Sand Key Park Reviews

Excellent place to stay with family and friends. Beach was clean. Umbrellas and sears avail $25 for day. Parking was free changing facilities nearby. Had a great time access was simple from main road.

Ok, so at the entrance to the doggy park there's a big sign reminding you to pay for parking. But where, how? Except for that faux pas the park is great. Two dog runs, broad beach, a walkway for fishing (but where are the big fish), etc.

This park makes it easier to park and pay. I fee for all days no going in and keep putting quarters in your machine. They have picnic areas and places to fish. Fun for the whole family!

We started at Clearwater beach and then headed to Sand Key. The sand wasn't as pristine and clean as Clearwater but it was still nice. Much less crowds. Parking is only $5 for the day compared to $3 an hour at Clearwater beach. An added bonus was the free EV charging station.

Sand Key Park is a long stretch of shoreline where boardwalks can be reserved for beach weddings from an elopement, vow renewal, to a larger beach wedding celebration, The beach is a quieter beach with nice sand, sparkling water and amazing sunsets. As a planner for Cherished Ceremonies Weddings , we can recommend this beach to couples who are looking for a less busy beach.

We enjoyed a relaxing day on the beach---a short walk from our hotel on Sand Key. There were chairs, umbrellas or cabanas to rent and restroom and changing facilities available. The beach is clean and the sand is nice.

RED TIDE. Beaches are toxic on Florida's west coast. Millions of gallons of toxic sludge has ruined what was our favorite beach.

The sand at this beach was full of shells and not as powdery soft and smooth as Clearwater and other FL beaches I’ve been to. It was much quieter and less crowded than Clearwater Beach, which is good when you don’t want to be on a crowded beach.

Sand Key Park is a great park for a day at the beach, fishing along the Clearwater Pass Inlet, hiking along the many trails, picnicking or taking your dog to it’s dog park. There is ample parking, and the park is kept pretty clean. The park a leisurely alternative to hectic Clearwater Beach near Pier 60.

This is a hidden gem. Off the beaten path but extremely beautiful and serene. I am going to bring my bike next time to really enjoy this

The drive down to Clearwater was spectacular. The pavilion was a nice break from the heat. The staff was helpful and courteous and the beach was great. My family said that the water was warm. We had a great time

I walked there twice while staying at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort. It's a nice park with a playground and two dog parks. You must pay to park there, but it's free to explore.

Very nice beach! Bathhouse was a little messy but I tried not to let that ruin my day. All day parking for a great price. Plenty of parking. Even had a food truck. Great spot!!

This part of Clearwater beach is away from the main busy areas so is not as crowed but still near hotels and restaurants

Parking located close to the beach for $5 for the day. Bathrooms and changing rooms were also convenient. The sand was not as nice as Clearwater but would sacrifice that for better parking. Lots of spots for fishing with picnic tables available.no dogs on the beach but there was a dog exercise park located behind the beach.

Enjoyed walking here to get away from people. Nice and quiet. Seen old palm trees, tropical looking.

Best beach in usa much better than Clearwater so peaceful and lovely birds especially the pellicans not far to walk from our hotel

Clean beach. The "bathhouse" is just toilets, sinks (with no mirror) and changing rooms. The showers are outside and the water pressure on them was great! It's those kinds that you push once and it stays on for a while(I was able to wash my hair with shampoo and rinse it off with just one push) The parking is 5$ for all day. I got there at 8:15 am and there was only a few people walking along, collecting seashells. The seashells are cute and located ALL OVER, a lot of nice people all around and though it took me a little over two hours to get there, I will be making the trip back because it's the best secluded beach I've visited.

Exceptionally nice local park with large beach. Parking is $5 all day and a beach umbrella and 2 lounge chairs rent for $25. 35' max for RV's (and I didn't actually see anywhere to park one.) We were there on a weekend during spring break when the hotel beaches were overrun with college students and this beach was busy but nowhere near overcrowded. No alcohol allowed but I suspect it would be overlooked if done discreetly as no significant law enforcement presence was evident. Nice boardwalks from parking to beach. Small concession trailer. No lifeguards seen.

Drive 5 minutes past Clearwater Beach and find a beautiful, wide open, quiet beach with easy parking and significantly fewer people than CLearwater.

Beautiful white sand. Lots of parking for 5 dollars per day. Only negative was lots of seaweed in water and along the shore when we were there.

Beach was clean not overly crowed but it was a week day not sure if it matters in tourist places like this .But thinking it was the norm because of more notable beaches in the area . but be warned give your self lots of time traffic is a slow go due to volume through clearwater about one hour to tampa from orlando another 45 min to the beaches easy

Pensacola Beach still rates as my favorite beach in the U.S. But this was close. It's the same sand, surf, and turquoise water of Clearwater Beach with half the number of people. Plenty of parking. And even a food truck if you didn't pack a lunch (although a little expensive). Chair/umbrella rentals were available, a little pricey ($35 w/ tip), but were comfortable and stayed put when the wind picked up.

I knew I wanted to vacation on a beautiful beach but that often meant large obnoxious crowds. Arrived around 11am on a Thursday and having to drive through the town of Clearwater I didn’t know what to expect as there was swarms of people everywhere. Once I arrived however I noticed the large parking lot that had ample space and although the beach became very crowded late in the day, the parking lot was still halfway empty. If you go straight to the beach from the parking lot you’ll run into crowds. I veered off from where everyone else was on the beach and was basically left alone the entire time! Gorgeous clear warm water and soft sand. If you’re nervous about swimming with fish, be warned you can see them right below the service and they are pretty large!

Be sure to keep your shoes on until you get to the water, there are so many shells you could easily cut your feet. Beautiful sand beaches and not too crowded

Don't waste your time and money in Clearwater... drive across the bridge and pay $5 to park ($20 in Clearwater - if you can find a spot). Wide open beaches with tons of shells. It is like having a private beach as compared to Clearwater. You can put up your beach umbrellas or pop tent. I really enjoyed the time here.

Beautiful beach. A food truck was available. Only one visitor center with a restroom was open. Great walking trail but poorly signed.

Good Parking, with a very quiet beach, Something for the wildlife lover as well with a little shrubbery - definitely worth a visit if you are in Clearwater

Lovely uncrowded beach near Clearwater Beach. This beach is less than 10 minutes from Clearwater Beach. It is much nicer than Clearwater Beach (unless you like crowds). The beach is flatter and makes for great running at the water's edge. Parking is plentiful and only $5 per day. The beach is litter free, unspoiled, with plenty of space to spread out.

This is a beautiful hidden gem of a beach! We enjoyed the main beach in Clearwater a few days and then opted for a low key more quiet day. This spot did not disappoint. It is a large public beach that is quiet and beautiful. There are nice restrooms, chair and umbrella rentals, and food trucks available. Don’t leave the Clearwater area without checking out this beauty!

Today we went to Sand Key Park, located just South of Clearwater.

Sand Key Park is almost exactly like Clearwater (sand is a little rougher, crushed shells) but with no crowds and ample CHEAP parking. Parking here is done by electronic pay stations, in a large lot, for only $5 for the entire day.

The park has restrooms, changing stations, a snack bar (veggie burgers, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, fries and ice cream), chairs and umbrellas for rent (2 chairs and an umbrella for $20), a dog park and picnic areas with grills.

The water was much less calm than all of the other beaches we have been going to but if you like riding waves, this is your place. Our teens were enjoying their body boards today.

But for no crowds, tons of parking, facilities and a beautiful beach, head to Sand Key.

We went here almost every night to see the sunset. Tons of beautiful birds here also. Didn’t swim because of the sting rays. But the surf is beautiful and warm.

Clean beach with nice bathroom and changing facility. Had an awesome day their. Lots of sea shells to collect

We went here on 8/15/2019 with wife n two toddlers
It rained so much for days that the park was pretty much useless... but glad I was driving big Ford f150
go through deep water that covered parts of the road. Although On a sunny day it is beautiful!

Nice quiet beach. Just beautiful and relaxing. We went in early September and it was perfect. Pay for parking but worth it

I have been to Sand Key park many times as I live nearby. It's a great place to take a picnic lunch as there are some picnic tables and shelters available but only one that gives you a good view of the water while you are picnicking. If you just want to come and enjoy the sugar white beach, I think it is better than going to the beach around pier 60 in Clearwater because it is usually less crowded. A lot of people have weddings there on the weekend so you might want to have an alternate beach in mind in that case

My DH and I went here to go to the beach. Parking was $5. They had a restroom with a changing station and an outdoor rinsing area.

If you are looking to get away from the crowds and still enjoy the great beaches of Clearwater, this it the place for you!

My favorite beach in Pinellas County. Adjacent park with picnic facilities and plenty of easy access parking. We come here because the beach is never overcrowded and almost always peaceful. Much more tourist activity on Clearwater Beach to the north, if that’s what you’re looking for—but if you just want a quiet day at the beach, this is the place.

The sand might be more "shelly" and not as white as clearwater beach, but it sure make up in space and great waves. very low crowds.

Sand Key Park is one of the best parks along the Gulf of Mexico. The sand is white and the water is normally warm, excellent for swimming

This has to be the best beach I have ever been to in Florida! The water was amazingly clear! Sea life was abundant: baby sharks, dolphins, manatees and plenty of fish. The sand was nice and soft. The views along the jetty are gorgeous. This is a must for any visitor to Clearwater area.

