Pier 60 in Clearwater, Florida is not your average pier. Like most other Florida piers, Pier 60 is a great place to sit and watch the boats go by, do a little fishing or enjoy a picnic lunch; but when the sun starts to set, Pier 60 turns into a nightly carnival that offers fun for the whole family. Sunsets at Pier 60 [http://www.sunsetsatpier60.com/] are a unique experience that entices vacationers to leave their comfortable Clearwater beach rentals and venture into the charming town of Clearwater, Florida to share the fun.

Located on world-famous Clearwater Beach, Pier 60 is Clearwater’s beachfront hub for entertainment, fine dining, great fishing and spectacular sunset views. Every day from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (weather permitting), Clearwater, Florida vacationers and residents head to the pier to watch the sunset – and the people. Crafters, artisans, street performers and musicians crowd the pier, providing a wonderfully eclectic mix of homegrown entertainment.

The delightful nightly festival offers a little something for everyone in the family. From toddlers to grandparents, the whole family will enjoy the impromptu performances put on by a rotating schedule of talented buskers. The antics of Clearwater’s renowned street performers will amaze and thrill, sending you home to your Clearwater rentals happy and smiling.

New performers and live musical groups ensure that every night at Pier 60 is a new and exciting experience. Schedule at least one family visit to Pier 60 on a Friday or Saturday night when free outdoor movies are shown on a jumbo screen. Bring a few blankets, pick up some popcorn and soda (available on the pier), and enjoy an evening on the beach!

Book affordable vacation rentals in Clearwater on iTrip.net now.

Clearwater, Florida attracts visitors due to its excellent beaches but the area also has numerous interesting and fun attractions such as historic buildings, nature areas and theme parks. People staying in Clearwater rentals have easy access to many of the area’s top attractions.

Take the family to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a natural attraction, and check out the loggerhead sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, local fish, river otters, mangroves, coral reefs and more.  

Sunsets at Pier 60, a nightly street festival on Clearwater’s popular fishing pier, provides a great time. Celebrate the setting of the sun, enjoy the musical entertainment and check out the arts & crafts. The pier is within easy reach of iTrip.net’s Clearwater vacation rentals.

StarLite Majesty Dining Yacht, a modern 115-foot ship, provides day and evening fine dining cruises six days a week. The large picture windows provide guests wonderful views as the ship cruises the beautiful inland waters of Florida’s gulf coast. Have some delicious food while enjoying live entertainment. The boat accommodates up to 280 passengers for dining and up to 350 for a cocktail function.

The nearby Adventure Island has 30 acres of water-drenched fun in the sun. The place combines high speed thrills and tranquil tropical surroundings. Adventure Island is a fun place for all ages. Have a great time on the slides, corkscrews, and in the wave pool. Kids have a great time in the children’s water playground. Have a tasty lunch at one of the outdoor cafes.

Enjoy and take plenty of pictures!

Our beach vacation rentals are available in a number of different coastal locations to allow you to choose your favorite, or to become a beach connoisseur by experiencing every type of coastline that North and Central America have to offer.

In the Northeast, Delaware Shores and Maryland’s Ocean City give you miles of beautiful Atlantic beaches as well as one of the country’s top boardwalks. The Atlantic Ocean on the Delaware and Maryland coasts offer some of the best recreational opportunities available — swimming, sunbathing, surf fishing, boating, deep sea fishing, surfing, skimboarding, dolphin watching, beachcombing, a relaxing walk. The ocean warms up to swimmable temperatures in May and remains warm enough to swim in as late as October. 

In South Carolina, vacation rentals in Charleston and North Myrtle Beach offer Southern hospitality and powdery sands. Exciting activities for the entire family include miniature golf parks, water sports, seaside amusement parks, theatres and of course the dance craze that was born in North Myrtle’s Ocean Drive, The Shag!

