Groceries and Beach Supplies at Clearwater Beach: Where to Shop

Where is the nearest grocery store to Clearwater Beach?

On the islands you get one supermarket and two drugstores. For anything else, you're driving over a bridge to the mainland.

Distances and times are route estimates from the base of Pier 60 using OpenStreetMap routing, with no traffic. In busy season the Memorial Causeway and the roundabout by Pier 60 back up, so pad the drive times. Hours come from each chain's store listing. Holiday hours differ, so check the store page before a late run.

Staying on Sand Key? The Belleair Bluffs store is about as close as Island Estates from the north end, and closer the farther south you are. You take the Belleair Causeway to the mainland, stay off the Memorial Causeway entirely and get a Publix Liquors next door.

What's the Island Estates Publix like, and can you walk there?

The Publix at 200 Island Way anchors the Island Village Shopping Center on Island Estates, the small residential island on the Memorial Causeway between the beach and downtown Clearwater. It's a full-size store with a deli, bakery, meat and seafood counters, produce and sushi. The store number is 727-298-8618. The Publix Pharmacy (727-373-3675) keeps shorter hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday (as of October 2026). For what else is on the island, including the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, see our Island Estates guide.

On foot it's about 1.2 miles each way from Pier 60, along the causeway sidewalk and up Island Way. Figure 25 minutes. Going there is fine. Coming back with a week of groceries and a case of water in Florida heat is a different story, and there are two easier options:

• Jolley Trolley, North Beach route. The posted stop list goes Clearwater Beach Marina, 700 Island Way, "Publix (Island Estates)", the Beach Transit Center, then north up Mandalay Avenue. Cash fare is $2.25, reduced fare $1.10, and kids 8 and under ride free (as of October 2026). Our Clearwater Beach without a car guide has the departure times and the full loop. Skip the golf cart idea, though: on FDOT's speed records, a rented golf cart can't legally make the trip, because part of the causeway is posted above 35 mph.
• Curbside pickup. Publix lists Instacart curbside pickup at this store. You order in the app and pull up to have it loaded, which beats shopping crowded aisles on a Saturday in March.

What's open late on the beach itself?

For sunscreen, snacks, drinks or aspirin, don't bother driving. Two chain drugstores sit a few minutes' walk from Pier 60, and both stay open two hours after Publix closes.

• Walgreens, 401 Poinsettia Ave (northeast corner of Poinsettia Avenue and Causeway Boulevard), 727-443-2393. Open 6 a.m. to midnight. The pharmacy runs 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, with shorter weekend hours and a 1:30 to 2 p.m. break every day.
• CVS, 467 Mandalay Ave, 727-447-6429. Open 7 a.m. to midnight. The pharmacy also keeps shorter hours and closes for lunch from 1:30 to 2 p.m.

Don't expect a grocery store. You'll find packaged food, drinks and basics at drugstore prices, but no fresh meat or produce. Neither store listed 24-hour service in October 2026, so after midnight no chain store on the beach is open.

Where can you buy beer, wine and liquor near Clearwater Beach?

Beer and wine are easy, since every Publix on this page sells both, Island Estates included. Liquor means a short drive. Under Florida Statute 565.04, a package liquor store can have "no openings permitting direct access to any other building or room," which is why Florida supermarkets sell spirits next door, with a separate entrance and separate hours. The Island Estates Publix doesn't have one.

These are the closest Publix Liquors stores, per Publix's store pages:

The liquor stores close earlier than the supermarkets: 9 p.m., or 7 p.m. on Sunday, against 10 p.m. for Publix. Arriving on a Sunday afternoon? Buy spirits on the drive in, or wait until Monday.

Can you get groceries delivered to your hotel or condo?

Yes, with some catches. Publix doesn't run its own delivery. The "Delivery" and "Curbside Pickup" buttons on its site send you to Instacart, and Publix says plainly that delivery and curbside item prices are higher than in its stores, with fees, tips and taxes on top. Publix Liquors orders also go through Instacart but can't ride along with a grocery delivery, so groceries plus spirits means two orders.

Coverage is set by address at checkout, so type in your exact hotel or condo address before you fill a cart. Each hotel sets its own policy on accepting deliveries. Two things help:

• Ask the front desk first whether staff will hold a delivery or want you to meet the driver. Cold and frozen items are the problem, so schedule the drop for when you'll be in the room.
• Vacation rentals: put the unit number and any gate or lobby code in the delivery notes.

If kitchen access is part of how you're choosing where to stay, our vacation rentals vs hotels guide lays out the trade-offs.

