Guide to Clearwater vacation rentals

Clearwater is a Florida city with a rich history that offers diverse attractions including arts and museums, the natural environment, historical buildings, and hosts many yearly special events.

The Clearwater area is proud of its world-class museums such as the Salvador Dali, home of the largest collection of his work outside Spain, and The Gulf Coast Museum Of Art, located at Pinewood Cultural Park, which features a permanent collection of Florida art with a special focus on contemporary craft objects from the 12 southeastern states.

Outstanding theaters characterize the Clearwater area. Constructed in 1983 by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Ruth Eckerd Hall at the Richard B. Baumgardner Center for the Performing Arts, is well known and respected for its acoustics and state-of-the-art equipment and offers a wide range of performances for every age. Clearwater’s "community" Royalty Theater, located in historic downtown Clearwater, showcases an extremely wide variety of performance types.

With such beautiful weather, it is natural the arts come outside. For example, Shakespeare in the Park brings the bard to life in a way not experienced indoors. Art shows decorate the waterfront and our parks. Known for our outdoor concerts overlooking the water either at Coachman Park in downtown or on beautiful Clearwater Beach, all types of musical professionals visit during the year, especially on holiday weekends. The annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday is the largest free jazz festival in the Southeastern United States, a four day event held in October.

The Clearwater area's best kept secret is the Pinewood Cultural Park in nearby Largo. Over 180 acres, the park offers local history, nature and the environment, and the visual arts. Heritage Village, a 21-acre open-air living history museum has 23 of the county's oldest structures, with two dating back to the Civil War era.

The Florida Botanical Gardens features all Florida plants, both native and non-native with wildlife nesting habitat, restored wetlands and natural bridges interacting with the more formal gardens. Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a unique natural attraction where one can view, touch and experience bottlenose dolphins, loggerhead sea turtles, Kemp's Ridley sea turtles, river otters, sting rays, local fish, coral reefs, mangroves and more.

History buffs will enjoy a tour of century old Belleview Biltmore Resort -- the oldest resort in Florida. Visit Fort Desoto State Park, a Spanish-American war-era fort guarding the entrance to the islands and Tampa Bay, which played a significant part in the evolution of modern weaponry although not a shot has ever been fired from its armament, or the historic Fort Harrison Hotel in downtown Clearwater. Since 1975, the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization has been caretaker of this important landmark. which houses the Images of a Lifetime exhibit which tells the story of the life of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of the Scientology.

For the sports minded, within a 10 minute drive are the spring training camps for the Toronto Blue Jays, two time world series baseball champions, and the Philadelphia Phillies. Golfers will appreciate the variety of public and municipal courses. In nearby Clearwater Beach, Clearwater Marina is home to the largest fishing fleet on the West Coast of Florida and is the core of water recreation. Berthed in the marina are boats that offer a myriad of activities: fishing, sightseeing, sailing, speed, "hands on" marine life adventure, dining and dancing, parasailing and more. Dolphin watching cruises are very popular.