Clearwater Florida

Area

Clearwater is part of a larger, and nearly continuous metropolitan region centrally located along the west coast of Florida. The largest cities in the region include Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

It is located on a peninsula within Pinellas County along with many other towns and smaller cities. It sits between the Gulf of Mexico on its west side and Old Tampa Bay on the east side.

City

The City of Clearwater is a moderate-size, contemporary city that values lifestyle, municipal services, environment and quality of life. Its Vision statement includes ". . .a uniquely beautiful and vibrant community:" and ". . . a wonderful place to live, learn, work and play."

Clearwater's logo includes the statement "Bright and Beautiful • Bay to Beach".

Transportation

Airports: There are two airports in the region. The larger Tampa International Airport located on the west side of Tampa. St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport located on the bay side, just to the south east of Clearwater.

Public Transportation: the area is served by the PTSA bus service, the vintage-style Jolley Trolley and the Clearwater Ferry that provides service between downtown Clearwater, the Beach Marina and Dunedin.

Weather

Clearwater's climate is very predictable, but its summer storms are not. Winters are mild. By May, high temperatures are normally in the mid-80s. The temperature and humidity continue to increase to uncomfortable levels in the summer. This continues until October when temperatures begin to moderate.

The west coast of Florida is known for its summer thunderstorms, which can become quite strong. Most rain occurs from June through September.

History

Local Indians inhabited the area before European arrived. Spanish explorers were next in the early 1500s. The European colonists begin settling the area in the 1830s.

By early 1900s, the population was only around 400. Clearwater was incorporated as a city in 1914. In 1915 a bridge was built west across Clearwater Harbor to connect the city to the barrier island of Clearwater Beach. The city continued grow to its 2022 estimated population of about 119,000.

Communities

Clearwater is located on the upper half of Pinellas County, a peninsula west of Tampa. It sits between the Gulf of Mexico and Old Tampa Bay.

Surrounding Clearwater are over 20 cities and communities of various sizes. The largest of these are St. Petersburg, followed Largo and Pinellas Park. Others include Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, Seminole, Safety Harbor, Gulfport, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, South Pasadena, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Madeira Beach, Belleair, Redington Shores and more.

Beach

Clearwater Beach, with its sugar-white sand and mild Gulf waters, is a major recreational draw to visitors and locals. It has a clean, broad beach with lots of things to do and is often cited as one of the best beaches in the country.

Its popularity can at times lead to very heavy traffic and a crowded beach. At such times, consider the less crowded north beach and transportation alternatives such as the Jolley Trolley and the Clearwater Ferry.

Maps

Powered by Google maps, we show several maps with varying levels of zoom that show local and surrounding areas. Get your bearing to navigate the regional and local area.

Major roadways are shown to help understand how to get around the area by vehicle. See how Clearwater Beach is on a barrier island separated from the mainland by the intracoastal waterway. The Clearwater Memorial Causeway, Hwy 60, connects downtown to the beach.

Information

Excellent information resources for Clearwater include:

MyClearwater.com - the city's official website. It has information about the city, activities, its government, announcements, contact info, news, departments, services and more.

AmplifyClearwater.com - the regional Chamber of Commerce. It provides information to help promote businesses, tourism and industry.

Business

Tourism is unquestionably one of Clearwater's most important "businesses". But the area is also an important hub to many types of business. In the Downtown Clearwater area including its immediate surroundings, there are over a thousand active businesses.

Clearwater hosts financial firms, high tech industries, hospitals, restaurants, light industrial, art and entertainment, health and fitness, professional services, shopping and more.

Facts

List of various facts about Clearwater including dates, population, government type, taxes and spending, historical events, land area, location, regional airports, climate type, rainfall and more.