Although Sand Key has easy access and plenty of parking, it isn’t very long—no “long walks on the beach” here. Visitors should be aware that most days there is a “drop” from the parking lot to the water; not a steep drop, but one that would cause some a bit of difficulty. Most of the shells are broken and not plentiful.

My family loved this beach much better than Clearwater!
The parking is much cheaper, it was less crowded, and we were able to find some whole shells to take home..
*Little warning: it doesn't have any restaurants and all that so bring food and water with you.*

Always a good day at Sand Key Beach. Five dollars to park all day and enjoy the sun and fun! We always bring our out of state friends here.

If you only had one beach day, you want to take it here. Bring your picnic or eat at the hamburger stand. Excellent food. Several picnic tables. Shallow waters for the children. Great beach to walk.

This is another small quiet beach to visit. But just so know it does cost 5 bucks for all day parking. But it was a cool beach park to visit. I got to see turtles nest. But we walked around a little early in the morning but it was too hot. We came back right before sunset and it was absolutely beautiful to watch in the water. But just realize there really isn’t any lifeguards since it’s a smaller private beach. But I liked the less crowds. And the sunset was amazing.

The most crowded beach is the beach around pier 60... Good luck finding a parking spot.. do yourself a favor and drive an extra 4 minutes and come here..
Never a worry about parking,, Plenty of space.. a kids playground,, good bathrooms.. and all the Sea shells you're ever going to want.

Fishing. Laying out on the beach. This is a nice park in an otherwise completely urbanized area. Tourists at the beach, this park allows you a place to move around. Enjoy the water.

Decided to go off our usual path, found this beach. Empty, clean and a hidden gem. Entire Sand Key area is quiet.

We were driving around and spotted the park. It was delightful, we spent Sunday afternoon there listening to the ocean. It’s family friendly but not overcrowded.

I love coming here and going for a walk. We went on a weekday and couldnt believe how busy it way. This was our second visit to clearwater, so maybe its popularity has grown.

We found this beach at the advice of a local person. Much less crowded, very relaxed place to be. The beach across the street is one that you can drive onto, which we did!

If your shell hunting there are quit a few. Not as crowded as Clearwater beach and just as nice. No shops or venders but a great place to relax and enjoy the water.

Much less crowded than Clearwater Beach - still has lots of parking and bath houses/showers. The rocks on the north end are beautiful for sunset pictures!

Beautiful beach, fairly calm beautiful water and was not crowded when we were there. The facilities and parking area were also very nice. There are picnic areas under the trees off to the side.

We visited Sand Key park for the day. The beach is wide and flat and not very crowded on Saturday. You can Park for the whole day for $5. They have restrooms and a small concession stand with reasonable prices. We really enjoyed the beach here.

Just okay here for us which some could be just the luck of the draw. First, there was a ton of stinky seaweed on the beach and in the water. There was also an unpleasant green film floating on top of the water. It makes me sad but there was quite a bit of litter on the beach. Considering the day before was clear and beautiful at Indian rocks beach, this was a disappointment for us. Some positives- nice parking area, nice bathroom and food truck. There are chair rentals on the beach (expensive compared to IRB and did not have a drink holder). Enjoyed the day but won't return.

I stayed at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort who's private beach is located on Sand Key. The area is clean and well kept. I was very fortunate to have visited on a week where the weather was superb and the red-tide had dissipated in the area. There was plenty of birds and fish activity to observe in the glass flat water. The sunsets are mesmerizing.

Beautiful beach. Not at all crowded and parking was only $5! We went the week of July 4th and couldn’t have asked for a better first beach experience with my toddler. Would highly recommend especially with young children!

I am very familiar with this area. After living here 50 years, i finally got to see the completion of the last portion of beach before you hit the new bridge into Clearwater Beach. When I moved here, the beach from Tierra Verde to Clearwater was just that and a few shacks, a motel or two and beach bars.

It really is a nice park, they did good job using all the naturalness of this area.
The new bridge vs. the old bridge. " New" is now ten years or so old but i still call it the new bridge having traveled the old bridge for half a century.

It really is great for families, less crowded than some pf the beaches, good parking. low rates, bathrooms etc.

I did a lot of photography of the Sand Key Condo's built by Charles Cheezen, the major developer of Sand Key decades ago, the 80's. I spent two years filming the growth and development for the magazines, news papers and TV spots... The five huge condo's just south of the park were his. Today it's all built up, immaculate, and quite established as a high end area.

In the old days, Sand Key was haven for some great fishing as one who caught just about everything there. The north side side runs under the new bridge and fishing is good as it runs with the tides and thats when fish tend to feed. The beautiful newer bridge allows many of the larger boats free access. Drawbridges usually are disliked by boat and car owners alike.

And the tides run swift and strong through the inlet,, not a good place for swimming, fishing yes, swimming no. Stick to the beach or west side. If you can see Mexico 500 miles away you are on the good side.

NOTE: The new bridge has a speed limit and they do enforce it, it is a high bridge and what goes up, generally comes down and will find yourself going a lot faster than you thought. You do not want a ticket.

TRiVIA...
It was also known by the locals for a great place for Friday and Saturday night beach fires, weekend night parties and social gatherings, namely beer drinking, carousing, and boys and girls doing what boys and girls do. It was the place to go. Dark, off the path and folks with similar ambitions close by.

But it had a problem... soft sand... and a friend of mine made a killing with his four wheel drive tow truck with humongous tires which looked more like a truck for mud bogging. It was a cool 20 dollars a tow out, thats a hundred today to get yanked out of the sand and onto what little macadam there was..

About midnight a cop car would turn on the lights and there was a mass exodus if you weren't stuck in the sand.... Hilarious for some, embarrassing for others,... expensive for others.

In the old days, it was also a Cannibis drop and sometimes bags would wash up on shore. Those days are gone. It is patrolled frequently, no nonsense, and it maintains a very safe environment for families.

Clearwater has adopted a no nonsense, spring break attitude as many of the cities like Daytona and Ft Lauderdale have also. We had no fatalities from fifth floor hotel room balconies diving into the hotel pool this year.. Nor other stupid acts. Florida drinking is 21 and if you get caught you will go to jail.

It really is a nice beach, well kept, and minutes away on a free bridge right into Clearwater for food, drink and entertainment.

UPDATE: 08/30/ 2018... Im doing beach sweeps, so far the RED Tide has not affected this beach.

This is a really nice park to have a stroll and watch all the water activities. There seemed to be plenty of parking spaces. Lots of restaurants nearby

We spent a week in Orlando and wanted a beach day! We had planned to head to Clearwater, but happened upon sand key beach and were so pleased. The Clearwater beaches were PACKED (it’s spring break-we knew they would be). Sand Key was busy, but nothing like the other beaches. We were able to rent 2 chairs and an umbrella for $30, and parking was $5 for the whole day. Our kids had plenty of room to play in the sand, and the changing facilities weren’t bad at all! So glad we found this gem!

This very well maintained county park is a wonderful place to visit if you are vacationing near Clearwater. Just a beautiful place with picnic areas, walking trails, a kids' playground, and an impressive private beach with restroom and concession facilities. Once we discovered it, we kept going back. Be aware there's a $5 fee to park.

This was a great beach to take the kids to. $5 to park all day until sunset. Picnic benches and bathroom areas were clean. We went on a weekday and got to see the Coast Guard do practice rescues over the ocean. Kids had a great time! I would recommend going on a weekday while school is still in session, as the beach is less crowded.

Visited on the 4th of July was expecting crowds drove thru Clearwater Beach and didn’t want to stay there due to social distancing. Decided to just drive south and find a smaller beach. We didn’t have to go far! As you go over the bridge from Clearwater Beach we saw a sign that said public beach and decided to check it out. Best decision! $5 to park all day, big beach, lifeguards, public restrooms. Even on the 4th of July we didn’t have any issues keeping social distant-plenty of room between groups.

It is a place with the most beautiful beach. Perfect for the sun time. The beach is very clean and peaceful.

WOW! After we left crowded but fabulous Clearwater beach, we were driving around and spotted this underused strip of beach at the upper end of the beach strip, right on a cut. Trees where you could hang a hammock, the same white sand inviting you to run your toes through it, lots and lots of parking, virtually nobody there! Maybe 10 minutes or less north of Clearwater Beach. The pace is slow and peaceful...Loved it.

A very quaint area in clearwater beach that offers an amazing view and a more "private" beach atmosphere. This beach is perfect if you don't want to deal with the crowd of Clearwater beach pier 60.

Oh boy, this place is a must when you visit Clearwater.

This ample park has beach access, many parking spots available, it’s not free for parking, and the view is simply outstanding.

When we went it was too windy so we were not able to sit down on the beach but we still enjoyed it.

It has also picnic areas and a playground. It’s definitely a complete park.

Travelled from Orlando to Clearwater to go to the same Beach where we honeymooned many years ago at the Sheraton Sand Key. The beach is one of the best I’ve ever been to. Beautiful white sand, warm tranquil water and many miles long. The parking was easy and ample and only 5 dollars for the day. Nice change rooms and washrooms and rental chairs and umbrellas if you don’t have. If we lived down here we would go often.

We could see it across the causeway from our hotel in Clearwater beach so we drove over and spent most of one day just sitting on the beach and relaxing. Too bad there was a lot of seaweed in the water that day so not very inviting for wading or swimming, but it was very peaceful and not crowded at all.

