An independent guide to St. Pete Beach and the Pinellas Gulf Beaches
This ranking brings together beaches from Fort De Soto to Clearwater, with practical details to help you compare access, facilities and beach conditions. The order reflects how useful and checkable each beach’s published information is, not a score of beach quality.
You’ll find a mix of wide stretches of sand, public amenities, parking details and access features. The list follows our editorial judgement of how useful and checkable each entry’s published information is. It does not represent measured beach quality or personal visits. Read how the rankings are made for the method.
Start with the details that fit your outing: beach access, available amenities, parking, and any stated closure or access condition. A beach with a mobility mat may suit different needs than an undeveloped stretch where high tide can affect access. Check the information for the beach you plan to visit before setting out.
Fort De Soto North Beach offers undeveloped shoreline, white sand and natural vegetation. At high tide, the beach can become an island, so visitors may need to wade to reach the sand. The park lists concessions, rentals, a snack bar and a souvenir shop.
Sand Key Beach is part of a 95-acre park in Clearwater with distinct beach and park areas. A section is closed through November 2026 for equipment staging for Clearwater’s Marina construction project. Pinellas County parks also close the day after Thanksgiving and on Dec. 25.
Clearwater Beach is open around the clock. Lifeguards are on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while tower staffing varies with season and weather. These details can help you compare beach hours and lifeguard coverage as you plan a visit.
Indian Rocks Beach has 80 paid spaces at 1700 Gulf Blvd. Public parking at beach access points costs $4.50 per hour, with enforcement daily from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Trash cans are available at every beach access and park in town.
Treasure Island Beach is uncommonly wide in most parts, with room to spread out. The city has installed an ADA beach access mobility mat that extends roughly 500 ft. toward the Gulf and is 6 ft. wide. The mat is a useful access detail to consider when choosing a beach.
Pass-a-Grille Beach is among the beaches where public amenities are maintained, including access points, walkovers, seawalls, piers, benches, trash receptacles and showers. These details make it easier to compare the public facilities described for this beach with other entries.
Upham Beach is included among the beaches with maintained public amenities such as access points, walkovers, seawalls, benches, trash receptacles and showers. The town’s beach information also notes a dog restriction on sand beaches and beach access, with one exception.
Sunset Beach sits at the southern end of Treasure Island. A boardwalk encircles the island’s tip, where Blind Pass meets the Gulf of Mexico. The area is noted for fishing and strolling, so its boardwalk and setting offer a different way to spend time by the water.
Archibald Memorial Beach Park has metered parking by the beach, wooden walkovers, public restrooms and outdoor showers. You’ll also find a covered picnic area and sand beach volleyball courts, details that may help you choose a beach with facilities for a longer outing.