Hi there!
So you want to do a Florida road trip driving from Miami to Clearwater FL!
How long is the drive from Miami to Clearwater?
Driving directly, it might take around 4.5 hours of driving time from Miami to Clearwater.
Explore the map.
So Miami is not too incredibly far from Clearwater, and it’s doable to drive from Miami to Clearwater in one day.
And if you want to make a stop or 2 on your way to Clearwater, there are some things to do along the way!
Or you can take a few days to get from Miami to Clearwater!
Below will show some ideas of stops you can make as you make the drive to Clearwater if you want to take your time!
Alligators between Miami and Clearwater
There is an area between Miami and Clearwater that can be one of the best places in Florida to see alligators.
So if you want a chance to see alligators, then you have a few places you can go!
But, emphasis on CHANCE!
Alligators are wild and they do what they want when they want!
There’s no guarantee to see them.
And, don’t feed the alligators!
While alligator attacks do happen, alligators are generally not interested in people.
It requires everyone’s help to keep it that way.
Feeding alligators is a way for alligators to become more comfortable with humans… and to learn to approach you (and other humans) for food!
And then alligators can become even more dangerous to humans!
When you see alligators, just observe!
Try not to do anything that would cause them to change their behavior.
See below for a potential driving route from Miami to Clearwater!
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What is there to see between Miami and Clearwater?
Explore the map.
1. Miami
If you won’t be staying in Miami long and you’re wondering the ONE spot in Miami you should go before you start driving to Clearwater, then you can go to South Pointe!
See more about planning your drive from Miami to Clearwater:
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
2. Everglades National Park
And now, really starting the drive to Clearwater, next up you can go to Everglades National Park!
Everglades National Park is the most popular national park in Florida.
You can consider Everglades National Park to have the Miami side (Atlantic side) and the Clearwater side (Gulf side).
All land-based activities in Everglades National Park that you can drive to are on the Miami side. (You can also pass by the gulf side later, so more on that in a bit!)
One of the best places to see alligators in Florida is in Everglades National Park.
Everglades National Park is known for alligators, wetlands, and airboats.
You can experience all 3 with just one day in Everglades National Park!
You might even be able to experience all 3 with just a few hours.
But again, there’s no guarantee to see alligators!
As you start your drive to Clearwater from Miami, you can take the route to drive on US-41 Tamiami Trail.
You will pass several spots where you can do an Everglades airboat tour.
As you continue your drive, you will come across a turn-off for Shark Valley.
Shark Valley is one of the best places to see alligators in Everglades National Park by tram, by bike, or even by foot!
One of the best places to see crocodiles in Florida is also Everglades National Park!
That will require a bit (a lot) of a detour from going directly to Clearwater, as the spot to (maybe!) see crocodiles in an area called Flamingo in the Everglades that’s located pretty far out of the way.
If you want to go there, you will want to go there before you really start driving to Clearwater. (aka before you start driving Tamiami Trail.)
This will add in 2 hours of driving time to make this detour. (That is the total detour drive time that will take you off the route and then back on.)
That doesn’t include the actual time in Flamingo looking for crocodiles, which could be as little as 15 minutes, or you might want to walk around the Flamingo Marina longer looking for both crocodiles and manatees!
And then again, there is no guarantee that you will see crocodiles.
See more about planning your drive from Miami to Clearwater:
- Things to do in Everglades National Park
- How to spend one day in Everglades National Park
- Where to see alligators in Everglades National Park
- Where to see crocodiles in Everglades National Park
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Flamingo campground (tent camping, RV camping)
- Flamingo Everglades eco-tent camping
- Long Pine Key campground (tent camping, RV camping)
- How to make Everglades National Park camping reservations
3. Tamiami Trail
If you decide to go to Shark Valley in Everglades National Park on your way to Clearwater, then you will end up on the Tamiami Trail.
But the best of the Tamiami Trail is yet to come!
One of the best places to see alligators in Florida is along the Tamiami Trail!
There are several stops along the Tamiami Trail that you can make for a chance to see alligators. (Again, alligators are wild and there’s never any guarantee to see them!)
Along with Everglades National Park, these stops are located in Big Cypress National Preserve and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park.
If you are looking to make just ONE stop with the best chance to see alligators, you will want to stop at the Oasis Visitor Center in Big Cypress National Preserve.
The Oasis Visitor Center is one of the best places that I’ve seen tons of alligators in Florida.
The alligators are so close to the Tamiami Trail that you can actually see the cars driving along the Tamiami Trail as you are looking at the alligators!
So the alligators are pretty much laying right along the Tamiami Trail.
See more about planning your drive from Miami to Clearwater:
4. Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades National Park
The best way to experience the Ten Thousand Islands can be through a boat tour!
On the gulf side of Everglades National Park is where you will find the Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
You will not actually be within the Everglades National Park boundary by going to this visitor center.
Instead, the way to experience this gulf coast side of Everglades National Park is by water.
You can do the Ten Thousand Islands boat tour that starts from the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
You have a chance to see dolphins and manatees on an Everglades National Park boat tour in the Ten Thousand Islands.
You’ll want to book ahead as these boat tours can sell out. You can book through Everglades Florida Adventures.
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Midway Campground (Tamiami Trail)
- More Big Cypress National Preserve campgrounds
- How to make Big Cypress National Preserve camping reservations
5. Marco Island
If you want to add in a beach stop before you get to Clearwater, there is Marco Island that you can stop off at!
Along with Miami and Clearwater, Marco Island is a famous beach destination in Florida.
To get you started, the 2 main public beaches on Marco Island are South Beach and Tigertail Beach.
You will probably have an easier time with parking at Tigertail Beach.
Tigertail Beach is known as the best shelling beach on Marco Island, although you can look for shells along any Marco Island beach.
