Honeymoon Island State Park Reviews

The dog beach was great! Lots of space and shallow warm water for small dogs. A short 5-minute walk from the parking lot. The trail to the beach was muddy in places so recommend water shoes. There was a fresh-water hose to rinse off at the parking lot.

This is a gorgeous state park with many amenities - and a wonderful stretch of white sand beach. Good for shell collecting. AMAZING sunsets!

Lots of hiking trails and beaches. There are some exotic trees growing, and there are benches for taking breaks.

We decided to explore a new spot while in Florida and headed to Honeymoon Island Beach just outside of Dunedin. The island is surrounded by lush greenery and nature, yet also offers a gorgeous stretch of beach. On the way in, we saw several turtles crossing the road—there are even special crossings for them, so be sure to slow down and watch out. It’s a perfect blend of natural beauty and seaside relaxation.

Very little sand to be found. We first stopped at Main beach (the first beach you hit after entering the park). No sand at all! All rocks. Drove further in and parked at Oasis beach. Water almost came to parking lot at 11 am. Very little beach. Walked north a bit and found some sand- maybe 30 feet from grassy dunes to water line. Not much room for social distancing. Then tide came in (high tide was to be at 130 pm). By 1230 water completely covered beach. Go elsewhere if you are looking for a beach to sit on.

This National park has so much to offer, walk, swim, have nature at your fingertips. The Ocean is amazing, if you are lucky , you will see Dolphins, manatee and maybe see a fin of a shark.
Wheelchair accessible, bathrooms and showers.
During the week is not as busy. Parking fees apply.
They also have a pet beach.

We highly recommend Honeymoon Beach State Park in the Dunedin FL area. The beaches are clean and the osprey trail was lovely. The folks at the nature center were very helpful

We enjoyed a very nice bike ride from downtown Dunedin ( parked at the Historical Society ) along the Pinellas trail which goes through town and intersects with the Honey Moon Island SP causeway . Great views along the trail, causeway and into the park . Very nice state park, good facilities with bike trails, beaches.

Best day on the beach, white sands nice water.
Great parking. Nothing like a day in the beach with the wife

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.

This is our favorite beach in Florida and we go multiple times whenever we visit my dad. It is clean, not too busy, and chock-full of shells! We have a great time looking for augers, conchs, colorful scallops, and whatever else we can find. The parking is very reasonable at $8 per car and there are multiple parking lots. We usually go for the north lot as it's close to the large bathroom/changing rooms building. There is only one cafe at the first parking lot, so keep that in mind. The shore has a very gentle slope so is safe for kids. Definitely make a point of visiting this beach if you're in the area!

At the advice of a friend I opted to spend some time here instead of one of the smaller beaches close to my hotel. The drive was enjoyable, especially over the water. I arrived early enough to find plenty of parking but can see this being very popular and crowded on nice days. The sand on the beach is soft and there are facilities making possible add-day stays. One bit of advice- bring bug spray as well as sunscreen, especially if you plan to visit the small garden near the park entrance because the biting insects are vicious.

Great beach. The staff at the visitor center are very kind. They helped my children do a scavenger hunt, and then they were rewarded with a small bag of shells. They also educated them on a few other sea creatures, which was so very fun for us since we are from Minnesota. We stayed for the beautiful sunset, and we found lots of nice shells. I highly recommend stopping into the visitor center and also spending time on the beach.

Ranger Tim and volunteer, retired pilot, Roy did an hour plus guided beach walk from the south pavilion, walking south to the point at Hurricane pass. Very informative. Did you know the island has 4 types of Mangrove plants? Each tour is different!

Best hidden beach in Dunedin. Sand is soft and it has many trails to walk or bike on. Bald eagle nests to look at. Dog area has thorns.

Best beach!! Hands down, the best! We got married here just over two years ago. The beach is clean. Plenty of room. Just plain perfect!

The beach is clean. $8 per car, check online for more fees. They do not sell bait. Angler 360 does, 5 min away.

We found a few sharks teeth and caught a hammerhead shark.

You do have to pay to get onto honeymoon island but is is beautiful and almost undisturbed by commercial property. I believe we only saw one gift shop. We walked osprey trail and saw one bald eagle as well as 6 ot 7 osprey. If you like nature, you will enjoy this island.

My wife and I, who live part time in Dunedin, in November went to Honeymoon Island which is fabulous but... I got stung by a stingray. While wading in thigh deep water. Instant 10 out of 10 pain. Constantly intense for 90 minutes and some pain and swelling remains three weeks later. Three different prescriptions. We go to the beach often and we almost always see the purple flag meaning dangerous marine life. We have kind of ignored it. No more. Be careful, shuffle your feet. It’s going to be a very hard swallow before I go in the ocean again. Yikes!

Walking the trails to see the eagles and owls is fine. Even going there for the intent of walking along the beach is fine. However, since the last dredging, the beach sand has all but disappeared leaving the beaches rocky and narrow. Unfortunately, Florida weather is not always calm and mild. If you are looking for a great day at the beach with the intent of a sandy beach, go elsewhere. Currently, HMI is a shell of what it is after sand renourishment. They will charge you $8 to get into the park.

Wonderful name, a beautiful beach, you can swim, honeymoon, picnic, park. Some people even took their dogs. Most of the visitors were locals in their teens to 40.

Visit the nature center first to get the low down on where to walk and how to see the Owl and Bald Eagle's nests. Osprey's aplenty, the odd Armadillo here and there. Suggest going early to avoid traffic. Picnic facilities available also.

We live near the beach now, but even when we didn't it was a frequent stop for us. There is a beautiful nature preserve that is home to eagles and osprey as well as a variety of other birds. I've seen box turtles, raccoons, armadillo and rattle snakes here. Dolphins pop up every night at sunset.

We visited Honeymoon Island with friends and family, the beach is very pretty, the staff at the gate were very friendly and informative.

Spent hours there and the birding was very good. Go in the morning to escape the heat. There is plenty of shade and the information shop is very helpful.

Website not true. Proceed with caution. Sad sad facilities. No rentals no fun stuff to play with. Ticket booth operator looked like temporary help - no official. $8. Cheap! You get what you pay for. Call ahead!!!

We went to the north end, set up our beach chairs, etc. in the beautiful white sand, & then walked quite a distance north. It was fun exploring. Shelling wasn’t great & there were lots of rocks, trees, & sharp sticks to avoid, but it was pretty. There were lots of rocks & seaweed in the water as well. Not sure if the main beach is the same. We did check out the dog beach. Seemed very calm. Dogs must stay on a 6’ leash & there are washing stations by the beach entrances.

i have been waiting a very long time to come to this island. super beautiful white sand beaches and beautiful water......but -- the beaches, inside and outside the water, are full of sharp shells and rocks for a good 20 yards into the water as you try reaching your goal of the sandbar. you have to get past these stinkers until you reach the sand bar where it is shell and rock free. had i known that i would have had my 3 teens wear water shoes. we left honeymoon island full of bleeding toes and scraped legs. from what i learned, the beach we were at used to be pretty free of the rocks until hurricane Irma came and shifted all of those rocks onto shore. the hurricane changed the entire environment physically. since honeymoon island is a nature preserve, a natural environment, the rocks and sea weed are pretty much what you have to deal with if you want to enjoy everything else. we paid $29.00 for an umbrella and 2 recliners (totally worth it LOL). the beach attendant Brian was the perfect host, providing us alot of information having been there for our first time. we accidentally ran out of sunscreen and Brian GAVE US HIS lol omg! No one is nice and kind like that anymore. it really made our day cause i'm super faired skinned and no sunscreen would have meant my death LOL. Thank you Brian! Next time I would make more time for a bike or kayak rental. Possibly even take the ferry over to Caladesi. Not sure caladesi has any rocks or not but it would be great to know! Super Important Note: We were there for the entire day. About 2 hours in, i took a walk down the beach. I found a nice clearing in the sand from the beach all the way out to the sand bar with ZERO ROCKS. it's located about the 3rd stairwell up from the first cafe/bathrooms BEFORE you hit the next building/cafe/gift shop. once we discovered that clearing in the water, i couldnt get the girls off the sand bar!!! advice: bring your water shoes, lots of water, sunscreen, and a floatation toy of some kind. This time of year the sting rays we were told are out on the sandbar so you have to scoot your feet instead of walk. we didnt see any sting rays but our beach neighbors saw manatee and we saw jumping fish in the water. 2nd super important note: the seagulls on this beach are vicious tag-teamers when it comes to stealing your food. we were opening our jimmy johns sandwich and a large group of them flew onto my daughter and stole the sandwich right on her person. it was terrifying (although now we laugh LOL ....think of the basement scene in home alone 2 where he screams like a girl....)

