Sheraton Sand Key: Peaceful Sugar-Sand Beach Close to Clearwater

By Lauren Tjaden

The Sheraton Sand Key is so close-- and yet so far -- from the action. That’s the beauty of it.

Sure. You’re longing for a beach with vast sweeps of empty sand, where you can throw down your beach towel without fear of jostling a neighbor.

A getaway where you’re not tiptoeing around sunscreen-smeared bodies on the way to the water.

Your wish list includes emerald-colored water where the surf gently tickles the shore.
 

Of course you want a great pool.
 

The water should sparkle. A few palm trees wouldn’t hurt.
 

The room should be comfy, and it should have a view.
 

It would be great if you could watch the sunset from your room, if you want.
 

The staff should be eager to please. And those annoying resort and parking fees shouldn’t exist.

But here’s the kicker. You also want a destination that offers restaurants, shops, and a cute town to explore. A destination with activities you’ve never tried—perhaps soaring the sky in a parasail, bouncing across the surf on a jet ski, or taking a cruise where dolphins play in the wake of your boat.
 

It can be challenging to find both things, but the Sheraton Sand Key has cleverly solved that dilemma. Snuggled against the turquoise, placid waters of Florida's gulf coast on Sand Key, the resort’s just a short mile away from action-packed Clearwater Beach, across the bridge that spans the harbor. The Sheraton’s right next to beautiful Sand Key Park.
 

That means you can savor toes-in-the-sand seafood at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, famous for its Grouper and its She-crab soup.
 

You can partake in a sunset celebration at Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach, a nightly celebration that includes street performers.
 

Your whole gang can see Winter-the-Dolphin, star of the movie ‘Dolphin tale,’ at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
 

You can enjoy watersports, take a ride on the ‘pirate ship,’ or go parasailing.
 

You can even ditch the car keys entirely if you’d like, thanks to the Jolley Trolley.
 

And the best part is you can have all that without giving up the soul-soothing beach.
 

When you go:

Sheraton Sand Key Resort
1160 Gulf Blvd.
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
727-595-1611