We walked to Clearwater Beach to find it overcrowded and loaded with trash left over from slobs the night before, decided to head to Sand Key. Parking is $5 for the day, not per spot or per hour. You can spend an hour in the morning, and come back that afternoon, as parking is good until dusk on that day. Parking fee is clearly marked on signage upon entering the park. Very peaceful place, not overcrowded at all. We will definitely return here when in the area.

If you arent there for cruising the boulevard or being part of a crowd, this is a much nicer beach with a lovely small bird sanctuary. We found it to be a nice walk over a bridge with a view. Worth the effort.

Great beach to bring kids. We spent a day there on spring break, and it never got too crowded for comfort. Beautifyl beach, the kids especially enjoyed flying kites where there was lots of open unoccupied space, and finding shells on the beach. Convenient changing rooms/bathrooms, $6 all-day parking, and although we packed a picnic lunch, it was nice that there was even a food truck there. We watched the dolphin sightseeing tour boats driving by, with dolphin fins out past the beach. The kids were thrilled, and I was happy for a relaxing day on an otherwise busy vacation week!

We got to watch dolphins playing in the cove for quite sometime. It was a lot of fun and exactly what my friend wanted to see.

Stopped here twice while on vacation. Both times to fish. We caught several fish off of the bank and had a great time. We also went shelling in the evening. The place is beautiful. Nice beach and park area. Its worth spending time on. Very clean and good communication. It does cost $5 but that's for all day, not bad. Enjoy

We went on a windy, kinda cool day but guess what?!?! Turns out to be one of the secret places to SURF!!!!!
Head here if the tides are high and rent/buy your boards at NEKTON!!!!!!

Visit this Sand Key Park on our yearly visit. Great for bike riding, walking, fishing or having a picnic. Also watching sail boats, tour boats and dolphins!

Beach was not clean. Seen some trash but alot of seaweed and stuff from the gulf that had floated in. I would not pay in that sand or on it.

We had visited Clearwater Beach, Indian Rocks, Bellaire. We tried this beach. There are a lot of shells which makes it more rocky and the sand less soft. The waves are good here so it's good for body surfing/skimming. It was crowded when we were there on a Friday. Cabanas are 35.00 a day and you need to get there before 10:00 to get one.

Beautiful beach! Lots of parking ($5 to park). Rental chairs and umbrellas available. Beach was VERY clean! And was not crowded. Fun to watch boats leave the marina, skidoo’s, and wind surfers. Bathrooms and chaining room available. We enjoyed a beautiful day!

Marriott offers shuttle to this beach park and we got a discount on chair/umbrella rental. Bathrooms and food truck, no lifeguards. Beach had alot of shells had to be careful walking at times but didn't need water shoes. Nice place to get away from crowds on Clearwater Beach.

We loved this spot. The Clearwater Beach were congested so we took the drive to this park. Parking was $5, credit card accepted. Easy. They had nice showers to rinse off. The sand was beautiful. There were no waves but the water was clear and enjoyable to wade in. It was a great spot for a few hours of Gulf Coast Time.

We found this terrific sea park after spending some 3 hrs at the Clearwater beach. We drove across the Sand key bridge and came upon this park and beach in front of it.
There was a parking lot with a flat 5$ day rate (vs the same rate per hour in Clearwater). The beach is exactly the same as the main one few miles north.
However, we just stopped to take a look as we hadn't more time to spend as we had to arrive in Miami by night and visit St. Petersburg along the way.

...clear water, plenty of parking, lots of room on deep sandy beach, $5 parking, dog park, excellent vistas, not as crowded as nearby Clearwater Beach area...a bit of old time Florida type park....

It was a perfect beach day! Blue sky reflecting in the water. Light breeze and gentle waves. Not many people because of a cold snap but a few of us were brave and sunning ourselves

Very quiet but nice beach. Not known by many which is great for a little extra privacy at the beach, nice water exposure.

This was a great place to catch the sunset... a lot less of a "spring break scene" than clearwater beach -- more family oriented and natural..... really enjoyed our stop here. It was lovely.

This is a huge nature park, just south of Clearwater Beach, that has plenty of parking, lots of trails, and a beautiful shoreline to explore.

This Place is great. Lots of parking spots. Only five dollars to park all day. They have bathrooms, and food. If you want to find large shells this is the beach to go to. If you walk out in water and look around, you will be amazed at what you may find. Will be returning.

Best beach hands down if you want to avoid the masses. Reasonable parking prices, nice facilities, chair and umbrella rentals were available when we went.

This beach appears to be mostly used by locals, no so busy like Clearwater Beach - which is what we prefer. On our visit in April, the beach was clean, sand was powder soft, water perfect. Rental chairs/umbrellas at a small cost of $25/ day for 2 chairs & umbrella

Beautiful park but seems unkept on the beach areas as sand spurs are allowed to flourish. Kinda takes away from the experience.

Good trail for a morning walk and scenic views. We saw some dolphins in the intercostal while on our walk, we recommend you take a hike in this park.

OMG this place was beautiful and empty for January. Literally, no one was in sight. We had the beach to ourselves. They do not sift the sand here like they do on Clearwater Beach so shells are EVERYWHERE! We even found a full size horseshoe crab shell, saw a stingray, and got great pictures on the lifeguard tower.

The beach was awesome besides the restrooms being very filthy. They should have staff every hour checking on the restrooms. Would definitely go again but hopefully they can give more attention to the restrooms.

The speech is very big and Sandy lots of packed sand it’s good to walk on not crowded easy parking I like it

I love walking through this park and on out to the gulf. Herons, egrets, pelicans, terns... so much to see!

Great beach, not too crowded. Better alternative to Clearwater in my opinion. Guests of Marriott Sand Key are taken here in complimentary shuttle. Awesome.

After spending some time at Clearwater Beach, my family and I drove over to Sand Key Park to check out the surroundings. The parking is plentiful, the beach was quiet and beautiful, and the rest rooms were clean. There was a food truck in the parking lot with burgers. A must see spot!

Sand Key beach and park are a great much quieter alternative to Clearwater Beach ⛱️ if it gets to be too much. Still has rental chairs, umbrella etc. And a food truck and dog park, change rooms and showers. Just 1/2 mile south of clearwater beach over the bridge

We walked over the bridge from Clearwater beach and found it to be just okay. The sand at Clearwater beach is a lot better but this beach was less crowded and was better for collecting seashells.

A short Trolley ride or 5 minute car ride from the main Clearwater Beach Sand Key is a great find. Long stretches of white beaches. The local Hotel offers rentals of Cabanas , and chairs if needed. Great Beach if you do not like the crowds. Plenty of Parking in the Park at a very affordable $5 a day.

Loved this beach! I love that this beach is not at all crowded. There are umbrellas, chairs and cabanas for rent for the day. Clean bathrooms. Lots of white sand , sea and sun to enjoy!

The park ranger was friendly and let us know when we had to start packing up after the sunset! Always a beautiful view and a great fishing spot! Love it. Day parking is cheaper than anywhere on Clearwater beach and the sand is wonderful.

Get away from the crowded beach area downtown. Park here for $5 and rent an umbrella or cabana. Bathrooms available as well.

Love the county park because tons of parking, and room to stretch out (vs crowded Clearwater Beach). A real gem.

It’s a good beach. Definitely has a lot of parking! It’s $5 to park. You pay at a machine and leave the receipt on your dashboard. $25 to rent an umbrella and two chairs. It does have a lot of shells in the water but it’s a good beach!

The park was a beautiful place for a walk with a lot of beach area between parking and the shore line. Sand volleyball areas, hiking, and of course the beach!

This is a great park with a nice big lot. Most of this area is condos and the beach is not accessible but you can get to it from the park.

Excellent for beach goers, picnics and fishing.Huge parking area. Large covered picnic areas with restrooms. Small fishing docks/piers near the bridge.

Lovely quiet park.We saw a young hammerhead being caught on one of the docks,and then put back . Only negative for me is why they charge for parking in the slow months .

I went to visit Sand Key Park in December 2018 and loved it. It's a great park for a picnic with family or friends and is set up with tables and chairs and lots of room for a picnic on grassy areas. Parking is only $5.00 for the day and there is even a small fenced area for dog walkers. It is also right on one of the most beautiful peaceful beaches with great sunsets that I have ever seen !!! Also this area was not crowded at all like Clearwater beach. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone :)

Parking is $5 and plentiful. Change rooms and bathrooms available. The sand isn't all powdery white everywhere since there are so many crushed shells, but no water shoes were required like I had read in some reviews. Loads of shells to collect. Family friendly atmosphere. We will definitely return!

We visited this beach because of the reviews regarding seashells. We were surprised that there wasn’t a ton of unique shells here. And most of them are smaller. We didn’t feel like this beach offered more shell seeking experiences. We did enjoy the water though. The waves here are much more rough than what we experienced at other beaches. My oldest daughter loved them.

Park is beautiful and easy to access. Beach is clean and inviting. One problem is that the day we were here all of the parking machines were broken with instructions to use a smart phone and an app. We blew it off. Didn't have a phone - they need to fix their machines.

We came in just after Hurricane Michael. There were tide warning signs posted, and the parking was free because of it. Surprisingly we found more shells than other beaches and no dead fish to be seen. Water tapered so you could wade out a long way and not be in deep water. Just use the paths. Spikey small burs in the grass sharp enough to stick into your shoes

Today I tried the hard-packed sand walking trails that begin near the park entrance and continue through the parking lot towards the beach.

