Caladesi Island State Park

Pure Awesomeness! From the ferry ride there, to the unspoiled natural beauty, white sand & sparkling water. Capt Steve & First Mate George were very friendly & helpful. Reasonable prices...$8 Park entrance fee, $20 Round trip ferry ride, $35 Cabana rental which includes 2 chairs, an umbrella and 2 fountain drinks. Made to order sandwiches $9 - $14 (We ordered the BLT, Tuna salad & burgers, including a veggie burger). All delicious and prepared & served with smiles from Sean & Slavisa :) All around...a beautiful experience!

This is hands down my favorite beach in Florida! The white sand and turquoise water are absolutely stunning. We’ve been here twice now, and it’s the perfect spot to relax and spend the day. While it’s still bouncing back from hurricane damage, it’s definitely worth the visit!

Perfect beach to visit. Lots of shells and sand dollars and no crowds. We liked it so much we went back a second day.

Absolutely wonderful solo day trip. Took the ferry over from honeymoon Island and immediately regretted not aligning my time with the tides so that I could kayak the mangroves. A beautiful place to kayak, shell hunt, and observable wildlife. The dolphins are lovely and there's some cool fish. There is very little access to shade. Bring lots of sunscreen!

Absolutely one of my favorites! A little bit of a hike to get there but we'll worth the adventure! Go shelling at low tide..

Great place for RV. Friendly, clean, close to beaches. Water, Electricity and Wifi Included

Beautiful ! Lots of small fish swimming around. My only recommendation is maybe bring some bug spray.

If you're looking for a beach with beautiful water and not a lot of people, Caladesi Island is the place. It's beautiful, and the sand is so soft. They also have a small restaurant inside. The food was good but again pricey. $9.99 for a hamburger and $2 to add cheese. You can kayak from Ho eymoim Island, take the ferry, or go with your own boat. The ferry is nice but pricey at $18 per person for 4 hrs. The crew are nice, but if you have more than 3 people, it's not something you'll probably do very often. It's about a 15-20min boat ride depending on if there are dolphins. The captain will stop so you can see them.

Caladesi Island, specifically the beach, was one of the best parts of our vacation to the area. The beach was rather secluded which was without a doubt because of small barriers to entry. The need to access via a ferry or boat in itself is probably a deterrent to some people. If taking a ferry, the entry fees into Honeymoon island and the ferry plus only being able to bring on what you can carry could also be less than ideal. But! It's so worth it. I'm not sure who the ferry captain's name was but he did a great job in addition to his first mate Bob. Bob brought good vibes only - Bob if you're reading this never change. We spent the day on the beach and enjoyed looking for shells on the sandbar during low tide. The sand dollars were abundant! Afterwards, we used the outdoor shower and changed in the second bathhouse. I think there's such anticipation to get on the beach that most people, including ourselves, walk next to the first bathhouse onto the beach and then walk to the left to find more space. Learn from us and walk on the walkway to the second bathhouse and then onto the beach! (As long as you're not intending to rent chairs/ an umbrella) It'll be easier to find your own space. We lugged a lot of water onto the island but saw there were a handful of water foundations in addition water for sale at the gift shop/ cafe. We did not go on the nature trails but we were told they were very buggy. We also passed signs that said rattlesnakes are common on the island. We didn't see any going to the beach but if you're going on nature trails be aware of these things. This review was very long - but very deserved! Add Caladesi Island to your bucket list!

Captain Norm and his assistant Jack they were absolutely fantastic and made the experience amazing! Would have given 5 stars if it wasn't for captain crab ass Joe. However the ride back, captain Joe was a very angry elf. He was not enjoyable and cranky and needs a happy pill.

Caladesi is totally worth the trek. My loved ones and I took the ferry that departs from Honeymoon Island for $18/adult (there's a $1 off coupon on their website), and within 20 minutes we were on the island. One thing I was impressed with from the get-go was how well-kept the facilities are (and that there were even proper facilities). While most appeared to be on the island for a beach day, my loved ones and I hiked the trails and shelled along the beach. It was a lovely way to spend three hours. Best of all, there were many moments when it felt as if we had the whole island to ourselves, even on the beach. You don't get that feeling a lot around these parts of Florida! Want to make the trek yourself? Bring bug spray in addition to your beach-y supplies.

