Does anyone have recommendations for some of the best beach towns on Florida's west coast - Tampa and south?
Also, any suggestions on condos for 2 people for the last week of Dec?
Thanks in advance for any input.

I'm not sure what sort of a budget you have to work with....so I'll recommend Sea Club Resort at Indian Shores/Clearwater Beach. Nice condos, great value and two minute walk to the beach.

Don't wait much longer to book something!

The barrier islands running from Clearwater south have excellent beaches, especially Clearwater Beach, St. Petersburg Beach, and Pass-a-grille. Sarasota also has excellent beaches, especially Sand Beach.

Have you even STARTED trying to GET a reservation anywhere for that time period?

Last week of December 2016? That's in two weeks, so choices will be limited. You've received very good suggestions so far.

The Don Cesar on St. Pete Beach has condo units, if price isn't much of an object. The Sand Pearl might as well.

The Alden Beach Resort is a much more modest property, but clean and updated and right on the beach, and it also has two-room kitchenette units.

South Seas Resort-Captiva
Cedars West Condos-Longboat Key

"Does anyone have recommendations for some of the best beach towns..."

Yeah, I live over on the "better" coast of Florida and here is my further recommendation at this point in time:

The "best beach towns" are any of those in which you can still GET a reservation.

Thank you all for your input. Here's hoping we'll find something. This forum has been very helpful in the past.

Could someone please give me the names of condos on the beach in any of these places: Boca Grande, Anna Maria, Pass-a Grille, Siesta Key, Venice, or any other? Also, do you have suggestions for vacation rental companies in these areas?

Use VRBO.com and plug in your dates. Or look at AirB&B.

Or call a real estate agent.

Many of the rentals on VRBO are actually represented by realtors--that is, they handle the transaction. So I'd advise looking at VRBO first.

What is the best way to find a list of real estate agents who have beach condo rentals on the barrier islands?

Google?

VRBO!

Sanibel and Captiva.

Thanks so much for your input and suggestions - so helpful!

Your last reply, bcsa, sounds pretty passive aggressive to me and is completely unwarranted.

You are asking people to find you a place in a strip of property that is what, almost 200 miles long with no information about budget or interests. Tampa and Marco Island have very, very different weather, activities, and vibes.

You were given about as much information as anyone can give you under the circumstances. We are not the ones who left this until the last minute, you are.

Um, for the record, I don't see any passive aggressive remarks...

I agree. Why would someone think "thanks so much for your input and suggestions -- so helpful" is anything but what it sounds like -- a thank you for helpful suggestions? Are we missing something?