These trails connect to many different boardwalks that lead to and from the parking lot and to and from the sandy beach along the Gulf.

Today I saw a food truck on the beach selling high-priced beverages and fast food. I will appreciate this concession if I ever run out of water while walking in this park.

I believe there are 2 buildings with bathrooms near the parking lot.

If you want a break from the crowds at Clearwater Beach, head across the causeway and visit Sand Key Park. Lots of shells, not as many people and limited amenities.

We decided to put on our rain jackets and explore this little park. We were glad we did as there were so cool little spots along the edge. A quiet little beach as well with some pretty shells. Very nice spot!

The setting of this beach is a bit more rustic. Parking is only $5 for day with rest room facilities. There were some smaller sized shells.

It was a bit rough on the day we were there, so better for surfers. There are even signs that indicate where surfers should be.

We were here with our tween kids. The beach is pretty, with white sand that’s soft near the shore, a gradual drop off into the ocean, and small waves. The beach chair rental is pricey at $25 for 2 chairs and an umbrella, but we thought it was worth it for the shade. The showers and restrooms were clean and functional. There was a food truck too. There was a beach volleyball tournament, but the tournament participants were nice and fun to watch.

Nice relaxing morning walk on the beach. Came in November, so small crowds and no lifeguards on duty. VERY clean, lots of beach, lots of small shells and many shorebirds.
Short walk from nearby Marriott Suites and Sheraton.

Beautiful white sand beach, umbrella rentals, bathhouses, playground, dog park, picnic shelters, sailing center w/classes. They have hotels with numerous amenities and spectacular views.

A wonderful quiet day at the beach
Beautiful beach with magnificent views and sunsets
I sat on the lifeguard hut and relaxed until i continued on and went shell hunting

I visited the beach across the road.A wonderful little beach next to the sailing club which is practically empty.I sat in the oceon and relaxed in the sun in total quiet.The jolley trolley goes past here.

What a great place to do shelling in the morning!! If you're into a white powdery sand beach, this may not be for you. However, if you love a nice beach that allows your children, or young-at-heart adults, to meander the shoreline and search for colorful and unique shells... then this is a great beach for doing that..

We enjoyed the break from the more-crowded Clearwater Beach with less people, noise, bars, restaurants, etc. It's also wonderful to watch the sunset since it is western-facing over the Gulf.

I love love this beach! My second trip out and loved it both times! The views and shelling are perfect! The boat that takes you out provides snorkels, umbrellas and a shell guide so you know what you got upon your return! This is a must do while on your vaca to Clearwater/St. Pete area!

The writeup we found online and in guide books overstated the attractions at this park. Instead of a salt marsh, what we found was an urban retention pond. Not much in the way of boardwalks either. The beach was very crowded, even on a Monday. We were looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Clearwater, which this did, but it was still busier than we had hoped. Still, it had a nice beach, and a playground.

Sand Key Beach park has had less people than Clearwater beach. If you’re looking for a quiet and beautiful place to watch sunset, then go to Sand Key beach...

Nice white sand beach, not crowded, but we went on a Tuesday. Plenty of parking for a $5 fee. There is a food truck but didnt check it out. It was a breezy day for us so the blowing sand shortened our visit. Restrooms were fairly clean too.

Friendly for kids! Has a play area for kids. And rest rooms for all. Really pleasant place for families with kids.

So many positives! Large, beautiful beach area with amazing views of Clearwater Beach and passing boats. $5 to park all day. Ample parking and clean restrooms. One day I watched over 30 surfers while the Coast Guard plane kept circling (training?). It was really neat to watch. This is an excellent family location.

I prefer Sand Key over many other beaches in the area. Easy parking, not too crowded, great pic-nick areas and wide expansive beach make this a top pic for me. There is even some rare days when the waves are surf-able (my favorite passion) but don't expect this too ofter, it is the Gulf of Mexico.

Only 5 dollars for the whole day of parking! Neat little nook. Beach was a little dirty and shelled, and a little flooded! But me and the wife liked it.

Sand Key Park and it's lovely Gulf beach is a true treat. You can walk along the shore and if you start your morning early finds some great shells. You'll also (kids love this) watch the little crabs coming in and out of their "homes."

Sand Key Park is where we often go when we want to avoid the hustle and bustle of touristy Clearwater Beach. It is a Pinellas County park (part of the county's incredible and extensive park system), and parking is a bargain at just $5 a day. Although the beach is not as broad and brilliantly white as the world-famous Clearwater Beach across the bridge, Sand Key Beach is nevertheless lovely, quiet, and pristine. If you enjoy long walks on the beach, you can follow the beach south past the park for miles of shoreline flanked by condo buildings. The park also offers a lovely little nature trail and a dog park, although dogs are not allowed on the beach itself.

Came here looking for shells and went for a dip. Very crowded but it was a Saturday afternoon in July!!! Was happy with my shells and look forward to visiting again soon!

For being so close to Clearwater Beach, this beach is nothing similar to the powdery white sands of Clearwater. This is a Pinellas County park and there is a 5 dollar fee to park. Once on the beach, shells are everywhere! The waves are constantly bringing new ones in everytime you walk up and down the beach. The beach is huge and can be accessed with a stroller and beach cart! You will only have to fight some deeper sand by the boardwalks. Overall a nice family day at the beach!

Beautiful white beach as long as you are willing to pay $5 for parking whether you stay 30 minutes or 8 hours

My wife and I walked here from Clearwater Beach and loved how calm it was. We arrived in the morning and appreciated the quietness and laid-back vibe to the park and beach. It was a wonderful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Clearwater. We highly recommend it.

Clean beach and restroom facilities. Walked and walked and enjoyed the sun and the sand. Well worth a visit.

We visited this beach expecting a little more. Beach was pretty average. The sand in this area was not the greatest with a lot of crushed shells in the sand. The parking at this park was not free but entertaining to the park is free. Maybe Clearwater beach spoiled this beach for us cause it is so nice. This beach is a lot quieter though.

The sky was blue, and the beach gorgeous. It is wide and goes on forever! Since we were there in November, during COVID, it was very quiet and serene. Great place to walk, collect shells or relax on a chair under an umbrella.

I’m a native Floridian and go to many beaches each year. This has to be one of our favorites! Huge parking lot. It only costs $5 for the whole day. Beautiful white sand beach. Shallow crystal clear water in the day we were here. There is a beach grill food truck and chairs with shade to rent if needed. Life guards were on guard. There’s a great jetty for fishing.

This is a very nice state park beach. Clean and expansive. Lots of room for activities. Nice for shelling or just a nice long stroll,as it is conjoined with “private” beach access for miles south of here.

We walk through the park every morning and it is beautiful. The park is quiet and clean, but the beach is not maintained and dirty at times. Parking is available, or you can walk or bike right to the beach. You can rent umbrellas and chairs right on the beach.

We went on a decently sunny day in Mid-December. The wind always seems to be blowing, so go on a warm day and expect to subtract a few degrees for the wind. The place was empty except for a handful of other hardy souls like us (most likely northern folks as well). Beach was clean, wonderful bathhouses (2), lounge chair rental trailers, some neat shells to find, and a food truck on site. Parking in a huge paved parking lot was only $5.00. Very quiet and lovely. Easy to find and well marked on a quiet Sand Key. Went to a little local sandwich/quick stop shop just about 1/2 mile up the road and had lunch on their deck outside right above the water. I think it was called “Shortie’s?”

We just took a ride through. There were places to pull off and look at the water. Fishing places, too. picnic tables were under cover.

We decided to head over to Sand Key Park after seeing the horrible traffic, crowds and tough parking situation in Clearwater. This beach is more laid back and tranquil than Clearwater, and only about a ten minute drive away. It attracts a family crowd rather than a spring break crowd, if that's what you're looking for. The water is quite clear and we even saw a ton of baby red snapper swimming about...and a beach wedding! There is some seaweed/foliage debris on the beach and near the shore, but it's a natural habitat after all, and it wasn't too bad. Just something to keep in mind if you want a sparkling clean beach.

We witnessed a spectacular sunset her, had a great time swimming in the calm waters, and even saw some dolphins 100 feet or so from the shore. Parking is $5 dawn until dusk. We came in early April, and the water was warm enough to swim comfortably in.

1.Beautiful white sands.
2.Less crowded compared to Clearwater beach.
3.Plenty of metered parking available($5 flat rate parking fee applied).
4.Beautiful sunset views.
5.Great place if you are considering to picnic with play areas.
6.Low tides and perfect for kids.
7.About 45mnts. drive from the Tampa International Airpot.

Will return!

Went straight to the Country Park and Beach from Disney and found lots of parking and good facilities. Anthony the umbrella and sunbed man was very helpful and the setting was warm, sunny and peaceful. We stayed most of the day and got our drinks and snacks from the van parked on the beach. The location was clean and safe and we enjoyed just chilling out and swimming in the warm Gulf. In the last afternoon we went down to Frenchy’s for their fantastic food and ate outside as the sun went down. Absolutely brilliant.

While we only drove the loop road in the park, we were very impressed by its beauty
and cleanliness! Numerous pavilions on both sides of the loop road were stone and wood. There was a large parking lot and a nominal fee to park for the day.
We are staying just blocks South of the park and hadn’t seen the park previously.
What a treasure, hiding in plain sight!

Right over the bridge from Clearwater! Beautiful nature park with walking trails, beach access, playground for kids and awesome views!

