Belleair Beach is a small residential city on the Sand Key barrier island between Clearwater's Sand Key and Indian Rocks Beach, incorporated in 1950 and connected to the mainland by the Belleair Causeway. It is almost entirely single-family homes and low-rise condominiums, with Gulf-front, Intracoastal, and canal lots and very little commercial use.
Belleair Beach is the least commercial address on the northern Pinellas beaches by design: a residential city of roughly 1,500 people with no resort strip, single-family streets on the Gulf and the Intracoastal, and a single causeway to the mainland. Buyers choose it for Gulf or canal frontage without the activity of Clearwater Beach or Indian Rocks Beach.
Shane Vanderson works with buyers and sellers in Belleair Beach from Engel & Völkers South Tampa, with emphasis on Gulf-front and boating-lifestyle buyers.
Living in Belleair Beach
Gulf Boulevard runs through the city with the beach to the west and residential streets and canals to the east along the Intracoastal. The Belleair Causeway carries West Bay Drive to Belleair Bluffs and Largo, where shopping and restaurants are a few minutes away; the city itself has almost no commercial district. Belleair Shore, a town of Gulf-front homes, adjoins to the south, and Sand Key Park and Clearwater Beach are to the north. Tampa International Airport is typically 35 to 45 minutes.
The Belleair Beach market
Three tiers: Gulf-front homes and low-rise condominiums west of Gulf Boulevard, Intracoastal and canal homes with docks to the east, and interior lots between. Boats reach the Gulf through Clearwater Pass to the north. The original housing is mid-century and sits low; the mix now includes renovated homes and new elevated construction.
Helene’s September 2024 surge flooded homes across the barrier island, including Belleair Beach, and the city issued substantial damage determinations under the FEMA 50% rule. Ask for the determination, the repair permits, and an elevation certificate for any home. Short-term rental rules are set by the city and are more restrictive than in the resort towns; confirm them before you buy with rental income in mind. The FEMA 50% rule and short-term rental rules in Tampa Bay cover both.
Boundaries
A city on the Sand Key barrier island, bounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Intracoastal Waterway to the east, with Clearwater’s Sand Key to the north and Belleair Shore and Indian Rocks Beach to the south. The Belleair Causeway connects it to Belleair Bluffs and Largo. ZIP 33786.
Homes in Belleair Beach
Mid-century single-family homes on Gulf-front, Intracoastal, canal, and interior lots, many renovated and some replaced by new elevated construction since 2024, plus low-rise condominium buildings along the Gulf. Almost no commercial property.
Nearby amenities
The Gulf beach and city beach accesses; Intracoastal boating through Clearwater Pass; Belleair Bluffs and Largo shops and restaurants across the causeway; Sand Key Park; Clearwater Beach to the north; Indian Rocks Beach to the south; Belleair Country Club on the mainland; Tampa International Airport, typically 35 to 45 minutes.
Newest listings in Belleair Beach
Frequently asked questions
Is Belleair Beach the same as Belleair?
No. Belleair Beach is a city on the barrier island. The Town of Belleair and Belleair Bluffs are on the mainland across the causeway, and Belleair Shore is a separate small town of Gulf-front homes next door.
Are there hotels or restaurants in Belleair Beach?
Very few. The city is almost entirely residential. Dining and shopping are a few minutes away in Belleair Bluffs, Largo, Clearwater Beach, or Indian Rocks Beach.
Does Belleair Beach allow short-term rentals?
The city regulates them more tightly than the resort towns, with minimum stay and registration rules. Confirm the current ordinance with the city before you buy with rental income in mind.
How did Hurricane Helene affect Belleair Beach?
Helene’s September 2024 surge flooded homes across the barrier island, including Belleair Beach. Ask for the city’s damage determination, repair permits, and an elevation certificate for any home.
Where do the Belleair Beach market figures on this page come from?
The key-facts table is pulled from Stellar MLS and shows the month it was updated. Gulf-front, Intracoastal, and interior lots behave differently, so rely on a direct valuation for a specific property.
