Communities in Apollo Beach

Each of these has its own guide: what you actually get, what it costs to live there, and what to check before you buy.

On the water

Navigable saltwater with a run out to Tampa Bay. Canal depth, bridge clearance and lift capacity all decide what you can actually keep behind the house. Compare all waterfront communities.

MiraBay: gated, on navigable water with direct Tampa Bay access

Bimini Bay: small, gated, Key West-style, over half the homesites on saltwater canals

Andalucia: gated and waterfront, with a community pier on Tampa Bay

Symphony Isles: manned gate, deeper canals and the only private beach in Apollo Beach you can swim off

Hemingway Estates: a small non-gated enclave on the canal, across from the elementary school and close to the manatee viewing center

See MiraBay on video

If you want a feel for what living on the water in Apollo Beach looks like, start here. This is a tour of MiraBay, the neighborhood I call home, from the front gate to the pools, the clubhouse and the canals that run out to Tampa Bay. When you want the fees, flood zones and boating details, my MiraBay guide walks you through all of it.

Play

Off the water

Lakes, ponds and conservation rather than canals. No boat access, but more house, more lot and usually cheaper insurance for the same money. Compare all off-water communities.

Covington Park: established and non-gated, three pools and a deep amenity package for the price

Indigo Creek: Taylor Morrison new construction with a pool and playground, a $99 a month HOA and no CDD; the ponds are stormwater ponds, so no boat access

Del Webb Southshore Falls: gated 55+ just off US 41, with the Wellspring Club, a full activities calendar and an HOA that covers the lawn and landscaping

Harbour Isles: gated, east of US 41, wide lots and lake views, with boat and RV storage on site

Waterset: the largest master-planned community here, four pools and clubhouses, still building

More on Apollo Beach

Discover the Charm of Apollo Beach: what daily life here actually looks like

Should You Buy a Home in Apollo Beach in 2026?: how the current market reads for buyers

Retiring in Apollo Beach: A Practical Guide to Lifestyle, Costs and Communities: lifestyle, costs and which communities suit retirees

Welcome to Florida Time.: the change of pace newcomers notice first

What does waterfront actually cost to own here?

Everyone budgets for the house. Fewer people budget for the water.

A seawall runs $800 to $1,000 per linear foot in this market. That measures the length of the wall, not its surface area. Replacing a dock runs $37,000 to $75,000 depending on size, depth and what is already there.

Neither of those is a reason to walk away from a house. They are a reason to know before you write the offer. A failing seawall is a negotiation. A failing seawall you found out about in week three is a problem.

Flood maps are a starting point. Property history, actual elevation and policy options affect the decision. In my local experience, many neighborhoods built after roughly 2000 sit around ten feet in elevation and performed differently in storms from older homes around zero to six feet. That is my rule of thumb, not a universal code change or a way to infer a home’s elevation from its age. Some flood policies can be transferred or assumed and others cannot; have the insurer confirm eligibility, terms and your actual premium.

So when people ask me whether waterfront is worth it, the answer is yes. Dolphins and manatees in your back yard. Just go in holding the real numbers instead of the brochure ones.

How do you know whether a canal actually fits your boat?

Send me the property address and the details of the boat you own—or want to own. Include length, beam, draft, height and loaded weight. I boat these canals, and that firsthand experience helps us ask the right questions before you buy.

What matters is the depth of the canal at low tide, measured against your boat draft with the lift lowered. A canal that looks perfectly fine at two in the afternoon can be a different story at dawn. If you already own the boat you know your draft. If you are buying the boat later, get roughly clear on what you want before you buy the house. That order is much easier than the other one.

The exact address matters. Even a few doors apart on the same canal, suitability can change with canal width and narrowing, bends and curvature, straight versus angled seawall frontage, how far the lift projects into the waterway, and room to turn and maneuver. Compare low-tide depth with boat draft, and confirm lift capacity against loaded weight and applicable restrictions.

