Stay & Play Vacation Rentals and Watersports Clearwater Beach

11/03/2026

October looked a little different down here ☀️🌊🤙

Big splashes, family adventures, and smiles that made picking our favorite photos nearly impossible! Thanks to everyone who spent a little of their October on the water with us 💙

Swipe through our favorites—which photo gets your vote? 📸👇

Ready to make your own memories? Book your next adventure through the link in our bio!

10/23/2026

Spooky season, beach edition 🎃 One week until Halloween!

Around here you can honestly have it all: trick-or-treat trails and pumpkin patches with the kids around Clearwater, Dunedin & St. Pete, costume parties at the beach bars after dark, and Tampa's big haunted events (Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream, ZooTampa's Creatures of the Night) just a short drive across the bay.

A few local tips before you plan:
🎃 Match the event to your crew's scare tolerance — official age recommendations beat the marketing photos
🎟️ Evening Halloween events usually need separate tickets (your daytime park ticket won't cut it)
🔥 Friday & Saturday nights sell out first — book timed-entry early
🏖️ Base yourself on Clearwater Beach: Gulf sunsets by day, spooky fun by night

Our full locals' guide to Halloween across Clearwater, St. Pete & Tampa 👉

10/19/2026

PSA for everyone watching the leaves change up north: the Gulf at Clearwater Beach is still around 79°F. 🌊☀️

October is one of the beach's best-kept secrets. The summer crowds and humidity are gone, but the water is still warm enough for long swims — and the water temp often matches the air temp, so there's zero shock when you wade in.

A few insider notes from our month-by-month water guide:
🌡️ October averages 79°F — locals call it "second summer"
🚤 It's the tail end of prime jet ski season (May–October is the sweet spot for warm water without the sweltering air)
🏄 October mornings are some of the calmest, glassiest paddling of the whole year
🐜 Dolphin sightings get even better as boat traffic thins out

Not up for a swim? The cooler months bring prime boat tours, fishing trips, and the best shelling of the year after winter cold fronts push treasures ashore.

We put together a full month-by-month water temperature guide — including the best months for swimming, jet skiing, dolphin tours, paddleboarding, and shelling — so you can plan your trip around the water, not just the weather.

👉 https://stayandplayclearwater.com/post/clearwater-beach-water-temperature-guide-2026

When's your favorite month on the Gulf? Drop it below 👇

The average water temperature in Clearwater Beach fluctuates throughout the year, peaking at 86°F in August and dropping to 62°F in January. For the most comfortable experience swimming or jet...

10/18/2026

They rode out on jet skis… and came back married! 💍🌊

Brooke and Daniel took one of our private jet ski tours out to an island with their pastor and one of our guides to say “I do!” 🥹

A first for us here at Idle Speed, and an adventure we’ll never forget. Congratulations, Brooke and Daniel! Thank you for letting us be part of your special day. 🤍

10/16/2026

Meet the locals you can't see from the beach 🐬

Clearwater Marine Aquarium isn't your typical tourist stop — it's a working marine hospital, just minutes from the sand, and one of our favorite insider picks on Island Estates.

Inside you'll find:
🐬 Resident dolphins Hope, Nicholas & Apollo carrying on Winter's legacy at the Ruth & J.O. Stone Dolphin Complex
🐢 Sea turtles — greens, loggerheads & Kemp's ridleys — recovering from boat strikes and cold stunning
🦜 Rufus, the famously charming Great White Pelican
🌊 A manatee rehabilitation center caring for Florida's gentle giants
✋ Stingray Beach, a touch tank where you can meet cownose rays up close

Local tips:
→ Arrive at 10 AM or come late afternoon — it's calmest then, and the dolphin complex lighting is gorgeous as the sun drops
→ Skip the parking hunt: the Jolley Trolley from the beach is cheap, scenic, and half the fun
→ Budget 3–4 hours, or make it a half-day with a behind-the-scenes tour

Rainy-day backup, family field trip, or a feel-good break from the sun — either way, your visit funds real rescue, rehab, and release work across the Gulf.

Plan your visit with our full guide: https://stayandplayclearwater.com/post/clearwater-marine-aquarium-travel-guide-2026

Which resident are you most excited to meet? Drop it in the comments 🌊

10/12/2026

Live music season is in full swing on Clearwater Beach! 🎶

The BayCare Sound October lineup still has three big nights ahead, and it all happens right downtown, minutes from the sand:

🎸 Tedeschi Trucks Band — Oct 13 (blues-rock powerhouse and one of the best live acts touring today)
🤠 Jake Owen — Oct 22 (country hits with a coastal vibe that feels right at home here)
🎂 CAKE — Oct 23 (alt-rock legends, dry humor and all)

Our favorite insider move: beach afternoon, waterfront dinner, then the show. Watch the sunset at Pier 60, grab dinner nearby, and stroll over to the venue. October weather is basically perfect for it.

We put together a full guide with the complete October lineup, a concert-night planning checklist, and tips on timing dinner and parking before the show.

Which show are you catching? 👇

BayCare Sound concerts in October 2026 give Clearwater visitors six standout live-music opportunities, from reggae and country to rock and blues. The October 4–23 lineup includes Ziggy Marley, Ty Myer...

10/10/2026

THIS WEEK IN CLEARWATER 🌴 Oct 11–17

Your weekly insider’s guide to what’s happening around the beach:

🎸 Sun 10/11 — Freedom Rocks: 38 Special, Marshall Tucker Band & Don Felder at The BayCare Sound (Clearwater)
🛍️ Sun 10/11 — Corey Avenue Sunday Market (St. Pete Beach) — FREE
🎵 Tue 10/13 — Tedeschi Trucks Band w/ Lukas Nelson at The BayCare Sound (Clearwater)
🧺 Tue 10/13 — Gulfport Tuesday Fresh Market (Gulfport) — FREE
🎷 Thu 10/15 — Clearwater Jazz Holiday Opening Night: Chris Botti at Coachman Park (Clearwater)
🎡 Thu 10/15 — OLL Fall Festival at Our Lady of Lourdes (Dunedin)
🎶 Fri 10/16 — Clearwater Jazz Holiday: Sheila E. + Arturo Sandoval at Coachman Park (Clearwater)
🎤 Fri 10/16 — Cavetown: Running With Scissors Tour at Jannus Live (St. Petersburg)

Save this post for your week, send it to your Clearwater crew, and follow Stay & Play Clearwater Beach | Vacation Rentals & Watersports for more local picks!

🌴☀️

10/06/2026

October has us feeling SPOOKY! 👻
We love spooky season and would love if you would join us for some scary fun jet skiing!

Friday and Saturday Oct 30th and 31st Our Jet skiing guides will be daunting their favorite Halloween costumes on tour! - Slots are still open! 🌊

Big thanks to Dracula, Frankenstein, The WWOTW & the Hex girls for collabing!

Don’t forget! October 30th and the 31st!!
🌴☀️