Underpopulated so you can get in the water. Nice shelling if you are looking for the perfect shell. We found a sand dollar...very cool. Only $5 to park all day. Nice sugar sand but a lot of shells upon entry to water...no different than Clearwater beach. Small lunch trailer on the beach but other than that pack a lunch. Bathrooms available but no showers other than to rinse the salt from yourself that are located outside

Lovely place, clean family friendly beach and the water is lovely.
A perfect place to relax and have some quality family time 👍

Beach is beautiful and clean great for collecting shells and lovely clear water for snorkelling. There is plenty of parking spaces and a few bbq areas

We were here in April and found Clearwater to be very crowded so thought we would try this beach. It is definitely less crowded. We arrived early and it was fun to watch lots of birds, pelicans and dolphins feeding nearby. The sand is brown-ish with lots of shells. Lots of seaweed on the beach and in the water. I have never seen a cockroach on a beach but I did here.

Very clean and well kept.lots of beach. Plenty of picnic tables and areas. Easy to get in and out rock wall could be good fishing.

A bit of a walk if you're carrying lots of stuff, but the retreat is worth it! We enjoyed a day at this park/beach. Brought our own lunch and a tent for shade. Fun place to relax with kids!

A beautiful natural beach. We walked many miles and we couldn’t walk it all. Not overly crowded with ample parking and a low daily admission fee. Calm shallow water make it an ideal place for the family. I didn’t see any lifeguards either.
We liked it a lot and would definitely return.

Sand Key Park is a smaller park with a white sandy beach and beautiful views. Conveniently located near the heart of Clearwater, FL there’s sufficient parking and amenities (including umbrella and cabana rentals). It’s a great place for families to relax and enjoy the scenery and it is CLEAN! The fees aren’t bad, and the staff we encountered were friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend Sand Key Park if you’re in the area.

Plenty or parking, Go to the beach or just around the par and enjoy nature at its best. There is a lake where you can see herons, egrets, osprey, an occasional pelican, moorhen, and many other bird species. In the park we saw redheaded woodpeckers, mockingbirds, squirrels, among others. Well worth a visit.

This county park is right over the causeway from Clearwater Beach. There are restrooms outside showers, chair & umbrella rentals and a food truck. We stayed 10-4 and paid $5 to park. We paid $25 for two lounge chairs and an umbrella.

The beach is long and flat, great for walking and also for shelling. You have beautiful views of Clearwater Beach and in the opposite direction you can see(and walk to, depending how far you'd like to go) to other small beach towns. There was a park for kids, a dog park, you can also fish. We just went to relaxed, read and walk. Takes you away from the hustle and bustle of Clearwater Beach.

Just across the bridge from Clearwater Beach, this park has a lovely coastal beach. You will enjoy the same beautiful views as Clearwater Beach, lovely water and even some interesting birds in the marsh at the entry to the park.

Came here immediately upon our arrival to the area because we couldn't find a place to park at Clearwater. This was our favorite of all the beaches we visited in the area! Plenty of parking, well kept beach, and not too crowded. PERFECT place to spend a day at the beach, easy in and out access to all day parking at just $5.

Pet friendly area. Has public restroom. Nice beach. Has picnic area and park. Parking is $5 for all day

This park was less crowded and wonderful to visit. Our hotel was next to the park and loved walking the beach each morning or evening looking for shells.

Absolutely beautiful. This park is very large and it includes the beach as well. There is a Nature Trail you can walk, a dog park, playground, and much more. You can even rent umbrellas and cabanas as well.

Came here twice during our stay in Clearwater. Definitely a lot less crowded. One time we went right at open 7am and walked the beach looking for shells. Nice beach away from others

Took my young kids there in the 90’s when we lived there. Let them run like wild animals. They loved it and it’s so wide you couldn’t lose sight of them. Everyone slept good on those nights. Very clean and million $ sunsets

To us Sand Key Park is like a day in paradise! We love the place totally! A must visit everyday. You see so many great things and marine life and pelicans fishing for their meals and so many different sea shells and sand crabs and birds!! And in the morning it’s almost deserted so you feel it’s your own haven!!

I would give this a 5 star as we went here on Monday and it was fantastic!!!.. very pristine and beautiful... however.... we went there yesterday and as we were walking towards the beach I began coughing and my nose burned. Hubs looked at the water and it was no longer blue, but redish.... hence.... red tide.... there were 2 ppl riding 4 wheelers letting the people in front of us know that they are recommending not to go in the water... .when the people asked if it was red tide.. .the 4 wheeler people said they couldn't say............................ my gripe is.... if there is any hint of red tide... there should be a sign BEFORE you enter the park and pay the $5 for parking........ we immediately left.. .and gave our parking ticket to someone else who hadn't paid yet but gave them the red tide warning..... so sad.... I understand red tide happens.. but come on..... you should let the patrons know before they pay to park... especially families bringing their little one's to enjoy the water.......

We rented a umbrella and it was great. We had checked the water temperature at 74 degrees and it was comfortable. The water wasn’t rough at all. The beach was clean. Beautiful place.

This is for the people that enjoy the less crowded beaches. Just wanna relax? This is the one. We got there early in the morning around 9:30am. We had no problem finding a parking spot or renting chairs and an umbrella.

We wanted to try out a few different beaches while in Florida, and the hotel employee we talked with recommended Sand Key. It was a great recommendation. We arrived on a Saturday morning around 8:30am, and the parking lot was nearly empty. We parked near one of the two bathhouses, which both have restrooms and changing stalls. Parking is $5 for the whole day, which was a nice change from Pier 60 at Clearwater, which is $3 per hour.

The walk down to the beach is a bit further than Clearwater, but not by much. The sand is just a bit rougher until you get down by the water, and more natural. There is some seaweed/seagrass/seafoliage of some kind, and shells and sponges washed up on the beach. Makes hunting for shells more fun, and we found lots of coral and interesting objects. There is also a thin line of shells from the tide that are a little less comfortable to walk on, but that is a very small detail and nothing to worry about.

The water seemed slightly clearer than Clearwater, but that may just be an illusion. Less people, and some room to spread out. There is nothing, or not much, within walking distance, save for one vendor positioned in between the two bath houses. They were very nice, and had hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, chips and a few other items. Okay prices, and the hot dogs were great. Be mindful of the seagulls, we saw more than one group get swarmed by a whole flock after fries or chips. We stayed inside our small beach tent with the food and had no problems.

Lots of little fish in the water, even saw some sheepshead swimming close to the shore. I did scare off a small stingray doing the stingray shuffle, so be mindful of that as well. The water here was warm, around 85º, and so nice. When we left at around 1pm (on a Saturday), there was still ample room in the parking lot.

We came back after dinner, around 8pm, to watch the sunset, and the parking lot was almost empty. The park closes at dusk, or 8:30, they have the time posted at the gate. Plenty of time to watch the sunset.

We had such a great time here, and will definitely come back when we visit next time.

Nice beach, beautiful water. Plenty of room on the beach and lots of parking. Low entry fee only $5.00

We spent two enjoyable afternoons at Sand Key Park. The park is just south of Clearwater Beach. The beautiful beach was not very crowded compared to Clearwater Beach. Furthermore, the adjacent parking lot is right next to the beach and the $5 parking fee is significantly lower than the parking lots on Clearwater beach.

At least in February! Rentals of chairs and umbrellas was cheaper here and we loved the beach and the water.

Easy parking, park by plate. The water is clear blue, white sandy beach, easy ramps to get to the shoreline. Clean bathroom and changing rooms. This is a wonderful fun time. Very relaxed

We planned this beach trip for the early evening when traffic was a little less busy and had no trouble at all getting there and finding a place to park. The beach was still pretty busy and was a little bit trashy from people not taking care of their litter. There were plenty of places to set up our umbrella. The restrooms were pretty dirty and not kept up very well. There were shower stands to outside the dressing areas to wash the salt water off after swimming. The parking was $5 for all day with paved parking. But the SAND, the SAND!!! Once you got in the water, it was so soft on your feet and the temperature of the water was perfect. You could stay in the water and let the waves help you "Bob" up and down for hours. There were also places to purchase snacks if you so desired. Changing places in the restroom area. A beautiful, delightful day!

Great beautiful park, miles and miles of walking in the beach, relaxing, quiet, sea shells world. Pavilion available within the park. Bathroom available. $5.00 all day

If you want to stay away from the busyness and almost no parking at Clearwater Beach, go here! This is a very nice family beach with lots of free parking. There are restrooms and food trucks but no concessions. You can rent umbrellas, lounge chairs, kayaks, boogie boards and even a small sailboat.

Nice sand key park beach which is a small beach south of clearwater beach. Little quiet beach, nice for families and kids. Clean sand and we enjoyed it for about 4 hours. Life guard was on duty. It is nice area for pictures.

It's a bit off the beaten path, which is what makes Sand Key Park so special. If you want to get away from the constant hub-bub, just go south over the bridge from Clearwater Beach to Sand Key, where you can relax and clear your head!

We spent the day here after learning from a friend how easy it is to park and no major crowds. So happy we found it because it was such a great beach. I would definitely recommend it to those who want to avoid the huge crowds.

Very nice beach not clear white, [quartz] sand, shells and sea weed. wife really liked it because it was not cold quartz sand only.
Life guards, umbrellas, lounges, chairs, places to eat and other services in spring/summer/fall season only. Rentals not staffed at this time.