What about beach chairs, umbrellas and coolers?

For a short stay you don't need to buy beach gear at all. Our beach chair and umbrella rentals guide covers rental prices, where the stands are and whether anyone can deliver and set up chairs for you. If your rental manager offers loaner chairs and a cooler, take them. That's the cheapest option, so ask before you buy.

On a week-long stay, a cheap cooler, a bag of ice and a Publix deli run save real money over beachfront lunches. For sit-down meals that don't cost much, see our cheap eats guide.

Where should you stop for groceries on the way from the airport?

From either airport, stop at the Gulf to Bay Plaza Publix at 525 S Belcher Rd. From Tampa International (TPA), the usual drive crosses the Courtney Campbell Causeway onto Gulf to Bay Boulevard. From St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE), you come over the Bayside Bridge onto the same road. Both routes cross Belcher Road.

• From TPA: about 20 miles and 38 minutes to Pier 60 with no traffic. The Publix stop adds a minute or two of driving, plus your shopping time.
• From PIE: about 12 miles and 25 minutes with no traffic. The stop again adds a minute or two.
• Why this one: the Publix Liquors at 2253 Gulf to Bay Blvd is in the same plaza, so groceries, beer, wine and spirits are all one stop. The liquor store opens at 10 a.m.

These times are routing estimates, not live traffic. For how to use the hours on arrival day before check-in, see our travel-day guide. If you haven't booked flights yet, see which airport to fly into.

What should you buy for a condo week at Clearwater Beach?

Check your rental listing before you shop. What's supplied varies by owner, and you can't count on finding pantry basics. Cooking in also helps with special diets; for nights out, see our guide to gluten-free and vegan options when you eat out. A starting list:

• Day-one basics: coffee and filters, paper towels, toilet paper, dish soap, dishwasher pods, trash bags, a sponge.
• Beach day: sunscreen, after-sun gel, bottled water or a refill jug, a soft cooler, ice, snacks that won't melt.
• Breakfast and lunch: eggs, bread, fruit, yogurt, deli meat and cheese. Or skip the sandwich-making and order Publix subs for the beach.
• Dinner nights in: fish from the Publix seafood counter, a bagged salad, rice or pasta, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Drinks: beer and wine at any Publix; spirits at a Publix Liquors before 9 p.m. (7 p.m. Sunday). Cans travel better than bottles if they're going to the beach.
• Just in case: bug spray for sunset (here's why: no-see-ums and mosquitoes at sunset), a small first-aid kit and any medicines you take. The Island Estates Publix and both beach drugstores have pharmacies, each with shorter hours than the store. When they're closed, our emergency numbers page lists urgent care and late-night pharmacies.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a grocery store on Clearwater Beach?

Not on the beach itself. The closest full supermarket is the Publix at 200 Island Way on Island Estates, the next island east on the Memorial Causeway. It's about 1.2 miles on foot from Pier 60 and open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily as of October 2026. On the beach, Walgreens (401 Poinsettia Ave) and CVS (467 Mandalay Ave) sell snacks, drinks and basics until midnight.

Does the Publix on Island Estates sell liquor?

No. It sells beer and wine, and there's no Publix Liquors at that location. The nearest Publix Liquors stores are at 1297 S Missouri Ave and 2253 Gulf to Bay Blvd in Clearwater, roughly 11 to 14 minutes' drive from Pier 60 without traffic.

Can I take the trolley to Publix from Clearwater Beach?

Yes. The Jolley Trolley's North Beach route stops at the Island Estates Publix. As of October 2026 the regular cash fare is $2.25, the reduced fare is $1.10 and children 8 and under ride free. Check the operator's timetable for departure times.

Is there a Walmart near Clearwater Beach?

Not on the beach or Island Estates. The big-box stores are on the mainland, so use Walmart's store finder to see which one is on your route. For most trips the Island Estates Publix, or the Gulf to Bay Plaza Publix on the way from the airport, is closer.

Is anything open 24 hours on Clearwater Beach?

Not among the chain stores. Walgreens on Poinsettia Avenue and CVS on Mandalay Avenue both close at midnight, and the Island Estates Publix closes at 10 p.m. (store listings, October 2026).

Can Publix deliver groceries to my Clearwater Beach hotel?

Publix delivery runs through Instacart, which checks coverage by address at checkout. Publix says delivery prices are higher than in-store, fees and tips come on top, and liquor has to be a separate order. Ask whether the front desk will hold a delivery before you schedule one.