The Sunset Festival at Pier 60 is a hidden gem to the locals. At 8:02 pm on Monday August 21, if you stand out over the Gulf on any spot of their 609 foot Pier you will see a white-capped ocean, and a signature sunset.  The Festival begins two hours prior to sunset (8:02 pm) which would make it around 6 pm and runs for 2 hours after sunset…or 6-10pm.  (No, we’ll be long gone by the time they close up on the Pier!)

We will have the opportunity to observe a daring live performance, (men walking on stilts or swallowing fire).  Plus, the vendors only sell handcrafted artwork.  You will have plenty of time to have dinner before sunset happens.   A few restaurants are listed below for your convenience

Sand Key Beach & Sunset at Pier 60

on Monday, August  21 ^st, 11:00am until 11:00pm

2023 Beach Trips

The Inevitable Price Increase 

Lamers has increased the charge for their bus service.  We’ve anticipated this because for the past ten months, the BBC has absorbed the cost increases as they came in on our monthly contracts.  Lamers values our business as we’ve been a steady customer of theirs for over 10 years.  They treat us well, have been extremely flexible and their fleet of buses is the best around.   However, like everything else, they’ve gone up.  Going forward, instead of charging by the number of hours we use their buses, they have changed to an incremental cost based on the number of miles.  For this reason, the BBC has no choice but to raise our base trip rate to $30 per person.  On some of the longer trips, we may even need to tack on a small surcharge to that base rate to be sure the BBC stays financially healthy and viable.  We are still well under the going rate for beach trips out of The Villages, but we do not try to make a profit.  We pass on our expenses at cost to our members.  And now back to the fun stuff.

DINNER RESTAURANTS: 

We'll send a map with your Trip Details for your convenience so you can readily find them all.  These are all pretty high quality restaurants, probably because there is so much competition.  We’ve not have a bad meal in Clearwater Beach yet.

Salt Cracker Fish Camp; 25 Causeway Blvd. https://saltcrackerfishcamp.com/menus/; a casual environment serving American, fish, seafood, and cocktails on the terrace.

We, the Pizza; 301 S. Gulfview Blvd. https://wethepizza.com/locations/clearwater-fl; NYC style pizza by the pie or slice & homemade sodas.

Hooters; 381 Mandalay Ave; https://originalhooters.com/locations/tampa-bay/clearwater-beach; a sports bar and grill chain famous for chicken wings.

Badfins; 215 S Gulfview Blvd. https://badfins.com; outdoor patio & beer garden serving beer on tap, tacos, classic pub fare plus live entertainment..

Salty Island Bar (located in the Pelican Pointe Hotel) 437 S. Gulfview Blvd. https://saltyisland.com; features classic seafood dishes, frozen cocktails on a deck with amazing views.

Kilwin’s;  391 Mandalay Ave. https://kilwins.com;  serving fresh home-made chocolates, fudge, and ice cream. 

While at the beach everyone should stay for at least one sunset in their life!

Both the restroom and bathhouse are located on the beach, as well as a concession stand right in the park.  There is a food truck on Sand Key beach that sells hot dogs, chicken strips, and ice cream. For beachgoers with more sophisticated palates, the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, which borders the south end of the park, has a Poolside Cafe open 11:30am-3:00pm, serving sandwiches, nachos, and veggie wraps; less than a 1/2 mile walk.  In addition, the Sheraton Resort sports the Mainstay Tavern which opens at 12pm. with a gastropub type menu and local craft beers. No alcohol is allowed on the beach so this might be a place you want to visit.

After we have had our fill of sun and sand, we will board the bus at 5 pm to take in the sunset at Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach (a 15 minute ride).  We will arrive at the Clearwater Beach area in plenty of time for you to take a short walk to one of the area restaurants, have dinner, even shop a bit and return to Pier 60 area for the sunset festivities. 

Adventures:

Clearwater Beach also has adventures unlike most of the beaches we visit.  If you want a sea adventure, the selection at Clearwater is comprehensive.  There is the Calypso Queen, Sea Screamer, Waverunner Rentals & Tours, Encounters with Dophins, and Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise.  Captain Memo's offers a sunset cruise that leaves the dock at 7pm with a discounted price for seniors.  We can tell you that Captain Memo’s cruise was a big hit with our members last year.  If several of you decide to take the sunset cruise, we'll delay our departure for home by a few minutes to allow you to disembark from the 2-hour tour and cross the street to board your waiting bus.  Reservations for the pirate sunset tour are suggested.  You can make those by checking their website and following the instructions;  https://captainmemo.com/.  Be sure to select the Senior rate!

We recommend that you be back at the pier by 7:30 (unless you have been whisked away on the Pirate Boat) at the latest so you can enjoy the entertainment, browse the artisan vendor items and find a perch on the pier to watch the sunset, that is, if you are not perched in a rooftop bar!   At 9pm, we will reluctantly board our buses to head back to The Villages, arriving around 11pm.

