02/22/2013
TripAdvisor Names Area Beaches Best in U.S., World for 2013 - Caladesi, Pass-A-Grille, Clearwater Among Best in U.S.; Fort De Soto in World's Best
St. Pete/Clearwater, FL (February 22, 2013) - TripAdvisor honored St. Petersburg/Clearwater this week by naming four of its beaches some of the best in the U.S. for 2013.
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The newly published TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Awards of Top 25 U.S. Beaches lists FOUR St. Pete/Clearwater area beaches, including Fort De Soto Park, which was also featured on its coveted list of Top 25 Beaches in the World - accolades that are unrivaled in Florida or the U.S.
Tierra Verde's Fort De Soto Park ---which was named 4th Best Beach in the U.S. and the 20th Best Beach in the World---was the clear local favorite of judges, who labeled it "fantastic," citing the many different areas the 1,100-acre Pinellas County park offers over five interconnected islands.
Dunedin's Caladesi Island State Park ( #12) was honored for its shells and mangroves---as well as its "away from the crowd" location---and Pass-A-Grille ( #15), at the southern tip of St. Pete Beach, was recognized for its beach, boutique shops and food. Clearwater Beach ( #18), which just last month earned the title of "Florida's Best Beach Town" in a USA TODAY reader's poll, was again honored as one of the best white-sand beaches by TripAdvisor.
"Our beaches have been recognized around the world for everything from sand quality to family-friendliness to environmental management," said Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Executive Director DT Minich. "But to have four area beaches recognized simultaneously by TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice emphasizes the stunning diversity and depth of our offerings---from pristine island getaways and sprawling state and county parks to high-energy resort-area beaches, our area really does have it all."
The Travelers' Choice Beaches Awards are based entirely on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings for beaches on TripAdvisor gathered over a 12-month period since the 2012 awards. With more than 60 million unique monthly visitors and over 75 million reviews and opinions, TripAdvisor's branded sites operate in 30 countries and make up the largest travel community in the world.
