so fine, it squeaks when you walk! We stopped for an acai bowl at Blueberries Cafe + Wine before hitting up Bean Point, one of the most pristine and beautiful beaches on the island, for some swimming and relaxing on the sand. My favorite memory from our day was watching the dolphins swim by just off shore, which they did intermittently for hours. The water was cold in January, but refreshing and totally worth it :) I had dreamed of going to Anna Maria Island for weeks, and (aside from a bit of traffic) it did not disappoint!

Find Sand Dollars at Fort de Soto Park

Fort DeSoto Park was one of our top favorite stops and a highlight of our time on the gulf coast. You can experience so much nature and history at this park, and it costs barely anything! The remains of the old fort are fascinating to explore and learn about before heading to the beach. The beach here stood out as special to all of us because of the amount of wildlife we saw and the treasures we found along the way. Everything from unique shells to horseshoe crabs to jellyfish to seeing dolphins off-shore….it was mind blowing. The most special day we had at Fort de Soto was getting there early enough to walk all the way down to the far end and finding Sand Dollar Beach, where we found dozens of whole, unbroken sand dollars. It was the best treasure hunt of all time looking for the most perfect ones as we watched a mind blowing Florida sunset.