We live in Central Florida and are lucky to live so close to some of the best beaches in the US. Our son Ajax and daughter Buttercup go to the beach on a regular basis, but this would be their first beach vacation. We found a hidden gem in Indian Rocks Beach. Located just six miles away from Clearwater Beach, winner of Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top 25 Beaches 2016, we got the best sandy white beaches Florida has to offer without the horde of tourists that comes with visiting Clearwater Beach. Along with Ajax and Buttercup, we brought our dog Payton and our birds Holly and John. When we couldn’t find a reasonable two-bedroom hotel suite to accommodate our family, we decided a condo would be a better option.
After a long search, we found a cozy place in Indian Rocks Beach that accepted our furry and feathered family members. It was literally right across the street from public access to the beach. Our condo came completely loaded with everything you would need, minus a blender; this includes plenty of extra sheets, towels, and pillows. It also included extra touches, like books, beach toys and plush blankets in the living room. It had a great balcony that stretched the length of the condo, and had a partial view of the ocean. We spent a lot of time there having breakfast in the morning and unwinding from our adventures in the evening.
Here’s how we spent our time:
We took a short drive from Indian Rocks Beach to Clearwater Beach where we met Winter, Hope, and Rufus the stars of Dolphin Tale! The CMA is an amazing facility that ded icates itself to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing marine life. We heard Winter and Hope’s story and how CMA helped to save both of their lives. Aiden now is trying to talk dolphin so he can say “I love dolphins” to Winter. Amelia loved the large sea turtles in the aquarium next to Winter. We learned about CMA’s commitment to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of marine life in Florida, and their collaboration with Moat Marine and Sea World to save the life of these amazing animals. We also took the trolley (free to CMA patrons) to downtown Clearwater and CMA’s second facility that showcases Dolphin Tale and includes a variety of props from the movie. Patrons can also take a boat ride to the downtown facility; we chose the trolley since it was sprinkling when we were heading there. We learned how the movie added another tank on the second floor where both Winter and Hope live today. Both facilities were amazing and our kids still talk about their experiences at the aquarium.
Aquarium Tips:
Don’t Miss It!
- Behind the sea otter habitat and photo sales booth is a Turtle Excluder Device (TED). These are used by fishermen to prevent catching sea turtles in their catch. The kids enjoyed learning about saving the sea turtles, and crawling through the net to see what the turtles experience.
- The Sea Cabin is home to nurse sharks, fish, and one of Ajax’s favorite parts of the aquarium, the touch tank. The kids can touch marine animals and talk with an aquarium educational specialists. During our trip, Ajax was able to touch a sea urchin, aquarium team member happily answered his about why it was spiky and what it ate.
- Nicholas the Dolphin is short jaunt upstairs. A quick check of the map will help get you there.
- When you enter the aquarium, don’t miss the medical area. Follow the long hallway just off the gift shop to take a behind-the-scenes look at their medical treatment area, rehabbing animals and daily diet breakouts.
- Follow Rufus’ footprints around he aquarium to discover sites from the movie, Dolphin Tale.
To Think About:
- Some of the doors and staircases are narrow. There is a small elevator near the Dolphin Exhibit; however, families with larger strollers (our CitiMini barely made it) may find it a big challenging to fit the stroller inside.
- There is a small snack area at the entrance to the CMA that serves salad, wraps, pizza and a variety of other light items and snacks.
Bathroom Friendliness:
Between the ticket queue exit and the snack bar is a set of fancy port-o-potties. Not the normal blue ones that are frequently sitting at construction site, but an elevated pair, with multiple stalls and real doors. Clean and void of the usual portable bathroom ick, these were well maintained and family friendly. If you’re heading over to Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure in downtown Clearwater, don’t forget to stop here on your way out.
The Beach!
When you have a beach right across the street from your condo, you better spend some time at the beach. What a great spot! We used the public access across Gulf Boulevard to head over to the sugar white sand of Florida’s Gulf Coast. The beach is a bit narrower than Clearwater Beach, but we had plenty of space to set up our Lightspeed Quick Canopy beach tent and our sand free beach mat. These are both added conveniences for families at the beach; this mat is awesome it features a double layer that sand falls through, leaving your beach area sand free. This is our first experience with a tent at the beach; it was well worth it. The tent gave us the ability to get the kids out of the sun for a period of time and also gave us plenty of room for lunches and snacks. It was quick and easy to set up and take down, taking less than two minutes for each step. It was also easy to bring along as it only weighed a few pounds, and when stored in the travel bag with shoulder strap, was easy to carry even with two little ones.
The shore of Indian Rocks Beach is narrow compared to many of the other beaches that span Florida’s expansive coastline. Families or those carrying an abundance of beach items will find this extremely convenient, as it reduces the need to drag everything across wide swaths of sand. Shells collect along the water’s edge, but are otherwise sparse along the soft sand; visitors can easily walk along the beach barefoot. The water at Indian Rocks Beach is warm and inviting even in the cooler months, as are Florida’s other beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Families looking for a calm, relaxing beach experience will feel find that at Indian Rocks Beach.
Where to Park:
Indian Rocks Beach features 26 public beach accesses plus a waterfront Park. Public Parking is available at the beach accesses on the West Side of Gulf Blvd. from 27th Ave to 19th Ave. Each access point has some public parking available.
In addition to the beach, Indian Rocks Beach is also home to several restaurants, breakfast spots and even a French bakery. Options are limited on Gulf Boulevard if you’re looking to purchase adult beverages, but they can be found just a short jaunt off the main drive.
If you’re looking for a relaxing trip to the beach, but still want to be close to it all, add Indian Rocks Beach to your travel itinerary!
Ajax’s Advice:
- Don’t wear your favorite sunglasses in the water because they can float away.
- Big hats are better than sunglasses because they don’t float away.
- Don’t forget your shovel and sand pail for sandcastles
- Put on lots and lots of sunscreen even when you don’t want to stop playing.
- A small net can catch seaweed, and that’s fun.
- Don’t litter at the beach.
- Always try on your snorkeling mask before you go to the beach because it might be too small. Or too large.
- If you don’t like traffic take the trolley. It goes everywhere!