Park was very nice... But, There are several signs stating there is NO fishing on the main beach, I have several small children and ended up taking them to the other side of the main beach which is vey very rocky because of all the people fishing on the main beach . Then they decided to start fishing where my children were trying to enjoy the water. these people have no respect for rules or other park goers

Friend from Ohio and I went to honeymoon beach. 10 minutes from my home. Love this family friendly beach. Easy to get to. $4 for a person to enjoy the sand and sun

Our trip on a cold day in November was still pleasant as our walk on the beach warmed us. The restrooms were clean and the place was kept well. The wind made a ferry ride out of the question.

This area is beautiful and very pristine, but the park employee who worked the gate today at 3:30 was very rude and not helpful whatsoever. So if you’re looking for information, go to the visitor center because they are amazing resources.

Main beach entry VERY ricky! The water at the main Beach is very shallow. Definitely need water shoes to get in. Between the crushed shells and the large rocks leading out to where the depth might be up to your hips, you can really hurt your feet.

Wore flip flops in and they broke 😫

The staff is very nice, hence three stars. There is a bathhouse and a small souvenir shop and Concession. Did not explore any of the nature trails. It's a nice Beach for sitting if you don't want to swim. You can rent umbrellas and two chairs for $30 at the main Beach.

At this time the park was still ravaged by the past storms. Sorry nothing good to say 😬 😕 Hopefully the state parks will all get back to beautiful soon.

Just $8.00 to enjoy all this park offers. Bike trail,hiking paths and various beach entrances. I preferred the Oasis entrance you were right at the water’s edge. Restrooms at two locations I saw and a snack bar at central lot. I did not stop at the nature center. There is ferry service to Caladesi Island $16 which I think is pricey. Please note handicap plates do not get in for free you are charged the same park fees as other visitors.
People were in the water but a bit chilly to swim weather has been in mid 60’s for two weeks.

One of the best beaches in FL. Park yourself on North Beach or Ferry over to Caladesi Island. Honeymoon has several rock barriers that create wading pools that are good for kids. If they could keep people from fishing close by it would be perfect. You might be able to find some good shells too. Great views for Sunset too. There are also pet beaches. It's a State Park so there is a Toll.

We headed to Honeymoon Island and Caladesi. The ferry to Caladesi was closed due to the high winds so we took our time to visit Honeymoon and has a great afternoon.
Paid 8$ to get in (for the car).
Had a picnic and headed out to Osprey Trail after stopping by at the Nature Center to get instructions and some history on the island (worth the stop).
The 3 mile loop was great. Saw many osprey, horned owls and even the bald eagles that were nesting at the end of the trail.
Walked on the long beach that was great for shelling. Would love to return to check out Caladesi.

This was a beautiful day trip. Miles of beaches to hike. Dolphins in abundance in both the gulf and estuaries. Would definitely go back. A good place to escape the crowds.

My wife and I love this beach and the grouper sandwiches available close by. We live an hour away so it's convenient too. The beach is rocky in many places so pick your spot carefully. The area near the dog beach is usually where we go. There are some nice places to stop along the causeway as well. My only complaint about the area is the aggressive driving and tailgating by the Pinellas County Sheriffs Deputy's on the causeway. Maybe it's just a few overzealous, rookie officers but it's a turn off.

Great place to walk a dog in the evening, watch the pretty sunset or just watch the boats go by. Our only complaint was that they closed literally as the sun goes down so even though it was still fairly light out the gate was blocking in the entrance. $8.00 us was the admission fee

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.

We spent a good few hours here and really enjoyed it.

$8 per car to get in and then we drove to the nature centre which has a really nice shop selling locally made items as well as very clean restrooms.
Also have paper maps (which give info on the walking trails) as well as a QR code your can scan to get it on your phone.

We did the 1/4 walk at the nature centre which was short. Very nice scenery but didn't see any wildlife.

We then drove to the furthest point to do the Osprey trail. It's a 2 mile trail but you can shorten it as the are many points you can cross to turn back, as well as joining with the Pelican trail.
(Some of the paths were flooded so we had to change paths)

Saw lots of osprey as well as a woodpecker and loads of lovely scenery. The paths are really wide and with the tall trees it makes everything seem really big add pleasant to walk on.

Plenty of benches on the trail and very clear signage.

We then drove to the South beach car park and had a lovely walk on the beach, again really amazing scenery.

As we were going to leave the car park we saw another car stopped and they were looking at something.
When we went over to look there was a small armadillo wandering around sniffing and eating greenery.
We stood for a very long time watching the really cute armadillo (we've only ever seen one in the wild before so this was an amazing experience for us)

Another couple came over and said they'd just been watching another one near another path so went to see that armadillo as well.

Plenty of restrooms around at each of the car parks.

I would highly recommend this place for a few hours if amazing scenery, walking and wildlife.

We visited the beach late afternoon to be there for the sunset and it didn’t disappoint. There are numbers car parks with entry to different beaches on Honeymoon island. We walked along North beach which was the busiest beach at the time but not over crowded. There are small coves with rocks which were great to look at due to all the crabs and barnacles that were there.
We made our way towards south beach which is where we stayed and watched the sunset. We had watched the sun set at Sandkey the day before but Honeymoon island we found was better as there was less boat traffic on the water while watching the sun set.
The beaches were very clean with lots to explore, I would return again and explore more of the island and make it a full day trip to wander the paths mores.

Very clean beach
Variety of beach shells, rocks, and sand .
Make sure to check all all parts of the beach.
Clean restrooms
Good parking
Wonderful nature center with very nice staff.
Hands on learning for younger kids with shells and other ocean materials.
Seems like a great place for a day trip.

Beach with narrow sand strip, lots of people
Sea well agitated and with many stones in the shallow, careful enough not to hurt your feet
Vegetation well rala
Nice but nothing special

The amount of sandy area is quite limited and since the beach was very crowded (on a Sunday) it was quite difficult to find a place to set up our chairs. Divinely not worth the price to get in. Hopefully when the restoration is completed it will be much improved.

The area is very beautiful and recommend to us by fisherman and people who said it's good for sharks. Upon arrival a Parking charge is enforced which is understandable however the parking is poorly marked and laid out with some parts of the car parks with large rock/curbs which could damage a car if hit. It's not maintained enough I understand hurricane damage however when you are paying it should be felt with sooner as it was some time ago. I was stopped by FWC wardens in regards to a fishing drone I was using and was told about the signs at the front on entry "large sign with a drone with a cross though it". as we left we checked and said signs didn't exist. The drone was used over the water which from what I've found online was legal. I didn't argue and accepted the warning respected the wardens and left however when paying for entry it does annoy you when you are told about signs you need to follow that don't exist. state park rules are fine and I respect them however not all visitors are USA based and know all local rules so would be appreciated if it could be made more apparent. this is a shame as the local wildlife and area is amazing however management could be better.

