Indian Rocks Beach
Indian Rocks Beach, FL

Indian Rocks Beach has more public beach access parks, 27 of them, than any other barrier island town in Pinellas County, a legacy of the town keeping its shoreline genuinely open rather than lined with resort towers. It's a quieter alternative to Clearwater Beach a few miles north, with a similar wide stretch of Gulf sand.
The sheer number of access points makes it one of the easier Pinellas beach towns to actually get to the sand, though new paid parking is a real change locals are still adjusting to.
How we score beachesPaid parking now runs 4.50 dollars an hour at access points, enforced daily from 8am to 10pm, but free parking is still available on most side streets a short walk from the sand. Look for the numbered access parks, each has its own small lot and a straightforward path to the beach.
Beach access points charge 4.50 dollars an hour, 8am to 10pm daily; free parking is often available on side streets nearby.
Each numbered access park has a short, flat path from its lot to the beach.
Dogs generally aren't allowed on the main beach.
Winter and spring bring the mildest weather and the biggest snowbird crowds to this stretch of the Gulf coast. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, bring the warmest water and afternoon storms.
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