Honeymoon Island State Park: A Hidden Gem in Florida

Formally known as Hog Island, Honeymoon Island acquired its current name when a New Yorker purchased the island in 1939 and built bungalows for honeymooners.

The island is a barrier island on the gulf coast of Florida and is home to Honeymoon Island State Park. The beautiful undeveloped beaches make it a favorite place for both visitors and locals.

My favorite shells to collect are the turban shells. I have never seen them on any other beach in Florida, or any beach anywhere. I'm sure they other places, I just haven't seen them.

The main beach area is great for swimming and beach activities. The sand is soft with very few rocks in that area. That is also where the restrooms are located.

The pet beach is on the south end of the island. It is a good distance from the parking area to the beach and we had to walk around several puddles of water to get there. The beach is nothing spectacular to look at, but the fur babies will love it. Unfortunately, I do not have the photos that I took of the pet beach. They were on my brand new phone that I dropped in a pool right after we left the park....😭

A fun thing to do is to catch the ferry to Caladesi Island. You can read about our trip here.

Address:

#1 Causeway Blvd.

Dunedin, FL 34698

Hours:

The park is open from 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.

Admission Fee:

$8.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.

$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.

$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.

$4.00 per vehicle: sunset fee, starting one hour prior to sunset.


Happy Travels! 

Discovering the Hidden Gem of Florida: Caladesi Island State Park

With 3 miles of untouched white sandy beaches, it’s easy to see why Caladesi Island consistently ranks as one of America’s top beaches.  It’s a great place for shelling, hiking the trails, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, or just lying on the beach.

The island is accessible by only by private boat, ferry, or a mile long walk from Clearwater beach.

The Caladesi Island Ferry is located within the Honeymoon Island State park. You will pay an entry fee for the park and then another fee for the ferry.

The ferry will dock on the bay side and then you will take about a 10 minute walk to the beach.

We took the ferry, but I have been told that you can walk from Clearwater Beach. It is about a mile north of Pier 60.

The Bay side

Tips for the trip:

1. Take a bag for all of your beach treasures. You can find a variety of shells, starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, coral, and sponges.
2. Go early in the morning to get the best shells.
3. There is a store on the island to get food, drinks, and other things you may need, but it is quite a walk from the beach area. I would suggest carrying your own food and drink or purchase something from the store before heading to the beach.

Happy Travels!