Great place to have a day in the sun and sand enjoying the clear Florida gulf waters. Best days are weekdays to have that near-private island experience. Weekends can leave us a bit frustrated as the number of boats and other watercraft litter the shoreline and kick up a bunch of sand. It's hard to find an open spot on the beach. For kayakers and paddle boarders, low tide means less boaters along the shore. The current is also strong at the inlet pulling you out. You'll need to be in good shape to make progress against the current. Be sure to check the tidal reports and plan accordingly. If you are struggling, carry your kayak/board along the shore to the other side and re-launch from inside the inlet to get back to the causeway successfully. Or plan a return around the tide coming in. Bring plenty of water and stay hydrated. Don't forget sunscreen.

Such a relaxing and quiet park! I'll get a few things out of the way first that may be helpful. This is an island without a road to it, so you need to get to it one of ~3 ways: 1. Take the Caladesi Ferry from Honeymoon Island ($8 per car to get into Honeymoon then an additional $16 per person for a round trip ferry ride). Kids are cheaper. Kids under 5 are free on the ferry. It runs from 10 am to (I think) 4 pm every 1/2 or 1 hour depending on demand/weather. You can only stay 4 hours with this option -- I think due to the capacity of the ferry. 2. Take a boat or kayak and dock at honeymoon. The prices range for this one. $6 per boat + more of you have over 8 people. $2 per kayaker. 3. This one is risky but I've seen that it can be done -- walk from Clearwater North Beach at low tide. I believe it's $2 per person admission. Otherwise right where you dock once you get to the island, they have a pavilion with what you might need. Pretty sure they only take cards, but I'm not sure: - Concessions (sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, beer, wine). You're only allowed to drink alcohol on their pavilion patio, if that matters to you. - Knick knacks (sweatshirts, etc. tbh I wasn't looking at everything to buy). - Kayaks to rent, so you can explore the mangroves - Beach accessible wheelchairs - Umbrellas and chairs (actually these may be directly on the beach and I think it was $29 for the setup. - Ranger station, pretty sure this had maps and other guides PS you can bring your own chairs, cooler, etc. but it can get annoying lugging them around. Overall I loved our trip here. It was so tranquil. We took the ferry on a January weekend and spent about 3 hours exploring the island. There's a nature walk that's 2.5 miles, but has a detour to the beach in the middle of it if you don't want to walk so far. There are signs everywhere about how the island has a lot of rattlesnakes, so I got kind of anxious, since I was only wearing flip flops. We didn't see any snakes, but still. We saw a ton of birds and lots of vegetation though! So many birds that you wouldn't normally see at a more crowded beach -- black skimmers, plovers, a guy told us he saw a bald eagle flying around. We also saw a gopher tortoise, which was awesome. If you're into collecting shells, there are TONS of shells here. You're allowed to take any shell that doesn't have something living in it. On our way back, we saw six dolphins!! The ferry slowed down so all of us could take pictures. Also, they take cash tips on the ferry, which I didn't realize or else I would've brought more cash. Honestly our boat captains were awesome. People pay $$$ for the Clearwater dolphin boats, and here we just paid $16 per person which includes Caladesi island admission. Of course seeing dolphins isn't guaranteed, so it was such a treat.

We love Caladesi Island BUT beware of the biting insects! I am covered in bites and it's not the first time. I put on Deep Woods Off and that works but if it sweats off (I love to run the trails) or if you are not wearing it- you'll regret it! They are really bad when it's humid. With that being said, we love to bring our boat out, relax, eat at the little grill etc. I love the nature trail. It's definitely worth visiting- just bring insect repellent! Park staff (Rangers) are very nice.

Very impressed by the ferry schedule & rangers on the boat. I went hiking on the island and didn't see a soul! I ended up having to get ankle deep, but had waterproof hiking shoes on thankfully. Walked the beach after & overall it was worth parking & ferry fee. Big fan!

