Year-long tropical weather and beautiful white beaches make Clearwater, Florida one of the most popular vacation spots in the United States. Apart from that, Clearwater offers a wonderful showcase of nature, art and culture. The county seat and home to about 106,081 people, this city attracts millions of tourists all year long. Moving to Clearwater also guarantees diverse employment and business opportunities, making the city a great destination for work and play.
Economy:
Tourism is Clearwater's main economy source. Because of the large number of tourists visiting yearly, Clearwater is an ideal place for small businesses. There are plenty of diverse employment opportunities from different sectors in Clearwater, with the administrative and health sectors gathering the most number of employees. Health care also contributes to the economic growth of the city. Wholesale and retail trade brings the most income to the Clearwater's economy. With all of these exciting opportunities, it's no wonder why Clearwater moving companies are so busy.
History:
Before the arrival of the Spanish colonists in the 1830s, Clearwater was home to the Tocobagan Indians who called the area Pocotopaug, which literally meant "clear water." Clearwater Harbor, as it was known then, was passed back and forth between Spain and England until it was finally ceded to the United States in 1821. Fort Harrison was built 20 years later to support the soldiers involved in the Seminole war. In 1891, Clearwater became a town. In the late 19th century, Henry B. Plant built the first passenger railroad line and the Belleview Biltmore resort, which made Clearwater a tourist and resort area. By 1915, Clearwater was chartered as a city. A year later, a wooden bridge was made to connect Clearwater Island (now known as Clearwater Beach) to the main city.
Clearwater served as a major training base for U.S. troops bound for Europe and the Pacific during the World War II. Even the hotels were utilized as barracks for new recruits. Traffic was regularly stopped for companies of soldiers marching through downtown, and nighttime blackouts to confuse potential enemy bombers were common practice.
Tourism:
Clearwater's white sand beaches are dubbed as one of the best in the nation, sometimes even in the world. Resorts such as the Sandpearl Resort, Coral Resort, Shephards Beach Resort and many more let tourists enjoy these famous beaches. Apart from resorts, Clearwater offers other tourist hotspots such as the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a home to different sea creatures; the Moccasin Lake Nature Park which showcases wildlife habitats, a lake and educational experience with the environment; Sunsets at Pier 60 at the Clearwater Beach that also hosts a street festival with artists and performers during the weekends. Pinewood Cultural Park offers a view into the city's history and culture. Museums such as the Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Salvador Dali and the Museum of Fine Arts are also wonderful tourist destinations. Clearwater is easily accessible to tourist and intrastate and interstate movers by the interstates I-75, I-95 and I-4 and by the St. Petersburg – Clearwater International Airport.