35 Things to Do With Kids in Clearwater: Local’s Guide
YOUR GUIDE TO FUN THINGS TO DO IN CLEARWATER FL WITH KIDS
Looking for fun things to do in Clearwater with kids? You’ve come to the right place! Below you’ll find 35 kid-friendly activities in Clearwater, Florida.
Clearwater is home to some of the best beaches in the world, but there is so much more than just beaches for families to enjoy. Clearwater is home to almost 117,027 residents, and a whooping 18% of them are kids under 18 so there’s lots to do with kids in our area (source: U.S. census data for Clearwater).
We are two local moms who grew up in Pinellas and now live in the greater Clearwater area with our families. We started these lists for activities to do with our own kids and now share them to help other families find kid-friendly fun in our area.
Below you’ll find two sections of activities. The first are things to do with kids in Clearwater that are inside Clearwater city limits. Because nobody likes those “local” list where most of the suggestions are actually farther away.
At the end, we include a separate section of kids things to do near Clearwater but outside city limits. We intentionally limited these activities to only those that we personally think are worth an extra drive and hope this helps people find even more fun.
Let’s explore Clearwater kids activities!
Things to do with kids in Clearwater
1. Pier 60
LOCATION: 1 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767, United States
Clearwater Beach is perhaps the most well-known part of Clearwater and Pier 60 is its hub. You’ll find a pretty pier, food and drink kiosks, and the buzz of a busy beach pier.
For families with young kings, the playground at the pier will likely be a highlight. It is a playground on the sand, and it has an awesome full shade cover. A sand playground and shade for me is a real win-win for us.
The big downside of visiting Pier 60 and Clearwater beach in general is parking. Since it is a popular tourist spot, parking can often be hard to find, especially during busy times (as locals, we definitely steer clear of Clearwater beach around Spring Break).
2. Sand Key Park
LOCATION: 1060 Gulf Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767
Sand Key Park is just south of Clearwater Beach. It has the same beautiful beach, with much easier parking and usually less crowds. I’m very happy to pay $5 for parking at the county park than deal with the headache of trying to park at Clearwater beach any day.
Sand Key Park is ideal if you’re looking for a beach day near Clearwater Beach. My kids also really liked watching the boats go through the strait on the north side of the park out to the Gulf.
3. New Coachman Park
LOCATION: 300 Cleveland St, Clearwater, FL 33756
Coachman Park is a park in downtown Clearwater at the base of the Memorial Causeway out to the beach. The newly renovated park is absolutely beautiful with an unbeatable waterfront view.
The park has so much to do for kids. It has an excellent playground, including lots of shaded loungers for parents to relax and sand areas for kids to play. Right outside the playground is a small splash pad which is nice for hot days and cleaning off.
Check out our full guide to Clearwater’s Coachman Park
The park also has lots of green space and a pier to explore. From the park, you can also swing into the Clearwater Main Library branch which is very kid-friendly.
4. Clearwater Main Library
LOCATION: 100 N Osceola Ave, Clearwater, FL 33755
As mentioned above, the main branch of the Clearwater library system is awesome for kids. In fact, it makes our list of the 5 best children’s library areas in Pinellas.
The kids area is a whole floor in the library with a great play area. They have tons of toys, a huge wood boat kids can run around on, areas for imaginative play like a puppet show stage and multiple building sets. There are also areas for older kids and kids computers too.
5. Boat Ride
Boating in Clearwater is so much fun and there are lots of tour options if you don’t have your own boat. You can find dolphin tours, dinner cruises, sunset boat tours and a pirate ship. For a more affordable option, you can hop the ferry to Caladesi island too.
A favorite of many of our out of town guests Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise. They are amazing at entertaining kids 2 and older, while parents can enjoy the view and the complimentary wine and beer.
For an option that takes kids of any age, we also like Chill Tiki Clearwater. Their dolphin tour has no age limitations and serves free ice cream on board (Note: they have some older kids-only cruises too so make sure to book the right one if you have little ones).
TIP: I would recommend checking Groupon before booking, I often see them running a special on it there.