Beautiful day to be out at the beach celebrating my son birthday it's absolutely gorgeous and the private

We went to visit Caladesi Island on a weekday morning. We arrived at Honeymoon Island and paid the $8. to enter with our car. We quickly found the parking area and ticket booth to Caladesi Island. Unfortunately, they don't start the rides to the island until 10 am. We explored Honeymoon island while we waited and went back when it was almost time for the ferry to start service for the day. We bought our tickets $32. for 2 tickets on the ferry!!! The trip takes about 10 minutes (give or take) and we were told on the way over that we had 4 hours and had to be back at the docks at 2 pm. They said if you wished to stay longer that you could ask at 2pm and they would let you know if they will have room on a later trip (depending on how many people they ferry over after your trip). We took the short hike to the beach from the ferry and it was set up with chairs and umbrellas to rent (we brought our own). We set up and stayed for a couple hours. I was less than impressed with the whole experience. Caladesi wasn't as remote as I imagined it would be, there was quite a few people there and it wasn't as beautiful as I thought it would be. I've been to much prettier and remote beaches and I thought it was pretty expensive ($40. total for entrance and ferry) and inconvenient to get to.

Beautiful park! We saw a gopher turtle and an armadillo and collected many complete seashells.

I did some research and decided to run from Clearwater beach to Caladesi Island. In total from Rockaway parking lot to the very tip of Caladesi was about 5.5 miles... and don't forget you also have to return so 11 miles round trip for me. You can actually reach the 'Welcome to Caladesi' sign in about 3.5 miles but personally I was compelled to going until the end to see what was there. You will know you are about to leave Clearwater when you see the shell covered trees. Pay the toll and place a shell in the branches; there are 3 total. Now at the third and most decorated tree the path narrows greatly. On the way there I decided to take off my shoes to pass BUT on the way back I found a path through the brush that actually is right beside that 3rd shell tree and takes you through a maze of branches but your feet stay dry. Along the trek I saw way more shells in Caladesi than were on Clearwater. On the way back when I saw people picking through the now lacking shells on Clearwater since the early bird pickers took the good ones I thought if only they could see what's down the beach a few miles. There are no houses nor hotels and it feels more like unspoiled beach preserve. I saw so many cool things: sponges, sea urchin, crab, dead sea turtle. There are several benches spread around as well. There was a sign to pay a park fee to the ranger station but I did not see any station on the beach; I had brought money but did not need it. There were a few paths to go off beach which I suppose that's where the station is and the bathrooms but I did not leave the beach...except briefly which you can see in my pics a bridge crossing and trees, I thought maybe it was a way to navigate back to Clearwater without getting my feet wet; however shortly after I found a tight passage through the tangle of trees so did not have to take off my shoes. At the tip of Caladesi the sand was covered with sea weed and ocean debris and was not as pristine as the sand on Clearwater. The best thing about Caladesi was the solitude as I did not encounter a single soul! Most people are not in shape enough to make the trek, and seemingly may not be motivated to go the whole way to the end (and the boat shuttles I read about were not yet running as it was only 7:45)... but at the very tippy top of the island is a small secluded beach and a view that most people will never see. My only regret is that I didn't start out a little earlier than 6am. The run back with the Sun blazing down was much tougher and took me longer to return. Hope this helps! Check out my pics.

MANGROVE PARADISE What's that? You don't know what a mangrove is? You gotta be kidding me. Well, Google it like I did and let's continue. There are miles of channels cutting through the forest canopy inaccessible to standard boat traffic. Get your kayaks out and go explore the briny bluffs, home to a wide array of wildlife most not from this area ever see: herons, horseshoe crabs, these tiny mangrove tree crabs crawling around everywhere and even stingray. It gets pretty narrow in the mangroves, and depending on the tide levels you may have a few pathways where you beach yourself on a previously submerged tree limb or patch of mud and pile of decaying sea weed. It can also be difficult to wield your paddle where the tree limbs cascade down on you and the roots protrude inwards, so I recommend either: 1) get used to utilizing your hands to drift yourself onward by pushing off the tree limbs, or 2) If you lack arm limb length and upper body strength, get a tandem kayak (also know as divorce kayak), and partner up with the longest, most ape-esque member of your group for the journey. That was me. I was the ape. Adhering to this logic while allow the other guy/girl to go ahead and strand his/herself and slowly, but eventually become crab food, while you on the other hand, emerge from the mangroves victorious, and continue to keep crabs where they belong: at the bottom of the food chain and in your belly covered in melted butter and Old Bay seasoning.

