honeymoon island state park
Dunedin Causeway & Sail Honeymoon
Dunedin Causeway is a great destination for summer fun! At Sail Honeymoon you can rent kayaks, trimarans, a 17-foot Windrider or a stand up paddleboard! Located directly on Dunedin Causeway’s south side, Sail Honeymoon has been a local business renting kayaks for years but in the last couple of years they have expanded and now 
also rent trimarans, catamarans and the ever so popular paddleboard. Along with the rental comes instructions if needed and the staff will also supply you with life jackets, paddles and a dry bag to keep your belongings safe during your excursion out on St Joseph’s Sound. Sail Honeymoon is located a short distance from Caladesi Island State Park and off the causeway on your way to Honeymoon Island State Park. Caladesi Island is only accessible by boat, there are no cars on the island. There are kayak trails wandering through the mangroves and over 6 miles of inland waterways waiting to be explored!
You can rent a sit-on-top kayak or a sit-in kayak and even use the kayak to go fishing for the day! The single kayaks start at $30 for 2 hours but are only $55 for the entire day! The doubles are $40 for 2 hours and $70 for the day. The 16 foot long Windrider Trimarans are perfect for up to 3 people. These are $75 for 2 hours and $150 for the entire day. What better way to enjoy the beautiful waters of St Joseph’s Sound? If you are interested in the 17 foot Windrider, which has a capacity of up to 5 people and a cooler, they are $95 for 2 hours and $175 for the day. All of these kayaks and 
sailboats have a four hour price as well and you can get that information by simply calling Sail Honeymoon at 727-734-0392. Oh, and the stand-up paddleboards are only $25 for an hour or $35 for 2 hours! How could I almost forget these popular boards? Sail Honeymoon just received the ‘green light’ from the City of Dunedin to extend their contract for having this location on the Dunedin Causeway for another ten years, so they are not going anywhere. This is great news since this is a popular destination for young and not so young alike! If you are looking for something to do during the long hot summer, consider renting one of these great kayaks or sailboats and really getting out on the open waters off the Dunedin Causeway!
Caladesi Island State Park – Dunedin Florida
Caladesi Island State Park is a completely natural island off the coast of Dunedin Florida that comprises over 650 upland acres of land and more than 1800 acres of grass flats and mangroves. To get to Caladesi Island you must travel by boat. The Florida Park’s Department makes that possible by having a ferry connecting Honeymoon Island State Park to Caladesi Island State Park. The ferry runs hourly during the winter months and every half hour from mid-February to mid-September. 
Once you get to Caladesi Island State Park, you can enjoy over three miles of nature trails for hiking, over three miles of relatively empty beach for your bathing pleasure, restrooms and showers in the pavilions that are provided by the park service and some of the best shell collecting opportunities around! Caladesi Island State Park also offers shaded picnic and grilling areas, a children’s playground, a snack bar and gift shop. Naturally, there are also fantastic fishing areas and kayak paddling trails through the mangroves. Don’t have your own kayak? No problem, the park offers kayak rentals as well as chair and umbrella rentals. There is even a marina that offers electric and water hookups!
If you are interested in boat camping on Caladesi Island, you need to make reservations. It is possible to make reservations up to 11 months in advance and it is indeed a good idea to take advantage of these advance reservations to get the time slot that you are after! Everybody loves camping on this pristine island that offers the sounds of the waves breaking on shore to lull you to sleep. You can come with your own boat (up to 40 ft in length), tie up to your reserved dock slot and enjoy a night or several nights of memorable camping on Caladesi Island State Park! You can also bring your private boat over to the island and dock for the day to use the beach, café and facilities. To dock for the day (no overnight boat camping) the fee is $6 (up to 8 people can be on the boat). So there are several ways to enjoy this great park!
Honeymoon Island State Park – Dunedin Florida
Honeymoon Island State Park located just off-shore from Dunedin Florida, is indeed breathtaking year round!
To get to Honeymoon Island, one takes the Dunedin Causeway and travel’s west. The gate opens at 8 am daily, 365 days a year, and remains open until sundown.
Here you can not only enjoy beautiful sandy beaches, collect magnificent seashells and bath in the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but you can also bring your pet pup and romp in the doggie park! There is a specific doggie park complete with shower area for poochie! Pets must remain on a 6 foot leash at all times while in the park. They have really thought of everything here.
If you would prefer taking the ferry over to Caladesi Island, the ferry launch is also within Honeymoon Island State Park.
No need to bring lunch since the park has a restaurant. There are also restrooms and showers at the pavilions. You can enjoy hiking the 2.5 mile trail through the Osprey nesting area of slash pines or walk over 4 miles of breathtakingly beautiful shoreline! There are picnic and grilling areas, kayak launching areas as well as a playground on the north end of the island. Kayaks, beach umbrellas and beach chairs are also available for rent at Cafe Honeymoon or at the Honeymoon Pavilion. You can call 727-736-2132 for more information.
Be sure to check out the Nature Center to learn more about the island’s history, as well as about native plants and animals. If you decide to go fishing, remember that you do need a fishing license, even for shoreline fishing!
Honeymoon Island State Park is a wonderful place to enjoy our great seashore. Open every day of the year, it is my personal favorite place to go to the beach as well as to collect seashells to decorate the home and garden.