Clearwater or Galveston?

Clearwater has the finer beach by a clear margin. Its powder-white sand on the barrier island slopes into calm, clear water that stays shallow far out. When Pier 60 gets crowded, there is Sand Key to the south and the undeveloped shores of Caladesi and Honeymoon Island to the north.

Galveston has more sand by length, with about 50km of flat, wide beach running from Stewart Beach and East Beach to the quieter West End. In high summer its water is just as warm, but river silt keeps it brown-green, sargassum washes up in some summers and rip currents form by the jetties. It is fine for a warm swim close to your room, but it is not a beach you go to for the view.

Both keep it casual and seafood-led, and neither is worth travelling for food alone. The difference is the cooking. Clearwater means grouper sandwiches, stone crab and drinks on a beach deck at sunset, with Tarpon Springs' Greek tavernas as the best outing.

Galveston draws more on the Gulf Coast as a whole: chargrilled oysters, gumbo, po'boys, Tex-Mex and barbecue. Its more independent places are in the old streets around the Strand, while Clearwater's beachfront is dominated by chains.

Galveston is far ahead here. Its wealth as a nineteenth-century port survives in whole streets of cast-iron and brick buildings on the Strand, the porched houses of the East End and mansions you can tour, such as Bishop's Palace. The 1900 storm, the Seawall and the tall ship at the Texas Seaport Museum add a strong local story.

Clearwater has a few old downtown buildings and its restored 1920s theatre, but nothing worth planning a day around. For culture you drive to St Petersburg or Tampa.

Both are quiet places at night, where an evening means a drink by the water rather than clubs. In Clearwater the night starts with the sunset crowd at Pier 60, moves on to tiki decks and cover bands, and gets louder when spring break arrives.

Galveston's evenings are split between pubs and wine bars in the Victorian buildings downtown and patios along the Seawall. Mardi Gras is its big exception. From Clearwater, a proper night out in Ybor City or St Petersburg is easier to reach than anything comparable from Galveston.

Both coasts are flat, but Clearwater gives you more to do outdoors. You can kayak the mangrove channels, walk the pine flatwoods of the two island state parks, spot dolphins in the harbour or manatees in winter, and cycle the long Pinellas Trail.

Galveston's strength is birds. It sits on a major migration flyway, and in spring Bolivar Flats and High Island fill with warblers, spoonbills and shorebirds. Beyond that it has marsh trails, paddling in the state park and plenty of fishing.

Clearwater has a wider spread of outings, though you will need a car for nearly all of them. From there you can reach the Dalí Museum in St Petersburg, Ybor City in Tampa, the Greek sponge harbour at Tarpon Springs, the Ringling Museum in Sarasota and, if you are willing to drive two hours, Orlando's theme parks.

From Galveston, nearly every trip heads towards Houston: Space Center Houston, the Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel, and the San Jacinto Monument. Once you have done those, plus the ferry to Bolivar, there is little else within easy reach.

Both are proper family resorts, but Clearwater edges ahead because the sea itself is so gentle. Small children can paddle in calm, shallow water with little surf, the Marine Aquarium's rescued dolphins and turtles are a big draw, and Busch Gardens is within reach.

Galveston makes up a lot of ground on land. The Moody Gardens pyramids are a good fallback in rain or heat, there is a funfair on a pier and a waterpark, and Space Center Houston is close. You need to watch for rip currents near the jetties, though.

Getting around is about the same in both, and both need a car for most outings. Clearwater Beach is compact enough to walk, with a trolley to Sand Key and a ferry to downtown, but traffic on the causeway backs up at busy times.

In Galveston, the walkable part is the historic downtown, and the island's attractions stretch along a long, narrow strip. There is no rail link from Houston's airports, though cycling the flat Seawall is a pleasant way to cover the beachfront.

Neither is a shopping destination, and big shopping means driving to Tampa or Houston. Clearwater offers beachwear, souvenirs and mainland malls, and the most local thing to take home is a natural sponge from Tarpon Springs.

Galveston is better for a browse. The Victorian shopfronts of the Strand hold antique shops, galleries and sweet shops, and the downtown art walks bring out local artists.

Galveston is the cheaper of the two, with plenty of motels, mid-range hotels and rental beach houses. Its prices rise on summer weekends and at Mardi Gras.

Clearwater is at its most expensive in the late winter and spring peak, when beachfront rooms fill up. Staying on the mainland or in a condo with a kitchen cuts costs. In both, tips, tax and a hire car add to the bill.

Clearwater has a slight edge, mainly because Ruth Eckerd Hall brings touring rock acts, Broadway tours and orchestras. The intimate Capitol Theatre downtown adds smaller shows, and Tampa's large arts centre is within reach for opera and ballet.

Galveston's highlight is the Grand 1894 Opera House, a beautiful Victorian theatre and home to a community symphony. Apart from that and a little community theatre, there is not much else on.

Neither has a bathing tradition, and spa treatments in both mean resort hotel treatment rooms or a day spa. Clearwater is better for a genuinely restful stay. As a low-rise retirement town, its days settle into hotel pools, balconies and evenings by the marina, and only spring break and the summer heat disturb the calm.

Galveston is easygoing too, with bike rides along the Seawall and walks down the porch-lined streets of the East End. Its resort comforts are thinner, and summer weekends bring crowds from Houston.