Worth the admission fee, worth the drive. Nice beach, not a lot of people. If you have time take the ferry or kayak over to Caladesi Island.

We absolutely love returning to Honey Moon every time we come to Dunedin. It is so laid-back and relaxing.

Although Honeymoon Island took a hard punch from hurricane Helene and Milton,
she still stands and Helene and Milton are gone forever. A lot of cleanup before the park reopens. The landscape (beach) will not be the same, but nature will heal.
I added a photo of one of my last visits and cannot wait to go back no matter what.

Have been to this state park on numerous occasions and find it very relaxing and a pleasant way to spend some time. On our last trip there were very aggressive seagulls that were dive bombing anyone that brought out food to eat. Be careful what you bring to eat is all I'm saying and it you're feeding the seagulls, Stop it!

Honeymoon Island State Park is a must see! They have 2 cafes! Very pretty beaches, nature walks and was not crowded at all! It’s well worth the admission fee to explore and just relax! Only complaint was some parts of the shore was rocky but still capable of walking the beach and was still amazing to see! We loved our visit here!

Visited for the first since moving here. The beach is nice and seems to be visited by much less tourists. However, the beach is very rocky, lots of seaweed and a boat washed up on the shore with a trailer. I would like to make it our go to beach but really could use some clean up.

Don't miss this park, if you like to get away from the crowds. Sure, it's still quite busy, but the beach is absolutely lovely, walking north along the peninsula away from the farthest north parking area. We didn't encounter the rocks that other reviewers mentioned. Come back along the bay side for mangrove and wildlife views. After lunch, take a leisurely hike along the Osprey Trail, where you can view the osprey nests and even see the ospreys, in a slash pine forest.
On the way in is a nice visitor center, up on stilts...lots of stairs to climb, or a really long ramp! Restrooms near the parking areas are well kept too.

First, you have to pay $8 to get into the park. If you want to take the ferry to Caladesi Island you pay again, $16 per car. The beach at Honeymoon has quite a bit of shells. The water has holes the size of a foot so you have to be very careful if walking in the water. The beach is nice & not very crowded because of having to pay. I will probably stick to the Dunedin Causeway since it is free.

I came here with my kids and mother on vacation from Maine. We rented a tandem bike for some exercise and fun, but we were told we could ride the bike down the nature trail, and that ended up not being true, so we got stuck in sand and were all freaked out we were going to be eaten by snakes. So we ended up having to push the bike through deep, loose sand for a long distance. Then we visited the playground which was so fun for the kids. It was in really great shape with nothing broken or missing, no caution tape. It did have a little graffiti. There were cute turtles or tortoises crawling around everywhere and the kids also loved that. The bathrooms and water fountains all worked beautifully and were clean. There was no litter on beach, playground or facilities. The traffic was minimal. Parking was great. And there was clear signage listing dangers in the waters as well as in the sands and nature trails.
We loved this beach so much, and the state park. We will definitely visit again.

I have lived in Florida for 40+ years and frequent all the beaches. I have never experienced a beach like this. There is a floor of fist size rocks leading from the sand into the water. It is impossible to walk on these rocks. Even with beach shoes on, your feet hurt and you’re terribly unstable. I never got to enjoy the water. A local told me the rocks were brought in with the last hurricane.

The sand was beautiful and the beach wasn’t terribly crowded. If you’re only looking to relax in a beach chair, this is a good beach. If you want to go in the water, I suggest you go elsewhere.

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!

Used to be a beautiful beach, that's why there are good reviews. As of 2020 the beach has eroded to a point that its just wide enough for 1 person to walk in some areas. Most of all the beach is covered with painful, razor sharp rocks, with some exception of patches of sand where naturally its packed with people.Very disappointing to pay to get in $8.00 per car and suffer on painful rocks.Look at the pic above that's the better part of the beach.

This beach is okay. Compared to other Florida beaches, we rate this a C. The shore has some nice white sand but is still rocky and shelly in a lot of places. The water feels good without being overly seaweedy, but is more brown than we like. There are showers to rinse depending on how far you want to walk, but the drainage situation for them is awful. You end up having to walk through mud again. The changing rooms are average, but be prepared to walk up so many stairs to get here. There is a handicap ramp, but it is ridiculously steep and long. It's an okay beach but not really worth the $8 parking to get in.

Favorite place to visit for a day date or family outing! Beach is always clean white sand, easy to find a spot to relax and not overcrowded. Dolphin sitings before and during sunset! Take in the views, the ocean breeze, and sunshine.

We were in the area for business with a friend from Germany. We had a free afternoon and wanted to show our German friend the coast of Florida. Beautiful beaches, quiet and peaceful. Would have loved to spend more time.

We love state parks. This one was interesting and we visited because we wanted to take our puppy to the dog beach. It was a nice undisturbed beach for dogs. The non dog area was beautiful. The shells were plenty to pick from and the water was clear. The staff were also kind.

Very nice to go to a beach that isn’t overrun with commercialism. There are no restaurants or t-shirt shops! Just a beach, but has nearby parking and a nice bathhouse not too far away. Beautiful nature!

Very nice and clean beach. Has a nice dog area. A little pricey to park per day. Went twice but don’t know if I want to pay to go back.

I have lived in Florida all my life and have finally found a beautiful, lovely, tranquil beach I have been searching for. This is not just a beach but a State Park! It is amazing!!!! It is so tranquil! You can find a good spot that feels like you are alone in paradise! Maybe under a sea grapes tree that is right on the water and with many different birds coming and going! And butterflies all around! There are 2 seater swings, picnic tables, a few cafes and for rock hounds this is the place! There are lots of rocks and sea shells! I have found all beaches to be hit or miss with lots of sea shells! Every time you go it is different! This is my new favorite beach! You have to pay 8$ for a carload but it is well worth it! A must see Florida State Park!!

The reason we went to this beach is that they offer beach wheelchairs and they have a dog-friendly beach.
The beach wheelchair was great. Super easy to move around the sand. And because it floats, we could go a little inside the sea. My son loved it!
We asked for it when we paid the entrance fee. I've read it's recommended to call ahead to ask for it.

Honeymoon island is the best. A quiet beach, nice mix of people, loads of parking, enough shells to be interesting, nature trails for walking and strolling, and bird watching!

It is a great beach location - low key.
I would bring snacks or lunch with you. The cafe nearby is sub par.
Also keep in mind the shore line changes from time to time. We were here a few years ago on Honeymoon beach. Unfortunately that beach has despaired. Now you have to head North to North Beach by Building #3.
You can still rent chairs & umbrellas.
2 chairs & an umbrella is $36 for the whole day! We thought it was worth it.

Florida’s Honeymoon Island State Park requires an admission fee. There’s plenty of parking and bathroom facilities. It has a shallow depth of water that is enjoyable for kids— but then it has lots and lots of rocks on its beach which is undesirable. If you have young swimmers, it’s probably worth the annual state park pass until the kids can confidently swim in the Gulf.

The spaces to park your car is very limited. Good place to enjoy yourselfs in the beaches and coves.

Beach is rocky, at least the part we walked, I know there are different spot to park so not sure of other locations. Some shells but not much compared to the other beaches further south in FL. Best part was walking the trails and seeing the Osprey up close nesting.

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.

This is what Florida should be: a nature preserve available to one and all. Beachcombers, birders and hikers - enjoy the Real Florida!

Too many rocks for us to really enjoy. The beach was narrow and the rocks plentiful. We tried hard but just didn’t have a good experience here.