Sand Key is a wonderful well-kept large park with a lot of green space before you get to the beautiful beaches along the Gulf and Clearwater Pass. Plenty of parking and less crowded than Clearwater Beach area.

Sand Key Park is a great place to spend the day at the beach. Clean bathrooms, outside showers and a couple of food trucks conveniently located just down the path from the parking lot, it has everything you need to enjoy the beautiful sand, sun and surf. The water is clear and there is plenty of shell hunting to be done. Parking was, I think $6.00 for the day. The walk to the water from the parking lot is a little long but beautiful as you take in the dunes, the sky and the ocean. I hope I get to visit again some day.

Very pretty. Nice beach. Very tough to park. It’s s nice location to walk. Sit watch a sunset. Bring the family

Nice beach and easy access. Less crowded than the other public beaches probably because it’s a little tougher to get to and you have to pay to get in, but it’s totally worth it since the other spots are so slammed. Close to everything and it’s a nice drive. Enjoyable.

The beach is nice, pretty area, my first time here and in this city. As a matter of fact, had not been in the city but a few minutes and turned down this road to the ocean. I was not in a bathing suit so I wasn’t there to stay a while. Drove into the parking area. No parking sign on the side where we parked. We were only there about 15 minutes at the most. After getting the ticket we looked to the middle of the parking area and seen the parking meter and sign. Honest mistake, just didn’t think to look in that direction. Again, no signs on the side where we parked. Just walked down to the beach where the rocks were and looked down the beach, turned and walked back the same direction we came and had the ticket that quick. All of 15 minutes. $30 ticket. If I had seen the meter in the middle of the parking lot behind me I would have paid the meter but just didn’t see it. Tried to get the parking meter man to stop to explain but he seemed angry because we were trying to talk to him.

We like to stop here from time to time when staying in Clearwater or Indian Rocks. Nice little spot where you can conveniently park close to the water. Kids enjoy the wildlife- lots of hermit crabs, crabs and fish can be found if you are looking for them.

Nice little park on the bay on Sand Key near the Sheraton Resort for walking, jogging etc. Near the causeway bridge, free parking, and some areas to fish and picnic.

Beautiful sandy beach with calm
Waters. Fish will be swimming next to you.
They have changing areas an and bathrooms. Sand

We loved it. It is not so crowded as other beaches. The parking space finding is easy and not too expensive. Clean beach. We recommend this park than others.

We stopped at this beach to check it out. It is a very nice, clean beach. It’s a bit further if a walk to the water than some other beaches but it was not bad. There is a blue mat from the beach entrance to closer to the water for those that are pulling wagons or in wheelchairs. The restrooms were clean.
It is not a big shell beach but I did find a few. It is a much quieter beach than those directly in Clearwater Beach (this is just outside it). There is plenty of parking for $5 which covers the whole day. I wish we’d had more time here.

Beautiful beach to spend the day at! Parking is cheap and there is a huge parking area. I would recommend getting there early because the beach does get crowded. Not a good beach for shell hunting or finding sharks teeth.

Spent a free afternoon before heading to the airport. Quiet and not crowded, facilities were clean and weather was perfect. Only downside was the hour in traffic getting to the airport afterwards.

I believe that this is by far the best choice for a beach trip than any beach in the Clearwater area. It just as nice but A LOT LESS CROWDED AND A LOT CHEAPER TO PARK ($5 day) compared to $3 an hour. You can always find parking. The only thing missing is all the touristy Clearwater beach things. At the end of the day go here for your beach day, then do Clearwater beach pier 60 in the evening! Just my opinion...

The park is so nice. They have great facilities for changing, showers, and a good truck for concessions. The park is clean with plenty of parking. They even have a mat for wheelchairs to get through the sand.

Nice stop to make while biking and to have restrooms there....would go there again when in the area....

There is a fee to park here but it is worth it for a public beach.
The restrooms and beach house is clean.

Highly recommended

Nice beach didn’t seem as crowded as Clearwater Beach. Tons of shells everywhere. Not too great to build sand castles with but still beautiful nonetheless. The bathrooms on the other hand were absolutely disgusting. BUT we didn’t get here until about 4 in the afternoon so people had already been swimming all day and getting toilet paper everywhere and sand ugh it was so bad. Would probably be better early in the morning but it was a nice ride to get to it and pretty once we got there.

Loved this beautiful park and beach! Plenty of parking ($5), nice bathrooms and changing facility. Chair rentals, food concessions

This is a beautiful park to spend the day! Expansive Sandy beach on the warm gulf coast waters. Cabanas and chairs available to rent. Food truck and sno cone trailer on the beach for snacks and drinks. A large bath house with outdoor showers, changing rooms and bathrooms all handicap accessible.

We arrived at the beach, paid for parking and rented 4 chairs and 2 umbrellas.
This beach has one small food concession. There are only 2 picnic tables for the entire beach. We bought our drinks from the concession and sat at one of the available tables. We were asked to leave because our sandwiches were from home and not purchased. If you are planning a day at the beach, you will need food, greasy fried food is the only option. If you wanted to have a picnic with your kids you have to load them back up in the car and drive further into the actual park to sit at a table. I am a Clearwater resident and I host alot of families, I will not recommend this beach again.

Sand Key is our go to beach. There are bathrooms and changing rooms. Parking is $5 for the entire day. The walk from the parking lot to the beach is not far. The accommodations here are great for a family with little ones. You can rent umbrellas and chairs. The water is clear and there are usually plenty of sea shells!

Enjoyed the day here strolling around the nature trails. Saw children enjoying the playground. There are shower houses and bathrooms available. The beach itself is gorgeous! It was only $5.00 to park for the day - can't beat that bargain!

Much quieter and nicer than Clearwater beach.
Great seashells.
Plenty of parking for just $5.
Restrooms, fresh water showers and pretty much everything you need from a beach, without the hoards of people and aggressive seagulls you find in Clearwater beach.

This lovely beach was so much nicer than Clearwater
It was flooded the day we went but that just made it that much better
Food from truck was lovely had a great day watching the birds
So nice we walked back to our hotel

Sand Key park has the very best shells. I just returned from Fort Myers beach and Sanibel, island. Nothing but trash shells. I came home with a total of 3 seashells! So very disappointed.
The starfish was in a puddle. I rescued and returned to the sea.

I read another review on here that stated there are "no long walks" at this park on the beach. Seriously?? You can literally walk all the way from this park down the entire stretch of beach to John's Pass....and that is a LONG walk.If you aren't finding shells, then walk down toward the more private beaches south of this area, and you'll find a lot more. Just hanging out in an area frequented by lots of locals and tourists is sure to leave a lot of the natural stuff pillaged. Plenty of parking, and away from the hustle and bustle of Clearwater beach make this a huge plus. My wife and I love the sunsets here and walk all the way down to Indian Shores and back for a good workout. This is a nice place and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The only other better place to go would be Caladesi Island, but you need a ferry or jet ski to get to it, or park at the far North end of Clearwater Beach and walk up to it. Parking is a mess up there.

I think this beach is less crowded because there's no restaurants or bars. Really big, wide beach with white powder sand just like Clearwater Beach. TONS OF PARKING. Hundreds(?) of spaces.

Sand Key Park was a highlight of my 4 day trip. Beautiful beach, uncrowded, clean with bathhouse not far away. At $5/day for plenty of parking, it was a steal. The tall highrises were at a distance and there was green behind you. This area needs many more spaces like this.

Nice park with lots of open beach front to relax on. Some trails to walk through in the wilderness side. Sand isn't the best and there is a lot of seaweed, but the water is pretty. Not crystal clear water. $5 for all day parking, and when you leave give your pass to the next person.

Sand Key Park is a lot less crowded than Clearwater Beach, and there's better parking. And the beach is almost as nice.

British birder staying at a Sand Key hotel
during early March 2020.
It’s not the best time of year to visit because it’s a bit early for the spring migration. But - it’s still worth a look. Not many birds but things change every few days and picking up different warblers nearly every day 👍

We originally planned for Clearwater Beach but than found this gem! So beautiful & my kids had so much fun. Kids looked for shells and there was cool birds!

This beach is my favorite go to place for relaxation and enjoying the perfect weather and scenery. There is plenty of parking and the beach is clean. The water is clear and the beach is sandy white.

We chose to visit this beach on our last day of vacation - our neighbours back home had recommended it.

We’ve been to all the other beaches along the coast from Dunedin to Pass-a-Grille and this was one of our favourites!

Very clean, beautiful sand with lots of shells for my daughter to collect :)

My son and I did some fishing; there’s a great little channel to fish and we had amazing success right from the beach; we caught (and released) 4 bonnet head sharks, which was a huge rush for us!

Super cheap parking ($5) for the day and added bonus of change rooms and wash-off areas.

We’ll be back!

Best beach on the gulf coast! The morning walks were great and had so many awesome views of the ocean. Food truck had great food and had kayak rentals we used each day we were there. Will come back again soon!

Great beach across from Marriott where I was staying. Doesn't have the soft white sand like Clearwater but also doesn't have the crowds of people. Very quiet and relaxing.

Great Waves and white sand with a touch of tranquility.no pets on beach but if you have a table outside the beach it's ok also nice dog park.

