Make Clearwater Beach your holiday travel destination this Thanksgiving. Most of the country spends Thanksgiving indoors, watching the weather turn. Here, the hardest decision is whether to eat before or after the beach.
Late November on the Gulf is quietly the best travel window Florida has. Hurricane season is over, the Christmas crowds are yet to arrive, and the ocean water is still warm enough to enjoy a day at the beach.
Bring everyone. Our vacation rentals run from Clearwater Beach down to Treasure Island, and many of them are spacious enough for big family reunions. You’ll be thankful for the full kitchens and multi-bedroom properties keeping the entire family together this holiday.
Here is how to spend Thanksgiving in Clearwater Beach, no matter if you’re booking a table for your turkey dinner or cooking it yourself.
Why come now
Why Clearwater Beach Is a Good Place to Spend Thanksgiving
School’s out, work approved your vacation days, and now, you’re looking for a break from the changing weather. Clearwater Beach is a popular choice for travelers seeking warmer pastures.
Late November days sit in the upper 70s with low humidity and very little rain, which is the kind of warm that makes a beach walk after dinner feel obvious rather than ambitious.
Good weather without lots of crowds.
The timing helps just as much. Thanksgiving lands in the gap between the end of hurricane season and the December rush. You can expect good weather without lots of crowds.
If you are considering the season more broadly, our guide to the best time to visit Clearwater breaks the year down month by month.
What’s on
Thanksgiving 2026 Events in Clearwater Beach
Thanksgiving Day falls on November 26 in 2026. Here are some holiday events to look forward to in Clearwater Beach.
Achieva Clearwater Turkey Trot
- When
- November 26, 2026, from 7 am
- Where
- Clearwater High School (10 minutes from Clearwater Beach)
- Cost
- $25 to $45 to participate
You’ll earn your Thanksgiving meal after completing the annual Clearwater Turkey Trot. Join the early birds in the morning on the starting line for either the competitive 5K, the Fun Run 5K, which welcomes walkers and kids, or the 1-mile drum run.
All racers will get a finisher medal or digital certificate. Also, a commemorative t-shirt that comes with your registration. Runners must register in advance.
Sunsets at Pier 60
- When
- Nightly, weather permitting
- Where
- Pier 60
- Cost
- Free
The nightly celebration brings buskers, street performers and local artisans to the pier two hours before sundown. It’s a favorite for our guests, and a spontaneous plan appropriate for any night of your long weekend trip.
Check out our first-timer’s guide to Pier 60 for more information.
Thanksgiving Dining Cruise
- When
- November 26, 2026, sailings at noon, 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm
- Where
- Clearwater Beach Marina
- Cost
- Reservations required
Insider tip: take the 3:30 p.m. sailing. It puts you out on the water as the light goes gold, which is the best sunset view in Clearwater Beach.
Your Clearwater Beach vacation could land you a Thanksgiving Day experience aboard a yacht with a special holiday meal prepared by executive chefs.
Yacht StarShip hosts three two-hour Thanksgiving cruises out of the marina. Cruise the bay while digging into the Thanksgiving Day feast, then enjoy the complimentary house bar while being serenaded by the sounds of a live DJ.
Holiday tables
Where to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in Clearwater Beach
Visitors based in Clearwater Beach have lots of local restaurant options that offer special holiday menus as an alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving day meal at home.
Book early. These venues fill quick over the holiday, and you don’t want to miss their special Thanksgiving menus.
Opal Sands Resort
- Location
- 430 S Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater Beach
- Style
- Buffet with carving station
- Reservations
- Required
Opal Sands Resort‘s Thanksgiving buffet is served throughout the day. Choose from seasonal dishes and roasted turkey, porchetta, or strip loin cut-to-order at the carving station. A complimentary glass of champagne or Bloody Mary is included with each meal.
