CLEARWATER, Fla. — In order to avoid the spring break backup on the roads headed to Clearwater Beach, both residents and visitors are looking for other ways to get there that don’t involve battling traffic and finding parking.

The city of Clearwater has free parking on nights and weekends in much of its downtown area in hopes that people leave their cars on the mainland and pick another way to get across the bridge.

The Clearwater Ferry has received funding from both the city and state to help expand their services and get more people off the roads and onto the water.

During spring break weeks, they run hourly trips four or five days a week from Coachman Park to the Clearwater Beach Marina, which is located directly across from Pier 60.

Passengers can leave their cars free of charge at most of the downtown parking garages and metered spaces on weekends and after 6 p.m. on weeknights. From there, passengers can board the ferry at the dock at Coachman Park.

“It’s great to get off the road because you’re not spending all your time there,” said ferry captain Dave Lloyd. “You’ll spend two to three hours between finding a parking spot and sitting on the bridge on the causeway.”

The Clearwater Ferry also offers a route that loops from Dunedin to Coachman Park and then out to Clearwater Beach. Lloyd says during spring training games it becomes a popular route.

The ferry’s drop off point at Clearwater Beach Marina is by the city’s Jolly Trolly, which provides transportation to different locations on Clearwater Beach.

“So between all the public transportation, we really correspond well with all the other stuff,” Lloyd said.

The ferry service is receiving funding each of the next five years from the city of Clearwater so they can continue to grow the service. $1 million in state funding is going towards building two additional boats this year.

About $50,000 from the city of Dunedin was approved as part of the 2023 budget, but the ferry service has not yet received those funds.

PSTA is also partnering with the city of Clearwater to provide a free park and ride service out to Clearwater Beach once again this year.

The free shuttles run from some of the free parking locations in downtown Clearwater each day, every 15 or 30 minutes, until 10 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.