Then ask for the community master dock plan, by name. Some smaller lots carry a restriction on the overall size of boat allowed on the lift, usually tied to lot size and whether there is room to navigate, turn around, and get on and off. The master dock plan is the document that tells you whether a specific lot has one. A lot of buyers never think to ask, and it is not something that turns up on a listing sheet.

And check the bridge clearance on your route out. A boat that fits the canal and fits the lift can still be stuck behind a fixed bridge.

What is a CDD, and will you have one?

A CDD is the portion of your tax bill that goes back to the community. It covers operation and maintenance, and it pays off the bonds that funded the original development. Those bonds do get paid down over time.

Communities with a CDD usually have very low HOA fees in exchange, and they tend to be either amenity rich or to have things other neighborhoods do not, like gas or gated entries. It is not a penalty. It is a different way of paying for the same things.

Here is the part that surprises people. Very few waterfront communities around here carry a CDD at all. In Apollo Beach it is essentially MiraBay. In Ruskin it is Antigua Cove, which most people know as Little Harbor. Plenty of off-water neighborhoods carry one, but out on the water it is the exception, not the rule.

Where there is one, it is almost always based on lot size. In MiraBay a 50-foot lot runs around $2,300 a year, and lots over 100 feet run between $6,000 and $7,000. That is a wide spread, and it is worth knowing which end of it you are shopping before you fall in love with a house.

What is Apollo Beach actually like to live in?

It is a boating town that happens to be twenty-odd minutes from a major metro. That is the short version.

Can you really see manatees in Apollo Beach?

Apollo Beach is one of the best places anywhere to see manatees, and that is not an exaggeration. When Tampa Bay drops to 68 degrees or colder, manatees gather in the warm-water canal at Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station off Dickman Road, and they have been coming back every winter since the early 1970s. On December 29, 2023, the Manatee Viewing Center counted a record 1,100 manatees there at one time, up from the previous record of 850 the winter before, and the center draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. People travel a long way to see what we get to see every winter. Locals think of the manatees as our pets, and from November through March you will slow down on the canals to share the water with them.

The manatees are not a marketing line. The TECO Manatee Viewing Center is here, it is free, and it runs November 1 through April 15 from ten to five. There is a fifty-foot observation tower, a rays touch tank and about eight tenths of a mile of habitat trails. In winter the manatees crowd the warm-water discharge in numbers that genuinely startle people the first time.

What is everyday life like in Apollo Beach?

Beyond the manatees, it is marinas, canals, a small public beach, and neighborhoods where a golf cart is a reasonable second vehicle in some communities and not in others. You are within reach of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota without paying for it in commute time on a normal day.

Dinner here is usually on the water. Circles sits on the marina off Apollo Beach Boulevard, and the sunset over the bay does most of the work.

What is summer like in Apollo Beach?

August is hot and wet, and I will tell you that rather than let you find out. If you are moving from somewhere with four seasons, come look in August, not February. The people who visit in February and buy sight unseen for summer are the ones who get surprised.

Buying in Apollo Beach: what you actually need to know

These are the questions buyers ask me before they are anywhere near ready to write an offer. Short answers here, the full version on each page.

Can I get a dock and lift and a resort-style clubhouse in the same neighborhood?

Almost never, and it is worth knowing that going in. Navigable saltwater frontage is limited and the lots have to be wide enough to turn a boat around, so the land that would have funded a clubhouse and a fitness center goes into the seawall instead. You generally get one or the other: real boating water with modest amenities, or a resort amenity package on water you cannot take a boat out of. MiraBay is the one neighborhood that does both, and the CDD is the price of it. Why waterfront and amenities rarely land together →

Is the house in a flood zone, and what will insurance run?

Check the actual home’s elevation, flood history and policy options, not just its map designation or construction year. Ask the insurer whether an existing policy can transfer and what your premium would be. What flood insurance actually costs here →

How deep is the canal, and will my boat clear it at low tide?

The depth of the canal at low tide is the first question a boat owner should ask, ahead of price. It varies by community and even lot to lot. Canal depths by community →

What size boat can I actually keep here?