Caladesi Island is a beautiful hidden gem on the west coast of Florida. You can either paddle over to the island from the causeway area, or you can take the Ferry from Honeymoon Island State Park. This park is always selected as having one of the top beaches in the state - and it's well-deserved. Much like Clearwater (but without the crowds). It does cost a few bucks to get over here, but it's definitely worth it! Forget your snacks? No worries! They have a snack shack complete with gift shop and clean bathrooms. Don't forget to bring your sneakers and bug spray and go for a walk along the trails.

The journey to Caladesi and Honeymoon Island was fun! Miles of beach and picnic areas provide a great get-away for a large group of people or for a few. There is a ferry that runs back and forth that is the only commute between the two islands. I did Caladesi island for a picnic, then headed over to Honeymoon Island for the beach, was a good, fulfilling day! There are cafes and bathroom facilities in both locations which make spending an entire day enjoyable. Facilities are accessible, but may still be more difficult for wheelchair users to navigate. Please plan accordingly!

This is an absolutely beautiful island and reasonably priced to get to. The captain and crew of the transport boats are experienced and enjoyable. Our only issue was with the process was trying to leave the island. It's based on a 4 hour timetable provided on your ticket. This allows you a guaranteed time to come back on a boat (the only way to get between the different parts of the park) but does not make it very easy to get back early if you need to. The line allows for people with later times than your ticket time to push to the front of the line and leave before you. We suggest including a que line based on time tickets or using ticket times as the order to go back early once spots for the current ticket time has been filled.

We really loved this state park. It was beautiful and clean. They have chair and umbrella rentals so you don't have to backpack a ton of stuff in. It's $35 for 2 chairs and an umbrella, cards only. Their cafe/gift shop serves actual delicious food like burgers, hot dogs, and fries, pollock sandwiches, a decent selection of beer, and sunscreen, snorkeling masks, floats and gifts. The ferry ride is right on time and was very nice. There weren't as many shells as we expected but it was beautiful & much less crowded.

I really enjoyed my morning trip to caladesi island. It starts with the ferry ride which is about 15 minutes. It's a nice ferry trip to the island and they share some history of both honeymoon and caladesi islands (they used to be combined!) so it was a means of transportation but also a mini tour and the captains are super nice and friendly. Make sure to bring some singles for the tip jar! They ferry runs every 30 minutes and you have a designated return time. You can come back early unless they are at capacity but they say it's never a problem. We did return early and were allowed to do so. When you get to caladesi there is a small cafe and shop where you can buy sunscreen, hats, bug spray, tshirts etc and also food. This is also where you can rent kayaks to explore the nature trail/mangroves. This is a 3 hour kayak path and the rental is for 3 hours. I think they are a little lenient on return time as long as they aren't busy but don't quote me on that. It's $25 per person for kayaks and they have single and doubles. The mangroves are really pretty and completely enclosed. Bring bug spray!! If you forget to pack it, buy it at the cafe spot before you head out. It is buggy!! There are also kayak rentals on the beach. There is a walking nature trail which is nice to explore the island. The beaches are super nice and very easy to find a private spot. Make sure to bring your own chairs, food, water etc bc this is not the place that is the most convenient to go back to the store to grab a bottle of water or snack. There is a decent amount of walking to get place to place but if you are looking for a nice beach day with beautiful waters and sand, this is a great place for you! There are bathrooms near the beaches.

