Sand Key Park
Beach Parking Permit - Beach Wedding Information
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This beautiful park has two distinct areas—a beach and a park. In the park proper are two picnic shelters with grills, a playground, restroom, and a dog park. Grills, picnic tables, and water fountains are but a few amenities.
A salt marsh with viewing benches further enhances the park where heron, roseate spoonbill, great horned owl, anhinga, and common moorhen nest and feed.
Sand Key Park houses the base of operations for the artificial reef program, an interdepartmental cooperation program to build a reef in the Gulf. Sand Key Park’s natural communities include a beach where sea turtles annually deposit eggs. The nearby Clearwater Aquarium takes responsibility for these nests and keeps statistics.
Amenities:
- concession
- boardwalk, nature trail
- 2 beach wheelchairs
- outdoor showers
- 2 bath houses with separate changing stalls and restrooms
- parking (fee charged)
Beach Parking Permit - Automated pay stations with daily parking fees of $5. Annual beach parking passes are available. - dog park
- playground equipment
- restrooms
- 2 shelters with grills
- swimming
- umbrella and cabana rentals
- kayak and bicycle rentals
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Beach Wheelchair Information:
- During life guard season - request one from the guard on duty.
- Off season - call 582-2100 and scheduled a time. The Chief Park Ranger will be notified that someone is requesting a beach wheelchair. They will make every effort to be there when needed, but we can't guarantee it since they serve multiple park sites.
- Beach parking permit - Permit includes vehicle parking at Fort De Soto Park, Sand Key Park, Howard Park Beach, and Causeway. This permit is not valid at county boat ramp locations.
Road Closures: Roads will be open by 9 a.m.
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No road closures at this time.
History/Orientation:
Sand Key Park was opened to the public August 1984. Ninety-five acres are located on Sand Key, a barrier island between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida mainland. Clearwater Pass, leading from the Gulf to the Intracoastal waterway, separates the park from the popular resort area of Clearwater Beach. The park welcomes more than one million each year.
Beach Weddings and Special Events:
Beach Weddings / Special Events - All Commercial and Non-Commercial weddings located on the beach at Sand Key must be processed though our vendor, which is Bon Appetit Group, Inc. Additional fees will apply.
- Bon Appetit Group, Inc.
Phone: (727) 260-5503 and select option #3
E-mail - Please Note: It is important to call this vendor even if you want a wedding with just a few people on the beach. The vendor will know what event is already scheduled on the beach; so as not to disrupt a scheduled wedding. Weddings held at a picnic shelter in Sand Key Park are not required to contact the vendor UNLESS they are going to take pictures on the beach, in which case the vendor must be notified. Weddings held at a picnic shelter require the submittal of a Wedding Application.
Picnic Shelter & Green Space Weddings / Special Events - Individuals and organizations that wish to conduct a special event or wedding at a Pinellas County park, including the picnic shelters and other green space in the park, must submit a Special Event Permit Application or a Wedding Application. Please call Parks and Conservation Resources at (727) 582-2100 for more information.