Great morning with the family! You find have to pay for parking which is only $5.
Small little food cart that had basic food..great for a quick lunch or snack. Also there are chairs for rental. Went there looking for shells and managed to find some that were not the same we were finding on Clearwater beach. We went early, but the later you go it is obviously a bist/popu6area. But well worth the ride.🙂🥰

First we went to clearwater beach, which was wall-to-wall people with three rows of cabanas and chairs. You couldn't enjoy the ocean because there were too many people in front of you.

Sand Key is only a quarter of a mile away from Clearwater Beach and was perfect! There were fewer people, $5 parking, cabana rental was less, flat sand, and trails. The bathrooms were clean. We loved watching the ocean waves and shelling.

Many of the parking meters were not working. There is an app, but there was no zone number posted. We finally found a fee machine by the bath house that worked.

When we moved from the hotel in Clearwater proper over to a condo in Sand Key, it offered a quiet, almost solitary beach, with lots of birds from pelicans to egrets. We saw many dolphins. It was to be on a quiet beach in the late afternoon but we far preferred being up with the main action in Clearwater Beach proper. I would do it again, staying on Sand Key and heading over to Clearwater Beach for the day. About 10 minutes. Plenty of parking spots, a great parking garage, public parking lot on the beach side. If you want a serene retreat after being on the main beach during the day. This would be your best choice. Many condo complexes all facing the Gulf.

Great place to spend a day away from the crowds at Clearwater Beach.
Plenty of parking (5 dollars for the entire day). The beach is beautiful and there are many picnic grills and tables to prepare food.

Much quieter then Clearwater Beach. Much more parking, space to spread out, and overall nice. We had already been to Sand Key Beach 3 times in two weeks.

Hubby and I were at Clearwater beach and wondered what was over the bridge we spotted. so we drove across and found sand Key Park. The entrance winds around and then their are several parking lots. $5 for all day. This time we wanted to see the sunset on the beach. The water was clear and not many at the beach this late. Closes at dusk. They blew a warning 15 minutes before park closes. We like this beach because there are lifeguards, a concession stand, bathrooms and covered chair rentals.

Very nice beach and park area! Has two or three bathroom facilities. We saw a dolphin here today! Very nice beach and not packed at all!

Beautiful beach with plenty of shells. It was not too crowded during spring break. Perfect for families and very clean.

I opted to take my kids here instead of Clearwater beach because reviews said there were less people. Totally worth it. Tons of parking. $5 self pay for the entire day. Umbrellas and chairs available to rent and lifeguards on duty. The sand was white and soft, the water clear as could be.

I was staying at a local hotel and took a relaxing walk through the park. Enjoyed the dog park. Nice spot! I'm from out of town, but will be back next year.

We loved this beach. No seaweed, great and affordable parking, no huge crowds of people. It was Perfect.

Lots of people fish here so it’s a good spot; and the scenery is beautiful with beaches that are tended to every day

We live in the area and this is our favorite beach. We love it so much it is where we got married in 2011. There isn't always a place for cold water during the week so just be prepared. September in this area is when kids are in school so many local "beach" vendors may only staff on weekends.

My husband and I went here, beach sand between your toes. Pretty water and beautiful sunsets. Liked this time of year where no real busy but warm enough to get suntan and swim in the great blue waters

I’ve stayed at the Sheraton Marriot which the hotel is right next to the park so I’ve been to the beach area before. Since I wasn’t staying at the hotel this year but wanted to escape the craziness of downtown clearwater beach we opted to come here… twice over 4th of July weekend. Plenty of parking (despite clearwater beach having no available parking). Parking was $6 for the day. There were bathrooms, and water fountains, life guards. The beach itself was not crowded despite all the cars. It truly is a hidden gem, and not as crowded or expensive as clearwater beach.

What a beautiful park nature trail and beach
It’s a gorgeous walk to the beach from anywhere in Sand Key and so worth the sand sea and views

Stopped by this adorable park and found the most interesting shells. There were two weddings happening at the same time. Great spot for a family to picnic at the beach too.

Came here with some friends. The area has lots of cheap parking, dog park, (didn’t notice a playground?), several bathhouses. The bathrooms need to be deep cleaned, pressure washed and updated but functional. The beach was clean and has a good truck and chair/umbrella rentals. No lifeguard on duty when we were there but several stations.

Just over the bridge from Clearwater beach, plenty of parking, a few gazebos for BBQ and family outings. Same sand as Clearwater Beach but easier to park.

For 5 bucks there is plenty of parking and you get a very nice beach. Plenty of space to spread out. Never felt crowded.

It is a rather undeveloped sandy walking park with some nice views. Good if you are already nearby, not a destination park.

Although Sand Key doesn’t have as much going on as the nearby Clearwater Beach, that’s what makes it so good. Parking is easier and costs less. There is also a block containing ladies and gentlemen’s restrooms and changing rooms, between the beach and the car park.

I almost hate to write a review, because I'd like to keep this place a secret. It's a great, family-friendly beach by a Pinellas County park. Not usually crowded because it's a bit hidden. Locals know about it and go here to escape the beach crowds. It also has a terrific dog park nearby--not on the beach, but in the actual park. Parking is reasonable and there are restrooms on the grounds.

Very enjoyable and quiet beach, close to Clearwater Beach but much calmer and relaxing. The walking trail could use some cleaning up and maybe a guide or map, but overall, a fun place to spend some time.

Cooold day at the beach today. Maybe 60 degrees? Windy. Brrrrr. But - where we came from it was 30 degrees, so it's all relative. Clean. $5 parking at pay stations. Ample sized beach house for male/female, maybe 40x20? From parking lot to beach in 2 minutes. Fair amount of parking. Rentals available. Would and have repeat.

We enjoyed walking around Sand Key Park a great deal, it’s fairly quiet, the sand is amazing and it’s easy to get to.

Sand Key Park is a nice getaway from crowded Clearwater Beach. First driving in, there is a small area under the bridge where you can fish and enjoy the quiet scenery. The beach parking lot is quite large, with paystations. There are bathrooms with showers and a concession trailer. Not fancy but a fine beach.

This beach is awesome and not so crowded. Water was calm, concessions available, as well as restroom facilities. We were also able to rent lounge chairs and an umbrella for a decent price.

This is such a peaceful and pristine place
Beach is very clean, basic facilities and showers also a small food truck
They have rentals for umbrellas and chairs, also you can bring your own, water views is just relaxing, be careful if you have any food, seagulls will fight over it 😊

Great way to spend a day on the beach. Great parking, beautiful beach. Clean and well maintained. Good experience

The beach sand is not as sugary as Clearwater Beach just across the inlet, but still white sand. Plenty of parking, which only costs $5 for the entire day. The Beach houses are clean and modern. Rental for an umbrella and two beach chairs is only $29 for the entire day. There are also a couple of very large shelter houses for family reunions. Nice place to go as an alternative to the Clearwater beach, where they charge you for everything including breathing!!!

The beach at Sand Key Park Is one of my favorite places to visit. The beach area is beautiful, however, the men’s restroom was totally unacceptable. The toilet and the urinals look like they had never been cleaned. Visitors not only need the restrooms to change clothes but also for practical use while at the beach. It seems only logical that these areas would be clean and acceptable for guest use. It’s a shame that such a beautiful beach area is ruined by filthy public restrooms.

The sand isn’t fine like the one in Clearwater. It has more shells so it’s kinda rough on the the soles. But it’s way less congested than Clearwater.

Decided to check this out after a breakfast stop in Sand key. Very nice park with a large beach and ample parking. Parking is a 5 dollar flat rate from sunrise to sunset per day. We were they at low tide after a stormy night. The beach had some pretty cluttered sections from things washed ashore. I assume that the sand is groomed like Clearwater beach is although we didn't see that while there. I think this is a good option if Clearwater beach is too busy.

If you want to get away from the Clearwater craziness, this could be a nice break. This place has bathrooms, a food truck and lots of parking. It is quite a walk from the parking lot to the beach which could be a deal breaker for someone who has mobility issues. You can still see all of the high rises from Clearwater, not sure what kind of animals can live on such a small plot of land- kind of shame really. They have a dog fenced in area, but not well maintained when we were there. There was a smell of sewer on the north end near the canal entrance. This is not one of the best picturesque beaches by any means.

we needed a walk on the beach, this is a very clean beach and was not as busy as the big beaches, we found a lot of shells and got to watch the dolphins out in the gulf, there were 8 of them, the bath house and changing area were also nice, really is a hidden gem of a beach.

Between the tourist throngs of the north island and the condomania of Belleair Beach sits this pleasant, relatively quiet, beautiful beach. You can walk through the trees and dunes or head ror the soft sand. For those whose rentals don't have direct beach access this is a great spot.

This is a nice spot to visit to get away from the crowds. It only costs $5.00 to park for the day and there is plenty of parking. We found some interesting shells on this beach. The only drawback is that the sand is not soft--it is full of broken shells.

Wonderful park with wide roads. Views of the gulf and the Clearwater Inlet. Can bike to fishing piers and has bathroom facilities

I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting more of a hiking-trail park and most paths here just lead to the beach. I did find one circular foot path through boring brush that went in a circle and dumped me off where it started after about five minutes of walking.

The beach itself is nice if you are looking for something less crowded than nearby Clearwater Beach. The northern shore of the park has great views of Clearwater Beach across the water.