Latitude 28
- Location
- 691 S Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater Beach
- Style
- Three-course prix fixe
- Reservations
- Required
Latitude 28 takes your holiday to new heights. It serves up an elevated three-course menu with a choice of main dishes, sides and desserts. The restaurant can accommodate up to 8 visitors with a reservation, so it’s ideal for more intimate family dinners.
SHOR American Seafood Grill
- Location
- 301 S Gulfview Blvd Ste 105, Clearwater Beach
- Style
- Buffet, heavy on seafood
- Reservations
- Required
SHOR Seafood Grill makes the holiday feel special. It caters to fresh seafood lovers with its elaborate holiday buffet featuring crab legs, hand-rolled sushi, jumbo Gulf shrimp, and cold-water oysters.
This is the most seafood-forward option on the beach, but you can still expect Thanksgiving classics like carved turkey and beef tenderloin.
Columbia Restaurant at Sand Key
- Location
- 1241 Gulf Blvd, Sand Key
- Style
- Spanish and Cuban, à la carte plus a holiday menu
- Reservations
- Recommended
Thanksgiving dinner at Columbia Restaurant has been a tradition for more than 120 years, which is a fitting claim for Florida’s oldest restaurant. The holiday meal special comes with an entree and housemade sides using the family’s recipes.
If you’d rather eat at your vacation rental, they offer a prepackaged Thanksgiving dinner takeout that feeds up to 10 people. Order in advance, pick it up the day before Thanksgiving, then just heat everything up for an effortlessly delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
Bob Heilman’s Beachcomber
- Location
- 447 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater Beach
- Style
- Classic American, à la carte
- Reservations
- Recommended
This restaurant has been serving Thanksgiving dinner for decades, so it knows how to get you stuffed for the holiday. The special holiday menu covers everything from appetizers to a Turkey entree. Save room to try the pumpkin pie baked in-house.
For the rest of the year, our roundups of the best breakfast spots and best restaurants in Clearwater Beach cover where to eat for the rest of your trip.
Your kitchen, your rules
Cooking Your Own Thanksgiving in a Rental Kitchen
Some travelers prefer vacation rentals for their Thanksgiving Day accommodation because they have the option of preparing their holiday meal right at home. Pack your recipes because our vacation rentals feature full kitchens with enough space to serve everyone.
Do the big grocery run early
If you’re preparing in advance to cook your own meal, we highly recommend you shop on Tuesday or Wednesday. The Publix at Island Village on Island Way is the closest grocery to the beach and your vacation rental. Keep in mind that Publix closes on Thanksgiving Day itself, so get all the ingredients you need before.
The long weekend
Other Things to Do Over Thanksgiving Weekend
There’s plenty to get up to in Clearwater Beach over Thanksgiving weekend. Here are a few ideas to get you started; you can find more in our full list of things to do in Clearwater Beach.
Spend a Morning at the Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescues dolphins and sea turtles and rehabilites them. It’s a fascinating place for kids, with interactive activities to help them learn about marine conservation.
Skip Black Friday for the Beach
Trading the mall for the sand is the easiest win of the weekend. The beach tends to be unusually quiet on the Friday morning while everyone else is shopping.
Visit to Sand Key Park
Ten minutes south, Sand Key Park is wider, calmer, and far less busy than the main beach, with picnic pavilions and a dog park at the north end.
Get Out on the Water
Dolphin tours, sightseeing cruises, and fishing charters all run over the holiday weekend out of the marina. Book a day or two ahead, since demand is higher over Thanksgiving.
Let’s plan it
Ready to Spend Thanksgiving in Clearwater Beach?
Experience Thanksgiving in Clearwater Beach, where you can enjoy your traditional turkey dinner alongside beautiful views of the Gulf. It’s a family-friendly destination with Thanksgiving rooted in a lot of the local family-owned businesses.
Browse our vacation rentals in Clearwater Beach, find one with a kitchen you would happily cook a holiday meal in, and book before the snowbirds do.
See you on the sand.