Our Trip To Clearwater Beach

Hopefully if you’re reading this article, you’ve read some of my husband’s accounts of other travels we have taken thanks to hotel/flight points. I cannot begin to explain from my end how this has changed our travels and really our lives. One of my favorite trips that we have taken was a trip we took to Clearwater, Florida in July of 2015.Hyatt Regency

After signing up for the Hyatt credit card, we received 2 free nights at any Hyatt property. That sign up bonus has since changed to allow new members to receive 40,000 points rather than 2 free nights. The property that I am going to tell you about costs 20,000 points a night, so you could still receive 2 free nights here just off of the sign up bonus!

Kyle and I were on a trip to Saint Augustine with my family (read more about that in later posts) and decided to drive down to Clearwater Beach for two nights. We booked the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa for free just for signing up for the Hyatt card! Hyatt is now offering to waive any resort fees that are charged at resorts as long as you are a World of Hyatt member (card holder). Typically, higher end hotels that are classified as resorts will charge a fee for amenities offered at the property.

Our stay in this hotel was far beyond any hotel I had stayed in until that point. We were upgraded to a King suite with a partial view of the ocean. At that time of year, this room runs for well over $500. However, even with the upgraded room, our price was free! From our balcony, we had the most spectacular view of the crystal clear water that you will find at this beach.Hot Tub Pool/Lounge area after sunset Rooftop Pool View

In our suite, we enjoyed a full kitchen, two separate bathrooms, a living space, and a king sized bedroom. We also had a walk out balcony that gave us these spectacular views! On one of the higher floors, you could enjoy a rooftop pool and hot tub equipped with a few lounge areas that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Even though we were only in Clearwater for three days, we were able to really get a good view on why this beach reaches the top of so many “Beaches You Should Visit” lists. The water in Clearwater really does live up to the name. Standing thigh deep in water, I could still see the color on my painted toenails. Due to the location of this beach, the water is extremely calm (it seems more like a lake than an ocean at times). As a result of this calm water, many locals told us that wildlife is commonly found right off the coast. We found this to be true!

Wildlife in the Area

One afternoon as we were walking along the beach, we noticed a group of people watching something in the water. Being a curious spirit, I immediately took off for the water to see what was causing the commotion. After seeing what it was, I yelled for Kyle to join me. We spent about half an hour swimming with this friendly manatee. They say you should not disturb these creatures in the wild, so we first made an effort not to touch or bother him in any way. However, we found that he started following us around! Even after the crowd had dwindled, this little fellow stuck right with us. This was just like something that you’d picture doing at Sea World, but it was free entertainment!

Sunsets on the Beach

Something else that we enjoyed while visiting Clearwater were the spectacular sunsets! While we have now visited Key West and have seen that famous sunset scene, I must say that Clearwater still produces one of the most spectacular sunsets that I have ever seen! Each night at sunset the pier on the beach hosts a Sunset Market where you can buy souvenirs from local artisans. We enjoyed the sunset both nights but visiting this market and then standing in the water to enjoy the beautiful nature around us.

Local Attractions

Within walking distance to our hotel, we also found a strip of local restaurants and shops that provided a break from the toasty beach weather. We found several ice cream shops and lots of places that served some great seafood. We even found a great Italian place down the road. In the center of the town by the beach, there was an area for kids to play that would be great for families.

The reason that I share our adventure with you is in the hope that one day you could do the same! We would never trade the experiences that we have had through traveling for anything and are grateful to have the means to do so. If you are interested in signing up for the Hyatt credit card or would like more information, don’t hesitate to contact us through email.