Along the Gulf of Mexico, in Alabama and Florida, we have Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, as well as Perdido Key, South Walton, Panama City, and Destin.  The Emerald Coast has sugary soft sand and mesmerizing green waters, as well as environmentally certified clean beaches. Further south, we offer vacation rentals around the award-winning St. Petersburg and Clearwater beaches, too.  

Going even further south into Central America, experience the exotic in vacation rentals in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Then, on your way up the West Coast, stop in Mexico’s Baja California and visit Cabo San Lucas.  And as you travel up past San Diego toward Los Angeles, you can experience the warmth and glamour of Southern California beaches with vacation rentals in Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. 

Let iTrip.net help you and your family become beach connoisseurs!

This week iTrip.net is featuring its 923 Victoria Palms condo, located in a gated community near Clearwater, Florida. The one bed room, one bath condo is an excellent long term rental. Enjoy some of the country’s best beaches for an extended period of time. Due to excellent fishing opportunities, Clearwater rentals are also great accommodations for anglers.

Spend time relaxing at the area pool or in the spacious main room, which has plenty of window space. The walls have a pleasant, relaxing color. The condo has air conditioning, new hard wood floors, brand new appliances and new light fixtures and ceiling fans. After a day of fun prepare a tasty meal in the kitchenette. The kitchenette also includes a dishwasher. It’s a great condo for people looking for a quiet location with privacy. You can bring your dog or cat with you.

Clearwater vacation rentals are within easy reach of the area’s great beaches. Caladesi Island State Part is continually rated among the world’s best beaches. Also, a scenic mile long stretch of Edgewater Drive south of downtown Dunedin provides great views of Clearwater Beach, St. Joseph Sound and Caladesi Island.

Nearby Dunedin, has small town charm and the amenities of the region’s larger cities. The city has restaurants, shops, bars and pubs, art galleries, boutiques and antiques stores. Have a quite dinner for two or get involved in exciting nightlife in downtown Dunedin. Every year the downtown area hosts parades, art and crafts festivals, farmers markets and other events. Also, golf enthusiasts enjoy playing golf at the Dunedin Country Club.

Look at photographs, pricing and availability of iTrip’s Victoria Palms condo. Have fun in Clearwater, Florida!

Photo compliments of HuntFishGuide.com

Surprise your Dad on Father’s Day with a fantastic fishing vacation at Clearwater Beach, Florida! With 400 miles of shoreline, the area also offers some of the nation’s best beaches. Clearwater Florida rental cottages and Clearwater Beach condos are popular with anglers and those who enjoy great beaches. Besides excellent saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing is also available. There’s plenty of quality charter fishing boats to choose from in Clearwater. Tarpon is regarded as Florida’s #1 game fish. Your dad just might hook a seven foot, 150 pound fish! Other game fish in the region include: 

• Sailfish
• Cobia
• Grey Snapper
• Barracuda
• Kingfish
• Greater Amberjack
• Red Snapper
• Red Grouper

Pier 60 Clearwater Beach is a favorite among anglers. Spanish mackerel, Red drum, snook and speckled trout are caught from the pier. There’s a small fee to fish. Beautiful white sand beaches are nearby.

The popular Clearwater Marina provides fishing charters and a free fishing pier.

Clearwater Beach Recreational Center, a popular waterfront park, offers great beachfront fishing and a boat launch.

Your Dad can try surf fishing at the popular Sand Key Bayside Park. The park also has one of the area’s best beaches.

Florida fishing vacations aren’t just for saltwater anglers. If your Dad enjoys fresh water fishing, an enjoyable day is available at Ross Norton Recreational Complex.

Crest Lake Park is a popular place to fish.

A Florida fishing vacation isn’t complete without beach fishing at Caladesi State Park. Spotted sea trout are caught year round. It also has one of the nation’s best natural beaches.

You can give your Dad a coffee mug or make it a memorable Father’s Day with a fishing vacation at one of the delightful Clearwater Florida condos!

Why not spend Memorial Day weekend in sunny Florida?