6. Put-Put Golf
LOCATIONS: Congo River Rapids 20060 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33764-5010; Captain Bligh’s Landing 630 S Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767-2642
Putter golf is a great kid activity and there are two cool options located in Clearwater. You’ll find Captain Bligh’s Landing at Clearwater Beach. This is a good option for people visiting the Clearwater area on vacation.
For less tourist beach crowds, hit up Congo River Rapids. This is the one we both go to in order to avoid the crowds and traffic of Clearwater Beach.
7. Crest Lake Park & Splash Pad
Crest Lake Park is one of Elizabeth’s favorite parks in the area. It has a walking trail around the lake, a great dog park and exercise equipment.
Where it really shines is the stuff for kids. It has some traditional playground equipment but it has so many cool structures and play equipment incorporated through the natural landscape of the park.
Think big square stones for kids to climb on, climbing structures built into hills, and rock fountains for the splash pad.
While this splash pad is simpler than other splash pads in the area, we love it’s natural vibe and that it is open whenever the park is open.
Looking for more splash pads? Check out our favorite Pinellas splash pads
8. Bounce City
LOCATION: 27001 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33761
Being in Florida, it’s always nice to have some indoor options up your sleeve for hot days. Bounce City is located in Countryside Mall and is basically a room full of lots of bounce houses. The bounce houses include different features like slides and obstacles.
For even more jumping, check out the Sky Zone trampoline park. It’s located in neighboring Largo and is much more extensive than Bounce City. They also have special hours for little kids.
9. Countryside Mall
LOCATION: 27001 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33761
Speaking of Countryside Mall, taking a mall trip also makes for a fun indoor activity in Clearwater, especially for younger kids.
At Countryside Mall you’ll find a small playground (suitable for small children), a ride on train, and huge board games like checkers. You can also watch ice skating and my kids were also very happy to walk around looking at all the kiosks.
The mall opens an hour before the stores open to walkers so that is nice for taking kids when its less crowded.
10. Go Ice Skating
LOCATIONS: Clearwater Ice Arena 13940 Icot Blvd. Clearwater, FL 33760; or, Countryside Mall rink
We remember how much of a novelty ice skating was as a Florida kid. We coveted the people skating at Countryside Mall and remember the few special occasions when we got to skate there.
There are two ice skating rinks that have public skate hours in Clearwater. In addition to the rink in Countryside Mall, you can also skate at the Clearwater Ice Arena. Both rinks are operated by the same company.
11. Clearwater Marine Aquarium
LOCATION: 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767
We are big aquarium fans over here so Clearwater Marine Aquarium has to make this list. We are members of the aquarium and go all the time.
What we love about the aquarium is its focus on conservation and rehabilitation. The aquarium has grown so much since the popularity of the Dolphin Tale movie, include huge beautiful dolphin tanks that mesmerize our toddlers.
Don’t miss our full guide to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
You could easily spent the better part of a day at this aquarium. We also find it to be less crowded than the Florida aquarium.
If you’re an aquarium fan too, don’t forget to check out our list of 9 aquariums near Clearwater-St. Pete.
12. Arcade Games & Pizza
There are lots of fun options for places where you can find arcade games and pizza for some classic kid fun.
Infinity Pizza and Cici’s pizza both make our list of fun kid-friendly restaurants in the Clearwater area. The Cici’s in Clearwater has a big game room that’s essentially a small arcade. Infinity Pizza is a nice local option — they have fewer games but much better pizza than CiCi’s.
There’s also a Chuck E Cheese nearby and Celebration station (more on that next!).
13. Celebration Station
LOCATION: 24546 US 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33763-4082
While Celebration Station could fall under the ‘Arcade Games’ category above, we felt it deserves an entry of it’s own because it has so much more to offer.
Celebration Station was the place when we were growing up and it is fun to be able to take our own kids there today. It has lots of arcade games a la a Chuck E Cheese, but also has rides and activities.
You can play mini-golf, laser tag, do go-karts, ride bumper boats and then go play arcade games all under one roof. It’s really a kid wonderland.
