Exploring Clearwater

If you find yourself wandering down the west coast of Florida, eventually you will hit a stretch of sand so blindingly white that you will wonder if the locals have been out there with a giant tub of bleach and a scrubbing brush. Welcome to Clearwater. It is the sort of place that makes you feel like you have accidentally stepped into a postcard, or perhaps a very high-budget commercial for coconut-scented sun cream.

The main event here is, unsurprisingly, the beach. It is wide, flat, and remarkably clean. The sand is famously referred to as "sugar sand," and while I can confirm it looks the part, I would strongly advise against putting it in your morning coffee. It is the kind of sand that squeaks under your flip-flops, a sound that is charming for the first ten minutes and then becomes the soundtrack to your new life as a human percussion instrument.

When you have had your fill of being gently toasted by the Gulf sun, the local must-see is the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This is not your standard "stare at a fish through a glass wall" affair. It is a working marine hospital. It gained international fame as the home of Winter the dolphin, and today it continues to rescue and rehabilitate everything from sea turtles to nurse sharks. This year, they have even taken in some new residents from Miami, making it a bustling hub of flippers and fins. There is something quite grounding about watching a turtle named Earl Grey get a check-up. It makes one’s own problems, like a slightly soggy sandwich or a missed bus, seem wonderfully trivial.

As evening approaches, all roads (and sandy paths) lead to Pier 60. Every night, they host a sunset festival that is equal parts beautiful and delightfully chaotic. You will find craft vendors, street performers, and musicians all vying for your attention while the sun performs its daily trick of sinking into the Gulf of Mexico in a riot of orange and purple. If you happen to be there during the Sugar Sand Festival, you will see sculptures carved with such precision that you will feel personally insulted by the wonky sandcastle you tried to build earlier.

For those who find the main beach a bit too lively, a quick trip to Honeymoon Island or a ferry ride to Caladesi Island is a necessity. Caladesi is one of the few completely natural islands left, accessible only by boat. It is peaceful, quiet, and offers the distinct possibility of seeing a manatee or a gopher tortoise minding its own business. It is a lovely place to reflect on the fact that, despite our best efforts to build car parks and kiosks everywhere, nature still does a much better job of decorating than we do.

Food-wise, you cannot leave without trying a grouper sandwich. It is practically the law. Frenchy’s is the local institution for this, and while there are several locations, the Rockaway Grill offers the best view of the waves. Eating a fresh fish sandwich while the salt air hits your face is a core Clearwater experience.

By the time you leave, you will likely have sand in places you didn't know existed and a tan that will fade far too quickly once you get home. But you will also have a sense of why people keep coming back. It is a place that doesn't take itself too seriously, where the water is always warm and the sunsets are reliably spectacular.