In the Tampa Bay area, Clearwater or St. Petersburg rentals can help you celebrate freedom at the Freedom Fest happening all weekend long in Oldsmar. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will be launching their new roller coaster, Cheetah Hunt, on Memorial Day weekend and across the street you’ll find fun at the Adventure Island water park.

If you prefer the beach, Tampa Bay has some of the country’s best beaches. There’s

Honeymoon and Caledesi Island in Dunedin, Fort De Soto park at the entrance to Tampa Bay, and John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk in Madeira Beach. They’ve got a shopping village, beach access, dolphin watching tours and fishing charters.

On Memorial Day itself, pay homage at The Armed Forces Museum in Largo. Their annual Memorial Day event will be held from 10 to 5. Or enjoy a perk of being armed forces personnel, (active duty or retired), and get free admission to the Lowry Park Zoo, one of the top 10 zoos in the country.

You will love our Orlando vacation homes which will give you access to Disney World and all the great theme parks in the area. There are plenty of natural wonders too–like Lake Eola Park, located right in the heart of the city, with an amphitheatre, a view of the Orlando skyline, and on Sundays, a farmers market. There’s also the University of Central Florida Arboretum where you can see 600 or so plant species and at least eight ecosystems, including the Swamp Habitat. Stroll or bicycle around the lake, or try out disc golf. On Memorial Day, see the parade in nearby Sanford and observe the holiday tribute at the Veteran’s Memorial Park on the waterfront, with the 21-gun salute and a fly-over by the Sheriff’s office.

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend right by booking St. Petersburg rentals, Orlando vacation homes or Clearwater Florida condos.

Clearwater, Florida is a top family vacation destination. Protected by barrier islands, Clearwater’s sandy beaches provide a delightful place for families to play and swim. A captivating combination of old Florida charm and modern energy, the Clearwater area offers an exciting mix of family-friendly activities. Next door to Tampa/St. Pete and a short drive to Orlando, a charming Clearwater beach condo, or delightful Clearwater Florida rental cottage makes a perfect home base for exploring the many family-pleasing attractions of Central Florida and Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Don’t miss these top 5 family-friendly Clearwater, FL activities:

There are many beautiful beaches in the Clearwater area, but lifeguard-protected Clearwater Beach is a family favorite. Soft white sand is perfect for building sand castles, while calm, warm waters invite families to frolic in the ocean. A children’s park and sand volleyball courts are located right on the beach. Pack a picnic lunch or indulge in the treats at the concession stand.

1. Sunset at Pier 60 is the place to go for fishing, dining, shopping and entertainment all day long; but something magical happens at sunset when the pier is transformed into a nightly festival. Musicians, artists, crafters, magicians, vendors and jugglers crowd the pier, entertaining families as they enjoy an après dinner stroll.
2. Dolphin watching cruises are a family-pleaser. A harbor cruise on the tugboat Little Toot will delight younger children. Kai Lani Catamaran lets older kids get close to these friendly marine mammals. The double-deck Clearwater Express offers a comfortable cruise that blends dolphin watching with sight-seeing.
3. Introduce your children to Clearwater’s marine and animal residents at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. This non-profit rescue, rehabilitation and research facility features dolphins, stingrays, sea turtles, otters and more.
4. Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise is swashbuckling fun, especially for kindergarten to middle school-age children. Pirate hats, face paint, water pistol battles and a treasure hunt are just part of the fun.

Find the perfect Clearwater beach condo or Clearwater Florida rental cottage at iTrip.net!

TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site, just announced the winners of its inaugural 2011 Travelers’ Choice® Beaches awards. Top beach spots were named in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Mexico, and Central and South America. iTrip.net features three of the top 10 destinations, including North Myrtle Beach, Panama City Beach and Clearwater.

When people think of beaches in the U.S., expectations may have them guessing that California or Florida might hold the honors of the top rated beaches, but it’s actually Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that was named number 1 in the list of the Top 25 Beaches in the United States.

