Day Trips From Clearwater Beach: Where to Go, How Long It Takes, What It Costs

Which day trip should you pick?

Most people staying on Clearwater Beach have one spare day, maybe two, and the beach is why they came. So start with time in the car, then whether you have a car at all.

• No car, half a day: Downtown Dunedin. Ride the Clearwater Ferry from Clearwater Beach Marina to Dunedin Marina (Thursday to Sunday) or the Jolley Trolley Coastal Route. Walk Main Street, eat, come back for sunset.
• No car, full day: Tarpon Springs. The same Coastal trolley ends at the Sponge Docks on Dodecanese Boulevard. Greek food, sponge shops and working boats, about 75 minutes each way on the trolley.
• Beach people who want a better beach: Caladesi Island, reached by ferry from Honeymoon Island. Fort De Soto is the runner-up, with nearly three miles of beach and $6 parking.
• Boaters who want an island with no ferry: Three Rooker Island by rental boat, charter or kayak. No ferry or tour boat stops there, and it has no restrooms or shade.
• Art and city: Downtown St. Petersburg. The Dalí Museum (One Dali Blvd.) and the free-to-walk St. Pete Pier (800 2nd Ave. NE) easily fill a day.
• Families with teens: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (10165 N. McKinley Dr., Tampa). It's the only big theme park that makes a reasonable day trip from here. More ideas for planning a beach trip with teens.
• Families with little kids: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park for the mermaid show, or The Florida Aquarium in Tampa (701 Channelside Dr.) on a rainy day.
• Wildlife people: Crystal River between November 15 and March 31 for manatees. Outside that window, Weeki Wachee is the closer spring.
• Couples who just want a slow afternoon: Safety Harbor. A small downtown on the bay, plus free Philippe Park (2525 Philippe Pkwy.).

How far is each day trip, and what does it cost?

Distances were routed from Pier 60 on OpenStreetMap data with the open-source OSRM router on October 4, 2026. The free-flow time assumes empty roads, which you won't get. The "plan for" column is our estimate with a buffer for lights, the Memorial Causeway and the Tampa Bay bridges; weekend afternoons and weekday rush hours land at the top of that range or past it. Costs come from each operator's own site, as of October 2026.

What's within 30 minutes of Clearwater Beach?

Downtown Dunedin

Dunedin is the easiest trip on this list. It's 6.5 miles north of Pier 60, the downtown is compact and walkable, and the City of Dunedin says downtown public parking is free except during special events with street closures, when it's $5 a car. The Monroe Street Parking Garage (356 Monroe St.) has 195 spaces. Go for lunch, a brewery or two and a walk by the marina, and you're back on the sand by late afternoon. Our Dunedin restaurant picks cover where to eat.

You don't need a car. The Clearwater Ferry runs between downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach Marina and Dunedin Marina, Thursday through Sunday as of October 2026. Its fares went up $1 on September 17, 2026, so check the current price on the ferry's booking page. Reservations aren't required, but the operator encourages them to make sure you get a seat. On other days, the Jolley Trolley Coastal Route stops in downtown Dunedin.

Skip it if: you want a beach. Dunedin's beaches are Honeymoon and Caladesi, and those are separate trips.

Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island

Honeymoon Island State Park sits at the west end of the Dunedin Causeway, about 13 miles from Pier 60. Florida State Parks lists it as open 8 a.m. to sundown every day, with entry at $8 per vehicle (up to eight people), $4 for a single-occupant car, and $2 for pedestrians and cyclists. A $4 sunset rate starts an hour before closing. The island has a pet beach, and it's where the ferry to Caladesi Island leaves.

Caladesi is the better beach of the two, with no bridge and no hotels. The catch is that you depend on the ferry both ways. Check the current Caladesi ferry status and hours before you plan a day around it.

Best day: a weekday, with an early start. The Dunedin Causeway backs up on weekends much like the Memorial Causeway does, and the sundown closing caps the day regardless.

