Don't do THIS on your vacation - 10 Mistakes to Avoid During Your Trip to Clearwater Beach

okay so you're planning your Clearwater Beach vacation and already know all the tips and tricks about getting to the beach early to grab the best spots and remembering to reapply sunscreen every couple of hours but what about those sneaky tourist traps that suck up your precious time in paradise and are so good at getting you to spend money on things you just don't need to every vacation destination has them and we're here to help you avoid them on your next trip to Clearwater Beach hey everyone my name is Mandy and today we're sharing 10 things you should not do to help make your trip to Clearwater Beach more organized more fun and more affordable [Music] mistake number one booking your excursions later in your stay just about everything to do here in Clearwater Beach takes place Outdoors there's Dolphin Tours fishing charters parasailing the list goes on if you plan on taking any of the boat tours or have some other must-do items on your list we recommend scheduling them in the first couple of days of your stay that way in case of weather issues or other unexpected delays you'll have time to reschedule and still fit them into your trip little two Dolphin Tours for example offers a dolphin sighting guarantee where on the rare chance that you don't get to see dolphins on your first outing you can take a second trip absolutely free we've been on these tours many times and have experience not seeing dolphins and although it's rare it does happen and scheduling these tours later in your stay could prevent you from taking advantage of the complimentary second trip should you need to another note on booking these boat trips we recommend reserving them several days in advance especially during peak times because they book up fast Sunset Tours are usually the first to go so if you're hoping to snag one of those you'll need to book even earlier mistake number two canceling your trip because of the weather we know how it is there's nothing worse than seeing days of rain in the forecast during your upcoming vacation but don't panic our rainy season lasts from June to September and it's not uncommon to see weather forecasts like this one most weeks during the summer even though Clearwater Beach averages 361 days of sunshine a year we do get an afternoon shower between 2 and 4 pm almost daily the rain and thunderstorms come and go quickly as do many rookie beach goers leaving plenty of sunshine and a much less crowded Beach to enjoy another thing to consider if you plan on traveling here during this time of year is that it is hurricane season hurricane season starts in June and runs through November and can be one of the most affordable but also most nerve-wracking times to travel here if you're thinking of visiting Clearwater Beach during Hurricane Season hit the hit subscribe button now because we'll be telling you exactly what to expect and what you should do if you find yourself on a Florida vacation as a hurricane is approaching mistake number three buying your supplies on the island it's probably inevitable that you're gonna need to grab something you forgot some blocks snacks or something else you didn't think of we all do it but if possible try to stock up on everything you may need during your vacation before making it to the beach as soon as you cross the bridge onto the island you're going to be paying a premium for just about everything things like sunblock Beach gear and beer will all be a couple of dollars more once you're on the beach lucky for you there's a Target right on Gulf to Bay which is likely the road you're going to be traveling in on a bit further down Gulf to Bay you'll run into Missouri Avenue where there's a Walmart as well as an ABC store which is where you'll find the lowest prices on alcohol in the area if you must do your shopping on the island Publix on Island Way is your best bet for groceries and you can likely find anything else you need at Walgreens just expect to pay a few dollars more if you're here without a car and you're wondering how you're going to get to all of these stores check out our video on getting around Clearwater Beach without a car where all the methods of transportation we suggest will get you to some or all of the stores we just mentioned mistake number four talking to the timeshare people if you're genuinely interested in purchasing a timeshare by all means go for it but if you're not planning on purchasing and are just looking to score some freebies try to avoid being lured in by their offers the free two-night stay or whatever else they're offering typically comes with a lot of fine print that makes the offer much less appealing than at first glance plus they will promise you that their presentation only takes an hour but we have done them a few times and it's always been at least four hours one time we were there for six and we're not here to bash the timeshare industry but we do want you to know what you're getting yourselves into with these presentations especially if you're only here for a limited time if you don't want to spend hours of your precious vacation time stuck indoors listening to a hardcore sales pitch you'll definitely want to skip this one mistake number five missing the sunset the sunsets here are truly stunning and are not to be missed best of all this amazing show happens nightly and is completely free we've lived on Clearwater Beach for over six years now and we still plan our evenings around the sunset as many locals do rooftop bars like Jimmy's Crow's Nest pass out free Sunset shots and