Caladesi Island State Park Beach - Clearwater, Florida

Address:Clearwater, Florida
Tel: (727) 469-5918

Just a hop, skip and a ferry ride from the well developed Tampa Bay area, Caladesi Island State Park is nonetheless a world apart. Leave the four-wheels in a safe place and then shove off and ship out; the picturesque boat ride to Caladesi Island State Park is only the beginning of the Caladesi Island story. Drop anchor along the soft white sands laced with sea grass and palmettos and watch the palm fronds wave a welcome. After that? Plop down under the canopy of a maritime forest and read your new novel, throw a friendly smile to the herons and egrets sharing the shores, and look out at that crystal clear, steel-blue Gulf waters. But if you want get out there and take Caladesi Island on, there are also plenty of places along the shoreline for bird watching, fishing, shelling, kayaking, boating, hiking, and wildlife observation. It isn't just the secluded, no-cars-allowed vibe that sets Caladesi Island State Park apart from its southern, Clearwater Beach neighbor; it is also the clean and untouched sand-water-surf combo that puts Caladesi Island State Park in a class of its own. Listed number two in the nation on Dr. Beach's (Dr. Stephen Leatherman) 2006 and 2007 Best Beaches in America list, Caladesi Island State Park is a "truly paradise" kind of escape.

While taking it easy is a Caladesi Island State Park pastime, the go-getting beach bums can have their busy itinerary, too. Soak up the rays and take an occasional dip in the warm (average 82°F) gulf waters. Lounging, swimming, sunbathing, and relaxing are what Caladesi Island State Park is all about. Bring along the mask and flippers so you can have a leisurely snorkel along the shoreline for an up close and personal experience with the local sea world. But if you'd rather comb the beach for washed-up treasures, try the tip of the island to shell for sand dollars, sea sponges, and mollusks. While you scour the sand for souvenirs, don't forget to look out at the water occasionally or you might just miss a bottlenose dolphin swimming by.

On a weekday at Caladesi Island State Park you will likely feel as if you have the beach all to yourself. And while the human element is often next to nil, your four-footed, feathered friends are beach bumming 24-7. Because Caladesi Island State Park is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, you can spot osprey, terns, shorebirds and wading birds—a great spot to start is in the mangrove forests. Set out on a marked, three mile nature trail for a self-guided tour of slash pine and oak forests, and stay sharp-eyed to spot the occasional gopher tortoise, rattlesnake, raccoon, or armadillo ambling across the path.

Boaters beware: plying waters at Caladesi Island State Park has a reputation for being so enjoyable, that you may just need to dock your boat and stay a while (overnight docking is allowed). Boaters who have traveled across the St. Joseph Sound from Dunedin, Florida in their private craft enjoy a 108 slip fully equipped marina with water and electricity hook ups. A kayaking trail weaves its way through mangrove forests and you can also paddle around the 3½ mile periphery of Caladesi Island State Park. Anglers usually sink their bait from the shoreline or head out in a small fishing boat.

While Caladesi Island State Park is that secluded, desert island vacation you have often dreamed of, you won't be out of luck if you forget your lunch back in the car on the mainland. In addition to a café, snack bar, and picnic tables, Caladesi Island State Park also offers bathhouses and chair and umbrella rentals are available. Catch the hourly ferry to Caladesi Island State Park from Honeymoon Island State Park near Dunedin, Florida, the trip takes about 15 minutes. One of the most peaceful and pristine barrier islands in all of Florida, Caladesi Island State Park is the kind of place that makes you stop and marvel at the beauty of our little planet.

One of the few completely natural islands along Florida´s Gulf Coast, Caladesi´s white sand shores have been rated as one of the nation´s best beaches. The park is accessible only by private boat or ferry from Honeymoon Island State Park. Beach lovers can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing. Saltwater anglers can fish from their boats or throw a line out into the surf. Nature enthusiasts watch wildlife while hiking the three mile nature trail through the island´s interior or paddling a three mile kayak trail through the mangroves and bay. Picnic tables and shelters are located near the beach; picnic pavilions can be reserved for a fee. The park has a marina with electric and water hookups for boaters. The park also has a snack bar and gift shop. For ferry information call (727) 7345263. Located one mile west of Dunedin off the Gulf Coast.