Destin or Clearwater?

Both are first-rate Gulf beaches of fine white sand, and the difference is in character. Clearwater's barrier-island beach shelves so gradually that you can wade a long way out. The busy stretch around Pier 60 contrasts with the wild sand of Caladesi and Honeymoon Islands nearby, and the sea warms a little earlier in spring.

Destin pairs white quartz sand with clearer, greener water and has more variety: the state park beaches, Crab Island where boats anchor on a sandbar, and the dune lakes along 30A. On rough days its surf brings real rip currents, which is less of a concern on Clearwater's calmer shore.

Both run on casual seafood and chain restaurants, and neither is a reason to book. In Clearwater the classics are the grouper sandwich, stone crab in season and smoked fish spread, and Tarpon Springs adds Greek bakeries and tavernas within easy reach.

Destin gets slightly more from its harbour. Charter boats land snapper, amberjack and royal red shrimp, some places will cook what you caught, and the more ambitious kitchens are out along 30A. In summer, expect long waits on the coast highway.

Neither town has much to see. Clearwater has an early twentieth-century downtown on the bluff and a restored 1920s theatre. Destin, a fishing village that became a resort, has kept almost nothing old beyond a small fishing museum, though the temple mound and the military aircraft collection in neighbouring Fort Walton Beach are worth an hour. In either place, history means leaving town.

Nights out are similarly low-key, but they peak at different times of day. In Clearwater the evening revolves around the sunset at Pier 60, followed by tiki decks and cover bands, and Ybor City in Tampa is within reach for a bigger night.

Destin's liveliest drinking often happens in the afternoon, when boats raft up at Crab Island, and then moves to the harbour boardwalk bars. A few dance floors stay open late in peak season. Outside summer and spring break, both go quiet early.

Both are flat, watery and best enjoyed early in the day, but they lead to different activities. Clearwater means mangrove channels to kayak, manatees sheltering in winter, ospreys in the island state parks and the long Pinellas Trail for easy cycling.

Destin is a fishing coast. The shelf drops off so close to shore that deep-sea charters reach big game fish quickly, and there is snorkelling along the jetties. Inland and to the east are high dunes, rare coastal dune lakes and Panhandle rivers for canoeing.

Clearwater has far more within reach. St Petersburg's Dalí Museum, Tampa's cigar-making quarter of Ybor City, the Greek sponge docks at Tarpon Springs and the Ringling in Sarasota are all an hour or less away, and Orlando's parks are a long day out.

From Destin the good options are the planned pastel towns of 30A and Pensacola's colonial district, naval aviation museum and brick forts. Beyond those, the nearest places that feel different are more than two hours' drive.

Both are built for family beach trips, but Clearwater is a little easier with small children. Its water is calm and shallow with little surf, Pier 60 has lifeguards and a playground, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a rescue centre for dolphins and turtles, is a favourite. Busch Gardens and Adventure Island are about forty minutes away.

Destin has more amusements on its doorstep, including the marine park shows on Okaloosa Island, a water park, go-karts and pirate cruises. Rip currents on rough days and the jammed summer highway are the trade-offs.

Neither works well without a car, but Clearwater is a bit more forgiving. On the beach island, hotels, restaurants and sand are close together, a trolley runs down to Sand Key, and a ferry links the beach with downtown.

Destin stretches along a single coastal highway that clogs in summer and has few safe crossings for walkers. Apart from the harbour boardwalk and the bike trail on 30A, you will be driving or using ride-hailing.

Destin is the better place to shop. The outlet centre near Miramar Beach draws shoppers from across the region, an open-air mall covers the main chains, and the 30A towns add stylish boutiques and galleries.

Clearwater offers little beyond beachwear, souvenirs and mainland malls. Its most memorable buy is a natural sponge from Tarpon Springs, and serious shopping means a drive to Tampa.

Both are pricey resort coasts, but their peak seasons fall at different times. Clearwater is dearest in late winter and spring, when northern visitors and spring breakers arrive, and gets cheaper in the stormy summer and autumn.

Destin peaks from late spring through summer and is far cheaper from late autumn to early spring, when the sea is too cold for swimming. In both, a condo with a kitchen is the main way to save.

Clearwater has the better stages. Ruth Eckerd Hall brings touring bands, comedians, Broadway tours and orchestral concerts, and the 1920s Capitol Theatre hosts smaller, more intimate shows. Opera and ballet are an easy drive away in Tampa.

In Destin, the regional symphony plays across the bay at a college arts centre in Niceville, small companies put on plays in Miramar Beach and Seaside, and most of the live music is cover bands on bar decks.

Neither has a spa tradition, so the rest comes from the pace, and Clearwater's is slower. It is a low-rise resort and retirement town where nothing demands an early start, and evenings can be spent by the marina or in the waterfront park below the bluff.

In Destin, pampering means the resort spas around Sandestin and Miramar Beach. The coast is restful in spring and autumn, with empty early-morning sand, but summer traffic and crowds take away much of the calm.