I’ve been to the park before to take the ferry to Caladesi but never ventured around. It’s an $8 entry fee for a car of 2 people. Be prepared to wait in traffic for a while, we were there around 11 am and it took about 20 mins to get through to where you pay the entrance fee. Caladesi is still closed so we decided to hang out at Honeymoon Island for a bit. It’s still not completely open. The dog beach was really nice. The main beach was super crowded. The causeway driving in is absolutely stunning.

Great place to pull up with your boat. We were on the south end with hardly anyone and clear water. Beautiful day to swim and explore the barrier island.

Shells galore with white sand and clear water, get there early to avoid circling for parking spot. Very clean changing/ restrooms

Rode our bikes on the bike trail here. Very scenic both waterside and through the hammock. Loved the experience, also saw two ospreys in their nest.

Honeymoon Island State Park is a beautiful park along the Gulf of Mexico – with over 4 miles of beach, there’s plenty of area to explore and enjoy the ocean and scenery. My family and I visited a few times during January 2023 and really enjoyed it. There’s a pet beach, plenty of amenities, ample parking, and friendly staff. The beaches and surrounding area are clean and well maintained. The park is also the ferry terminal for access to Caladesi Island.

Nice but watch out for mosquitoes! Lots of beaches to look at and enjoy. The nature trail looked like it had a recent fire. The mosquitoes were so bad less than a minute on walk we headed back. Worth the admission.

Wonderful small island with tons of wildlife, bald eagles, horned owls, tons of other birds. Very peaceful, beach and hikes.

Beautiful state park with trails, beach, bird watching, and nature center. $8 per car, less for pedestrians or those on bikes.

If you want to escape the crowds and enjoy an unspoilt beach then head to Honeymoon Island.
Beautiful white sands and crystal clear water- there’s plenty of nature to enjoy with rare bird and sea life.
We enjoyed it here more than Clearwater beach. It’s a smaller version but it’s relatively peaceful.
Downside is there’s no restaurants around. There’s a truck selling snacks and cold drinks, so take a picnic. A small fee is charged for enter but there’s an information centre there where you can find out about the history and wildlife and parking is right next to the beaches.
Great for sunbathing, swimming or simply walking.

It’s a beautiful escape from the craziness that is Orlando. Situated on the Gulf coast and well worth the $8 admission.

We also caught the ferry to Caladesi Island. Saw dolphins on the way over and some ospreys.

The visitor centre is clean and modern, staff friendly and welcoming. There’s lots of information about the wildlife. You can sit a while on the deck watching the water. So peaceful and tranquil.

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.

I don't know how it can be improved but I have bites all over me. Whatever bit us, bit us through our clothes and even a heavy sleeve, and that after bathing on bug spray for forest. Other than that, it was a nice walk. Beach is ok with many facilities. Would never return!

Honeymoon Island is a beautiful relaxing beach with bike walking trails. You usually can see dolphins swimming in the water.

Great parking areas but the beach is truly the worst we have encountered in Florida. A more accurate name for this beach would be ROCK BEACH. You can't enjoy walking barefoot due to the huge amount of rocks. You cannot go in water barefoot...again...ROCKS. Not enjoyable in the least. I will say one plus was plentiful benches and swing benches. That and plentiful parking are the only positives in our view. Will not return.

A wonderful state park. There are trails to hike, especially if you like birds like eagles and Osprey. You can see turtles as well. There are nice beaches. They are clean and well maintained. The nature store has unique items for sale. I bought a magnet and ornament that was made by local people. We paid $8 to enter the park, which is very reasonable.

Beach reclamation in progress but still a lovely beach. Quiet location away from tourists. Always enjoy an afternoon at this location.

A good size beach with a bit of a walk to get a decent spot. Water was shallow and clean. There is a small cafe restaurant here along with somewhere to get changed too which is handy for people.

While the trails around Honeymoon Island state park do not have continuous views of the bay (only on the beach), there are some wonderful birds to be seen year-round. We spotted lots of Ospreys, a Great Horned owl in the middle of the day, and a pair of Bald Eagles building a nest. They close off the trail to keep people away from the base of the eagles' next. The beach was nice and the visitor center was fascinating.

Annual pass is good bargain if you go to the beach a lot - my wife and I do. Cheap if you only go a few days. Nice beaches with clean facilities and available food for purchase. A bit rocky so wear water shoes. We live close by so we go there all year.

Walked along the beach and through park on the paths. Went to Nature center. Very informative and interesting. Wish had more time but we had to leave after an hour to catch our flight. Will definitely be back.

Wonderful walk through this nature reserve. The sand was the beautiful white kind of dreams! Many different bird varieties with friendly park rangers to point out the wildlife.

Well kept place, Beautiful natural setting, easy access, clean beaches, well maintained, with public restrooms, and outside showers

Beautiful state park, very nice. The Gulf Coast is the best beach, beautiful water and warm water. Easy to park and easy access to the water and beach.

This is a great place to take your whole family and out of state guests. There is a gift shop that serves food, deserts and drinks. They also have many nature trails to explore.

After hearing about Honeymoon Beach and seeing great reviews on Trip Advisor I was so disappointed in our visit today. Ugly, scruffy landscape and rocky beaches.

Unfortunately the red tide made this visit not a very good experience. The number of dead fish on the beach was very disheartening and it caused some respiratory issue for both my wife and me.
I am sure the beach is great when the red tide is not an issue, but on this trip that was not the case.

the beach is not the most beautiful in the region, however there is a structure for changing rooms and bathrooms, the area is excellent for children, hot and safe water

So my wife and I live in Massachusetts but have family in the area. At least once a year we visit Honeymoon for going on 9 years straight, not an exaggeration. When we walked down to the beach on the northern side were were shocked! The beach was gone. Only thing left was rocks and compacted sand. We walked towards Oasis Beach turned around and walked south to the Dog Beach. Was horrible. Beaches up in Massachusetts would put this (once beautiful) beach to shame. Can't believe Florida is allowing this beach to fall apart or at least not worn would be beachgoers (If you don't enjoy walking on, swimming out cutting your hands and feet on shark rocks) stay away. And then there were the fire ants that were all over the area we already settled on. There was no beach front distance either not sure if due to the harvest moon but when you walked up or down the beach you had to walk around people because there was no beach. So needless to say we won't be going back unless there are some major renovations. Did enjoy watching the pelicans dive bomb into the water catching lunch. I attached photos I took on Saturday the 4th and then of May 2019 to see comparisons.

Honeymoon Island park and beach are a wonderful place to spend the day. But, make sure you go by car. If you decide to take a long leisure walk to the park, the mosquitos will eat you alive. Once on the beach, it is fine, but getting there by foot will be something.

Definitely 5 out of 5. Osprey nature trail is always wonderful. Today we saw ospreys feeding chicks in their nests. Also Eagles nest nearby. Wonderful beaches, trails and playgrounds.

Worth the stop if you have time on your vacation. We enjoyed the nature center, walking trails and the beach.

This is a cheap and lovely place to visit. There are some nice beaches and trails, a dog area, which is in high demand as they are few and far between locally, also picnic areas.
On the trails we were luck enough to see Osprey in their nests and flying around.
There is plenty of parking for all the sections you can visit .
The trip there is nice as well as you drive over the Dunedin Causeway with scenic views.

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!

Honeymoon Island has shells, but nothing like the amount at Sanibel, but still a variety. We picked up bags full of chestnut turbans. Shade a very north parking lot beach.

Seemed to be a nice beach.Just a little more rocky than I had expected.Beautiful Sunset.Lots of gorgeous waves and close to some very nice restaurants.