It comes down to the weight capacity of the lift and whether the lot has room to turn and dock. Ask for the community’s dock plan, which will tell you whether your lot carries a restriction. Boat size and lift capacity →

What is a CDD going to cost me, and why do some neighborhoods have one?

A CDD is the part of your tax bill that pays off the bonds that built the neighborhood’s infrastructure, and it usually comes with lower HOA dues and amenities other neighborhoods do not have. In MiraBay and Waterset it applies community-wide, not only to the waterfront lots. CDD vs HOA, explained →

What do homes run in Apollo Beach?

MiraBay: sold $275,000 to $2,617,770, March to September 2026 closings

Symphony Isles: sold $765,000 to $1,960,000, March to July 2026 closings

Bimini Bay: interior and pond-view resales in the high $300s to upper $500s, canal-front mid $600s to upper $800s, larger custom waterfront $900,000 to $1.3M and up, as of August 2026

Covington Park: $270,000 to $320,000 at entry, $320,000 to $420,000 in the middle, $420,000 to $515,000 at the top, as of August 2026

Harbour Isles: low $300s to low $400s, mid $400s to upper $500s, and $600s and up for updated pool homes

Andalucía: most recent closings $850,000 to $1.2M, full range $550,000 to $2.5M

Waterset: roughly $375,000 to $1.2M

Those ranges move, and the medians and days on market move with them. The current numbers are in the Apollo Beach market update → For waterfront specifically, here is what each budget really buys, from $550K to $1.9M →

What schools serve Apollo Beach?

Apollo Beach Elementary is in town, and Eisenhower Middle and East Bay High are in neighboring Gibsonton. Doby Elementary sits physically inside Covington Park. School assignment is address-specific, so confirm the zoned schools for the exact address before you count on them.

What is for sale right now?

Current homes for sale, with the tax, CDD and waterfront details spelled out rather than left for you to dig up, are on the listings page →

How far is Apollo Beach from Tampa International Airport and downtown Tampa?

Tampa International Airport is about 26 miles away, usually 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and whether you take the Selmon Expressway or US 41. Downtown Tampa is roughly 20 miles, about 25 to 35 minutes. Sarasota is about 45 minutes south on I-75, and St. Petersburg is around 45 minutes to an hour across the Gandy Bridge. Those are typical drive times, so if you will commute every day, I always suggest driving the route at the hour you will actually be on the road. It is the kind of thing that never shows up on a listing and makes all the difference by the second month.

Is there new construction in Apollo Beach?

Yes, and most of it is in Waterset, Apollo Beach’s largest master-planned community, east of US 41. Seven builders are active there: Cardel, David Weekley, Homes by WestBay, ICI, Pulte, Richmond American, and Toll Brothers in the gated 55+ Regency at Waterset. Builder pricing runs from about $295,000 for townhomes to $1.1 million and up for larger pool homes (as of August 2026).

Here is the part I always share with buyers. Builder incentives like rate buydowns, closing-cost help and design credits can be worth tens of thousands of dollars, so compare a resale against the builder’s price after incentives, and count what the resale already includes, like a pool, fence, blinds and finished landscaping. On the water, new construction is rare and usually means a handful of homes on existing lots, like the recent homes in Hemingway Estates.

Is Apollo Beach the right fit for you?

I have worked with buyers who arrived wanting a pool, boat access and a lift under $800,000, then chose around $1.4 million after discovering the neighborhood lifestyle they wanted. That illustrates changing priorities, not current inventory pricing or a reason to exceed your financial comfort. Older Apollo Beach homes in the $600,000s may offer no HOA or CDD and more freedom. Depending on the property and rules, nearby vacation rentals, campers, no gate and fewer organized activities may be part of that tradeoff. Some buyers prefer that freedom; every street has its own character.

