Thinking About Your Next Chapter in Clearwater or Pinellas County?

For many homeowners 50 and older, the next real estate decision isn't necessarily about finding a bigger house. It may be about downsizing a longtime home, preparing for retirement, moving closer to family or simply finding a home that better fits the life you want now.

Melissa Stamos brings more than 25 years of real estate experience and holds the SRES® | Seniors Real Estate Specialist® designation, reflecting specialized training focused on the real estate needs of buyers and sellers age 50+.

But Melissa's connection to Clearwater goes beyond real estate. She's involved with the Rotary Club of Clearwater, is a graduate of the Clearwater Citizens Academy and is actively involved with Keep Keene Green.

Not ready to move but starting to think about what's next? Start with a conversation.

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Checkout her Facebook page HERE →

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Sometimes it takes one unexpected moment to remind you to look around.

I grew up in Los Angeles and later lived in Philadelphia near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Over the years, I came to appreciate not only the masterpieces hanging inside museums, but the art that lives outside them, especially murals.

There's something different about seeing a massive work of art painted across an ordinary wall.

You don't buy a ticket. Nobody tells you when to look.

You're simply going about your day and suddenly, there it is.

And recently, that happened to me right here in Clearwater.

I was at Clearwater Brewing Company when I really stopped and looked at the enormous underwater mural covering the outside of the building.

And damn.

It moved me.

Maybe I'd forgotten how much I appreciated art and creativity. Maybe life had simply gotten busy enough that I hadn't stopped to notice it lately.

But there was something about seeing that huge underwater world splashed across a building that reinvigorated my appreciation for what an artist can create from what was once just... a wall.

The mural is called Undersea Fantasy. It was installed at Clearwater Brewing Company in July 2025 and depicts a glowing underwater world filled with marine imagery.

And standing there looking at it made me wonder:

How many other murals like this are hiding around Clearwater?

So, naturally, My Clearwater Scoop went looking.

Turns out, quite a few.

If you want maximum mural bang for your buck, Coachman Park is the place to start.

The city's public-art collection includes multiple murals clustered around the park at 300 Cleveland Street.

And these aren't little decorative splashes of paint.

Created by Sonny Behan, also known as Sonny Sundancer, this enormous wildlife mural combines realism and abstraction and was installed as part of the public-art additions surrounding the renovated Coachman Park.

Mexican artist Edgar Islas Cruz, known as Tutubixi, created this vibrant 2024 mural around themes of migration, connection and cultural exchange. There's another Clearwater connection hiding inside the story: the project celebrates the city's relationship with its sister city of Ixmiquilpan, Mexico.

Local artist Naomi Haverland's approximately 20-by-10-foot mural faces the Gulf from the bluff near Clearwater Main Library. The underwater scene was completed in 2024 and was among the first murals unveiled at Coachman Park.

And keep looking.

You'll also find Dive In by Taylor Smith, aka Dreamweaver, blending abstract and realistic sea life, along with Osprey by Ernesto Maranje and other public art throughout the park.

In other words, you could grab a coffee, walk Coachman Park and have yourself a pretty damn good little outdoor gallery visit without ever entering a building.

Because apparently Clearwater has a laundromat mural called The Adventures of Señor Bubbles, and there was absolutely no chance we were leaving that out. 😂

Artist Naomi Haverland transformed the exterior of Señor Bubbles Laundromat at 1408 Cleveland Street into a colorful, whimsical mural in 2024 as part of Clearwater's Art Oasis Mural Festival.

Honestly, this is part of what makes public art fun.

It doesn't have to hang in a hushed gallery with somebody standing nearby making sure you don't get too close.

Sometimes it's on the side of a laundromat.

Once we started digging through Clearwater's Public Art Map, we realized this article could get ridiculous pretty quickly.

There's Elysian Days downtown. Familia. Peace Offering. Prismatic Rush. Wild Flora. Oasis at Crest Lake. Risk at Ross Norton Recreation Complex. One Hundred Years Before J Cole on Drew Street. And several new murals added in 2026, including Open Book Policy, PLAY, LEARN, GROW, and The Rapture of Community Love.

We could show you every one.

But then we'd be committing the same sin that inspired this article in the first place.

We'd be rushing past the art instead of stopping to appreciate it.

So we're not going to turn this into a catalog.

Instead, we're giving you a challenge.

Here's the thing about the photos in this story:

They don't do these murals justice.

You don't really appreciate the scale, the colors, the details or the creativity involved until you're standing in front of one.

So consider this our challenge to you.

Pick an afternoon. Start at Coachman Park and wander around. Find a mural you've never noticed before. Head down Cleveland Street and discover another.

And if your mural hunt takes you past a locally owned restaurant, brewery, coffee shop or store, stop in. Grab a beer. Have lunch. Buy a coffee.

You're already there.

Part of exploring Clearwater is supporting the people who make Clearwater Clearwater.

Then put the phone away for a minute and actually look at the art.

Because sometimes a photograph is enough to make you curious.

But some things deserve to be experienced in person.

Life moves ridiculously fast.

We're driving somewhere. Answering a text. Thinking about work. Picking up groceries. Worrying about tomorrow while we're still standing in today.

And it's incredibly easy to stop noticing the places where we actually live.

That's one of the things I want My Clearwater Scoop to be about.

Not only city meetings, development projects, taxes and what's opening or closing.