Beautiful beach with tons of shells to hunt and collect. Definitely need some water shoes as some areas are not bare foot friendly. Great place to watch the sunset. 2 "cafes" offer snacks, drinks and any beach needs.

Not only the beach but also the walking paths are attractive. The best known is the Osprey Trail at the end of the loop road. Here you will see ospreys, owls, black vultures, sea eagles (breeding), turtles, mocking birds, etc. Very beautiful nature. There are three large wooden cafes on the beaches where you can order something to drink or eat fairly cheaply. Afterwards you can relax on their terrace. Admission is $8 per car for which you can stay all day and park in one of the three large parking lots.

It’s unfortunate that nature can beautifi or destroy as it comes and this part of the area and also Caladesi Island were completely destroy last year due to hurricanes and storms last year and the city has done absolutely nothing to restore. It’s in ruins and if is not for the locals that volunteer to clean up this area is disgraceful specially when it rains - which is every other day in summer- the water is dirty full of debris and now there is a dog area - disgusting 🤮
Do not bother to pay to go here — there are a lot more better maintained areas miles away and it’s worth the drive. Even at the end of the causeway there are other public areas - a little crowded for my taste- but cleaner for sure. 👍

We absolutely love visiting this place.
Its white soft sand, beautiful blue water and the fact that they have a designated area for dogs dog is a win for me.
We love walking on the beach and enjoying the views. Peaceful, beautiful and a place you can unwind and relax.
Expect more humans and fur babies on the weekends and holidays but on a regular day you can have the beach all to yourself.
$8 for parking.
Clean.

Head to the northern beaches if you can, much mellower and nicer sand, worth the walk. another great florida beach with typical fl amenities like bathrooms, changing areas, showers and cafe's to get food, which I'm told, are actually good, never ate there.

We brought our dog on this trip to Florida and looked for a dog friendly beach. This beach is perfect if you brought your furry family member. Everyone is conscientious of picking up after their pet. The sand is sparkling white. The Gulf water is beautiful. We saw dolphins, starfish, and a small octopus. This has become our favorite beach! The state park staff were wonderful and very helpful with any questions. We leave in two days to return home - really going to miss our time here.
By the way, we love it some much that we bought a year pass. 😊

TERRIBLE mosquito swarms. I know this is a nature park, but there needs to be some sort of mosquito control. The walk from the parking lot to the beach is so long, and once we got out of the car we were swarmed. My husband and I sprinted to the beach with the dogs and once we were on the beach by the water, the bugs were gone. We sprinted back to the car, with a vocabulary of words only beginning with the letter “F”. After getting home, we both have at least 15 welted bug bites. We have been to this beach at least 5 times before and never had that problem. If you are paying an admission fee, this problem should be dealt with better. Will probably not go back, which sucks for the dogs but it was not worth our 45 minute one-way drive.

Best eight bucks I’ve ever spent to get in anywhere. Nature trails are amazing. We saw four tortoises and lots of birds. The beaches are amazing with nice soft sandy beaches. No waves so that was nice.

So many wonderful beaches in this section of Florida and this is NOT one of them. Restrooms are a fit away from beach and up 2 flights of stairs. Nature attractions are a joke with signs bleached out and awash with hordes of mosquitoes. Save yourself $8 and go to a nice beach like Anclote River Park. No fee🤠

Honeymoon Island is our go to beach when visiting the Tampa area. Super clean beach, no big crowds to deal with and plenty of parking. Great place to fish too. Worth a look when visiting this area.

Went with my family to Honeymoon Island Beach for the first time yesterday. Not going back.

It's not because they didn't have a changing area and only provided portable toilets. It's not just because we were swarmed by mosquitoes on our way back to our cars after sunset. It is because it was set up as a speed trap on the very last roads that bring you to the parking lot. The speed limit drops from 25 to 10. They had a few signs along the roads, with the speed limit sign being the least noticeable.
If my family and I were the only ones to miss the sign, I wouldn't say anything. Our bad! However, about every 10 minutes or so, new arrivals would find themselves pulled over and given citations for speeding on the short road to the parking lot. They had at least 5 state park patrol cars waiting in the parking area for their unsuspecting victims, with one of the patrol cars parked directly facing the entrance to the parking area with a radar gun. With a smile, the officers handed out citations and wished their prey a nice time on the beach. This was how many visitors started their visit to this beach.

The patrol cars vanished with the sun as they repositioned themselves to catch more speeders as they exited on that road. I've never seen so many cars pulled over by police for speeding as we lined up to leave the beach.

We weren't going for the beach just the birds. We're from England and love how easy Florida makes it to view wildlife. We followed the Osprey trail and met lovely people explaining where we might see birds. About halfway along was a Great Hornet owl and in a different tree two owlets. Then three Osprey nests with chicks. Ospreys were everywhere! Then at the end of the trail a Bald eagle with it's nest and a chick popping up and down. Wow! It was amazing. $8 entrance for the car and just over two miles walking on well defined paths. Toilets and concession stands. How much better can it get? Thank you Florida state parks for getting this wonderful place up and running again.

I have to say I did not read the reviews until I started writing mine. We picked Honeymoon Island, as we wanted to be away from the hustle and bustle of St Petersburg beaches (which we do love too- an hour drive from here). It costs $8 a car, but you can go to the park website and it will give you a map and prices, and everything you need to know. We arrived at the beach at 10:00am, which was plenty enough time to get easy parking and sit right at the ocean without others next to us, we traveled on a weekday. They have vendors there, ice cream and a BQ truck. We parked in the north parking lot, where they do have bathrooms and showers. The water was cooler than St. Pete’s which was perfect at the time, as the water temps were 89/90 degrees that week- not refreshing at all- but it was more refreshing to escape the heat. We did not experience any trees or seaweed like some of the reviews I read, it is more of a nature beach, and you can see Clearwater high rises in the distance. The morning was very calm no waves, and it is shallow perfect for families with young children- no real danger for undertows and rip tides, many places to walk out safely. We loved our time there however- like others mentioned we went to go on a trail walk once we were finished beaching, and instantly were swarmed with mosquitoes and were bitten immediately we had to run back to the car, thankfully this was the end of the day. This could have easily ruined our day, I’m not even sure bug spray would have deterred these bugs, as they were very aggressive, not the slow northeast type- these were fast and small- and bit you quick. If you want to get away from the crowded busy beaches- try here- the small cost supports the wildlife- we did see two tortoises on our drive in .

Took my family to this beach. It was a load of fun! We went early and walked the beach and found a ton of big sea shells. It was a great experience with kids. They got to see all the nature and different animals and beauty of the island. We also took the ferry to Caladesi Island that was also fun! The water at both sites is calm and easy for kids to play in. We took snacks and a cooler to both places I would recommend that especially with kids. Fun experience.

We were able to ride our bikes around the island, and we loved the wildlife. First we an egret feeding her babies in her best, and more importantly we saw a tortoise!

While on vacation in Florida, we decided we wanted to walk the beach, so did some research. This was one of the closest places, so decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed. I'm only writing about the beach, because that's all we did. It was a wonderful stroll down a clean beach. We got to watch someone pull in a huge shark. I would certainly go back to this park.

Beautiful spot, quiet beach, several to choose from. A few spots have bath houses and food. Still repairing things from Hurricane Milton last year but white sandy beaches and gulf water. Our visit was HOT but views were relaxing.

Very good spot for shelling, walking the beach and enjoying the outdoors. Only one drawback is a lot of rocks on parts of beach. They have a dog beach for the dog lovers

This has been my favorite beach for many many years up until a week ago. I was on the beach for about four hours put some repellent on because I expected a few bug bites but when I left, I counted over 30+ no seeum bug bites all over my body and I am still dealing with the bug bite itching a week later. It’s a shame that they do not spray the beach area. Sadly, that was my last visit and I will never return until something changes. Gone are the days when I could spend 6-8 hours on the beach and not experience ONE bug bite.