Safety Harbor

Safety Harbor is on the Old Tampa Bay side of Pinellas, about 10 miles east. Plan a half day: a short main street and the bay. History fans should add Philippe Park (2525 Philippe Pkwy.), a free Pinellas County park open 7 a.m. to sunset. Its Temple Mound was built by the Tocobaga, and the county calls it the largest remaining mound in the Tampa Bay region. As of October 2026 the county says the main playground is closed indefinitely while a new one is planned (a second, smaller playground is open), and two restroom buildings are closed while their plumbing is replaced.

Skip it if: you've already done Dunedin. The two scratch the same small-town itch.

Which day trips take 30 to 60 minutes?

Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

The Sponge Docks along Dodecanese Boulevard are the most distinctive half day near Clearwater, a working Greek-American waterfront with sponge boats, bakeries and tavernas. It's 17.3 miles from Pier 60, so plan on 40 to 55 minutes by car. Walking the docks costs nothing. The money goes on lunch, boat tours and sponges.

Of all these trips, this is the one where leaving the car makes the most sense. The Jolley Trolley Coastal Route runs from Clearwater Beach (the marina and the Clearwater Beach Transit Center) through downtown Clearwater, Dunedin and Palm Harbor to the Sponge Docks, about 75 minutes from the Clearwater Beach Transit Center. The fare is $2.25 each way (cash needs exact change; reduced fare $1.10; kids 8 and under ride free), and riders who pay with the Flamingo Fares app or a tapped card (not Amex) are capped at $5 a day; cash gets no cap and no day pass is sold on board. PSTA's timetable shows roughly hourly trips. The operator's timetable says the last northbound trip from the Clearwater Beach Transit Center leaves at 7:35 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (10:35 p.m. Friday and Saturday), and the last trip back leaves the Sponge Docks at 8:06 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (11:06 p.m. Friday and Saturday). In September 2026 Tarpon Springs renewed its share of the route's funding for three years, retroactive to October 2025. The full plan, from what to eat to which boat tour, is in our Tarpon Springs day trip guide.

Downtown St. Petersburg

St. Pete is 23.5 miles south, around 45 minutes to an hour by car. The anchor is the Dalí Museum at One Dali Blvd., open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. As of October 2026, admission is $32 for adults; $29 for ages 65 and up, educators, police, fire and military; $22 for students (13 to 17 and college); $12 for ages 6 to 12; and free for 5 and under. After 5 p.m. on Thursdays, adults and seniors pay $16. On-site parking is $10, cards only, first come, first served. The museum recommends buying tickets in advance.

Pair it with the St. Pete Pier at 800 2nd Ave. NE. Walking the pier is free. It opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes at 11 p.m. As of October 2026, pier lots charge $2 an hour for the first four hours on weekdays (capped at $15 for six hours) and $2.50 an hour on weekends (capped at $18).

Car-free is possible but slow. PSTA's Suncoast Beach Trolley runs from Clearwater Beach (including a Pier 60 stop) down the beaches to St. Pete Beach, roughly every 30 minutes midday. From St. Pete Beach, the SunRunner bus rapid transit line runs to downtown St. Petersburg in about 35 minutes, every 15 minutes until 8 p.m. Both are $2.25 a ride. The beach trolley stops constantly, so allow most of a morning to get there. Do it this way only if you're happy for the ride to be part of the day.

Tampa and The Florida Aquarium

Downtown Tampa is about 26 miles east, across the bay. The Florida Aquarium (701 Channelside Dr.) is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. most of the year and until 6 p.m. in June and July, and it is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Buy tickets online for your date. Valet at the entrance is $20 for up to three hours and $40 for longer, and it isn't offered when a cruise ship is docked at Terminal 2. Three self-park options sit 0.2 to 0.3 miles away. For the full Tampa plan in either direction, see Tampa to Clearwater Beach.