Sometimes it's simply saying:

Hey. Look at this.

Someone took a blank wall in our city and turned it into something extraordinary.

Maybe that's worth stopping for.

🌴 By a Neighbor. For the Neighborhood.

What's your favorite mural in Clearwater?

Better yet, send us a photo of you with it. We may feature some of our neighbors and their favorite Clearwater murals in a future Scoop.

For Clearwater’s Interactive Public Art Map Click Here

You don't have to drive to Miami, New York or some celebrity-chef restaurant to try one of the restaurants getting national attention this year.

You barely have to leave the neighborhood.

The New York Times recently released its 2026 Restaurants List, featuring 50 restaurants across America. Only two Florida restaurants made the list, and one of them is right next door in Safety Harbor.

Tides Market, located at 305 Main Street in downtown Safety Harbor, earned a spot after The Times' restaurant team traveled the country, visiting restaurants anonymously, paying for their meals and accepting no freebies.

The seafood-focused restaurant was recognized for turning exceptionally fresh ingredients into dishes ranging from fried fish sandwiches and iced seafood platters to tuna niçoise and blackened yellowtail snapper.

The only other Florida restaurant selected was Tin Tin in Miami, known for Cuban-French cuisine. The 50 restaurants were not ranked.

So apparently one of the country's most talked-about restaurants has been sitting practically in Clearwater's backyard.

Road trip?

Okay, calling Safety Harbor a road trip might be pushing it. 😂

Have you eaten at Tides Market? Tell us what you ordered and whether it deserves the national attention.

MAP & DIRECTIONS →

Before you load up the car, take a peek at the live beach cam to see exactly how busy it is out there. Sometimes the smartest move is knowing when to go and when to enjoy our little slice of paradise another day.

Check current water temperatures and conditions Here

Watch the live Clearwater Beach Cam Here

Our pets aren't just animals - they're family. If you've seen any of the pets below please email us at [email protected] and we will connect you directly with their families. One share could bring someone's baby home.

Zena has been missing for over 188+ days from the Seville Condo area near Clearwater Costco. Her heartbroken family will not give up searching

LEARN MORE →

Leah has been missing since April 28th from the King Arthur Court in Dunedin. Her Mom has owned her since she was a puppy.

LEARN MORE →

Lobo has been missing since May 11th from Gladden Park in St. Petersburg. Her Mom has owned her since she was a puppy.

LEARN MORE →

River is a one-year-old male tabby (brown, white, and gray) who slipped out the front door on May 30th, and last seen near 134th Ave and Trotter Rd in Largo.

LEARN MORE →

Mama Kitty is a 15 year old black cat with with a clipped left ear that went missing on June 4th, and last seen near Druid and Belcher in Clearwater.

LEARN MORE →

🎸 Bill Isner Friday September 18th - FREE - 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Clearwater Brewing Company Clearwater, FL INFO→

🎸 Firefly Friday September 11th - FREE - 7:00 pm Whiskey Wings Countryside Clearwater, FL INFO→

🎸 Zach Seufert Friday September 11th - FREE - 5:00 pm Crabby’s Dockside Clearwater, FL INFO→

🎤 😂 Clearwater Comedy Club - Jacoby Bruton - Friday & Saturday 8:30 pm 483 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater INFO & TICKETS→

🎤 😂 Clearwater Comedy Club - The Dark & Dirty Comedy Show - Friday & Saturday 10:30 pm 483 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater INFO & TICKETS→

🎸 Hwy 41 Saturday September 12th - FREE - 7:00 pm Whiskey Wings Countryside Clearwater, FL INFO→

🎸 Tyson Marshall Saturday September 12th - FREE - 5:00 pm Crabby’s Dockside Clearwater, FL INFO→

🎸 John Fogerty & Steve Winwood Saturday September 19th at 7:00 pm The BayCare Sound Clearwater, FL INFO→

🎸 Rise Against Friday September 25th at 7:00 pm The BayCare Sound Clearwater, FL INFO→

READ MORE →

🚶Indoor Walking at the Countryside Mall: Beat the heat and rain with some indoor walking, grab a bite to eat, browse the shops, or catch a movie…all while letting the mall’s A/C do the heavy lifting. MAP →

If you must be out in nature, please don’t forget to bring water

🌳🥾 Beat the Heat: Peaceful Nature Parks Looking to escape the crowds and cool off in the shade this weekend? Tampa Bay is loaded with hidden natural gems, all free to explore:

🦅 Moccasin Lake Nature Park (Clearwater) — A peaceful 51-acre preserve with shaded oak trails, boardwalks over the lake, and a wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary where you can see rescued eagles, hawks, and falcons.

⛵ Clearwater Community Sailing Center A nonprofit sailing center at 1001 Gulf Blvd offering boat rentals, sailing lessons for all ages, and Summer Camp. Open Tuesday through Sunday 9am to 5pm. LEARN MORE →

🏓 Pickleball Court Locations: Here is the easiest way to find Pickleball courts near you with an interactive map. LEARN MORE →

🏖️ Near the Beach

🏙️ Inland

⚠️ Trivia nights and schedules can change. We recommend confirming directly with the venue before heading out. Know of a change or a new spot? Tell Scout →

Thanks for reading My Clearwater Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone that you think would enjoy it.

Until next time,

Stan, Scoop and Scout