The Trip Advisor list explains, “Myrtle Beach boasts some of the best beaches on America’s East Coast, which are distinguished by panoramic views of the Atlantic, calm waters and soft white sand. Ideal for swimming and sunbathing, Myrtle Beach also offers plenty of family attractions, making it perfect for beach-lovers with kids.”

While Florida does hold six of the top ten spots, including Panama City Beach at number 3 and Clearwater at number 6, California makes a couple of appearances while other states like New Jersey, Hawaii, Virginia, Maine, Massachusetts, Delaware and Texas have their own representations in the Top 25. 

Unlike any other honors, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from travelers around the world.

On the list of the Top 25 Beaches in the World, Myrtle Beach comes in sixth behind such world-renowned vacation spots as the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Philippines, Aruba, Jamaica and Mexico.

Want to find out more about Myrtle Beach, Panama City Beach and Clearwater? iTrip.net offers great Panama City Beach rentals and Clearwater, Florida condos.

A trip to the Bay Area Renaissance Festival near Clearwater, Florida is a step back in history to another time and place when knights in shining armor jousted to win the attention of fair maidens. Lords and ladies in period costume stroll the grounds of a recreated English village of the early 1500s while street performers delight visitors with juggling feats, bards recite stories set in rhyme, minstrels sing randy ballads, and a sword fight breaks out from time to time. It’s all part of the fun at the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through April 17, rain or shine. The weekend only event is being held on the MOSI grounds at 11315 46th Street North in Tampa, Florida.

Just a short drive from your Clearwater vacation rental, the Bay Area Renaissance Festival is an experience like no other. Visitors are invited to dress in costume (typical vacation garb is equally acceptable) and join the family-centered fun. Exchange banter with the eccentric residents of the Village of Fittleworth, have your fortune read by a mysterious gypsy or browse shops filled with exotic wares made by gifted artisans. You won’t want to miss the human combat chess match, but the highlight of each day is the live armored jousting presided over by the King and Queen of the festival.

No visit to the Bay Area Renaissance Festival would be complete without a roasted turkey leg washed down with a mug of mead, although Clearwater vacationers will also find plenty of more traditional fare to delight their palates. Just before you leave Merrie Olde England to return to your 21st century Clearwater vacation rental, stop by the sweet shop for a few gourmet goodies to take home. They’ll make a tasty addition to you next beach picnic.

Find the perfect Clearwater vacation rental today at iTrip.net!

Clearwater, Florida, is a favorite vacation destination for a number of reasons.  The primary reason that people flock to this quiet town is that the beautiful, white sandy beaches are some of the most beautiful in the entire country.

Clearwater is an ideal resort town for anyone looking for relaxing fun in the sun, but you will find a lot more than just beaches in this city off the Gulf.  Pier 60, located smack dab in the middle of Clearwater, serves as an impromptu stage for a host of outdoor activities and live bands throughout the year and is one of the prime places to take in an incredible Florida sunset.  If you’re a sporting type, Pier 60 also offers some of the finest land based fishing in the area. 

Clearwater also gives visitors the opportunity to experience wonderful food, excellent shopping and easily accessible trails for hiking, biking and skating.  View Clearwater vacation rentals and Clearwater Condos.

At any time of the year, visitors of all ages who come to Clearwater will have the experience of a lifetime, but the beginning of the year holds an extra special attraction for sports lovers.  Beginning in the middle of February, Clearwater, Florida, is the spring training home to the National League Eastern Champion Philadelphia Phillies. 

Those of you who can’t wait until the dog days of summer to catch a live game can enjoy a Spring Training game as part of your late winter/early spring Florida getaway.  The Phillies aren’t the only team to make Florida its spring training home either. The New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays are all just a hop, skip or jump away in neighboring Florida towns.  This lets baseball lovers and their families escape the winter blues and turn a sunny Florida spring break into a true summertime experience.

Even if you’re not a sports fanatic, Clearwater vacations are perfect for you. Enjoy fun, sun and sparkling waters! Find a Clearwater vacation rental and Clearwater condo today.