This has by far become one of my favorite getaways. Since it requires a ferry for entry, the crowds are very minimal. I never have a problem getting an umbrella and they're very reasonably priced. (2 chairs and 2 umbrellas already set up for $29 total). There is signage that lets you know of the chop level of the water. There is a cafe on island that delivers. The attendant that handles the chairs also delivers the food. Til him well, he's awesome. And he always remembers me when I visit. The ferry process is straightforward and easy. It leaves every hour in the hour til about 4 and returns every hour on the 30 til about 5:15. At which point a search crew is later sent for you. Don't let that happen to you lol. The waters are very fun and the waves are big. You can walk pretty far out before it gets deep. There are restrooms and the ranger station and of course the cafe, but aside from that the island is mostly untouched.

I've wanted to visit Caladesi Island for a long time. After paying to get into Honeymoon, I realized half of the psrk was closed for sand renovations. There we're construction crews and loud machinery all over the park. It was the perfect day to take the ferry to Caladesi. After spending sixteen dollars and boarding the shuttle (a 15 minute narrated boat ride) I expected to disembark the boat and there be some desolate trails through some palm frond fields to a beach but, instead I saw a marina, playground, giftshop, observation tower (under construction) umbrella. chair and kayak rentals. After a short walk (sidewalk and boardwalk combo) I arrived on the beach. I really enjoy the Northend of Honeymoon because it's more secluded and I can walk a long distance from the parking lot to very end of the island. However, Honeymoon at a certain point becomes a little bit of a maze zig zagging around mangroves, rocks and inaccessible shoreline. The beach goes near some woods and I've gotten bit by mosquitos quite a few times. I didn't experience any of this at Caladesi. The sand was smooth and wasn't covered in shells so it didn't burn or hurt my feet. This beach really reminded me of what I would expect Siesta Key or how a well kept Southwest Florida beach would be. Once I got past the small crowd at the boardwalk entrance, there we're boats that had pulled a shore with a few people around it every 100 yards but, after a while there was nobody. I think the only downside is you can't tell whether it'll be crowded until you get to Caladesi because all the boats that pull a shore. Folks like me who travel by the shuttle boat have to reboard no later then 6:45 when the sun didn't set until 8:30 the day I visited. I visited on a weekday, got a tan and came back within a few hours. I saw two people walk past me once I got pretty far out. It ended up being just me and the seagulls. Warm water, benches every half mile and no red tide it was so peaceful. This beach is a hidden gem. If you have the time and money to spend, try Caladesi. I really enjoyed my visit and will definitely be back. Caladesi is more secluded than the North end of Honeymoon and is well worth the money to spend funding this beautiful beach's upkeep and maintenance.

I have visited Caladesi Island State Park twice and it has been perfection each time. Transportation by boat/watercraft is the only way to reach the island and a paid ferry service is available (recommend arranging in advance to secure a seat). On the island, there is a snack bar, restrooms, and umbrella/chair rentals. There are trails to hike and plenty of beachside to explore. Highly recommend!

Took a short ferry ride from Honeymoon Island to reach this gem. Plenty of rental beach chairs. Little shop that sells beach supplies, clothing, and food and drinks. Have multiple pavilions for cookouts. There are nature trails and kayak rentals to explore the protected mangroves. They're currently constructing and observation tower. We saw a tortoise that walked right in front of me and didn't say hello! Rude tortoise.

Looking for an escape ?!? ... then you must visit this beautiful island called caladesi it's truly an experience everything about this beach was beautiful , even tho a storm decided to get ready to come we enjoyed every bit of the sun we were able to get while there on the island, the caladesi connection gets you too and from and leaves out of honeymoon island state park so be sure to arrive early to secure your tickets !

Beautiful state park definitely worth checking out. Amazing seashells for the seashell enthusiast. Great for swimming, walking, seashell picking etc.

