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The Call of Clearwater, Florida

If you are looking for the perfect beach getaway, head to Clearwater, Florida. We have been there several times now as it keeps calling us back with its warm, clear water and relaxing atmosphere. It is our “go to” vacation spot for a weekend getaway.

Located west of Tampa, it is great for both family vacations and couples getaways. Although Clearwater is considered a tourist town, it does not feel that way.

Of course there are the souvenir shops and a superfluous amount of hotels, yet it still feels quaint and peaceful.

On our first trip there as a couple, we took in all that Clearwater has to offer. We stayed at a hotel just steps away from the beach. We woke up, grabbed a cup of Starbucks, and took a morning stroll along the shore each day we were there.

“...great for both family vacations and couples getaways.”

On one of these excursions, Chris and I decided that we should just extend our leisurely stroll and continue on to see what we could find. At first it was beautiful. We made it passed all the hotels, passed the beach bungalows, and wandered into unchartered territory. Along the way we found those hard to find seashells, the ones with the critters still inside. We found crabs, giant shells the size of Chris’s feet, and lots of other curious sea oddities. We kept on going until we stumbled upon the sweetest thing…. a tree/bush that people had hung seashells on. There were seashells hung everywhere!! On every seashell there was someone’s name and the date of when it was placed on the tree. There were even markers hung so that anyone who found their way to the tree could add their own seashells; which of course we did!

We decided that the seashell tree was a good place to turn around and go back. We headed back toward our hotel. Unfortunately, we were now what felt like ten miles away and I was wearing flip-flops! Needless to say, I began to get a little cranky at this point. What started out as a leisurely stroll turned into a marathon-like trek through sand and surf. To try and appease me and my grumbling and complaining, Chris decided we should try to make it back to civilization and catch a bus back to our hotel. This was easier said than done. Not only did we never find a bus, one of my flip-flops broke along the way!

Yes, I will admit, I was not happy. We finally made it to the hotel, Chris’s ears probably a little worse for wear I admit. Even though I probably griped more than I should have, I remember that hike affectionately. If we hadn’t gone, we would never have stumbled upon the seashell tree!

We had decided before arriving in Clearwater that the trip was going to be all about relaxation; the ten mile hike being sort of an accident. Anyway, in Clearwater you will find a plethora of sightseeing boats, dolphin tour boats, and other more eccentric ones like the pirate ship, speed boats, and my personal favorite, the shark boat. We wanted to take a boat ride and opted for a catamaran. As it turned out, there were only four other people, besides the captain and his wife, that were on the catamaran with us. We sailed out for a two hour cruise; it was beautiful.

The next day we decided to really take advantage of our relaxation vacation and made a reservation for a couple’s massage. Although the place we chose ended up being a bit strange; it was owned by a generously proportioned man and his wife, who were also the masseuses, and our couple’s massage turned out to be each of us getting a massage in a separate room, it was relaxing nonetheless.

One of the main touristy things to do in Clearwater is Pier 60. Here you can stroll along the pier and check out what the assortment of vendors has to offer. There are also performers scattered throughout the surrounding area as well. We were able to watch the death defying feats of a sword juggler and some impressive acrobatic stunts.

“…the perfect ending to an almost perfect vacation.)

One of my favorite activities to do in Clearwater is our end of the day ritual. We head on down to the beach, grab a chair and a pina colada, and watch the sunset- the perfect ending to an almost perfect vacation.