14. Baycare Ballpark
LOCATION: 601 Old Coachman Road, 33765
Baycare Ballpark is a great place to catch a minor league game with kids. We really like it because they have lawn seating, which gives kids space to run around instead of staying in a seat. They also have a kids play area.
They often offer really good specials, like one dollar ticket days, making this a budget-friendly activity too.
15. Moccasin Lake Nature Park
LOCATION: 2750 Park Trail Ln, Clearwater, FL 33759
Moccasin Lake Nature Park has pretty much everything you’d want in a kids’ activity. There are rescue animals, cool nature hikes and a playground. Plus, you can visit for free!
Our kids loved seeing all the birds that have been rescued. On our last visit, the park rangers had a bird out that you could see up close and there were roaming peacocks around the property.
16. Hike
Clearwater is home to some great trailers that are easy and stroller friendly — perfect for hiking with kids. Just outside of Moccassin Lake Park, you can hop on the Ream Wilson trail.
Or, you can spend an afternoon on the Pinellas Trail. Hiking the Pinellas Trail around Dunedin is one of our favorite spots because you can stop for snacks or a beer at one of Dunedin’s breweries.
17. Walk a causeway
Walking along a causeway is an activity unique to places with waterways like Clearwater. Clearwater has two great causeway hike options: Memorial Causeway out to Clearwater Beach and Country Campbell Causeway to Tampa.
Elizabeth’s kids absolutely love going to walk the Courtney Campball Causeway. The views are beautiful and the walkway is spacious, but the best part for toddlers are all the trucks and cars you can watch on your walk.
18. The Long Center
LOCATION: 1501 N Belcher Rd, Clearwater, FL 33765
The Long Center has one of the best playgrounds in our area, making it a great stop for kids. It was even one of the premier playgrounds when we were kids so it has a long history of being awesome.
The other key feature of the Long Center is their indoor pool. This is a great option when the weather is too rainy or cold for outdoor swimming.
19. Morningside Recreation Center
LOCATION: 2400 Harn Blvd. , Clearwater 33764
Morningside Recreation Center is another great Clearwater parks and rec offering. It has an amazing pool, with a great kiddie pool area that is like a kiddie pool + splash pad hybrid.
You’ll also find a playground here if your kids would prefer staying dry.
NOTE: Since the pools are outdoors, they are opened seasonally and usually close around November.
20. Ride the Jolly Trolley
Jolly Trolley runs up and down Clearwater Beach, and connects to the coastal towns in Pinellas all the way to the Tarpon Springs sponge docks.
We love the Jolly Trolley around here. I even used the Jolly Trolley as transportation for the guests at our wedding.
Jolly Trolley is a very affordable activity. It is a couple bucks for adults to ride and kids under 8 are free.
21. Palmetto Museum
LOCATION: 2116 Palmetto St, Clearwater, FL 33765
Palmetto Museum is a museum for antique cars and engines. They are also home to an antique train that they run on Tuesdays and Saturdays. When we visited on a Saturday, we had the place to ourselves and there was no wait at all for the riding the train.
We think this is a good stop for the whole family. Older kids can appreciate the history more but any toddlers who love cars or trains will also enjoy it. The best part? Palmetto Museum is part of the Pinellas library museum program so you can check out a pass from the library to visit this museum for free.
22. Munchkin Town (ages 6 & under)
LOCATION: 14100 US-19 Suite 130, Clearwater, FL 33764, USA
Munchkin Town is an indoor play space specifically for children 6 years old and younger. This can be a nice indoor option for those with little kids who may be overwhelmed in play spaces shared with big kids.
23. Clearwater Hispanic Farmer’s Market
The Clearwater Hispanic Farmer’s Market is both kid and dog friendly so it is a great activity for the whole family. The market has food, vendors, music, dancing and games. You can check their website or Facebook for upcoming dates
Kid-friendly things to do near Clearwater
Next, here are some things to do with kids near Clearwater that are only a short drive away. These are all activities we personally think are worth the trip, and many of them are right next to Clearwater so can be very close depending on your location.
