Poolside and snuggled up with all the kid-sized blankets I could find.
Our first trip of the year was to Clearwater Beach, Fl. Ranked as one of Florida’s most family-friendly beach destinations we had plenty to do during our visit. It was unseasonably cold but that didn’t deter our family, or the other snowbirds, from enjoying this beautiful beach.
Pier 60 Spider Climb 
Beachwalk 
Pier 60 Top of the Rock
Most of our days were spent enjoying the Beachwalk and Pier 60 area. The playground is fantastic with two separate areas, one for preschool age kiddos and another, larger, play park for older kids.
Beachwalk is a winding beachside promenade with lush landscaping, artistic touches and clear views to Clearwater’s award-winning beach and the water beyond, a place where bicyclists, rollerbladers and pedestrians all have safe and convenient access and where visitors and locals can socialize, dine, play games, or simply enjoy the spectacular sun and surf. (myclearwater.com)
Pier 60 features a 1,080-foot fishing pier and recreational park, with a bait house, telescopes and six covered pavilions. The Pier 60 bait house offers a complete line of fishing tackle, T-shirts, souvenirs, drinks and snacks, as well as rental equipment, a full line of bait and a staff that is knowledgeable and eager to assist.
Parents (and kids) will love the well-equipped playground, one of largest beach playgrounds on the Gulf, which provides hours of fun for the little ones. “Sunsets at Pier 60,” a Clearwater Beach tradition, offers a variety of crafts and entertainment from 6 – 9 p.m. each night. The beautiful view of the sunset makes for a perfect way to celebrate the end of the day. The park also features restrooms and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 364 days of the year. (visitstpeteclearwater.com)
Holiday Inn Clearwater Beach
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites. The pool was (thankfully) heated and allowed the boys to swim. (Eventually, I had to get in too but I held out as long as possible. Does that make me a bad mom?) This location does not have direct beach access but that turned out to be one of my favorite aspects of the hotel. We were less than a mile from the Pier 60 playground so it gave us the perfect distance to get in a good walk and burn lots of energy. Poolside we found fun summer games: bean-bag toss, over-sized connect four, and the ever-present beach favorite ring-on-a- string. They also have an old-school arcade, it was a family favorite. Plus, the kind lady in the gift shop who cashes in your tickets for prizes is super-generous and so, so, so patient.
Connect Four 
Air Hockey 
Cyclone 
Skeeball 
Galaga 
Bean Bag Toss
Jimmy’s, the hotel restaurant, has an outstanding patio with great views of the pass out to the Gulf. We actually ate here a couple of times and watched the Coast Guard do some training. The boys loved it. The kid menu is typical of most restaurants and offers non-seafood items if you have a picky eater. They also have these cool menus that turn into hats.
Jimmy’s Menu Hat 
Jimmy’s outdoor patio
After an early morning run we stopped at Salty’s for breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the breakfast menu was. The kids order is less than 5 bucks and they have yummy avocado toast + coffee. All.the.coffee.
I recommend Clearwater Beach. We had a lovely time and had lots of kid-friendly things to do during our visit. I suggest an office-season date or time that is slightly less popular than the middle of summer. I can see where the area could get very congested and seem overwhelming during peak travel times.
