Trifter

Caladesi Island State Park was selected by Dr. Beach (Stephen Leatherman) as one of the top ten beaches in the United States in 2007 and 2008. It has the number 2 spot on the top ten lists for 2007 and number 1 for 2008.

Caladesi Island State Park (Near Dunedin, Florida and Clearwater Beach). Caladesi Island is the home of Caladesi Island State Park. The island was previously part of Honeymoon Island to the north until a hurricane in 1921 split the island in two. The island is reachable only by boat, either private boat or by the Caladesi Ferry Service leaving from Honeymoon Island. Caladesi Island has 3 miles of extremely beautiful Gulf beaches with shallow, clear, calm waters. Actually, if you don’t mind walking a good distance you can actually walk to Caladesi Island from Clearwater Beach.

Beach Pictures

Caladesi Island’s wide flat natural beach is ideal for walking, wading, shelling, and just plain relaxing. This is a state park beach and is not raked and manicured, so occasionally it has slight seaweed on the beach.

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Wooden dune walkovers guide across the sandbank to the beach. After getting off the ferry, it’s about a 5-minute walk to the beach, with restrooms, showers, and a drinking fountain at the halfway point.

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Caladesi Island seems today just similar to the early explorers saw it when they arrived.

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An onshore breeze and a high spring tide take the water high up onto the beach.

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A low wave and a peaceful summer afternoon make the great opportunity for wading and finding live shells and other exciting marine life on Caladesi.

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Honeymoon Island’s virgin pine forest can be seen across the Gulf water.

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Signage on the island is limited, but authoritative. Even though the sign indicating otherwise, a lifeguard is there on the beach from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

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Should you wish to hire a beach chair and umbrella, or a kayak, the beach employee will hook you up. The fee is very reasonable compared to most beach vendors.

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Upon arriving, you will walk past the refreshment stand where you can purchase food or drink. You’ll possibly be in a hurry to get to the beach after arriving, but this building will become essential to you later on unless you brought your own food and drink.

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There are several tents vacant that can get you out of the sun, except they are occupied. They can be rented for the day.

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There are quite a few picnic tables under the palm trees between the refreshment stand and the sandbanks.

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There are plenty of places to walk around and various sights on the island other than the beach.