24. ZooTampa
ZooTampa is the closest zoo to Clearwater. It’s a bit of a drive from our area but we think it’s worth the trip (we are both has memberships and make the trek often). The zoo is great, includes rides for free and has a wonderful manatee center.
Check out our full guide to visiting ZooTampa for more.
25. Great Explorations
Great Explorations is a children’s museum down in St. Pete. For anyone who grew up in this area, it is a scaled back version of the old Hands on Museum. While it’s not as glorious as its predecessor, it is still a fun children’s museum especially for little kids through elementary school age.
Bonus: it is a museum that participates in the Pinellas Country library museum pass program so you can visit for free.
Check out our full guide to Great Explorations for more
26. Heritage Village
Heritage Village is a park in Largo with historic buildings that tell the history of Pinellas. It’s a popular field trip spot due to its educational value so most local kids go at some point while kids (we did!).
The best part is that Heritage Village is free so this is a great budget-friendly kids activity.
27. Tarpon Aquarium or Florida Aquarium
In addition to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, there are more nearby aquariums worth checking out. Our favorite is the Tarpon Aquarium, which is more hands on and cheaper than the Florida Aquarium (though we like that one too, check out our Florida Aquarium review).
View our list of sea-life experiences and aquariums near Clearwater
28. Dunedin Children’s Art Museum
The Dunedin Children’s Art Museum is such a hidden gem in Pinellas for families. It’s around the corner from Clearwater and there are so many fun interactive things for kids to explore. And, it’s way cheaper than most children’s museums!
Here’s our full review of the Dunedin Children’s Art Museum
29. Tarpon Sponge Docks
The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks are a great place to spend an afternoon. You can explore the history of the sponging industry or grab delicious Greek food.
Don’t miss our 9 favorite things to do at the Sponge Docks
30. Alligator Discovery Center at Johns Pass
Seeing alligators is a quintessential Florida experience. While you’re likely to spot alligators in any body of water, you can also make a trip the Alligator Discovery Center down at John’s Pass.
John’s Pass is also a fun kid-friendly destination on it’s own. Elizabeth spent a lot of her childhood visiting John’s Pass — it’s the right blend of tourist kitsch and boardwalk feel.
31. Honeymoon & Caladesi Islands
Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island are around the corner from Clearwater in Dunedin and are absolutely stunning beaches. When you go, hunt for sea horses in the sea grass.
Honeymoon Island is accessible by car but Caledesi Island is only accessible by boat (the ferry is a fun kid-friendly activity in its own right).
32. Visit a farm
There are a number of farms to visit near Clearwater. Our favorite is Horsepower — it’s the closest to Clearwater and they do a $5 deal once a month. It also has the most to do in terms of kid activities.
For a more educational farm visit, Old McMicky’s farm is a tour-only experience where you learn about the animals (it’s the farm of our childhood but not the best for little little kids.. check out our Old McMicky’s Farm review before you go).
We also like Raprager’s farm. It has a more chill vibe and is a bit smaller than Horsepower. Plus they do fun holiday festivals. Here’s our list of Raprager’s Farm tips before you go (like don’t forget to pack a change of clothes!)
33. Seaside Seabird Santuary
Elizabeth grew up going to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores. It’s a bird rescue and rehabilitation center right on the beach. It’s also free to visit, though donations are welcome.
34. Florida Botanical Gardens
The Florida Botantical Gardens are another free kid-friendly activity near Clearwater. It is over 100-acres of gardens and Florida flora to explore.
35. Whimzeyland & SHAMC
Whimzeyland is a must-visit in Safety Harbor, right next to Clearwater. It is a house done by two local artists Kairalinda & Todd that is so cool. We knew it as the “art house” and “bowling ball house” when we were growing up. You can walk the yard for free and your kids will love it. You can also visit the Safety Harbor Art and Music Center (SHAMC) done by the same artists.
Read More:
Looking for more kid-friendly things to do in our area? Check our lists of Pinellas restaurants that are great for kids and our list of kid-friendly Pinellas breweries.
