Belleaire Beach

The Sand Key Strip Malls

Sand Key Boulevard, all the way from Clearwater Beach to Treasure Island, is a nearly unbroken strip of beach towns, fast food restaurants, condos, motels, cottages, hotels and shopping centers. I saw a list of 25 shopping centers for the town of Belleair alone.

Short on ambiance and individuality, these towns reminded me of the strip malls along Long Island's Sunrise Highway.

What do you think our chances were of finding a charming little restaurant overlooking the Gulf? There probably is one someplace but that morning we could not find it.