The Philadelphia Phillies have called Clearwater Florida their Spring home since 1947. To put that into perspective, young rookies like Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts all the way to our modern favorite Phillies have spent their springs in this beautiful town. Clearwater has hosted players from every pennant and division winner except the 1915 team that trained in nearby Saint Petersburg that year. From their humble beginnings at Clearwater Athletic Field, to Jack Russell Stadium, to now beautiful BayCare Ballpark, generations have made the pilgrimage to Clearwater to escape the Delaware Valley winter and get a glimpse of the new season’s team.
Clearwater and the entire Tampa Bay Area has so much to offer in addition to Spring Training Baseball. In this series of articles we will provide suggestions of where to stay, what to see, where to eat, what to do, tips for attending practices, game day tips, how to get autographs, and more.
When planning your trip, the first thoughts are how to get there and where to stay. Tampa International Airport is one of the best airports in the country and depending on traffic is about a 30 minute drive to Clearwater across picturesque Courtney Campbell Causeway. Saint Pete/ Clearwater International Airport has less flights but sometimes has better deals on flights. It is worth a look. You could also decide to drive. It is nice to have your own car, but consider the drive is anywhere from 15-18 hours depending on where you are from in the greater Philadelphia area.
There are a plethora of choices when deciding where to stay in the Clearwater area for those on a budget up to people who want a 5 star experience. The first question to ask yourself is, do I want to stay on Clearwater Beach, in the city of Clearwater, or somewhere nearby?
Clearwater Beach is a smaller busy beach town. Spring Training is prime season. So if you prefer the atmosphere and feel of an Ocean City, NJ for example, the beach is a great place to stay. You are only about 10 – 15 minutes from Spectrum Field and the town’s Jolley Trolley is the perfect way to get around without having to drive. The sunsets are some of the nicest in Florida and there is a plethora of restaurants and nightlife to make your evenings memorable.
When deciding where to stay in Clearwater Beach you have the choice of upscale hotels and casual not so upscale hotels. There is not much in the middle. I recommend the Hyatt Regency, Pier House 60, Edge Hotel, and Wyndam Grand. The Sandpearl and Sheppard’s are also nice but very touristy (even more so then the aforementioned). If you are on more of a budget, Barefoot Bay Resort and Marina, Palm Pavilion, and Coconut Cove are my suggestions. The better way to stay is by renting a condo, townhome, or house rental. These options are many times more affordable, provide the ability to cook for yourself, and many have a pool or hot tub. You can find Air B&B’s, use VRBO.com, or call your local Clearwater Realtor Bill Zeltman at 727-488-7423 to help you find the best option for you.
The city of Clearwater has a completely different feel from the beach. If you choose to stay there, it gives you easier access to visit Tampa, Saint Petersburg and the St Pete Beaches, and nearby Dunedin. Hotels in Clearwater will be markedly more affordable but the accommodations will match. The Clarion near the stadium has clean rooms and an active bar. They also host the Toronto Blue Jays that play in nearby Dunedin so you may meet some of their players. It is also across the street from legendary Lenny’s restaurant which we will review in our “Where to Eat” article. There are other affordable options in that area. Stay close to the stadium or on Gulf to Bay Blvd (Route 60) if staying in the city of Clearwater. Avoid down town.
Dunedin is a fabulous place to stay when you visit. In addition to being the Spring Training home of the Toronto Blue Jays, Dunedin has a plethora of shops, is close to the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, great breweries, and beautiful Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands. Dunedin’s downtown continues to get better and better and they have fun events every weekend. You can explore more of what Dunedin has to offer at https://tampabayisawesome.com/category/tampa-bay/dunedin/. There are a variety of hotels and motels in Dunedin but an Air B&B close to downtown will afford you the best experience.
Saint Petersburg and the beach towns of St Pete are excellent choices. They are between 20 and 30 minutes from the Phillies but downtown St Pete has so much going on. Central Avenue offers miles of bars, restaurants, and shopping with incredible nightlife. The area along Tampa Bay is absolutely amazing and the views are spectacular. The Vinoy Renaissance Hotel is absolutely beautiful. It is not for those on a budget, but if you can swing it, you will be thankful you did. There are many Air B&B and VRBO.com options in St Pete. Just stay close to downtown and scout the area if you can before choosing one.
The beach towns from Indian Rocks, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, etc are also great options. There are great restaurants, amazing sunset views, and plenty to do including visiting John’s Pass. Again, they are a bit of a drive to and from a Phillies game, but well worth the consideration for all they have to offer.
Tampa offers some great places to stay too. The Westshore area by the airport has all levels of hotels. Stay on Westshore Blvd or Lois Ave. The area has plenty of shopping and many sitings of ball players from the Phillies, Blue Jays, and nearby New York Yankees. Westshore is about a 30 minute ride to Carpenter Complex and Spectrum Field.
Downtown Tampa is an additional 15 minutes away but provides an awesome place to hang out when not at the game. If you are less of a beach person but still want a beautiful sunset while enjoying the feel of a city. Check out downtown Tampa. The new Riverwalk is incredible with miles of restaurants, bars, nightlife, and breathtaking views. Nearby Ybor City has more restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. Stay somewhere on the Riverwalk at a hotel. The Marriott Waterside and Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk are both highly recommended.
We hope you decide to visit the Phillies and the Tampa Bay Area. As a transplant from the Jersey Shore, I can tell you the area is absolutely gorgeous with 12 months of great weather. If you are considering real estate in the area, see the current homes listed at BrokerBillZ.com or call or text 727-488-7423.
Bill Zeltman is originally from the Jersey Shore but came to Tampa in 1990 to attend college. He is a licensed real estate broker and manages Realty One Group Beyond in Clearwater and has a license in Atlantic County, NJ. Call him with your real estate needs 727-488-7423 or visit BrokerBillZ.com.
Bill has been a Phillies fans his entire life. As an 8 year old he fell in love with baseball and the Phillies when they won the 1980 World Series. He has had season tickets most of his life and continues to be an avid fan. He has sat in the stands for many milestone games and events including Pete Rose passing Stan Musial as the National League all time hits leader, Steve Carlton becoming the all time strikeout leader, Joe Morgan’s 40th birthday where he hit 2 homeruns, the 1983 playoffs and World Series, the game where Al Holland became the Phillies single season leader in saves, the 26-7 drubbing of the Mets in 1985, Terry Mulholland and Kevin Millwood’s no hitters at Veteran’s Stadium, the game in May of 1989 when Steve Jeltz hit a homerun from both sides of the plate, the game where Steve Bedrosian became the Phillies single season saves leader, many of the great games of 1993 including the latest game in history where Mitch Williams won the second game of a double header at 4:43am, the last game at Veteran’s Stadium, many great games in 2008 including a 20 run game, the NL East clinching game, Jamie Moyer’s shutout making him the oldest pitcher in history to record a shutout, Roy Halladay’s no hitter in the 2010 NLDS, and a plethora of great games from 2007-2011.
Bill is from South Jersey and grew up right outside of Atlantic City. He now lives minutes from BayCare Ballpark in New Port Richey, FL. He played baseball avidly and collected autographs when he was younger. He has over 500 autographs in his collection. He enjoys golfing, the beach, boating, cooking, and of course baseball and the Phillies.
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