Community Corner

What's the Best Beach in the Tampa Bay Area?

From Caladesi Island to Siesta Key, there are plenty of renowned beaches just a day trip away.

With Memorial Day weekend and its rising gas prices on the horizon, we're in luck: There are plenty of celebrated beaches within a one-tank trip of the Tampa Bay area.

Which local beach is your favorite? Maybe it's Siesta Key, named best beach in the U.S. in 2011. Farther north, Fort De Soto beach and Caladesi Island took top honors in 2005 and 2008. Or maybe you prefer Anna Maria Island, St. Pete Beach or Clearwater Beach, which are perennial vacation favorites.

Here's a rundown of some of the most popular coastal destinations in the greater Bay area — just follow the links below for directions and information.

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Cast your vote for your favorite beach in the poll below. Did we miss your favorite? Please let us know in the comments.

About Readers' Choice: Voting is open from 9 a.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Friday. Any ties will be broken based on reader comments and reviews. Poll choices represent a sampling of local attractions and are not intended to be all-inclusive. For more local Memorial Day attractions, click on the "Events" tab at the top of the page.

Find out what's happening in Clearwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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