Nice beach near Tampa?

[Dancind]

We will be spending the weekend of 5-30 in Tampa, visiting Busch Gardens on Saturday. On Friday, we'd like to visit a beach in the area. We had wanted to go to Sanibel for shelling, but decided it is too far. Has anyone been to a nice beach somewhere in the Tampa area that has decent shelling? Thanks!

 

[NomadFamily]

I am not sure about beaches for "shelling"...but, there is beautiful /secluded beach on Caladesi Island....just off the coast of Tampa. You take a ferry over and it is lovely. I am somewhat of a beach snob since I grew up on the Island of St. Thomas USVI, so I don't typically enjoy stateside beaches too much. But, I did enjoy this one...as well as beaches on Lido Key, which is further South.