Planning a Party on Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach, Florida is not only the ideal location for your destination wedding, but it is also perfect for any and all celebrations. Beach parties are great for birthdays, anniversaries, holiday cook outs, religious celebrations, summertime get-togethers and much more! Since Clearwater Beach provides the perfect backdrop, you don’t need many more provisions to throw a great party. Below are some tips to make sure you’re beach bash, no matter the reason, is the greatest.
Invitations:
For a Clearwater Beach themed party you can get extremely creative with your invitations. Consider sending a “message in a bottle” invite, or thread your invitation onto a bottle on sunblock or a pair of sunglasses with some decorative ribbon. You could also write the party details on a blown up beach ball or on a Frisbee and hand deliver them to your guests.
Food and Drinks:
Grilling basics are a must, hamburgers, hotdogs and even kabobs! Pre-made salads like pasta salad and coleslaw are great ideas to eliminate the hassle of preparing too much while enjoying your time on Clearwater Beach with family and friends. Munchies such as chips, cookies and fruit are also great for your beach party. Just make sure whatever you pack will not spoil in the heat. Be sure to pack a cooler with tons of water, juice boxes and sodas to keep your guests hydrated and cool. Re-sealable bottles work best so that you and your guests can avoid getting sand in your drinks.
Decorations:
Although the sparkling ocean and white sandy shores of Clearwater Beach provide all the decoration you’ll need, a few streamers and table settings never hurt anyone. Lay out a bunch of towels in the sand so your party guests can enjoy the sun and salty breeze. You can also tie a few helium balloons to your chairs so guests know where to find you on the beach. Just be sure to pick up all your decorations and throw them away before leaving the beach.
Planning a party on the shores of Clearwater Beach is sure to offer everyone a great time. The beach provides a relaxing environment with tons of activities for all ages. No matter the occasion, Clearwater Beach is the perfect setting for your next beach party.
A Family Affair in Clearwater Beach, Florida
Clearwater Beach is the perfect piece of paradise located on Florida’s west coast. The beaches of this barrier island have it all, white sand, beautiful water, gorgeous marinas, as well as amenities nearby for everyone in the family. Pier 60 is located just down the street from our hotel in Clearwater beach and offers breathtaking views of Clearwater Beach’s sunsets. Sunsets at Pier 60 are a nightly celebration, featuring local arts and crafts as well as entertainment form 6:00pm to 9:00pm every night.
Just south of the pier is Clearwater Beach’s Beach Walk. The Beach Walk offers Clearwater Beach goers great restaurants, tons of shops and, of course, our hotel on Clearwater Beach. With so much to do in this quaint beach town we understand you might have a hard time deciding so we’ve narrowed down a few of our favorite local activities.
For the Kids
There is a ton to do around Clearwater Beach with kids of all ages. One favorite is Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise. Aboard Captain Memo’s Pirate Ship cruisers will step into a time warp, sail alongside real life pirates and enjoy treasure hunts, water games, face painting and enchanting stories.
For the Older Kids
Check out Sky Screamer Parasail and Parasail City located right on Clearwater Beach. Both offer an incredible air and sea adventure. Feel as if you are flying among the birds while enjoying a bird’s eye view of the Gulf of Mexico and stunning the Clearwater Beach shores.
For the Grown Ups
The Calypso Queen offers fabulous dinner cruises day and every night. The Calypso Queen departs from the Clearwater Beach Marina and offers complimentary beer, wine and rum punch on selected cruises. You can enjoy daytime cruise or a sunset dinner cruise aboard this wonderful dinner cruise and even host a private party.
No matter how young or old there is guaranteed to be plenty to do with the whole family while visiting Clearwater Beach. Come and see for yourself! Our doors are always open.
A Little Clearwater Beach History
History is often what makes us who and what we are today. Clearwater Beach, Florida is no exception to this rule. Cleawater was originally inhabited by the Native Americans when clear springs ebbed from the banks to the bay. Since then, these crystal clear springs have long been gone, but where they were once located on the high bluffs of Clearwater Beach now sits city hall and downtown Clearwater. Clearwater’s first settlers referred to the area as Clear Water Harbor. The name stuck until 1885 when Clear Water became one word, later in 1906 “Harbor” was also dropped.