We drove to Honeymoon Island State Park on a sunny day in January. The Visitor Center was a great stop with information on the natural plants and inhabitants of the area. There was a garden with local plant species outside that was a in winter condition but would probably be lovely in season. The beach areas were narrow lined with shrubs and as we walked around the island we noticed a lagoon area with fishing. We enjoyed exploring for one to two hours, but may have stayed longer if we were swimming.

If you like sand, walking a shoreline or you have tender feet, this is not the place for you! Very disappointing

We are staying in Davenport and wanted to go to the beach with our two teens and 4lb dog. We thought the beach was great! Lots of shells and white sand. Most dogs were on their leash. Since our dog is so small, she was on her leash at all times. The dogs not on their leash were pretty well-behaved. People were spread out. We would definitely go back!

Take a cooler, umbrella, & sand pales for shell collecting.
$8 per car!
My wife & I went for our one year anniversary. It wasn't busy, many things to do & see. Lovely beaches, both smooth & sandy, as well as plenty of seashells to collect. The beaches are very wide, plenty of space for making castles by the water or sitting back in privacy while reading your favorite book.
All around fantastic scenery for pictures. Nice restrooms & changing stations.
Gorgeous sunset!!!
We put on our wedding suit & gown & took wonderful dun pictures.
Easy directions, check it out, make memories. Nice roads & parking lots. Very safe.

Major construction and dredging going on at the beach. Not worth going. The small bit of beach that is accessible is 100% covered with rocks and requires swim shoes.

So beautiful ! Many birds on a rainy day . Nature Center was excellent . Volunteers were so friendly and very informative .

Nothing like a little piece of heaven on Earth! Just make sure you avoid it on the weekend! Weekdays are best. It's such a beautiful setting, with clear blue water as far as you can see! You can often see dolphins! swimming by, too

My husband and myself haven't been to this beach. So this morning we decided to make the trip. We love it not to many people, and people are staying at least 8 feet away from everyone. We will be back it was nice to feel like we were on vacation .

Beautiful beach. Clean sand. Gets super busy on the main beaches. We go to the rocky part sometimes. Lots of parking. Nice sand bars and shelling.

Nice trip to the beach. Plenty of parking and space on the beach on a weekday in November. The water was a bit cold but manageable. The beach was wide and clean. It was interesting to see rock jetty's about every 50 yards. It had the effect of splitting the beach into smaller segments.

The park also has hiking trails. Be mindful of your shoes. Parts of the trail are sandy like walking on the beach.

The park also has a playground, picnic areas, and bathrooms.

Really enjoyed our afternoon here. We walked the north beach, collected shells, did the nature trail (Osprey lane I think it was called) we saw many and a great horned owl the nest and mama owl.. very awesome. Mosquitos were on this trail so we didn’t go far as we had no repellent. We also walked the trails by the dog beach. Well spent $8.. park was clean and we felt safe.

Best place to go for your own beach. Must walk a way to get the spot.

Good parking amount.

Great city close by for food and night life.

The dog Beach is very nice. Honeymoon island also has a nice trail. There also is a nice restrooms. Easy to get on. Small fee to get on.

We went to both Honeymoon Island and Caledesi Island. Homenymoon Island beaches were pretty crowded, but it's a much larger Island, and more spread out.

My wive and I have been taking our dog to this beach for the past 3 years and its been always great... The water is amazingly calm and warm most of the year and the white powder sand makes you feel as if you where in an island in the Caribbean.

Gorgeous. We got to borrow a local's pass so it didn't cost us anything, either. Bonus! Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend as much time here as we had hoped but it was a beautiful beach.

We enjoyed exploring this island. Small restaurant was good for a quick snack and drink to freshen up.

We arrived as the State Park had just opened. We were not the only early risers...the mosquitoes were as well. Thankfully the general store carries spray. We purchased a can and continued with our hike. Throughout the morning we were able to share our spray with those, who like us, did not plan accordingly. There is a fenced area where there is an eagle’s nest. We did see many birds, but no eagles. Beautiful area to take in the ocean and beaches.

Wanted to spend the day on Honeymoon before the cold weather kicks in tomorrow. Absolutely beautiful.
Walked the North end to the new split. Low tide, plenty of shells (mostly small).
The big shells taken by the early birds.
Captured a picture that says it all. (no photo chopping)
MAGICAL ISLAND

Honeymoon Island is a State Park facing the Gulf of America near Tampa, Florida. Due to local traffic, it takes about 1hr to drive from Tampa to the Honeymoon Island.
The park charges USD 8 per vehicle for entrance fee. Once inside, there are a number of parking lots with flat trail choices. The white sand beach at the Honeymoon Island is of pristine quality, with white sand resembles that of flour. It is popular with local and tourists, and we find a good size crowd during our visit during a Wednesday afternoon.
Due to the destruction caused by Hurricane, the only restrooms that are operational are at the Nature Center. The other restrooms at the beaches are closed, and replaced with honey buckets. The ferry service to the Caladesi Island is also closed.

It is understandable the cafe is closed due to hurricane damage. Cannot believe the state can’t provide a better food truck vendor on a weekend. The vendor provided a very limited menu and charged outrageous prices.
Also our family was told we couldn’t sit on a long stretch of beach that was reserved for a private business charging chair and umbrella rentals. Thought this was a state park to be enjoyed by the public.

We visited honeymoon island after our trip to Orlando. I've been here many times and always find good seashells. It's a beautiful beach with facilities and foot washers, plenty of parking even a snackbar/restaurant. It is $8 a vehicle to park for the day but it's never too crowded and if u park in the far north lot and continue to walk north up the beach there will be almost no people- its my favorite spot! We came to watch the sunset on our 2nd night and take my maternity photo shoot pics and it happened to be a full moon and super low tide so we had a great time- we love this beach!

We paid for 5 people to get in. There was no mention fo closures by the attendant. At the beach the red flags were out. The ferry to Caladesi Island was not running at all. It was a complete waste of money and time driving there.

Beautiful beach. Calm Gulf waters. Our granddaughter found a number of sand dollars. They were alive so she put them back in the water. Found some nice shells. There are lots of sharp rocks as you go into the water. The water is clear so you can see them. I recommend water shoes. Oasis and North Beach are supposed the have less rocks, but they were super crowded. We were there on a Sunday. So we went to the Main Beach. Not as crowded, plenty of rocks but some areas are better than others. The restaurant and bathrooms were closed. Clean porta potties were available. There was a food truck. Still looking for the perfect beach.

The beach was a little more crowded than some other beaches in the area, stick to the North Beach unless you like rocks. The water is warm and no more than 4ft deep even 100yds from shore.

I would normally give Honeymoon a 5.... but they are doing a beach reclamation so right now there is not a lot of 'beach'.......... they still crowd the people in... which is too bad........ once this is all completed in August, it will hopefully be great!

I love Honeymoon Island State Park!! Always a must when I visit Florida and this year my family agreed! Beautiful water, beach, shells, I love walking the beach for unique finds! Wear swim shoes if you have sensitive feet- many shells on beach/water line. This time there was a boat most likely from hurricane beached. Just amazing place.

Gorgeous beach, white sand and clear water! I went on a 5 mile solo jog here, and it was heaven! One side was like the Caribbean…the other side was woodsy with lots of forest and some marshes. Great experience!

The entrance fee is worth the beautiful walk on the beach!
Or a fun splash in the waters. Pretty bird sightings, too.

