1
Clearwater Beach
Wide white sand and Pier 60
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach has over 2.5 miles of white sand and calm, shallow water, with Pier 60 and a busy seafood and bar scene nearby.
- 2.5+ miles of sand
- Pier 60
- Seafood and bars
Explore
8 Best Beaches in Tampa Bay (2026)
White sand, calm water, state parks, and fishing-village boardwalks.
Tampa Bay's Gulf beaches range from lively resort strips to quiet state parks. This guide covers the beaches locals send their friends to, from Clearwater to Siesta Key. Parking, hours, and fees change, so check before you go. Spots are numbered for easy browsing, not as a strict ranking.
Photo: Catherine Amoo / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pins match the numbers below. Tap a pin for details.
In This Guide
2
Fort De Soto Park
Five islands and a dog park
Tierra Verde
Fort De Soto is a 1,136-acre park across five connected islands, with beaches, fishing piers, kayaking, a 7-mile paved trail, and a dog park.
- 1,136 acres
- Fishing piers
- Dog park
3
Honeymoon Island State Park
Undeveloped beach and nature trails
Dunedin
Honeymoon Island offers more than four miles of white sand, nature trails, and bird-watching areas, with road access and no boat required.
- 4+ miles of sand
- Nature trails
- Bird-watching
4
St. Pete Beach
Small-town feel with tiki bars
St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach mixes resorts with a small-town feel, tiki bars, and jet ski rentals.
- Tiki bars
- Jet ski rentals
- Resorts
5
Pass-a-Grille Beach
Historic, laid-back, walkable
Pass-a-Grille
Pass-a-Grille sits at the southern end of St. Pete Beach and is a historic, laid-back beach town where you can walk to shops, restaurants, and rooftop bars.
- Historic district
- Walkable to restaurants
- Rooftop bars
6
Madeira Beach and John's Pass
A fishing village on the water
Madeira Beach
John's Pass is a waterfront fishing village at Madeira Beach with over 100 merchants, dolphin-watching and shelling tours, and boat rentals.
- Fishing village
- 100+ merchants
- Dolphin tours
7
Siesta Key Beach
Fine white sand and sunsets
Siesta Key
Siesta Beach is known for fine white sand and sunsets, with more than 950 free parking spaces. It is the farthest beach on this list from Tampa.
- Fine white sand
- 950+ free parking spaces
- Sunset views
8
Sand Key Park
A dog area on the Gulf
Clearwater
Sand Key Park, on Clearwater's barrier island, has a designated dog area on the Gulf.
- Dog area
- Gulf beach
More Tampa Bay guides
- 7 Best Sunset Spots in Tampa Bay (2026)
- 6 Best Hiking Trails & Nature Parks in Tampa Bay (2026)
- 7 Best Dog Parks in Tampa Bay (2026)
- 7 Best Golf Courses in Tampa Bay (2026)
- 7 Best Pickleball Courts in Tampa Bay (2026)
- 7 Best Boat Tours & Outdoor Adventures in Tampa Bay (2026)
Plain-text version of this guide for AI tools and screen readers: /guides-md/best-beaches-in-tampa-bay
Real Tampa Bay Newsletter
Get Tampa Bay in your inbox
New guides, local events, and what is opening around town.