There are two kinds of beach days with kids. One is Clearwater Beach: easy, busy, lots of food and bathrooms. The other is a barrier island with no condos, a bag of shells by lunch, and a small boat ride that your kids will talk about more than the beach itself.
Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island are the second kind. They sit side by side off Dunedin, about 40 minutes to an hour from downtown Tampa depending on traffic, and you can do one or both in a day.
Here's the short version. Honeymoon Island is the one you drive to. Caladesi Island is the one you take a ferry to, from Honeymoon. Caladesi is quieter and more beautiful. Honeymoon is easier.
Honeymoon Island vs Caladesi Island at a glance
| Honeymoon Island | Caladesi Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there | Drive across the causeway | 20-minute ferry from Honeymoon |
| Cost for a family of 4 (2 adults, kids 6–12) | $8 per car | $8 per car + $60 ferry |
| Time limit | Sundown | Up to about 4 hours |
| Crowds | Moderate, busy on weekends | Light |
| Dogs | Pet beach and nature trail | Leave them at Honeymoon |
| Best for | Short visits, toddlers, dog families | Shelling, a real "island day," ages 4+ |
Honeymoon Island State Park
Hours, fees, and address
- Address: 1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin, FL
- Hours: 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year
- Fees: $8 per vehicle (up to 8 people), $4 single-occupant vehicle, $2 pedestrians and bicyclists
- Phone: (727) 241-6106
Fees are from Florida State Parks. If you go to state parks often, the family annual pass can pay for itself quickly.
The beaches
Honeymoon Island has several miles of Gulf beach. It's not the powdery sugar sand of Clearwater. It's a more natural beach with more shells, some rocky spots, and fewer people once you walk a bit away from the parking areas.
Water is usually calm, but conditions change with wind and weather. Check the posted flags, and keep toddlers within arm's reach. For the calmest, shallowest options around the bay, see our toddler beaches near Tampa guide.
Shelling
This is the main reason a lot of families come. The best advice, which you'll hear from every local shell hunter: go around low tide, ideally an hour before. The water pulls back and uncovers more. Early morning and the days after a winter cold front tend to bring the best finds.
Bring a mesh bag and a small shovel. Remind kids that shells with living animals inside stay on the beach. Florida has rules about taking live shells, and it's an easy lesson in why.
Osprey Trail
The park has a trail through one of the last remaining virgin slash pine forests in the region. The popular Osprey Trail loop runs roughly 2.5 miles, flat and easy, and ospreys nest along it. Kids can often spot bald eagles and great horned owls too, especially in winter.
It's sandy and exposed in spots, so it's better for walking kids than strollers. Go early. Mid-afternoon in summer is too hot.
Rotary Centennial Nature Center
A small nature center near the trailhead with exhibits on island wildlife. It's usually open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, but confirm the current schedule before you plan around it.
Dog beach
Honeymoon Island has a pet beach at the southern end of the island. Dogs are also allowed on the nature trail. Pets must stay on a 6-foot hand-held leash, and rangers do enforce it.
Caladesi Island State Park
Caladesi Island is regularly ranked one of the best beaches in the country. The ferry's site notes it was voted #3 best beach for 2026 by "Dr. Beach." It has about three miles of beach you can only reach by boat. No causeway, no cars.
That's what makes it feel special with kids. You get off the ferry and it's just sand, sea oats, and water.
Caladesi Island ferry: prices and schedule
The ferry leaves from the marina docks inside Honeymoon Island State Park. You pay the Honeymoon Island entrance fee first, then buy ferry tickets at the ticket office.
| Ticket | Round trip |
|---|---|
| Adults | $20 |
| Children 6–12 | $10 |
| Kids 5 and under | Free |
A military discount is available for active duty and retired personnel with valid ID. Details from the Caladesi Island Ferry, September 2026.
Things to know:
- Tickets are sold only at the ticket office, not online.
- The ferry runs every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, weather permitting.
- Departures are hourly starting at 10 a.m., with half-hour departures from mid-February through Labor Day and on weekends.
- Maximum stay is up to about 4 hours, depending on when you buy your ticket. Buy early if you want a full visit.
- No beach carts or wagons on the ferry (since 2023). Strollers are allowed, and so are chairs, umbrellas, and coolers you can carry.
- The ride is about 20 minutes. Kids often spot dolphins on the way.
On a busy spring or summer weekend, get to Honeymoon early. The ferry line and the Honeymoon parking lots both fill up.
What to do on Caladesi
Beach and swim. The main beach is a short walk from the dock. The farther you walk, the more space you'll have.
Shell. Many families find Caladesi's shelling better than Honeymoon's, simply because fewer people pick it over. Same low-tide rule applies.
Paddle the mangroves. Caladesi has a paddling trail that winds through mangrove tunnels on the bay side, a loop of about three miles. It's a better fit for confident older kids and parents who've kayaked before. Guided tours are available from local outfitters if you'd rather not navigate it yourself.
Bring what you need. Caladesi has basic facilities near the marina, but it's not a place for shopping. Pack lunch, water, snacks, and sunscreen, and carry your trash back out.
Shade and stroller tips for both islands
Shade is limited on the beaches. Bring an umbrella or a pop-up tent. Picnic areas at Honeymoon have more shade, and that's a good spot for lunch and a break.
Sand beats strollers. A stroller works on the ferry and around the docks, but it's hard work in soft sand. A baby carrier is much easier for the beach itself.
Leave the wagon at home for Caladesi. Wagons are fine at Honeymoon, but the ferry won't take them. Pack a big beach bag instead.
Plan around the heat. Summer afternoons are hot and often bring thunderstorms. Morning visits from May through September are the way to go.
Bonus: the Dunedin Causeway
Before you reach the Honeymoon Island park gate, you drive across the Dunedin Causeway. Locals use it as a free beach. You can pull off along the road, park right next to the water, and set up chairs a few steps from the car.
For families with little kids, that's a huge plus. The water along the causeway is usually calm and shallow, and there are rental stands for paddleboards and kayaks in the area.
Parking along the causeway is free but fills up quickly on weekends, so arrive early. In September 2026 Dunedin also banned launching motorized watercraft like jet skis from the south side of the causeway, which has made that side calmer.
There are no lifeguards or state park facilities on the causeway, so it's best for a quick splash or a sunset stop rather than a full day.
Make it a Dunedin day
Downtown Dunedin is a few minutes from the causeway and has ice cream, shaded streets, and the Pinellas Trail. For more beach options, see our best family beaches near Tampa guide. Our Clearwater Beach with kids guide covers the busier, easier option nearby, and Fort De Soto Park is the other big state-park-style beach day south of St. Pete.
