Honeymoon Island State Park

Honeymoon Island State Park

Honeymoon Island State Park
4.5
State Parks • Beaches
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8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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About
This barrier island state park offers numerous nature-based activities. 5 miles of beaches, 3.5 miles of wooded hiking trails, nature center with gift shop and scenic views, 2 cafes, a new playground and wildlife including gopher tortoises, dolphins, manatee, eagles, owls, osprey and 100 of species of birds.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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  • Raegan L
    Lakeland, Florida1,735 contributions
    A lovely island!
    I absolutely love this sweet little island! I feel that Honeymoon really gets overlooked since it’s very close to the ever-busy Clearwater Beach. But, it has all its own charm. Honeymoon is a state park, so you do have to pay to get in, but it’s for all day and honestly it’s way cheaper than even paying parking at a regular beach. For one person it’s $4. There are a couple beaches on the island to choose from, including a dog beach and a ferry to another island called Caladesi Island. Caladesi ferry is extra cost but it’s definitely cool to do at least once if you’ll be in the area for awhile. They have a sort of museum/ nature observatory too, and some walking paths. There’s tons to do. At the main beach they have a cafe where you can grab a bite, buy typical beach accessories, and even some souvenirs. The beach itself is just gorgeous. Since this is a state park they keep everything very natural and untouched. In some areas it can be pretty rocky and slippery so do be careful. There’s also a lot more ants crawling around the closer you get to the grass line. They won’t bite but they can be a little annoying. There are rinse stations and bathrooms as well, and if you are in search of a beautiful yet quiet beach area Honeymoon Island is your spot!
    Visited May 2021
    Traveled solo
    Written May 19, 2021
  • Ms_H64
    Villa Park, Illinois70 contributions
    Just beautiful...peaceful and clean
    Hubby and I decided to take a trip here late one morning. It was a glorious day and the beautiful sand and sky and delightful birds were good for the soul. It was not crowded at all (it was a Thursday). We did not swim or sunbathe, just took a nice, long walk on the beach and soaked it all in. We also stopped at the nature center, which was a good introduction to the area and its history. It was $8 per vehicle to get in, which was well worth the price. Be careful of the fire ants! I wasn't looking where I stepped while taking a picture of a turtle outside the nature center and ended up with a bunch in my sandals. Otherwise, a wonderful place to de-stress and enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine.
    Visited October 2020
    Written November 17, 2020
  • YYB
    168 contributions
    Bike to Honeymoon Island
    We biked up to Honeymoon Island on the Pinellas Trails and then across to the park. There is a cost to enter the park, cost depends on vehicle and number of people. There is plenty of parking and racks to lock up your bikes. There are facilities at the parking lot on your way to the beach. The beach is natural and mostly clean with shells and what ever wastes up. This is a great park and beach to spend to day.
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 29, 2020
  • Seth L
    Appleton, Wisconsin69 contributions
    great beach!
    Didn't intend on coming here, but my GPS brought me here when I typed in Caladesi for some reason. Glad we ended up here! The beach was great. The gentleman working setting up the umbrellas and beach chairs was friendly, and seemed very engaging with the folks who rented them. He also was setting up for a wedding that was happening that afternoon. Seemed like a great place to have a wedding! There was a little restaurant on site that seemed to have some great options for food and drink. We went with 6 kids under the age of 7 and had a blast for 4 hours. When we first got there it was too cold for the beach, so we went into Dunedin to the farmers market and killed some time there. Great little slice of beachy heaven here. Will be back next time we're in the Tampa area visiting family.
