Clearwater Beach landed among the top 20 beaches in the world on Tripadvisor's 2026 Best of the Best list, ranking 17th globally and second among U.S. beaches behind only La Jolla Cove in San Diego.

The 2026 awards, announced in February, place Clearwater Beach in the top 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings worldwide, according to WFLA. Only three American beaches made the 24-beach global list: La Jolla Cove at No. 7, Clearwater Beach at No. 17 and Poipu Beach Park on Kauai, Hawaii, at No. 21.

The award is based on a high volume of top-rated reviews collected over 12 months, Tripadvisor said on its awards page.

Three words sum it up: sand, sunsets, parking.

Tripadvisor's listing highlights the beach's white sand, blue waters, spectacular sunsets, spacious walkway and easy parking access.

It wasn't the area's only recognition in the 2026 awards cycle. Honeymoon Island State Park landed in the top 10 U.S. beaches, and Get Up and Go Kayaking at Shell Key was named the No. 1 nature and outdoors activity in the country, according to a Visit St. Pete-Clearwater press release. The JW Marriott Clearwater Beach also earned a spot in the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide.

The ranking carries economic weight. Tourism generated more than $10 billion in economic impact for Pinellas County in 2025, supporting roughly 100,000 jobs, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater data. Nearly 15 million visitors stayed in local accommodations that year, paying a 6% bed tax. Tourism and hospitality businesses contributed sales and property taxes totaling nearly $300 million to the local economy in fiscal year 2025.

"The tourism industry is the backbone of Pinellas County's economy," Visit St. Pete-Clearwater President and CEO Brian Lowack said in a Jan. 21 press release on the county's tourism numbers.

Caretta on the Gulf, a Clearwater Beach restaurant, was the only Florida dining spot to earn a Tripadvisor Best of the Best fine dining honor, ranking No. 11 in the U.S.