even do a sunset countdown nightly New Year's Eve style Pier 60 hosts a sunset celebration seven nights a week that features local Artisans and craft vendors as well as buskers and of course the star of the show Mother Nature herself mistake number six calling it the ocean we're guessing we may catch some slack for this one but we had to include it in this list because it is that important you may be surprised to know that the body of water surrounding Clearwater Beach is considered the Gulf of Mexico which is technically part of the Atlantic Ocean although no one here seems to care it's the Gulf of Mexico and referring to it as anything other than that is unacceptable while calling it the ocean is a commonly mistaken label it's one that locals feel pretty passionately about but why well with roads like Gulf to Bay Gulf Boulevard Golf View and Golf Street calling it The Ocean just doesn't feel right keep this in mind the next time you reserve a hotel room and instead of asking for an ocean view room ask for a Golf View room it's not the end of the world if you've been calling it The Ocean but we just wanted to mention it because we're looking out for you and we don't want you to sound like a rookie at least not on our watch mistake number seven over packing I think we're all guilty of this one at one point or another I know I am Clearwater Beach like many beach towns is extremely laid back now obviously what you pack is going to be determined by what time of year you're visiting and even where you're visiting from we see Northerners out in shorts and flip-flops in the middle of December when we're bundled up in our hoodies 65 degrees to a michigander is not the same as 65 degrees to a Floridian but but One Thing Remains the Same no matter where you're from and what time of year you visit and that's that nothing in Clearwater Beach is particularly dressy unless you're attending a wedding or other formal event there's no need for fancy dresses or high heels even in some of the more upscale hotels and restaurants a sundress and sandals or shorts and loafers are perfectly acceptable and expected mistake number eight not paying attention to beach Flags Beach Flags Fly Above The Lifeguard stands on Clearwater Beach and are used by officials to communicate the current conditions of the water and any potential hazards that may be present green flags indicate that the water is calm and safe for swimming other colored flags are flown to warn beachgoers of changing conditions such as strong currents or dangerous marine life according to data from the United States life-saving Association there were a total of 98 reported drownings in Florida in 2020 with Pinellas County where Clearwater Beach is located having had the highest number of beachgoer accidents in the entire state if you see red flags flying do not enter the water under any circumstances as the conditions are considered to be extremely hazardous yellow flags indicate moderate Surf and currents and purple Flags signal that there is a dangerous marine animal such as a shark or jellyfish present in the Water by taking the time to understand these flags you can for a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone mistake number nine not checking online discount sites if you're like most people especially in this economy every dollar counts websites like Groupon travel zoo and living social offer some amazing discounts on everything from hotel accommodations and restaurants to boat excursions and even spa treatments and are a great way to stretch your vacation budget at the time of filming this video Travelzoo is offering a dolphin watching tour that is discounted from a normal retail price of 68 dollars per person down to only forty dollars per person that's a savings of around 40 percent that you'll miss if you don't take the time to check out these websites during your planning and take advantage of the deals that they offer mistake number 10 not budgeting for transportation costs now you may be thinking but I have my own car why do I need to budget for transportation well not so fast if you plan on navigating the beach by car be sure to allocate funds for parking parking on the beach can get as high as sixty dollars a day and some hotels charge upwards of forty dollars a day for parking and that's in addition to what you've already paid for your room and your Resort fees just make sure to inquire about hotel parking fees when you book and also remember to budget for other parking while visiting the beach if you're flying in and will be visiting the beach without a car you can expect to pay anywhere between forty dollars and seventy dollars one way for airport runs from both Tampa International and St Pete Clearwater airports once on the island getting around is pretty affordable between the Jolly Trolley the Clearwater ferry ride shares and others but it's still something you'll need to budget for in your planning we've created videos to help you no matter how you plan on getting around on your vacation click either of the videos on the screen now to learn everything you need to know about budgeting for transportation in Clearwater Beach we hope this video has helped major trip planning a little bit easier if you'd like to see more tips and tricks on how to make your Clearwater Beach vacation an unforgettable one hit that subscribe button now and let us know in the comments what you'd like to see us cover next

Channel: Clearwater Beach Locals

Views: 19,777

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Id: vufE64VDBEY

Length: 11min 16sec (676 seconds)

Published: Mon Aug 14 2023