Visiting Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach Florida with Kids

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Clearwater Beach is one of my family’s favorite beach vacation destinations. It offers miles of beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.  The water is warm and calm, the beaches white sand.  At the heart of Clearwater Beach, you will find Pier 60. So much more than just a pier, this landmark offers an amazing playground, clean restrooms, gorgeous sunset views, and more. I highly recommend checking out Pier 60 with Kids, if you are in the area.

Where is Pier 60?

Centrally located, beyond the rotary as you come into Clearwater Beach from the city of Clearwater, the pier is within walking distance of many Clearwater Beach hotels.  Given its convenient location, the pier is also walkable to several kid-friendly restaurants in Clearwater Beach.

What is Pier 60?

Pier 60, is an actual fishing pier jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico from Clearwater Beach.  The 1,080-foot fishing pier allows you to fish, without a fishing license at the time of this writing, and keep what you catch.  There is a small bait and tackle shop right on the pier where you can rent a rod.  This is also where you will pay for your fishing day and pass through the gate to the end of the pier. 

Getting to Pier 60

Walking to Pier 60

If you can walk to the pier, I would advise it.  Its central location on Clearwater Beach makes it accessible by sidewalk from the majority of hotels and resorts on Clearwater Beach. Overall the area is very pedestrian-friendly and feels safe, even walking with kids who may not always be listening.

Driving to Pier 60

Street parking is hard to come by.  There are a couple of parking lots nearby including the Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina parking lot and the parking garage at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach.  

Suncoast Beach Trolley

The Suncoast Beach Trolley stops at the Clearwater Beach Transit Center, right by Pier 60.  This particular route starts in Downtown Clearwater and ends at St Pete Beach. A trolley ride is $2.25 or you can purchase an Unlimited Daily GO Card for $5.00. FYI exact fare is required. The trolley fare boxes are equipped to handle $1, $5, and $10 bills but do not give change.

Ferry

The Clearwater Ferry can take you to Clearwater Beach from downtown Clearwater or the Dunedin area. Be sure to check the Clearwater Ferry website for current rates and schedules.

The Playground at Pier 60

Pier 60 offers a wonderful, covered playground that caters to a variety of ages.  It truly does span the age range, offering everything from swings and a small playscape geared toward little ones to a large climbing apparatus for older kids.  Our daughter loves the Pier 60 playground as much at age 8 years old, as she did at 2 years old when we last visited. 

Note to parents, if you walk towards the Hilton from the playground, you will encounter a Dunkin’ Donuts on your right, pretty quickly, and a Starbucks, a bit further down on your left. Good to know for a morning caffeine stop before you relax at the playground.

Convenient and Clean Bathrooms

Exploring with kids always calls for restroom facilities. Clean and accessible bathrooms are conveniently located near the playground area. While they are not open 24/7, we had good luck with them being open during our mornings at the playground.

Inflatables at Pier 60

For an extra dose of excitement, there are blow-up slides and inflatables in between the pier and the playground, on the beach. Prices seem to vary from what I’ve seen on our visits, but they tend to offer reasonably priced tickets that you can exchange for turns on the slide or bounce house.

The slide looked intimidating but our five-year-old did it and while there weren’t any tears, he chose not to do it a second time,  however, our seven-year-old would’ve ridden it all day, if we let her. 

Exploring the Pier

Don’t forget to check out the actual pier! Pier 60 is an active fishing pier where you can walk out over the water. You may spot pelicans and other waterbirds along the way, as well as the latest catch from the fisherman who line the pier.

While I love the excitement of the birds and the fish, my favorite part of the pier is the panoramic water views. You will have views of Clearwater Beach, and its resorts if you look towards shore. And if you look out over the Gulf of Mexico, there is sparkling, clear blue water for as far as the eye can see. You may even see a dolphin swim by!

Fishing from the Pier

If you are looking to fish from Pier 60, there is a tackle shop nearby. Just over the bridge into Clearwater Beach is The Bait House.  This attraction offers food and drinks, along with a bait shop selling tackle, gear, and rental equipment. 

Events at Pier 60

Sunsets at Pier 60

Speaking of sunsets, they are so incredible from the pier, it has been hosting a year-round nightly sunset celebration for over 25 years! That’s right, Sunsets at Pier 60 is a free celebration that has been going strong since 1995.  Starting 2 hours before sunset and lasting until 2 hours after sunset, Sunsets at Pier 60 features artisans and street performers, even fire dancers!

Sugar Sand Festival

If you are lucky enough to be visiting Clearwater Beach during the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, you have to check it out. The annual spring event brings professional sand sculptors to Clearwater Beach to build incredible sand sculptures.  The 2+ week festival brings a Ferris wheel to Pier 60 Park, along with food vendors, live music, and even fireworks.  

Pier 60 Clearwater Beach with Kids

Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach is a must-see while you are visiting. We typically head to the pier after breakfast, to entertain my early risers for a bit, while my husband and I drink our coffees overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.  Before Kids, sunset was our favorite time to visit the pier. But these days with little ones who have early bedtime, the mornings are just as beautiful in their own way.

 For more information on Clearwater Beach, check out my other blog posts on the area.  I cover the Best Kid-friendly Restaurants in Clearwater Beach, Answer Questions about Caladesi Island, and review our favorite Clearwater Beach hotel with kids, the Sandpearl Resort.