It’s also known for the lagoon water crossing to get to the beach, although there is also an alternative walking route that is not so bad.
If you want to walk normally to the beach, you’ll want to park at the far end of the parking lot as far as you can drive, and then start walking from there.
Then, after a few minutes of walking, you see a wide expansive white sand beach of Marco Island!
It’s possible you might walk around 10 minutes from your parking spot to where you want to set up camp on the beach.
If you will be making it to Marco Island around sunset time, be sure to catch a Marco Island sunset!
See more about planning your drive from Miami to Clearwater:
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Collier-Seminole State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Collier-Seminole State Park
6. Sanibel Island
Another option for a beach stop before you get to Clearwater is Sanibel Island.
But Sanibel Island is not just any beach stop.
Sanibel Island is known as one of the best spots for shelling in Florida.
And even more than that, Sanibel Island beaches are known for being the best beaches for shelling in all of the United States!
You can go to any of the beaches on Sanibel Island and you will find shells.
Along the shoreline, you can find tons of small shells, and the more you look, the greater your chances are for finding different types of shells!
To get you started, you likely will not be disappointed if you make Bowmans Beach your one and only Sanibel Island shelling beach to visit!
And there is also Captiva Island for beaches and shelling!
You can get from Sanibel Island to Captiva Island by driving across a small bridge.
Plus you might make some bird sightings!
There is a toll for driving the bridge to Sanibel Island. See current fees under Sanibel toll plaza.
The Sanibel Island beach parking fee is hourly. See current fees.
And then once you pass that toll bridge, as you are driving along the Sanibel Causeway to get to Sanibel Island.
You will soon see places that you can stop along the bridge.
You can make this a picnic stop or just stop to take in the views!
It’s a part of the Causeway Islands Park, and it’s located directly along the road.
See more about planning your drive from Miami to Clearwater:
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Koreshan State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Koreshan State Park
7. Cayo Costa State Park
Cayo Costa State Park is on an island in Florida.
To go to Cayo Costa State Park, you’ll need to leave the car behind!
That’s because the way to get to Cayo Costa State Park is by boat!
You can make it a day trip to Cayo Costa State Park, or if you’ve got some time to spare, you can make it a night (or more!) on the island of Cayo Costa!
This will be a mostly rustic stay!
There are no traditional accommodations like hotels or resorts.
Instead, you can get an epic island tent camping experience in Florida.
Or you can get a rustic cabin experience in Florida!
Either way, it’s pretty much bring your own everything!
There’s a small store on the island, but it’s not much to depend on.
So it will require a bit of an effort in the form of planning a trip to Cayo Costa, but no matter how you choose to stay on Cayo Costa, you will be just a few minutes walk from the beach!
Is there a lot to do on Cayo Costa island? No, not really. Your time will be spent at the beach or walking around the island on the beach… or in search of another beach!
And you can watch an epic sunset!
You can also look for shells.
The “real Florida” as the people of Florida state parks like to say! It’s a quiet Florida island experience!
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Cayo Costa State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Cayo Costa State Park
8. Myakka River State Park
Now you will be driving a little inland if you want to make a stop at Myakka River State Park before you get to Clearwater.
You’ll be a little over an hour from Clearwater. So you can also save this as a day trip from Clearwater on another day.
You can make it a stop here if you’re looking for a pleasant nature stop with lots of green.
It can be a scenic drive through Myakka River State Park.
Myakka River State Park is also known for the canopy walk.
You’ll walk across a bridge that’s suspended in air, and then continue climbing the stairs up the tower for views above the trees.
There is also a spot in Myakka River State Park that’s known for alligator sightings.
When you come across the bridge, make a stop to see if you can spot some alligators!
Plus you might make some bird sightings!
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Myakka River State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Myakka River State Park
9. Siesta Key
Siesta Key is an island that you can stop by before you get to Clearwater.
Along with Miami and Clearwater, Siesta Key is one of the most popular beach destinations in Florida.
You’ll be a little over an hour from Clearwater. So you can also save this as a day trip from Clearwater on another day.
At one end of Siesta Key is the famous Siesta Key beach that is Siesta Beach.
This is where you’ll find an amazing white sand beach with a wide stretch of sand.
On the other end of Siesta Key is the quieter end, and it’s where you’ll find Turtle Beach… along with the Turtle Beach campground! If you want to go camping on Siesta Key, the Turtle Beach campground is it!
There is a direct path from the campground to the beach, so your campsite will just be a few minutes walk from being able to see the amazing Gulf coast.
I also saw dolphins swimming along the shoreline from Turtle Beach!
You need to get lucky in order to find camping availability, as campsites get booked up pretty much as soon as they are available months in advance. But people do cancel.
Camping between Miami and Clearwater:
- Turtle Beach campground (Siesta Key)
- How to make reservations for Turtle Beach campground
10. Lido Key
Well, staying in the Clearwater area means that you have lots of islands and beaches to choose from… including Clearwater Beach of course!
If you want to explore more gulf coast beaches, yet another amazing beach you can also choose to go to on your way to Clearwater is Lido Key.
Or you can make it a day trip from Clearwater.
Lido Key is a little over an hour from Clearwater.
You’ll pass through St Armands Circle on your way to Lido Key where you will find lots of restaurants and shops.
11. Tampa
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is an icon of Tampa Bay.
It can be reasonable to set your route so that you drive across the Skyway Bridge as you drive to Clearwater!
And, there are a few rest areas around that you can stop at too in order to take in the views of Tampa Bay.
12. Clearwater
And you’ve made it to Clearwater!!!
And that’s a bit about some stops you can make driving from Miami to Clearwater!
More for your Florida road trip:
HAPPY DRIVING TO CLEARWATER FROM MIAMI!
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