A mosaic of dolphins now stands at 25 Causeway Blvd. It shows them two ways, as a boater would see them from the deck and as a diver would see them underwater. The piece is called "Ketch." Nevada artist Eileen Gay made it, and it was unveiled on Sept. 24 along the new Clearwater Beach Marina Walk. The sculpture is meant to work as a landmark. The walk it stands on matters even more. The city describes Marina Walk as an extension of Beach Walk, with shaded seating, landscaping and walkways that connect the marina, its businesses and the beach.
So the winding promenade that has carried beachgoers along South Gulfview and Coronado now continues to the docks. This fall, nearly everything new on Clearwater Beach sits along that line: three storefronts at Opal Sol, a barbecue-and-tiki spot at the Wyndham Grand, rebuilt slips for the tour boats, and a holiday boat parade that ends at the marina. Pier 60 Park picks up the rest of the calendar from there.
What the Marina Rebuild Changed
The marina project cost roughly $46 million. It rebuilt the facility while keeping about 165 boat slips, and it added fixed and floating docks, more than 1,300 linear feet of new, higher seawall, upgraded utilities, accessibility improvements and new public space. The City of Clearwater's project page lists more details. Fixed docks and gangway platforms were raised 15 to 24 inches, the bulkhead cap was raised 15 to 18 inches, and kiosks were placed near the main dock entrances.
The work isn't done. The city's timeline set October 2026 as the target for substantial completion, and that month has now passed with work still left on the list. The city blames the delay on Helene and Milton, slow material deliveries and fabrication, and electrical work that had to happen in sequence. The same page lists handrail installation, framing, utility work and fuel dock connections as future work. On the city's Clearwater Beach Marina page, the new fuel dock is listed as not operational, and a temporary fuel dock is being installed.
Taking out-of-town guests on a boat has changed the most. Tour boats now leave from their new slips along Coronado Drive. The fishing fleet and dinner boats are still running from temporary spots on the floating docks. If you last boarded before the rebuild, the city's commercial charters directory gives the slip assignments:
| Boat | Assigned slip |
|---|---|
| Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise | C4 |
| Calypso Queen | C6 |
| Sea Screamer | C7 |
| Little Toot | C12 |
| Double Hook | A3/5 |
| Double Eagle III | B20 |
The fishing boats' slips sit in the A and B rows, and the fleet is still working from temporary docks. Check with the captain before you head out.
Three Storefronts at the Base of Opal Sol
Once the walk leaves the marina, the biggest change is at 400 Coronado Drive. Opal Sol opened on Valentine's Day 2025 as a sister property to the older Opal Sands, and a glass-enclosed skyway connects the two buildings. This fall it opened three public-facing businesses at street level along Beach Walk, according to the Business Observer.
- Lolita's Coastal Cocina is modeled on the original Lolita's at Opal Key West Resort & Marina. It serves Mexican dishes with Florida coastal flavors, including shareable plates, street tacos, bowls, Grouper a la Veracruzana and Lolita's Carne Platter. The bar pours tequilas and mezcals. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight.
- Float Malt Shop & Creamery serves shakes, malts, scoops, floats and sundaes. Its signatures are the Tropical Explosion and the Beach Brownie Mudslide. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Beach Market is grab-and-go, with breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, specialty coffee and smoothies, including the Dragonberry Crunch. It opens daily at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m.
The hours cover the whole day on this end of the beach. Beach Market opens before sunrise at this time of year, Float stays open through dinner, and Lolita's bar runs until midnight. Counting both towers, Opal Sands and Opal Sol now have 10 dining options, including the Mediterranean-inspired Drift.
Dr. BBQ Comes to Beach Walk at the Wyndham Grand
A little farther along, at 100 Coronado Drive, the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is adding Squiki Tiki with Dr. BBQ. It is a partnership with pitmaster Ray Lampe, a barbecue Hall of Famer who has written cookbooks and appeared on Food Network's "Chopped: Grill Masters." The Tampa Bay Times reports that it sits on Beach Walk in front of the resort and runs 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The menu pairs St. Louis-style ribs and a pulled pork sandwich with a burnt ends bao bun and smoked shrimp summer rolls. The setting has bamboo, thatched roofing, lounge seating and string lights.
St. Pete diners may remember the name. Lampe's Dr. BBQ restaurant in the EDGE District, a joint venture with the Datz Restaurant Group, opened in 2018 and served smoked meats until 2022. The Times also reported that Squiki Tiki would offer a preview at the Savor St. Pete food and wine festival on Nov. 7 and 8. The Clearwater Sentinel noted that the resort's website lists a November debut. The restaurant is part of a property-wide refresh at the Wyndham Grand this fall.
Two More Places Back in Business
Away from the waterfront walk, there are two more spots worth knowing about.
Clearwater Beach Bar, formerly Jamminz Beach Bar, reopened at 411 Mandalay Ave. on Oct. 24. It had been closed for two years after the 2024 hurricanes, Tampa Bay 28 reported.
At the AC Hotel Clearwater Beach, the rooftop bar has been redone and renamed Salt & Sky. It has a new bar design, raised seating, a cocktail list built on fresh ingredients, and a food menu of shareable plates, salads, handhelds and desserts. A connected 947-square-foot room is available for private events. "From the elevated rooftop setting and sweeping views of the Intracoastal Waterway and gulf to the fresh cocktails and menu, Salt & Sky is the perfect place to settle in," hotel marketing manager Lizzie Long told the Tampa Bay Beacons.
At Pier 60 itself, the operators are the same. City Council approved a five-year concession agreement for Barefoot Beach House and Pier 60 Concessions, and the Chandler family's Fields Inc. continues to run both, according to the Tampa Bay Beacons.
The Holiday Calendar, From the Marina to Pier 60
This season's big events fall along the same stretch of waterfront. In date order:
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Make a Difference Fishing Tournament for Adults runs at Pier 60, 370 Mandalay Ave.
- Saturday, Dec. 12, 6 p.m. Clearwater Yacht Club's 52nd Annual Holiday Lighted Boat Parade starts just north of the Mandalay Channel Bridge. It loops around Island Estates, passes Coachman Park, heads toward the Sand Key Bridge and passes the yacht club. It finishes at Clearwater Beach Marina, which is also where the boats are judged. The parade supports youth sailing scholarships at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center.
- Thursday, Dec. 31, 3 to 9:30 p.m. Sunset to Sparkle is a new early New Year's Eve celebration at Pier 60 Park. It has live entertainment, local artisans, street performers and amusement attractions, with fireworks over the beach at 9 p.m.
The boat parade's judging area at the rebuilt marina gives this year's parade a new place to finish. Sunset to Sparkle comes from the team behind Sunsets at Pier 60, which runs nightly, weather permitting, through Jan. 9, 2027. The festival starts two hours before sunset and ends two hours after, at 1 Causeway Blvd. "Clearwater Beach is known around the world for its beautiful sunsets, and we cannot imagine a better place to celebrate the final sunset of the year and sparkle into the next one," said Lisa Chandler of the Sunsets at Pier 60 Festival, in the city's announcement.
The same nonprofit produces the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, which isn't part of this winter's lineup. It returns March 26 through April 11, 2027.
Want a home near the Coronado Drive end of Clearwater Beach, or curious what the marina rebuild means for property values around Beach Walk? The Orns Solution knows this waterfront well and can show you how the changes of the past year bear on your next move. Contact Us.
