Recreation

The mild climate of west central Florida is conducive to a wide variety of recreational activities. From solo to group or family fun, and from amateur to professional spectator sports, Clearwater has it all! Below are just a few of the recreational activities that travelers can enjoy while visiting the area. For a more comprehensive listing of activities, visitors should refer to www.visitclearwaterflorida.com (click on “Sports & Recreation”).

FISHING

More than 300 varieties of fish swim in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay’s estuaries and mangroves, making Clearwater a true outdoor sportsman’s paradise throughout the year. Florida fishing licenses (freshwater and saltwater) are required for non-Florida residents 16 years and older. For complete information, visit www.marinefisheries.org.

Opportunities for great fishing include:

• Clearwater Beach’s famous Pier 60, open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year (closed Christmas), offers a full-service bait house with gear rental and sales, live bait, snacks and beverages. Pier 60 is located directly on Clearwater Beach at the westernmost end of State Road 60, the main artery into the area.

• The 220-slip Clearwater Municipal Marina - home to the largest commercial fishing fleet on the west coast of Florida - offers a wide variety of recreational boating activities, including nearly two dozen fishing charters. The marina is also home to convenience stores and gift shops, laundry facilities, a post office and more. The marina is located in Clearwater Beach and is open seven days a week, 364 days a year (closed Christmas Day).

• Pinellas County is also home to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge which offers access to fishing Tampa Bay from the longest fishing pier in the world at 3.13 miles. The Skyway Bridge fishing piers reach into the Gulf of Mexico and are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Snacks, drinks, bait and fishing supplies

are available.

WATER SPORTS

Paddling

Paddlers have many options for exploring the Clearwater area’s Gulf and Intracoastal waters as well as the array of coastal estuaries that thrive with a variety of wildlife. Some of the many launch points and paddle trails within Clearwater and nearby include Honeymoon Island State Park, Caladesi Island State Park, Stevenson Creek, Seminole Docks, Mandalay Park, Memorial Causeway and Sand Key Park. Numerous local operators offer paddling tours or rent kayaks and canoes. Most can be found online or

by contacting local chambers of commerce.

Sailing

Water temperatures and weather conditions generally allow comfortable sailing almost 365 days a year. A good place to start is the Clearwater Community Sailing Center, one of the region’s premier year-round sailing centers. From beginner to experienced, everyone is welcome to participate in some of the most comprehensive and affordable sailing opportunities in the area. The sailing center has a fleet of over 40 boats available to the public. Private lessons with US SAILING-certified instructions are available on

demand. The sailing center’s prime location on Sand Key provides easy access to the Gulf and Clearwater Harbor.

The Clearwater Municipal Marina also offers charter sailboats, para-sailing, Jet Ski

rentals, dive boats and more.

GOLF

The Clearwater area is a year-round golfer’s paradise, offering several golf courses within the city limits, and many more just outside and in nearby communities, such as Belleair, Dunedin and Palm Harbor. In addition, the city of Clearwater manages two community parks that offer disc golf: Cliff Stephens Park and Northeast Coachman Park. Visit www.myclearwater.com for more information. The list below includes golf courses in Clearwater only. A comprehensive list of area courses with rates, course lengths, contact information and more is available by visiting

www.floridagolfguide.com.

Airco Golf Course

13690 Stonybrook Drive, Clearwater, FL, 727-573-4653, www.fly2pie.com

Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club

3030 N. McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, FL, 727-726-4673, www.chichi.org

Clearwater Country Club

525 N. Betty Lane, Clearwater, FL, 727-446-9501 or 727-443-5078,

www.clearwatercountryclub.com

Clearwater Executive Golf Course

1875 Airport Drive, Clearwater, FL, 727-447-5272

Cove Cay Country Club

2612 Cove Cay Drive, Clearwater, FL, 727-536-1949, www.covecaycountryclub.com

OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

The city of Clearwater maintains some of the region’s best facilities for tennis, indoor swimming and beach volleyball. A few of them include the Clearwater Beach Recreation Complex and Family Aquatic Center, Countryside Recreation Center, Henry L. McMullen Tennis Complex, Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex, Long Center, Morningside Recreation Center, North Greenwood Recreation Complex and the Ross Norton Recreation and Aquatic Complex & Extreme Sports Park. A comprehensive facilities list with descriptions is on the city’s web site, www.myclearwater.com; click on “Parks & Recreation” department.

MAJOR SPECTATOR EVENTS

Between Major League Baseball spring training and franchises that call the area home, professional sports is year-round in Clearwater. The Philadelphia Phillies, professional sports’ oldest, one name, one-city franchise, have been spring training in Clearwater since 1947, and in 2004 moved into Bright House Networks Field. The facility, on 17.5 acres, includes approximately 7,000 fixed seats (with room for 1,500 more fans in grass berm seating), group picnic areas, an expanded food court and a children’s play area.

Bright House Networks Field is also home to Minor League Baseball’s Clearwater Threshers (Florida State League, Class A Advanced).

Other spring training teams located nearby include the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin’s Knology Park and the New York Yankees at Legends Field in Tampa. The Tampa Bay Rays spring train at Progress Energy Park’s Al Lang Field in downtown St. Petersburg and are at home in St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field during the regular season.

For more information about MLB, including schedules and ticket availability, visit www.mlb.com. For minor league baseball, visit www.minorleaguebaseball.com.

Other professional sports franchises in the area include the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning.

The area also hosts dozens of competitions of all types throughout the year, including world-class golf, beach volleyball and tennis tournaments, sailing regattas, triathlons and marathons, canoe and kayak races and bicycle and road races.