Marina Cantina (above Salt Cracker) 25 Causeway Blvd. https://marinacantina.com; On the roof serving Mexican fare with a Tequila bar.

Bar Tiki (above Marina Cantina) with panoramic views. 25 Causeway Blvd. https://www.Bartiki.com serving nachos, flatbreads and more.

Crabby’s Dockside; 37 Causeway Blvd. https://crabbysdocksideclearwater.com; serving American favorites plus seafood and a full bar.

Jimmy Crow’s Nest (10th floor of the Pier House 60 Hotel) 101 Coronado Drive. They have a spectacular view of the beach at sunset from their rooftop location. https://www.jimmyscrowsnest.com/menu.html a rooftop bar offering cocktails, American fare, and outstanding panoramic views. 

Beach Equipment Rentals:

We have made arrangements with the beach equipment rental folks on Sand Key to pre-pay for your chairs/umbrellas.  Since we are not arriving on the beach until 1pm, we didn’t want to risk finding their inventory exhausted.  And given the depth of the beach, this is a great option at a reasonable price!  You will need to indicate on your reservation form what you want to rent, and ALSO add the cost to your trip payment.   The equipment rates are:  

       ● Umbrella rental: $21 per day
       ● Lounge Chair: $15 per day

       ● 2 Lounge Chairs and Umbrella: $35 per day
       ● Cabana and 2 Lounge chairs: $45 per day

It is a serenely quiet beach where you can transport yourself from the craziness of The Villages to a slice of tropical paradise designed for sunning, swimming, and relaxation.  But sunset on the beach is an experience on a different level. 

Plan on sleeping- in because we do not depart until 11 am in order to still be on the beach at 8:02 pm to view the awesome sunset on Clearwater Pier 60.

We will arrive on Sand Key Beach around 1 pm. This is a pretty wide beach, so if you are not up to walking a fair distance, this trip is not for you.  There are a couple of beach wheelchairs available in the park that we could try to secure if needed, but we would not be guaranteed their usage. 

Photo Credit: BeachCatcher

 Copyright. Barefoot Beachcombers Club.  All rights reserved

We had so much fun last summer with our ‘late departure’ trip and so many of the folks on last year’s trip wanted to do it again, that we decided to offer it again this summer while the days are long.  We will still end up in the town of Clearwater Beach, but only for Sunset at Pier 60. We will spend our beach time at the more serene (and significantly less crowded) Sand Key Beach, just across Clearwater Harbor.  

I/we would like to go to I/we would like to go to Sand Key Beach and Sunset Pier with the BBC on August 21st.  Enclosed is my $30.00 check (pp). 

Print your name(s):   ____________________________________________________________________________________________

I/we wish to be on the bus with these friends (name up to four) ________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

I/we still have a credit with the BBC and I would like to use that credit. ________

I/we live in the Village of ________________________________

During the trip, I can be reached at this phone number: ______________

I/We want to rent the following beach equipment at Sand Key:

Set for the Day (2 Lounge Chairs & Umbrella) _________  and have added $35 to my trip payment check.

Umbrella Only _______ $21 and have added $21 to my trip payment check

Lounge Chair _______, # of chairs _______ and have added $15 per chair to my trip payment check

Cabana with 2 lounge chairs __________ and have added $45 to my trip payment check.

I/we plan to take a sunset cruise:  _________# of people.

​

To print a copy of this invitation, click on the Blue Button. 

We know you visit the beach to just relax, read a book, take in the beauty, or even sleep, and we know just the perfect beach for all of that and more. Sand Key, with its wide swath of powder-soft sand and gentle surf has often been voted one of the nation’s top beaches.​

Barefoot Beachcombers Club (‘BBC’ will also suffice)
333 Colony Blvd. #110
The Villages, FL 32162

You could instead hand your addressed envelope to a person at the counter at Safe Ship in Colony Plaza, saving you the stamp and ensure its timely arrival.

If this is your FIRST EVER BBC trip:  The BBC has a Liability Waiver specific to our club.  Please follow the link:  http://www.bbc32162.com/liability-waiver-1.html; click on the Blue Button to print the Liability Waiver and submit it with your reservation form.  If this is not your first trip,  please skip this step.

To get in on the fun, print the reservation form by clicking on the green button above.  On August 5th, we will conduct our lottery and you will be notified shortly thereafter of your seat confirmation or waitlist status.  Mail or drop the reservation form, along with your check (made out to the BBC) for $30.00 per person to: ​

Fishing:

Pier 60 has a full-feature fishing pier at its end.  If you just want to walk to the end and gaze off into the Gulf, there is a $1 fee, payable in the shop situated on the pier.  They also rent fishing poles, sell bait and issue fishing permits, and are run by the City of Clearwater.  Daily fishing fees for Seniors is $8; rod rental is $10, but you can bring your own as well.  We heard that the night fishing is terrific.