Came here to celebrate 4th of July with the fiancee, and it was definitely worth the price ($14 per adult). You arrive at Honeymoon state park, where you take the ferry to Caladessi. The island has one area located just off the dock where you can order food, take a shower, use the restrooms, or just dock your boat. The rest is an uninhabited island full of cute crabs, big turtles, and the worlds mosquito population loving in the restrooms. I was inside one for less than one min and left with 60 bites (we counted). We spent about 2 hours on the beach, and for the price of your ticket, you're allowed to stay for about 3 hours, but you can catch any boat back to the mainland, which leaves every half hour. The beach is one of the prettiest, most secluded ones I've been to so far, and you're able to rent beach chairs, umbrellas, paddle boards, and kayaks should you choose. The water is crystal clear, and very warm, but you have to be careful due to the alarming amount of stingrays. All in all an absolutely amazing place that I cannot wait to visit again, I'll just make sure to use the restroom on the mainland, next time. Also, you can bring a cooler and things to bbq with as there are picnic areas and grills sprinkled throug the area as well.

This was a beautiful,quiet state park. You take a ferry to the island and on our trip over, we saw a few dolphins. There is quite a bit of wildlife on the island (including several rattlesnakes). I was a little disappointed by the shelling, as when we have been to other areas there was much more shells than here but still a beautiful park.

Beautiful beach. The chairs and umbrella were worth renting on the beach. Loved the ferry ride from Honeymoon Island. Watch your food on the beach at Caladesi. The seagulls will try to snatch it right out of your hands. Nice shells on the beach

Just stunning , great atmosphere, beautiful beach highly recommend. We rented kayaks from honeymoon island and kayaked to caladesi What an adventure. Loved every second

Sand dollar heaven! We always stop if we're in the area. The best time to go is just after high tide.

This is such a perfect place to hike, head for the beach or just climb aboard a kayak and paddle board and cruise around the placid waterfront. Not only is it beautiful here, it is beautifully maintained. Lots of picnic tables to enjoy eating whatever feast you may pack or you can bring along your favorite foods to barbecue. You can rent kayaks and paddle boards, purchase necessities like sun and bug protection or buy snacks and cold drinks here so be sure to bring money or credit cards. A recent Saturday visit enabled our group to arrive on the first ferry of the day and enjoy a quick walk to the beach and a hike along the nature trail. We then embarked on kayaks to paddle through the mangroves. It was a pleasantly breezy morning and the mangroves provided just the right amount of shade to make the trip truly a pleasure. Our hike along the trail made it feel like we had the entire island to ourselves. Eventually we crossed paths with a couple but that was it as far as other foot traffic goes. It is such a pleasure to roam around a naturally beautiful spot, see birds and turtles in their natural habitat and not be subjected to the noises other than those that emit from the environment. This is a paradise and just the sort of place that makes Florida such a treasure.

Doesn't get better than this hidden gem. I love taking the boat here to watch the wildlife and enjoy crystal blue water. The sand is soft. There are some bathrooms and place to was off, eat, and grab a few basic supplies if you need something. I love just listening to the gentle waves and soaking up the sun. Since its not super touristy its definitely one of the cleanest of the beaches you will visit.

I love Caladesi Island ! Abshellutely The island is the best for collecting sea shells. if you don't mind walking you can walk from Frenchy's Rockaway Grill , north Clearwater about three miles each way. it used to be you could only get to the island by ferry but back in 1985 Hurricane Elena sealed the pass. thank you Elena ! Along the way I watched the dolphins splash and collected shells. First thing in the morning and low tide is the best for collecting before the tourists arrive! The best decorated trees with sea shells along the walk , pearly white sugar sand and the turquoise water makes you feel your in the Caribbean.

Only accessible by boat, this island is the closest experience I have had to a Caribbean island. Situated on outside of the town of Dunedin on the Gulf of Mexico, Caladesi is a tucked away paradise near Honeymoon Island. The water is a beautiful blue and is super calm. The beach area is clean, not crowded and peaceful. You can even rent chairs and umbrellas once you arrive. There is a snack shop and picnic areas near the dock as well. Perfect for hosting a small family event or gathering. Although getting here can be a bit pricey, I sooo come here again and again. It's so beautiful!

Get there by boat and another a beach with only (you walk if you have 1/2 hour) by boat. True nature near a city. Love it.

