From Orlando: Day Trip to Clearwater Beach with Options

About This Experience

The bus collects you from one of many Orlando hotels, or you board at the listed stop outside Charlie's Steakhouse for the 8 AM departure, and a driver-guide takes you about 2.5 hours west to the Gulf coast. You are dropped at Pier 60, right on the sand, so there is no parking to hunt for.

What happens next depends on the option you book. The pirate cruise is the one built for kids, with treasure hunts, face painting, water-gun games and dancing on deck. The marine aquarium option takes you to Clearwater Marine Aquarium to watch rescued dolphins through underwater windows. The Dolphin Encounter boat and the fast Sea Screamer head into the Gulf to look for wild dolphins, and there is also a deep-sea fishing trip for older kids. The lunch and express options simply give you the most beach time; reviewers mention around six hours on the sand.

The trade-offs are the drive and the sun. Five hours of round-trip travel is a lot for toddlers, pickup times vary by hotel, and the beach has little natural shade, so midday in summer is fierce. Towels, sunscreen and beach gear are not included. Wild dolphins cannot be guaranteed on the boat options, and Winter, the dolphin named in the listing's aquarium option, died in 2021, so do not promise her to the kids.

Pick this if your family wants a proper Gulf beach day without renting a car, and your kids travel well. Families with babies, kids prone to carsickness or anyone who hates long bus rides may prefer a closer outing, or to drive and set their own schedule.

Highlights

• Step off the bus at Pier 60, right on Clearwater's white sand
• Choose a pirate cruise with treasure hunts, face painting and water-gun games
• Watch rescued dolphins through the aquarium's underwater windows on that option
• Head into the Gulf to look for wild dolphins on the Sea Screamer or dolphin boat
• Spend hours swimming, building sandcastles and walking the pier

What's Included

• ✓ Round-trip transport from Orlando, with pickup from many hotels
• ✓ Driver-guide assistance
• ✓ Free time on Clearwater Beach
• ✓ Entry or boarding for your chosen option: aquarium, pirate cruise, Dolphin Encounter or Sea Screamer
• ✓ Pirate cruise option: beer, wine and soft drinks on board
• ✓ Fishing option: gear and fishing license; lunch option: a beachside restaurant voucher

Not Included

• Meals and drinks unless your option includes them
• Gratuities for the driver-guide
• Towels, sunscreen, umbrellas and other beach gear
• Activities outside the option you book

What to Bring

• Swimsuits worn under clothes, plus towels
• Reef-safe sunscreen, sun hats and sunglasses
• A beach umbrella or pop-up shade if you can carry one
• Sand toys and a change of clothes for the bus home
• Snacks and water for the 2.5-hour drive each way

Good to Know & Caveats

• The drive takes about 2.5 hours each way, and pickup times vary by hotel.
• If you board at the listed stop, wait outside Charlie's Steakhouse 10 to 15 minutes before the 8 AM departure.
• The lunch and express options give the most beach time; the activity options use some of it.
• Wild dolphins cannot be guaranteed on the boat options.
• Winter, the dolphin mentioned in the aquarium option, died in 2021; the aquarium cares for other rescued animals.
• The deep-sea fishing option goes about 10 miles out, roughly 45 minutes each way, which can mean choppy water.

Meeting Point

Pickup is offered from many Orlando hotels at varying times. If you use the listed stop, wait outside Charlie's Steakhouse 10 to 15 minutes before the 8 AM departure.