Caladesi Island State Park

We hiked to Caledesi Island State Park from Clearwater Beach today. I would highly recommend being aware of the tide situation, as we hiked in during high tide, which required us to go through some of the mangroves and into the Gulf, at times. Despite that, the island is undisturbed by civilization, in its natural and beautiful state. We made it all the way to the end of the island, then came back and went to the ranger's office, paid the nominal $2/per person entrance fee, and enjoyed lunch at the Caledesi Cafe. We had grilled tuna melts and they were delicious! Near as we can tell (my Fitbit died in the middle of the hike), we hiked about 11ish miles, and with lunch and stops along the way to admire the beauty, it took us about 6ish hours total. Our return hike was at low tide, which made it much easier. We enjoyed the hike and the park very much!

Wow, I have lived in FL for over 30 years and never knew of Caladesi Island! What a hidden gem! Well maintained, absolutely stunning island with tons of picnic areas, bathrooms and beach areas. A true Florida landmark. We parked at Honeymoon Beach and kayaked to Caladesi, there is an awesome marina there as well.

Beautiful waters and beach. You can rent umbrellas and chairs for about $25. A paradise for shell collectors. Hiked to the end of the beach to see the hurricane pass - the stretch of water between honeymoon and caladesi island. Good place overall for a calm and fun day.