In 1528 the Spanish explorer Panfilo de Navaez came to the Pinellas peninsula, it is widely disputed where exactly his first steps were but many believe it was Clear Water Harbor. Navaez is known for his major role in two expeditions, one in 1520 to Mexico in an attempt to oppose Hernan Cortes and the other to Clearwater Beach, Florida in 1527. Navaez’s goal was to colonize Spanish Florida, however after suffering through treacherous hurricanes, battles, disease and famine Navaez’s crew dwindled from 600 to a measly 4.
In 1822 Florida was officially named a territory. Years later, in 1835 during the Seminole Indian Wars, Fort Harrison was built to serve as a place of refuge for soldiers. Fort Harrison was located in the bluffs where Harbor Oaks is today. It was abandoned in 1841 and is memorialized with a plaque on Druid Street in downtown Clearwater, FL.
The Clear Water Harbor community was comprised of approximately 18 families when the first narrow gauge railroad was built in 1888. Since then the city has flourished due to the steady growth in tourism. On May 27th of 1915 the city of Clearwater was incorporated. With a hefty grant from Andrew Carnegie, the library was built in 1916. During that same year, the first wooden bridge was built to Clearwater Beach, opening the area up for development.
Through the years the population of Clearwater grew steadily. Following World War II, soldiers that were trained nearby returned to reside in the quaint beach town. In the 1940s the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team started their spring training in Clearwater, FL.
Clearwater Beach in known for many reasons, gorgeous beaches, breath taking sunsets and tons of entertainment for everyone in the family. The history of this fun loving beach town is a great part of its story, which continues to be written with each magnificent sunset.
Happy Mother's Day Weekend
Mother's Day weekend has at last arrived. Our Hotel in Clearwater Beach is the perfect escape to a world of sun, fun and relaxation for mom. But if you can't make it this weekend to see our white sandy shores and stunning sunsets, turn up your speakers and click below for the next best thing. This video captures the true beauty of Cleatwater Beach, the perfect destination for a romantic weekend or a family vacation. We hope to see you very soon at our hotel in Clearwater Beach, enjoy!
Clearwater Beach Wedding Preparation
Planning the perfect beach wedding is never an easy task. There are tons of practical elements that factor in to making your wedding a great one. In an effort to help you achieve your dream day we’ve included some important considerations to take into account when planning your beach wedding.
Find the Perfect Location
When planning your Clearwater Beach wedding think long and hard about where your perfect locale is. There is plenty of room for everyone on the beach, however if you want a more intimate wedding you may want to look for a more secluded Clearwater Beach area for your ceremony. If you think the beach will be too crowded try looking at nearby state parks which tend to be cleaner and more natural. Where ever you decide on, make sure there are nearby bathroom facilities available for your guests.
Choosing the Time and Date
Always keep weather in mind. Tropical destinations are known for rainy seasons and Clearwater Beach is no different. While it is sunny more often than not, looking into weather patterns is a must. You may also want to steer clear of holiday weekends, when vacation spots and hotels like those in Clearwater Beach tend to be the most crowded.
It is best to plan your ceremony to take place in the morning or early evening as the sun is usually the hottest and brightest from about 12:00pm until about 3:00pm. If there’s no budging on a midday ceremony, make sure you provide some sort of shade or tent for your guests and the wedding party. However, if you’re planning a Clearwater Beach wedding, we highly recommend having your ceremony around sunset. Not only does the temperature drop around this time but Clearwater Beach sunsets offer breathtaking views and provide the perfect backdrop to your romantic ceremony.
If you plan to be right on the beach, don’t forget to keep the tide in mind. The tide rises and recedes very quickly so if you are not properly prepared you may have your feet in the water before the ceremony is even over.
The Perfect Seat
When arranging the seating on the sand for your Clearwater Beach wedding, pay close attention to where the wind is blowing from and where the sand is blowing to. You definitely don’t want your guests being pelted with sand during your ceremony. Do a test run, set up your seating and sit there for a half hour to see if you notice anything that may need some tweaking.
Plan B
Just like with all other outdoor ceremonies, Clearwater Beach wedding weather can be unpredictable. In preparation, you should always have a backup plan. There is never a guarantee with mother nature, so the best you can do is be prepared. Have a tent set up ready or a nearby hall on call in case things do not pan out as expected.
By paying a little extra attention to some things you might not have otherwise thought of could help make your Clearwater Beach wedding day into the memorable event you’ve always dreamed of.