We visited here for a few hours during a family vacation to Orlando. It was a perfect way to unwind after a few busy sightseeing days. It wasn’t a really busy day when we went - and the beach itself was lovely. We had hoped to rent bikes but there wasn’t a lot out and available - it was maybe the time of year or because it was a weekday. Otherwise, a great place to visit!

We rode into Honeymoon Island on our bikes which cost $2 per person ($8 for a car). There are great paths that wind around the island to either walk or ride. Lots of places to sit and watch/listen to the ocean including a swinging bench which was so relaxing. Very peaceful and beautiful beach.

We have lived year over 6 years now. Been through the re-sanding of the beach (they never removed all the rocks, just piled sand on) i.e. dredging!
This beach is NEVER TAKES! Expect to trip around on shore and in the water.
WE paid $138 for a years family pass in January, only to catch Covid. Weeks later, the beaches CLOSED for COVID in Florida! No refunds, no extensions!
2 days at beach in May, Memorial Day was a beach filled with littering out of towners! June, broke my leg, so 3 more months, no BEACH! Finally, head back to Honeymoon Island and there's NO BEACH! JUST ROCKS AND PARKING LOT!
REALLY? I'M SO DISAPPOINTED THAT NOTHING IS DONE TO CLEAN UP THERE!
EVEN THE TRASH IS LEFT ON THE BEACH! They charge every vehicle $$$ to get in, where do they spend all that MONEY? PLEASE ITEMIZE!

This is such a nice state park with plenty of parking, clean bathroom facilities and food and beverage services. Such a great place to walk and collect shells. Only trouble is selecting the perfect spot to set your beach chair.

We biked here from Dunedin, lovely easy ride. The island is beautiful, the beaches have sugar white sand and the water is beautiful green-blue. We walked the short nature trail (2 mile loop) to the northern tip. The trail was kind of sandy and sunny but we returned on the center trail - I think it was called the Pelican trail - shadier and easier walking. Had an okay lunch at the honeymoon cafe (pretty decent veggie burger but everything there is fried) but the view couldn't be beat.

Wonderful place. Park was pretty empty early in the morning. Really nice place but problems with red tide so we couldn't go into the water and there were lots of dead fish. BUT they mentioned this at the entrance gate and offered us the option to turn back. Gift shop was nice and people were very knowledgeable.

We had heard and read that Honeymoon Island was the place to go when visiting Dunedin, so we used our last day of vacation to visit this popular state park. The reviews said there would not likely be many people, but tons of seashells and lots of wildlife. We found just the opposite to be true.

We went on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. The park normally charges admission but it was waived for the holiday. Our excitement at saving a few dollars was quickly dashed when we were told the northern part of the park was already full so we were limited to the southern part. There were tons of people in the park! We went at high tide and the beach was very narrow. It was absolutely packed with people.

My wife is a sheller, but there were not many shells to be found. I should mention that most of the beach is accessible by walking, not car. And we did not walk very far. It was just too narrow and too packed with people.

The walking paths would have likely been beautiful but we skipped those because the mosquitoes were out in force and we had no bug spray. So we spent some time on the beach then left to pack up and get ready to go home.

Nice additions to the park are bathrooms and a gift shop/visitor center.

We decided to visit Honeymoon Island State Park after hearing wonderful things about it from locals. This place is amazing! The entry fee to get into the park is $8 per vehicle. There is only one exit/entry spot onto the island so plan on it being busy to get into the island especially if it is a holiday or spring break. Once on the island, you can follow the signs for which area you would like to visit. There are several designated beach spots, along with picnic pavilions, walking trails, and a playground. We decided to park at Oasis beach. The beach parking lot filled up very fast, so we were glad to have parked near the beach house (where the restrooms are located; please note there are no restrooms on the beach itself, it is a walk if you need to use the restroom once you find a beach spot.) You can pick any beach spot that you would like and even though the parking lot was full, there were plenty of open spots on the beach. (Also note that this is not a dog friendly beach.) After eating lunch, we started to look in the waves and found dozens of shells. There are all kinds of shells here- very large shells, small spiral shells, etc. We also caught a catfish off the surf while fishing. If you are looking for a great beach spot with lots of shells, fishing, and swimming spots than this is the beach for you!

The beach and state park are very nice, there is still some areas showing damage from last seasons storms. The bathrooms are still closed. But the water is still the star, was really good.

A great place to take the whole family. Plenty of parking. Many trails to explore nature up close. A must see.

When we want to go to the beach Honeymoon Island is our go to beach. Today 9-15-22 we decided to try the snack bar for lunch. Do you know what you get for $35.00? Two cheese burgers, one order of fries and one soft drink. We will always bring lunch from now on.

Gorgeous beach crystal clear water. Went swimming in January. Snack shack (2). You can get sandwiches and burgers also sell beer.
Great place to spend whole day. Saw a baby octopus in the tidal pools.

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.

Honeymoon island was beautiful. It is quiet and serene with lots of shells. Drive all the way to the end. If you stop before the "beach" is rocks. Pretty to see, no so fun the play at. The information center is amazing to check out. The staff is great and the information was very neat. Watch the show on the tv. You might even see an armadillo scrounging around for his dinner. You won't regret that trip. It is a new favorite place of mine.

Enjoy spending the day on the beaches at Honeymoon Island with our family. Weekends can get pretty busy there, especially with great weather but worth it.
Love that we are so conveniently located and can visit regularly during our time here!

You do pay $8 to enter the park, but its definitely worth every penny.
The park is very clean!
And the beach is very good and charming especially at sunset.

This place is really the beach for Dunedin .. it’s $8 into the National park and then you can park up and stay all day .
There are numerous beaches , tailored for swimming , shelling , whatever you want to do .. a beautiful natural beauty spot and in our 4 day holidays stay we went twice .. very nice and highly recommended

The boulders ruined the experiencs, the state should clean the boulders up for the $8 charge to get in!
get

Beautiful beach. If you walk away from the main buildings you can have almost a private beach. In fron of the two main buildings there are a lot of people. Clean restrooms and plenty of parking

First time visiting and will take the kids and go back. Beach was clean. Plenty of parking and nearby restrooms for seniors and kids.

We were there on a Monday after a storm so the beach had some washing. Short term issue. Nothing to panic about.

Looking forward to warmer weather and going out to Caladesi which leaves from Honeymoon.

We went here on the advice of a local. Beautiful views of Clearwater and the ocean. Beach is really rocky and full of shells. Hard to walk bare foot or lay on a towel. If you are someone who likes to toss shells into the water, this beach is for you.

My wife and I visited Honeymoon Island State Park at sunset. Fortunately we arrived early to enter the park since the line was quite long in June. The views were amazing! We went down to last parking area to walk up the beach where it was less crowded. The west facing beach provides one of the best sunset views in the state! I highly recommend a visit here!

Beautiful area, still a lot of damage from hurricanes that haven’t been addressed. The day we were there, the ocean was very clean of seaweed and had very big waves. Also gets very busy. Beautiful place to watch a sunset. You can rent umbrellas but it is very windy. No shade otherwise.

Very nice beach/island.
Quiet!!
Beautiful views.
Receipt is good for the entire day, so you can leave the island and come back.

They younger staff is pleasant and helpful others talk but don't listen well. After being told by Florida rangers, for 2 years, I need 100% disability for a free entry pass, I was able to convey; Military Veterans, with any disability,
have a free Florida State Parks Pass available.

This park is beautiful! The beach was so clean and we got so many unique shells. Can't wait to come back during the warmer months and really enjoy a day here.

We drove out here one morning to walk the beach and relax. The location is wonderful! It was quiet and didn't take much at all to find a spot by ourselves. We walked around looking at shells and enjoyed watching the dolphins. It was by far our favorite spot over Clearwater. I would definitely stop here again if we are ever back in the area.