    Visited February 2020
    Written February 21, 2020
  • Bruce G
    Brick, New Jersey160 contributions
    Nice place to explore
    We spent the day here to walk the beach. Water was not warm enough for us to swim. Beach had lots of hunks of coral all over so you had to watch your step. We found lots of nice shells. Great view on mainland. There was an $8.00 fee to enter, lots of parking during the week. I wails guess on weekends entry and exit of park could take a while. Very popular beach to visit. Worth a look see.
    Visited February 2020
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 29, 2020
  • Mindy D
    6 contributions
    Wonderful experience
    Amazing doesn’t even cut it ! This state park Is wonderful . The main beach was full of rocks so not very swimable , the north beach was perfect for swimming and the dog beach . The best shelling you could imagine ! The concession stand food prices were a bit high for 5 people who just got chicken fingers , fries , a grilled cheese and some water it was 85.00 dollars ! I would recommend taking your own food and drinks . I would also recommend some type of water shoe to help avoid cuts from Broken up shells .
    Visited March 2023
    Written April 3, 2023
  • Zach F
    Peoria, Illinois3 contributions
    Osprey Trail / Pelican Trail
    I have been visiting / hiking the Osprey Trail for the past 25+ years. It is an easy hike. Round trip to the tip of the island is approximately 3 miles round trip. Saw tons of ospreys, bald eagle, great horned owl, armadillo, and tortoises. They warn about Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes; however, thankfully we have never seen one. It’s a very family-friendly trail. We had 3 kids under the age of 7.
    Visited February 2021
    Traveled with family
    Written February 4, 2021
  • FtMyersFan
    51 contributions
    We love this beach!
    We took a nice walk on the beach. Found some nice shells. Unfortunately, we saw several dead crabs. Saw a wedding taking place at the end of the island. It was picture perfect. This was our second time here and although we did not go in the water, we still really enjoyed it. Please note: because this is a State Park, there is a small entrance fee per car.
    Visited December 2019
    Written January 13, 2020
  • Yank7!6&0++ees84562
    2 contributions
    Very unhappy and a horrible beach. Do not pay for any pass here!
    I paid for a season pass $120 to visit and attend Honeymoon Island State Park and am very displeased with the amt of rocks at the beach particularly at North Beach at Honeymoon. There is no sign or any notice to tell people there is beach maintenance at the front entrance of Honeymoon. Very misleading and a total disappointment! No place to swim as it is inhabitable. I would request a refund of the season pass.
    Visited June 2021
    Traveled with family
    Written June 13, 2021
  • Forthesun
    Tampa, Florida214 contributions
    Nice not great
    Went to Honeymoon Island this past Saturday arrived 11:30, lots of traffic getting there and line backed up to get in. Went to the walking trails first they were great very pretty easy trail, I did the two mile loop at the end there is an owls nest with the baby and Mom in the pine tree. Then wanted to go to North beach but the parking lot was full, ended up at the main beach which is not very wide due to corrosion with lots of rocks bring your water shoes you can’t really get in without some sort of shoe. Not impressed with this beach. Ate my lunch then decided to try north beach again I was able to get a parking spot and walked all the way to the right/north it was beautiful very rustic and natural this is what I came to see. Overall it was nice not sure I would fight the traffic to go back. For me Fort DeSoto is easier to get to with better beaches.
    Visited March 2021
    Written March 2, 2021
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