Skip it if: you're only here a few days and the weather is good. Clearwater Marine Aquarium (249 Windward Passage) is on Island Estates, just across the causeway, and handles the sea-life itch without the bridge traffic.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Busch Gardens is 31.7 miles from Pier 60, about an hour by car outside rush hour. As of October 2026, the park's site lists single-day tickets online from $61.99 on lower-demand dates and $147.99 at the gate, so buy ahead and let price pick your date. General parking starts at $32 plus tax and preferred at $35 (the park's FAQ, as of October 2026); its add-ons page showed $35 general and $48 preferred for busier dates, and the park says parking prices change by season. Howl-O-Scream runs on select nights through October 31, starting at 7 p.m. If the kids want slides too, see Adventure Island and the other water parks near Clearwater.

There's no practical transit link from the beach, and the drive home is the hard part. Leave at park close and you're crossing the bay at night after a long day, so pick a driver who sits out the last hour of coasters.

Fort De Soto Park

Fort De Soto (3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde) is the best drivable beach day south of Clearwater. Pinellas County lists it as open 7 a.m. to sunset with parking at $6 per vehicle, payable at terminals, by app or by text (the app and text options add a 35-cent fee). There's nearly three miles of beach, a fenced dog beach, and the historic fort. It's about 38 miles from Pier 60, so give it 65 to 85 minutes. Our Fort De Soto day trip guide covers which beach to use and the ferry to Egmont Key.

Which day trips are worth 1 to 2 hours in the car?

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

Weeki Wachee (6131 Commercial Way, the US 19 corridor in Hernando County) is about 48 miles north, 80 to 100 minutes. Florida State Parks lists admission at $13 for adults, $8 for ages 6 to 12 and free for 5 and under, with the park open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, as of October 2026. You go for the live mermaid show in the park's underwater theater. Show times vary, so check the park's posted daily schedule or call (352-610-5660) before you drive an hour and a half for a particular show. The park's site also says the Wilderness River Cruise has been paused during daytime hours because of low water since December 2025.

Best day: a weekday outside school breaks, arriving near opening. Getting there early leaves room for a later show if weather pushes one back.

Crystal River and Three Sisters Springs

Crystal River is the manatee trip, and the calendar decides whether it pays off. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sets manatee season at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge as November 15 through March 31. That's when the refuge's seven warm-water sanctuaries are in effect and manatees come into the springs to get through cold Gulf water. From April 1 to November 14, paddle craft are allowed inside Three Sisters Springs. An October visit is a springs-and-paddling day, not a sure manatee sighting.

On land, Three Sisters Springs is reached by boardwalk and shuttle, and the trails are open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on seven holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. The City of Crystal River handles tickets through its Three Sisters Springs Center (352-586-1170). Refuge headquarters is at 1502 SE Kings Bay Dr. The refuge's rule is simple: don't touch, chase or feed the manatees, and it asks visitors to watch its "Manatee Manners" video first. At about 75 miles and two hours each way, this is a full day, so leave by 7 a.m.

Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island is about 55 miles south, roughly 85 minutes on empty roads and often closer to two hours. The route crosses the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which carries a toll; price it with Florida's Turnpike toll calculator, and see our guide to Skyway and rental-car toll fees before you drive a rental. It's a lovely island, but it's still a beach. If you're already staying on a good one, a three- to four-hour round trip to sit on a different one is a hard sell. Our Anna Maria Island vs Clearwater Beach comparison explains what's different there and when it's worth the drive.

Siesta Key

Siesta Key Beach is about 65 miles from Pier 60, 100 minutes at best and usually more, also over the Skyway. People go for the sand. We cover the trade-offs in Clearwater Beach vs Siesta Key; the short version for a day trip is that you'll spend about as long in the car as on the beach. Do it as a stop on the way south, or as an overnight. If you're heading that way anyway, our Sarasota comparison covers Lido Beach, St. Armands and The Ringling.

Is Orlando or Disney a realistic day trip?

Barely. The Magic Kingdom area is about 95 miles from Pier 60, a two-hour drive with no traffic, and I-4 between Tampa and Orlando rarely has no traffic. Count on two to three hours each way. That's four to six hours of driving wrapped around a park that rewards arriving at opening and staying until close. Families who try it either leave before dark or drive back exhausted after the fireworks.

If a Disney park is a must, spend a night in Orlando or split the trip into Orlando days and beach days. If you're set on a same-day round trip, our Disney to Clearwater Beach guide covers the route and timing.