One interesting thing I saw near a sign saying "Construction Work Ahead" was a thick, huge, very, very long snake of some kind (see photos). I was scared to get too close.

plenty of room to relax and not have to deal with the tourist of Clearwater... Plenty of parking and reasonable $5 and there is food on site as well as bathrooms

This spot is more relaxing than Clearwater beach. Get there early because paid parking is limited. Plenty of space to spread out and spend time with the family. Bring your umbrellas, snacks, towel, chairs, and sunscreen.

Beautiful beach. Pretty water. Good parking. Clean restrooms and changing area. Added bonus..chair rental person was there. Also, a food truck is there should you need a snack.

It was a wonderful day. It was so easy to get to. Parking was easy with tons of parking spaces. Getting to the water with the beach wagon was not difficult at all. There was lots of space to stretch out and not have neighbours right up against you. There were a few dolphins swimming and we even saw Little Toot (an amazing tour everyone must take at least once!). The dolphins playing in their surf was a highlight. We will definitely be back!

Great for families. Easy parking. Beautiful beach. Clean bathrooms. Not crowded compared to northern side of channel. Saw a few dolphins. Kids enjoyed running and exploring the beach.

Ran here every morning and teh beach was the best and the trails were very peaceful. Recently some buring done so it smelled but still nice variety of birds to see.

I LOVE this park. It is so close, no hassle, bountiful parking, able to see great sunsets or watch sailing regattas just off shore in the daytime.

We stayed in Sand Key for a month and walked this park every morning. Beautiful walking area very clean and peaceful. We would start at our condo walk through the park then finish up along the beach back up to our condo. Great morning route for a walk.

$5 fee to park all day. Very worth it, as this is a large beach with amenities. You can rent umbrellas or shade tents. Restrooms were clean. Picnic tables even in shady areas. We were there very early and the snack trailer was already open. Great shelling.

Cheap parking ($5), beach access, clean washrooms. The beach was clean. We spent the day. Glad we came!

We walked around from the road, saw a bunch of people fishing, and then walked on what was billed as a nature trail (but was really just a path through the middle of the park). A pleasant park and one that I might frequent if I lived in the area. There's a convenient Jolley Trolley stop right next to the park.

This park is beautiful! It was much less crowded than nearby Clearwater Beach. There is red tide present in this area right now, so many folks were not venturing into the water. However there are some lovely sand trails present throughout the park including a lot of shade from beautiful palm and Spanish moss trees. There are no restaurants nearby so you will have to bring your own food and water. Alcohol, glass bottles and animals are not allowed on the beach. There is plenty of parking in the park and you are responsible for paying for your parking from a kiosk. There are showers and bathrooms available here. Once red tide has cleared from the area, I will definitely visit this beautiful park again.

This 95 acre park is at the northern most part of the Sand Key barrier island, a short hop through Sand Key Bridge up to Clearwater Beach, and 21 miles west of Tampa airport TPA.

The parking at the park is $5 for the day. The amenity (list) includes outdoor showers @ Boardwalk #3, and #4 which is behind the bathroom and changing room.

I'm here for the 1.2 mile open water swim: it was fantastic!!! Our event has 167 swimmers. I car pooled with my friend. At 7am on this Saturday, the parking lot looks vacant. But by the time we leave, at 11am, there are still many parking spots. Not sure it has anything to do with the water temp hovering around 69°F.

Some swimmers say they saw dolphins. I see plenty pelicans, and a few other water birds.

This is a very clean public park with a nice beach and a roughly one mile walking trail. Its right next to the Sand Key Bridge and an easy walk from Clearwater Beach.

This is such a great beach! If shell collecting is your thing, then this is your beach! It's also really good for just walking or playing out in the water. Highly recommend that you visit this park!

This is a beautiful beach. The sand is white and the water is so clear. This is a great place to go to in Clearwater. Crowds are not bad. Plenty of parking and no charge or beach tags require. If you want to rent two recliner chairs and an umbrella that will cost you $37. It's a good deal if you are traveling

I was so looking forward to trying this area out. We have visited many gulf beaches living in Central Florida makes it such a nice luxury. Had family from out of town so looked at reviews and wanted to try this instead of Clearwater due to parking and cost. First issue was traffic off course no one’s fault lol. We arrived later than my usual early time it was about 4. Parked and unloaded. They have nice paths to beach sand was easier for my 81 yo mother to walk on. Then it just went down hill. The restroom facilities were so disgusting, mostly because people are just gross and just don’t care. Very sad besides toilet paper all over the floors, there were used women feminine products on floor and on toilet paper holder. It was so nasty. The beach was ok just full of seaweed, sponges and other sea debris. The water was unfortunately no better so much seaweed which is out of their control. I spoke with friends thinking it was the whole gulf side, however they went just a little further south and wasn’t that way so not sure what that was about. But the restrooms was more than enough for me. To many other places to enjoy on the gulf side.

Just off Clearwater Bridge, it is a nice quiet beach. Beautiful and relaxing but the sand of the beach is filled with shells, less nicer than the one in Clearwater Beach. Nice view of the Gulf and Clearwater Beach. Small fee for parking. Not to miss!

This beach was amazing. 5.00 parking to start off, which is a great deal to me. It was beautiful here. Loved all the shells and water looked clean. Not too busy the day we went.

Wow, this is a cool place. If you want to see piles of sea shells head here for fun! The park is a great place to take the family!

Great jogging destination if you're staying in Clearwater Beach. I jogged/walked there in about 25-30 minutes from the central beach area (and I'm on the slow side). You do have to cross over the Sand Key Bridge so there's an uphill challenge, but you do get to fly on the downhill side. Very natural looking area. There is a warning sign about the possibility of alligators and venomous snakes, but I didn't see any, just a few different kinds of birds. Some of the trails in the park were a little too sandy to run on. I was out there at 8am and there were only a few other people out there, so you can have some really quiet beach time. The sand is not as fine as at Clearwater, it's a little grittier, but it's not horrible. Didn't have much luck at finding big shells.

If you don't have the energy to use your own 2 feet to get here, I did see some Jolley Trolley stops in the area. If you want a meal later on, go across the road and walk past the Marriott to the Shoppes at Sand Key, where there's a couple of places to eat.

This park is a hidden gem in the Clearwater area. Parking costs are very reasonable. There are plenty of bathrooms which is always a priority. The water here is warm and beautiful. One highlight for us was seeing a number of dolphins leaping out of the water near sunset. It was a breathtaking sight.

One word of caution…several times while we were playing in the water, we discovered areas where the bottom just disappeared. We were in waist-deep water, then one step later, even my nearly 6ft tall teenage son could not reach the bottom. We all swim so this was not a problem for us, but if you have littles ones or if you are not a particularly strong swimmer, I suggest extra caution at this beach.

The seagulls had a very strong presence at this beach. They stole bites of my sandwich right out of my hand twice. The second time they appeared to be laughing at me. We definitely were not offering any food to those birds, but it is clear that others have.

I would love to return to this beach. It is one of my favorites in Florida.

Very peaceful and quiet, feels like paradise compare to the hustle of Clearwater Beach. Enjoy either the beach or sit and enjoy the passing of the boats in the bay and occasionally seeing a dolphins.
There’s plenty of parking.

Away from Clearwaters turisted beach, you find Sand Key Beach. The water is amazing and there's is a lot of fun for the kids in collecting beautiful seashells. You can rent tents and deck chairs for 50 dollars.
This is the only beach I have visited who can compare with the beaches on the northern-west coast of Denmark (Vesterhavet), which is absolutely stunning and "one of a kind".

Been going to this area since I was a kid, beautiful white sand, great views and specular sunsets! Highly recommend on your visit!

We have decided that any time we go to the Clearwater area we will travel a little south of Clearwater Beach and for $5 all day you can enjoy the same beach just on the other side of the channel. Plenty of parking and social distancing was not a problem. There are lifeguards there as well.

A pretty park, but parking is NOT free and the beach is not sandy, but more shell-y. Also, it is never crowded.

Very beautiful, Clean park, a lot of areas to walk or run. A Very clean beach was not full not overcrowded when we were there.

Nice beach and bath house. Food truck not worth anything poor offerings, etc. Sand Key beach rentals AVOID!! They only take credit cards for lounge and umbrellas ( beat to a pulp). Rented for several days stayed at the Marriott across the street, so have a discount then today new rental guy is a total Jerk. Asked us to beg for the discount, like WTF?! Glad you guys include an automatic 20% tip on the rental. Ruined a great day.

Sand Key is a beautiful beach south of Clearwater. Great place to shell, swim or walk the beach. Check out this hidden gem.

First visit. Very nice and not overly crowded. Good parking and restrooms. Several boardwalks to the Beach.

Ran through the park during my morning run. Good beach, great picnic facilities and plenty of parking. Best public bathrooms in any park I have ever visited.

This is a nice white sand beach area just south of the Clearwater Pass. We found plenty of parking, which was kind of surprising for a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Parking costs $5 for the day, pay is at automated parking machine.

Restroom facilities near the parking area. Boardwalk from parking to beach.

Bring your own chairs/umbrellas, or you can pay $35 for the day for rental. If you do rent, note that they shut down at 6, which can be a problem if you want to stay later.

Park was open until 8, which was plenty of time to watch the sunset.

This is a nice spot to visit to get away from the crowds. The park was a beautiful place for a walk with a lot of beach area between parking and the shore line. Just like clearwater the sand is not soft - it is full of broken shells.

Great spot with less people than Clearwater beach. Parking is $5 for the day and most people are social distancing. Lots of seaweed but had some nice waves when we were there. One of our favorites.