# Is There Really a Beach in Apollo Beach? By Shawna Calvert (@shawnacalvert) · Published 2026-09-27 · Updated 2026-09-27 Canonical: https://voce.com/@shawnacalvert/is-there-a-beach-in-apollo-beach-17d4z2 --- _Originally published on_ [_Relocating to Paradise_](https://relocatingtoparadise.com/is-there-a-beach-in-apollo-beach/)_._ Yes, there is, and it's beautiful. It's one of the first things people ask me when they're thinking about moving here, usually right after "Can you swim there?" The honest answer is that you can't swim at our beach. You can walk it, bring your dog, hunt for shells and watch some of the best sunsets on Tampa Bay. Here's what our beach is really like, where locals get in the water instead, and the world-famous beaches that are an easy day trip away. ## What is the beach in Apollo Beach like? Our beach is part of the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve at the end of Surfside Boulevard. It's a 63-acre county preserve with a stretch of soft, white sand right on Tampa Bay. It's the kind of place you go for a long walk at the end of the day, with your shoes in your hand. You can walk the shoreline, go shelling, fish, picnic under the pavilion and bring your dog. Dogs are welcome on the beach, which surprises a lot of people. Behind the beach, walking trails wind through restored wetlands, and it's a great spot for birding. The best part is the view. From the preserve's 37-foot observation tower you can see the Tampa skyline, St. Petersburg across the bay, and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge stretching out to the south. The tower has a ramp instead of stairs, so almost anyone can get to the top. The preserve is open every day from 8 a.m. until sunset. ## Why can't you swim at the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve? The water looks calm, and that's what makes it dangerous. Just offshore the bottom drops off suddenly, and there are strong currents under the surface that you can't see from the sand. The county posts the beach as no swimming and no wading, and it means it. Tragically, we learned this the hard way. In June 2021, three lives were lost here: a father, his young son, and a man who went into the water to try to save them. The county added more warning signs afterward. So please enjoy the sand, the sunset and the shelling, and stay out of the water. ## What else is near the beach? Just down the road is the [TECO Manatee Viewing Center](https://relocatingtoparadise.com/teco-manatee-viewing-center-apollo-beach-guide/), and if you're new to the area it's a must. In the cooler months, hundreds of manatees gather in the warm water coming off the power plant. You watch them from a long boardwalk, and on a cold morning the water can be packed with them. The Manatee Viewing Center is open daily from November 1 through April 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking and admission are free. It has its own 50-foot observation tower along a coastal trail, so between the preserve and the Manatee Viewing Center we have two viewing towers looking out over the bay. There's also a stingray touch tank the kids love, and a little café. ## Where can you swim near Apollo Beach? We have options close to home. - **E.G. Simmons Conservation Park in Ruskin** has about 700 feet of beach on Tampa Bay with a designated swimming area. It also has picnic shelters, a playground, a boat ramp, kayaking and camping, and entry is $2 per car. The county sometimes closes the beach to swimming when water testing shows high bacteria, so check the county's beach advisories before you pack the car. - [**Little Harbor in Ruskin**](https://relocatingtoparadise.com/neighborhoods/little-harbor/) has a beach right on the bay by the Sunset Grill, with a long dock for watching the sun go down over St. Pete and live music at night. It's one of my favorite spots. Just know the beach lots there are paid parking now, with free parking for restaurant guests. And here's something that makes one of our neighborhoods truly special. [**Symphony Isles**](https://relocatingtoparadise.com/neighborhoods/symphony-isles/) is the only community in Apollo Beach with its own private beach you can swim in. It's for residents, right on Tampa Bay, and it's a really neat perk. If a swimmable beach steps from your front door is on your wish list, that's the community I'd show you first. ## How far is Apollo Beach from the Gulf beaches? This is one of my favorite things to tell people. You live on the quiet side of the bay, and some of the most famous beaches in the country are a short drive away when you want to make a whole day of it. - **Fort De Soto Park**, about 45 minutes away across the Skyway, has wide, natural beaches, calm water on the bay side and a historic fort to explore. It's often named one of the best beaches in America. - **St. Pete Beach**, about 45 minutes away, has the big, lively Gulf beach, with beach bars, restaurants and hotels. - **Anna Maria Island**, about 50 minutes south, feels like old Florida: small cottages, a trolley, a pier and a slower pace. - **Siesta Key**, about an hour south, is famous for its powdery white sand. It's so fine it stays cool under your feet even in summer. - **Caspersen Beach in Venice**, a little over an hour south, is where you go to hunt for shark teeth. Venice calls itself the Shark Tooth Capital of the World. Fossilized teeth wash up along the shoreline, and every once in a while someone finds a piece of a megalodon tooth. Bring a sifter (locals call it a Florida snow shovel) and plan to lose track of time. It's a wonderful day with the grandkids. ## So is Apollo Beach a beach town? It is, just not the way people picture it. We're a boating town first, with canals, docks and the whole bay right out the back door. Our own beach is for walks, dogs, shells and sunsets, and the swimming beaches are close by. I'd love to know how you picture your days here. Are you the early-morning beach walk with the dog type, or do you see yourself packing up the boat and heading out to a sandbar for the whole afternoon? Tell me, and I'll show you the neighborhoods that fit. _Shawna Calvert, REALTOR, The Calvert Home Team at 27North Realty. 509-294-6818 |_ [_shawna@27northrealty.com_](mailto:shawna@27northrealty.com) Read the original on Relocating to Paradise: [https://relocatingtoparadise.com/is-there-a-beach-in-apollo-beach/](https://relocatingtoparadise.com/is-there-a-beach-in-apollo-beach/)