Which day trips work without a car?

Realistically, four. All of them use PSTA services. As of October 2026:

Tampa, Busch Gardens, Fort De Soto, the springs and everything south of the Skyway need a car or a rideshare.

How do you time the drive back to the beach?

Every route back to Clearwater Beach ends on one of two bridges: the Memorial Causeway from downtown Clearwater, or the Clearwater Pass bridge from Sand Key to the south. When the beach is busy, the last mile is the bottleneck, not the highway. Some rules of thumb:

• Parks that close at sunset set your clock. Honeymoon Island closes at sundown and Fort De Soto at sunset. You'll be heading back just as everyone else is hunting for sunset parking on the beach. Check the sunset time for your date and either leave an hour early or eat dinner on the way.
• Tampa trips: cross the bay outside rush hour. Our "plan for" ranges assume you avoid the weekday commute. Coming back from Busch Gardens or downtown Tampa between about 4 and 7 p.m. on a weekday will push past the top of the range. That's an estimate, not a measurement; check live traffic in your maps app before you leave. If most of your plans are in Tampa, consider whether to split your stay between Tampa and the beach instead.
• Weekend beach days are the worst time to come home. On spring and summer weekends, the causeway backs up with beachgoers. If you're doing a weekend day trip, come back after dark.
• The trolley has a last run. On the Coastal Route, the last southbound trip leaves the Sponge Docks at 8:06 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and passes downtown Dunedin around 8:50 p.m. (11:06 p.m. from the docks on Friday and Saturday). Check the time before you order a second round in Dunedin.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best day trip from Clearwater Beach?

For most visitors, Tarpon Springs. It's 17 miles north, cheap to do, unlike anywhere else nearby, and reachable without a car on the $2.25 Jolley Trolley Coastal Route. For a beach day, pick Caladesi Island (by ferry from Honeymoon Island). With a car and kids, go to Busch Gardens or Weeki Wachee.

How far is Tarpon Springs from Clearwater Beach?

About 17 miles from Pier 60 to the Sponge Docks, which maps to around 36 minutes on empty roads; plan for 40 to 55. The Jolley Trolley Coastal Route takes about 75 minutes from the Clearwater Beach Transit Center and costs $2.25 each way as of October 2026.

How far is Busch Gardens from Clearwater Beach?

About 32 miles, roughly an hour by car outside rush hour, longer on weekday evenings. There's no practical transit route. As of October 2026, general parking starts at $32 plus tax (higher on busy dates), and online tickets start at $61.99 on lower-demand dates.

How far is Siesta Key from Clearwater Beach?

About 65 miles by road to Siesta Key Beach, which maps to around 100 minutes on empty roads over the Sunshine Skyway. Plan on 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes each way. That's a lot of driving for a beach day, so most people do it as an overnight or a stop on the way south.

How far is Anna Maria Island from Clearwater Beach?

About 55 miles, roughly 85 minutes in light traffic and closer to two hours at busy times, including the Skyway toll bridge. It's doable as a day trip, but it trades one beach for another.

Can you see manatees near Clearwater Beach in October?

Not reliably at Crystal River. The refuge's manatee season runs November 15 through March 31, when the animals come into the warm springs. Before then they aren't concentrated there, so a sighting is luck rather than a plan.

Can you do day trips from Clearwater Beach without a car?

Yes, to Dunedin (Clearwater Ferry, Thursday through Sunday, or the Jolley Trolley), Tarpon Springs (Jolley Trolley Coastal Route), the Gulf beach towns (Suncoast Beach Trolley) and downtown St. Petersburg (Beach Trolley plus the SunRunner). Fares are $2.25 a ride on the trolleys and SunRunner as of October 2026. Everything else needs a car or a rideshare.

Is Disney a good day trip from Clearwater Beach?

Not really. The Magic Kingdom area is about 95 miles away, two hours with no traffic and often closer to three. With four to six hours of driving, you get a short, tiring park day. Stay a night in Orlando if a park is a must.