We loved our time at the island. The beach was breathtaking. We also kayaked around the mangroves which was a great site to see, but the kayaks were in bad shape. They should just ditch the one with the broken seat and a paddle that had padding ripped off that I noticed. I suggest taking a close look at all of them before choosing one. They also expect you to give your drivers license to hold while you kayak. We took a Lyft there and back and our driver had a hard time finding us due to limited pins at Honeymoon Island. We loved the ferry ride and guides.

Why 4 stars? Because it was worth it to kayak and enjoy a quiet beach. --- --- --- I'd never been to Caladesi before, and I'd never kayaked in my life, so when a friend suggested it, I was quite intrigued. A few weeks after the initial suggestion, we finally made it happen! It's $8 to park at Honeymoon Island, $14 per person to ride the ferry and $27 to rent kayaks for 3 hours. So $45 bucks a person definitely adds up to not the cheapest way to spend a Saturday, but it was quite a fun day. The first thing we did was head into the little shop on the island, which doubles as a cafeteria and a kayak rental center. We were given a map to follow, which was a little difficult to follow once we were actually out there, but fortunately my friend had already done it before, she so was pretty familiar with the path. Some of the path was easy within the mangroves, some of it was extremely tight within the mangroves and some of it was on the open water with a decent amount of wind. We got some pretty crazy arm/shoulder/trap workouts as we were feverishly kayaking into the wind. Either way - mission accomplished in terms of doing something new, while getting some sun and a great workout! It took us about two hours to get through the whole thing. We then took a short hike (about half a mile) to the beach and relaxed on an extremely beautiful, quiet beach front. If you enjoy the beach but don't like the hustle and bustle of places like Clearwater, Caladesi might be a great option for you. After some time spent in the water, we walked back to where we started and took the ferry back to Honeymoon. Again - not the cheapest experience, but it was something different and fun! I could see myself doing something like this about once a year.

Had an incredible time here with my sister on vacation. Definitely would visit again and recommend to anyone. The ferries are excellent and we even saw several dolphins on our return trip. Beautiful beaches and shells.

Great park to come by and chill. There were a lot of people this weekend, assuming for the earth day celebrations but still had a great time at the beach. I was expecting the water to be warmer, but the grounds were kept very well clean and I was so glad that people were taking care of the beach. I hate seeing trash especially on public beaches, but this was not the case here. If you're into looking for shells, this is your spot. They are everywhere on the bright white beach!

Horrible experience. We got there, got our ticket and we were told we would be waiting 25 min for our boat. The boat staff came he started taking people in without looking at their ticket time so he let people that came after us that were supposed to be on the next boat and when our turn came he said oh sorry I can't let you in our boat is full even though we boat a ticket for that specific time slot. He blamed the ticket lady, which in fact was his fault that he let others in with the later time. His response was " what do you want me to do? You should have been first in line not last. You can wait another 24 min or get a refund." So we had to wait an hour for that idiot's fault while other staff from the next boat came they would confirm the ticket time before letting people in, so we waited an hour because that idiot didn't know how to do his job. Also Belleair beach is more beautiful so at the end it was a complete waste of time and money.

Do you want to escape the everyday stress? Hop the ferry over to Caladesi Island State Park! One of the keys off the gulf cost- Caladesi has beautiful stretches of beach, plenty of nature trails, a concession and souvenir shop and docks available for portage. This park helped me pull my mom out of her funk a while back. When life gets hard- jump on a boat and go out to a secluded island! This was the perfect escape for my mom and I! The boat ride out is 10 minutes and very enjoyable! We are both beach walkers- and hiked down and back enjoying the waves and shell hunting!

Spent a wonderful day here yesterday. If you are a shell collector, this island is a treasure trove of shells. You do have to pay the state park fee of $4 per person to get into Honeymoon Island State Park and then $14 per person to take the ferry (passengers only) to Caladesi. Perhaps this is why the crowds were less than on mainland beaches but it is worth the money. Besides shells, there are many birds as well as information about the different kinds. There are also nesting turtles but not at the time of year we went. Food is very limited on Caladesi (a bit more on Honeymoon) so I would recommend bringing a snack. Note: When you board the ferry, you are given a max return time (about four hours which is plenty of time) but you can return earlier if there is space. Chair, umbrella, and cabana rentals are available on both islands. You can definitely take in both islands in one day.