How do you want to live here? Budget, boating and commute matter, but so do architecture, atmosphere, activities and finding your new circle of friends, especially in retirement. My local impressions: Symphony Isles has a Mediterranean feel; Andalucía a yacht-club feel; Bimini Bay a Key West feel. MiraBay, where I live, combines Key West styling with a very social atmosphere, a full-time activities coordinator, golf carts and an attached shopping center.

Apollo Beach questions people ask most

Is Apollo Beach, FL a good place to live?

For people who want the water to be part of everyday life, yes. Apollo Beach is a boating town on Tampa Bay with canal and bay access, golf carts in some neighborhoods and downtown Tampa about 25 to 35 minutes away. It is quieter than the city, and most errands are close by along US 41 and Big Bend Road.

Do I need flood insurance in Apollo Beach?

If the home is in a high-risk FEMA flood zone and you have a mortgage, your lender will require it. Much of the waterfront west of US 41 is in a flood zone, while communities east of US 41 such as Waterset are generally outside it. Zones and elevations change from street to street, so check the exact address on FEMA’s flood map and ask for the elevation certificate.

Is there a beach in Apollo Beach?

Yes. The Apollo Beach Nature Preserve at the end of Surfside Boulevard has a stretch of soft white sand on Tampa Bay. It is a place for walking, shelling and sunsets rather than swimming. Here is what the beach in Apollo Beach is really like.

How far is Apollo Beach from Tampa International Airport?

Tampa International Airport is about 26 miles from Apollo Beach, usually a 35 to 45 minute drive depending on traffic and your route.

How much is the CDD in Apollo Beach?

It depends on the community and the lot. In MiraBay the CDD is based on lot size, about $2,300 a year for a 50-foot lot and $6,000 to $7,000 for lots over 100 feet. Waterset’s published CDD guidance runs roughly $2,300 to $4,300 a year. Many Apollo Beach neighborhoods have no CDD at all. These are 2026 figures, so check the tax bill for the exact address. My CDD vs HOA explainer walks through how it works.

Which REALTOR should you call in Apollo Beach?

Me. And rather than just assert that, here is the basis for it.

What is my track record in Apollo Beach?

I close more than 100 transactions a year across Tampa Bay, and more than 50 of those are waterfront. Stellar MLS ranks me the #1 agent in Apollo Beach by total sales volume for January 2025 through August 2026. On RateMyAgent I hold a 5.0 across more than 280 verified reviews as of September 2026, and I have been named City Winner for Apollo Beach five years running, 2022 through 2026.

I am a REALTOR and the Team Leader of The Calvert Home Team at 27North Realty, an independent brokerage here in Apollo Beach. My husband Gregg is the broker and owner. We run the office on Go-Giver principles, and that is not a slogan we picked up for a website.

What does that experience mean for you?

What the numbers actually buy you is narrower than it sounds. They mean I have been down these canals, I know which streets take on water and which ones do not, and I have watched enough seawall and lift negotiations to tell you early whether a house is going to be a headache. They also mean I will talk you out of a house. That happens more than people expect.

If you are weighing Apollo Beach against Ruskin, or a canal lot against a lake lot, or you just want to know what a specific street floods like, ask me. You will get the honest version, including the parts that might change your mind.

Thinking about Apollo Beach? Call or text me at 509-294-6818. Tell me how you want to live, and I will tell you where I would start looking.

Related reading

Apollo Beach Commute to Tampa, MacDill and the Airports

Little Harbor, Ruskin: Homes, Beach and Marina Guide

Moving to Ruskin, FL: Waterfront and Community Guide

Things to Do in Apollo Beach, Florida

Pros and Cons of Living in Apollo Beach, Florida

Boating in Apollo Beach: Gulf Access, Canals and Marinas

Waterfront Communities

Off-Water Communities in Apollo Beach and SouthShore

Apollo Beach and Ruskin Neighborhoods: Complete Guide

Relocation Services

Sell Your Apollo Beach Home

How to Find a REALTOR in Florida

Buying in Apollo Beach as a Canadian

Apollo Beach Real Estate Market Update