4.5
2,870 reviews
Excellent
1,799
Very good
681
Average
228
Poor
84
Terrible
78

Seth L
Appleton, WI69 contributions
Feb 2020
Didn't intend on coming here, but my GPS brought me here when I typed in Caladesi for some reason. Glad we ended up here! The beach was great. The gentleman working setting up the umbrellas and beach chairs was friendly, and seemed very engaging with the folks who rented them. He also was setting up for a wedding that was happening that afternoon. Seemed like a great place to have a wedding!

There was a little restaurant on site that seemed to have some great options for food and drink. We went with 6 kids under the age of 7 and had a blast for 4 hours. When we first got there it was too cold for the beach, so we went into Dunedin to the farmers market and killed some time there.

Great little slice of beachy heaven here. Will be back next time we're in the Tampa area visiting family.
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bruce G
Brick, NJ160 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We spent the day here to walk the beach. Water was not warm enough for us to swim. Beach had lots of hunks of coral all over so you had to watch your step. We found lots of nice shells. Great view on mainland. There was an $8.00 fee to enter, lots of parking during the week. I wails guess on weekends entry and exit of park could take a while. Very popular beach to visit. Worth a look see.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mindy D
6 contributions
Mar 2023
Amazing doesn’t even cut it ! This state park
Is wonderful . The main beach was full of rocks so not very swimable , the north beach was perfect for swimming and the dog beach . The best shelling you could imagine ! The concession stand food prices were a bit high for 5 people who just got chicken fingers , fries , a grilled cheese and some water it was 85.00 dollars ! I would recommend taking your own food and drinks . I would also recommend some type of water shoe to help avoid cuts from
Broken up shells .
Written April 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Zach F
Peoria, IL3 contributions
Feb 2021 • Family
I have been visiting / hiking the Osprey Trail for the past 25+ years. It is an easy hike. Round trip to the tip of the island is approximately 3 miles round trip. Saw tons of ospreys, bald eagle, great horned owl, armadillo, and tortoises. They warn about Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes; however, thankfully we have never seen one. It’s a very family-friendly trail. We had 3 kids under the age of 7.
Written February 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FtMyersFan
Chicago, Illinois, Usa51 contributions
Dec 2019
We took a nice walk on the beach. Found some nice shells. Unfortunately, we saw several dead crabs. Saw a wedding taking place at the end of the island. It was picture perfect. This was our second time here and although we did not go in the water, we still really enjoyed it.
Please note: because this is a State Park, there is a small entrance fee per car.
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Yank7!6&0++ees84562
2 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
I paid for a season pass $120 to visit and attend Honeymoon Island State Park and am very displeased with the amt of rocks at the beach particularly at North Beach at Honeymoon. There is no sign or any notice to tell people there is beach maintenance at the front entrance of Honeymoon. Very misleading and a total disappointment! No place to swim as it is inhabitable.

I would request a refund of the season pass.
Written June 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Forthesun
Tampa, FL214 contributions
Mar 2021
Went to Honeymoon Island this past Saturday arrived 11:30, lots of traffic getting there and line backed up to get in. Went to the walking trails first they were great very pretty easy trail, I did the two mile loop at the end there is an owls nest with the baby and Mom in the pine tree. Then wanted to go to North beach but the parking lot was full, ended up at the main beach which is not very wide due to corrosion with lots of rocks bring your water shoes you can’t really get in without some sort of shoe. Not impressed with this beach. Ate my lunch then decided to try north beach again I was able to get a parking spot and walked all the way to the right/north it was beautiful very rustic and natural this is what I came to see. Overall it was nice not sure I would fight the traffic to go back. For me Fort DeSoto is easier to get to with better beaches.
Written March 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HelpfulAngel
Atlanta, GA1,186 contributions
Oct 2022
We walked on the Osprey trail. What a disappointment. First of all we hardly saw any wildlife - no osprey only 1 turtle. The trail was sandy, dirty, hot and with tons of mosquitoes. I had bites all over me. It wasn't just mosquitoes, it was these little bugs and I also noticed bites all in a line down my leg, my back! The bugs bit us through our clothes and even through our sleeves! The walk is mostly inland and you can't see the beach anywhere in sight so it's not very interested. The rest of the beaches on Honeymoon island are ok. Would never return!
Written November 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andy S
Fairfax, VA82 contributions
Mar 2021 • Couples
For $8 fee you get a great beach, close parking, changing rooms and bathrooms. Also a snack bar. Beach is awesome tho if you go to the western end, it can be rocky or with large rocks. Pet beach is good for those with dogs. Parking by South Beach Pavilion is best IMHO. Ferry to Caladesi Island, but got to go early for that otherwise lines and crowded.
Written March 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sarah M
4 contributions
May 2021 • Family
This place was sooooooo beautiful my family and I just LOVED the view!!! However I’m rating this place a 3 ⭐️ because the second my family and I stepped out the car we was getting bitten by fruit flies and whatever else things we couldn’t see. We IMMEDIATELY started spraying bug spray on ourselves and still was getting bitten! We walked the beach for a hour or so thinking maybe once we are closer to the moving water it would ease the biting bugs off but they just kept on coming for us. So we had to wrap it up eventually and leave. 😞 we got some beautiful pictures while being there and loved seeing the sunset on this beautiful island but the bugs were the only thing that made our visit so short. Maybe next time the bugs won’t be so bad?
Written February 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Honeymoon Island State Park (Dunedin) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Honeymoon Island State Park

Honeymoon Island State Park is open:
  • Sun - Sat 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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Honeymoon Island State Park Information

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