Absolutely a hidden gem! Loved A must visit to Caladesi Island. Only 25 min from Clearwater, it is worth the visit. The beach has barely any people, beautiful water (actually clearer than Clearwater) lots of cool shells to collect. So glad we stumbled upon this. A ferry ride to the island, visit the website to get times of ferry. It is a must go.

You must come to this beach!! The shelling is awesome. It's a fun experience in general to take the ferry there - and we got to see a dolphin on the way back. I wasn't so lucky to find a sand dollar but there were plenty of other treasures happened upon. I would bring a picnic lunch over going to the concession again. You need longer than four hours if you want to walk/hunt shells on the beach up to lone oak point, eat at the concession stand, AND do the nature trail so prioritize. Bathrooms were stocked well and relatively clean. Showers are appreciated. Water fountains available for refilling your water bottles.

This will be forever my favorite beach because it is special to me. It was my Mom's favorite place in the world. It is now her resting place. The beach originally appealed to us because you could have a nice day on the beach without the crowds. The ferry ride over and excitement of the trip just added to the day. The beach is large and you can find a spot to make your own. They have picnic benches on the way out, bathrooms and outdoor showers to clean up at, and a nice grassy park area too. There is a place to rent chairs. You can even rent kayaks. We prefer just to take a blanket, towels and go swimming or snorkeling. The beach may have some seaweed and it has a lot of shells, so you will want a blanket or something. The sand is smooth though. The water is nice. It typically has small waves. While this isn't a beach you would come to everyday, it is definitely worth an occasional visit.

We drove to honeymoon island. Paid for our ferry ride. Waited about 10mins to get on ferry. The ferry is just a regular boat. You can bring a cooler. You can also bring chairs. If you do, be sure to tip the boat captain. When you get off the boat there is a small concession stand type restaurant. The beach is a 6-7 min walk from the boat and food area. We rented chairs and an umbrella for $30. The water was beautiful but too rough to swim this day. Not a crowded beach room to spread out.

Beautiful island. Take the ferry around or take. A long walk on the beach to get to the island. The water is beautiful and there's a little shop you can get food and merchandise. It's a state park so you aren't supposed to bring alcohol but they sell alcohol in the store so that's that.. lots of trails and I bet there's more to do but I was in a boot so didn't get to look as everything. It's $14 to ride the ferry and worth it cause I love

I wish that we lived down the road from this state park, or within a fairly decent drive. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. Being away from the crowds and walking the beach to pic up shells puts you in a different mind set. The waves are also extremely docile, so your not getting smacked while enjoying a relaxing swim. A must location to visit while in the area. We can't wait to return.

Spent a day here with our son and his friend. Not a cheap trip out to the island, but definitely worth the money! All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. The beach was so beautiful and a quiet relaxing day! Will definitely return next time we are in the area

After checking out the two beaches on Honeymoon Island, I decided to check out one more and head to Caladesi Island State Park. This is a beautiful beach, very quaint...and definitely worth the trip over there! If you're looking for seashells, there are plenty! The water is clear, though we were warned to be aware of stingrays. That made me a little nervous, but I wasn't really going to swim IN the ocean, though the water was a great temperature during my visit the last week of April. When you get to the island by ferry (it runs every half hour from Honeymoon Island) there is a store/restaurant there...a little $$ though I will admit I had a good hot dog & fries there! The beach is a short walk from there. I didn't see much wildlife...a few "different" birds, and a turtle! On this particular day, I was undecided as to head down to St. Petersburg or hit up some beaches, I'm glad I visited...it's truly a beautiful part of Florida!

The island is very nice but the concession operator is fairly pathetic. They control the legal rentals and don't open until 11:00 (today it was 11:10...) which isn't helpful for those needing to take the ferry back in the afternoon. A flat rate of $35/person plus tax is pretty expensive when you basically only have a couple hours...