Getting to Clearwater Beach from Tampa and St. Pete Airports

The short version

Two airports serve Clearwater Beach, and they are not the same trip. St. Pete Clearwater (PIE) is the closer one: it sits on SR-686, also called Roosevelt Boulevard, about 4 miles north of St. Petersburg, and there is a shuttle to the beach from about $8 (fly2pie.com, check current). Tampa International (TPA) is the bigger airport with far more flights, about 21 miles from the beach across the Courtney Campbell Causeway, roughly a 30 to 40 minute drive, often 40 to 45 in traffic. If flight schedules and price are equal, PIE is the shorter, simpler arrival. In practice most people take whatever gets them here for less, and both work. This guide covers the drive, the shuttle, rideshare and a rental car, and one thing worth knowing before you land: at our Avalon condos a car helps, because the complex is a short drive inland.

PIE vs TPA, side by side

Distances and times below are approximate and traffic dependent. Fares and schedules change, so treat the shuttle price as a starting point and check the current number before you count on it.

Flying into St. Pete Clearwater (PIE)

PIE is the closer airport and a smaller, quicker one to move through. It sits on SR-686 (Roosevelt Boulevard), about 4 miles north of St. Petersburg (fly2pie.com). If you are comparing on distance alone, this is the shorter arrival to the coast.

The budget option here is the Grouper Airport Express, a shared shuttle that runs between PIE and Clearwater Beach from about $8 for a single rider, about $20 for a group of four, and about $30 for a group of five to eight (fly2pie.com, check current before you rely on it). For a couple or a solo traveler heading straight to the beach, that is hard to beat. The catch is coverage: PIE carries fewer routes and fewer daily flights than Tampa, so you may not find a convenient time or price from your home city.

Flying into Tampa (TPA)

TPA is the bigger airport with far more flights, which is often why people land here even though it is farther out. The drive to Clearwater Beach is about 21 miles across the Courtney Campbell Causeway (FL-60), a long span over Old Tampa Bay, and it runs roughly 30 to 40 minutes, often 40 to 45 in traffic. There is no low-cost beach shuttle from TPA the way there is from PIE, so from Tampa you are choosing between a rideshare and a rental car.

Your three ways from either airport

• Rideshare. The simplest door to door option, and it works from both airports. From PIE it is a short run; from TPA you are paying for the causeway crossing, so expect a Tampa fare to run higher than a St. Pete one. Good if you are here for a short beach-only trip and do not plan to drive.
• The Grouper Airport Express shuttle. The value pick, and only from PIE: from about $8 single, scaling to about $30 for a group of five to eight (fly2pie.com, check current). Best for couples and solo travelers going straight to the beach without a car.
• A rental car. Worth it if you are staying more than a couple of nights or want to explore, and especially if you are staying inland. Both airports have on-site rental counters. See the next section for why a car earns its keep here.

Why a car helps once you are here

If you are booking one of our Avalon condos, plan on a car. The Avalon complex is a short drive inland, about 3.5 miles from Clearwater Beach, which is roughly a 10 to 15 minute drive, not walking distance to the sand. A rental turns that into a non-issue and opens up the rest of the area: groceries at the nearby Publix, downtown Clearwater a few minutes away, and the state parks and towns to the north and south.

You do not strictly need one to reach the beach. You can rideshare to the coast, and once you are there the Jolley Trolley runs the beach route about every 30 minutes for $2.25 one way, free for children eight and under (Jolley Trolley fares, check current). But for a stay at Avalon, a car is the difference between planning around rides and just going. Our full breakdown of the drive, parking and the trolley is in the getting to the beach guide.

Island Estates is the exception in our lineup: Dolphin Point sits on the water between the mainland and the beach, closer in, though it is a long-stay unit. Our two short-stay condos, Oasis Dream and Blue Ocean, are both at Avalon, inland.

Frequently asked questions

More reading: where to stay in Clearwater Beach, getting to the beach from Avalon, things to do near Avalon, and the best time to visit.