A Clearwater Beach Christmas is a specific thing: warm enough to wear shorts, cool enough to light a fire on the patio, surrounded by palm trees in twinkle lights. If you've never traded the cold for a beach Christmas, this is one of the great swaps in American holiday travel.
December Weather
- Daytime high: 71°F average (can hit 80)
- Nighttime low: 54°F (can drop to 45 on cold fronts)
- Water temp: ~66°F — too cool for most swimmers, but you'll see hardier folks in
- Rain: 2.4" monthly — one of the driest months
Pack layers. Mid-day shorts weather, evening sweatshirt weather. See our full weather guide.
Holiday Events on the Beach
Beach Tree Lighting
Early December, Pier 60 hosts the annual beach Christmas tree lighting. A large palm-tree-topper is lit as the sun sets, with live music and Santa photos. Free, family-friendly, usually the first Friday of December.
Clearwater Holiday Boat Parade
One of the best events of the year — local boat owners decorate their boats with elaborate Christmas lights and parade down the Clearwater Harbor intracoastal. Dozens of boats, each theme-decorated. Watch from the Clearwater Beach Marina, Island Estates seawalls, or from your own boat. Held mid-December, dates vary by year.
Pier 60 Sunset Festival — Holiday Edition
The nightly festival continues through December with a holiday twist — seasonal performers, Christmas music, and artisans selling handmade ornaments and gifts.
Santa on the Sand
Pop-up Santa photo ops happen at various beachfront hotels (Sandpearl, Hyatt, Wyndham). Some are hotel-guest-only; others are public.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Several local churches hold Christmas Eve services. Most visitor-friendly: the Clearwater Beach Chapel holds an open-to-all candlelight service.
Christmas Dinner
Most full-service restaurants are closed Christmas Day. Those that do serve Christmas dinner book up by Thanksgiving:
- Caretta on the Gulf (Sandpearl) — prix fixe holiday menu
- Island Way Grill — Christmas brunch + dinner
- Bob Heilman's Beachcomber — traditional turkey dinner
- Columbia Restaurant (Sand Key) — classic Spanish-Cuban holiday menu
- Most beachfront hotels offer holiday dinners to guests — ask when you book
Booking & Prices
- Christmas week is one of the most expensive times to stay on Clearwater Beach
- Beachfront hotels run $400–$800/night Dec 23–Jan 1
- Minimum-stay requirements (usually 3–5 nights) common
- Book by September for Christmas week — prime hotels sell out
- New Year's Eve has its own price spike
Ideal Christmas Day Itinerary
- Morning — stocking gifts, Christmas coffee on your hotel balcony
- Late morning — beach walk (water's chilly but gorgeous)
- Lunch — light, at a hotel restaurant
- Afternoon — Pier 60 stroll, watch the Gulf, read on the sand
- Sunset — watch from the beach (it's the best of the year — cool, clear, dramatic)
- Christmas dinner — book ahead at one of the above
A beach Christmas isn't for everyone — if you love snow and traditions, it'll feel wrong. If you've wanted to spend a holiday with your toes in warm sand instead of salted slush, Clearwater Beach does this beautifully. Just book hotels early.Back to Events