This is a postcard beautiful spot. Clean and stunning. The water is great, the shells abundant and views amazing.
We hiked the beach trail and watched dolphins in the surf. Then the Osprey trail. Saw 2 eagles in a next on that trail
Best $8 of the day..........

Shame on our Parks department for allowing this once beautiful beach look like an open trash basket!

My Pops and I were looking for a nice place to go on a hike after the Super Bowl to work off all the calories from the night before. We decided to try this place and were very happy we did. We did a mile on the beach then the 1.5 regular nature hike. The Osprey Hike is excellent because it ends at a huge Bald Eagle's Nest. We saw it flying around earlier on our hike but it wasn't there when we arrived. We also saw many types of birds including huge Ospreys and a Gopher Tourtoise. The hike is great for all levels because it has many cut offs, some benches and a trail on the sand if you want a real challenge. The rest of the park has all kinds of fun things to do and id very clean. The changing huts, the picnic area, the wooden swing areas all very clean. Has some nice doggie areas too and areas to ride a bike. The one thing is the beach is on the narrow side and many areas are rocky. Thus I recommend wearing sturdy footwear on the beach. Covered with shells too for the collectors, I'll be back with our Dog, Lucie.

A lovely place wit several different beaches, some pet friendly.
Apparently you can hold special events in some. There was a wedding scheduled for the day we went.

Honeymoon Island is a great place to visit on the Gulf of Mexico. Just a few minutes from the town of Dunedin which has many great places to eat. It has large long beaches to walk and swim. There are sanitary facilities to use. There is tons of parking.

After a lot of dedication and work, Honeymoon Island, including North Beach, is open.
I can't wait to hit the sand and walk the North end. My thanks to all of the people who helped the island recover after two back to back hurricanes last fall. The ferry to Caladesi is closed until the docks can be rebuilt.

just a couple of minutes from the Hampton Inn. beautiful place. We saw one of the most beautiful sun sets we had ever seen. lots of free parking and walking trails.

Stopped by this park as it was on our way back to Indian Rocks. There were some great beaches and shells were abundant. We stopped by the gift shop and had a nice conversation with the man working there. Great views from the deck of the shop.

Very nice state park with several parking areas and beaches. Can be VERY busy on nice weekends Plan to arrive early to pick your spot! Park admission fee required.

Honeymoon island is a very beautiful state park. Variety of shorebirds.
Nice place to swim, fishing. Dog beach. Great tours provided by scintists. Tim Marshall provides walking tour on Fridays.Outstanding.
Don't miss it.
The park is open every day 8am to dusk.
Entrance fee is $8.

This is a great beach that seems to avoid the partying spring break crowd. Good parking and restrooms. Very pretty view of the water. Saw dolphins near the shore. $8 entry fee was an excellent value.

Beautiful park, It's nice to see Florida's vegetation in it's natural state. We took a nice walk on the beach which wasn't overly crowded despite the warm weather. We reted a tandem bicycle, and that was fun! Price was a little steep per hour for renting a bike, but whatever... WE enjoyed ourselves and will be back.

Gorgeous beaches, clear water! Great for families, areas with no waves. I found a few shells and snorkeled on the rocks and found many fighting conch, a couple alive so look closely. Nice nature walk but be sure to use bug spray and it gets hot because most not under trees.

One of my favorite beaches on the gulf coast of Florida. It’s small but gorgeous the drawback are all the rocks in the water

We were staying at the Hyatt Regency on Clearwater Beach and decided to check out Honeymoon Island State Park. It was approximately a 25 minute Uber ride from the Hyatt. We paid the toll and our Uber driver took us right to the main beach area and dropped us off. There were beach chairs and umbrellas for rent, a snack bar with cocktails and restrooms. The water was gorgeous and definitely cleaner and more clear than Clearwater Beach! It was midweek so there was hardly anyone there. We spent most of the day on the beach then took a fifteen minute walk back to the toll booths where our Uber driver picked us up to go back to the Hyatt. We loved this beach and highly recommend it!

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?

Fantastic beach, with expansive white sand. Still some areas yet to clean up from the Hurricane, but overall could hardly tell other than a little shelf on the north end and the bathroom facilities.

Very neat area arriving over the causeway. Kids enjoyed their playground, which is well shaded.

We got the north end and the “main” beach areas. Both were nice, but some lore shells on the north.

There's a nice hike around the island once you park. It's $8 per car and worth the trip. You won't really see the beach on the trail but there are beaches on the drive through. The hike had views of many eagle's nests and eagles.

Very rude female at the ticket booth. Gave us wrong directions to the ferry. Lots of trash blowing around and Park officers just sitting around in golf carts. Green flags up but water was VERY ROUGH and extremely windy out with strong current. Poor signage throughout the park. I’ve had better experiences pretty much anywhere else in Florida and this is my home state.

Beautiful and peaceful - which is extremely hard to find in Florida. I almost didn’t right a review because I don’t want others to know. Several different beach accesses & one dog beach. Drive slow as we saw four giant turtles the first day that we were there. There are walking trails & it cost us $8 to get in. We actually bought a yearly pass on the island and we have been back multiple times. The only thing that I would change is sometimes there is a very crabby man (50’s grey hair) taking money/passes, but the other employees are very nice. If you go to the last beach access there is a boat that was stranded by the hurricane way up in the trees - I think that it could be the SS Minnow. 😁

This is an amazing place to visit. Kids loved it especially when we saw dolphins & manatees. Umbrellas & chairs - you do need , can be hired on the beach - reasonable price too. Showers 1 & 2 are not working but 3 is ok - battered but working. Parking £8 per car up to 8 people.

We simply love love love this place - pristine and friendly people all around !!!! Pretty area with so many dolphins and birds !!!!

The beach is great. Plenty of parking. Arrive early to avoid the line to get on the island. Trails and bikes to rent.

Great bike trail thru park with view of beaches. Plenty of great views. There are many parking areas and places to grab a bite

Went to honeymoon island expecting great beaches that are typical of Florida. I’ve never been to a beach in Florida that had real rocks on the beach and in the water. Too many people for the size of the beach. I’d never go back.

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.

Just a gorgeous park. The beaches were immaculate, and that soft white sand is amazing. Picked up lots of shells, and saw many different birds. The dog beach was perfect to let our dog romp for a bit. We were visiting at a tome when there weren't a lot of people around, which I loved, we often had parts of the beach to ourselves. We hit the park a couple of times while we were camping.

Beautiful beaches, both North and South. The South beach is more accommodating with food and chair rental, but is much more of a rocky beach and lots of rocks getting into the Gulf. The North beach has restrooms, no cafe or chair but it's beautiful white sandy beach and getting into the Gulf is amazing. Great for hikers too! So much to see. Just make sure you steak out your area clearly! Lots of encroachers....even if you have your chairs set up!

We live in Orlando, and have access to many spectacular beaches. We decided to get away for a few days from all the lockdowns and quarantines. We chose this beach because it was close to our AirBnB and Holy Cow! I wish I would have read some reviews first! We set up our chairs and umbrellas on the super narrow beach, and ran to the water to cool off! Everyone started screaming and crying in pain! There were huge sharps rocks EVERYWHERE! You literally had to lay on your stomach and slide over the rocks to get to deeper water, were you still would gash your feet. My entire family was cut up and bleeding. Afterwards, we laughed it off, but the next day you better believe we went to a different beach!
Other honorable mentions: the beach is super narrow, so people had to walk through our set up just to get down the beach. I'm talking about ten yards at the widest point! We're a pretty friendly bunch, so we took this opportunity to meet new people, but when you're in the water away from your belongings, people are walking all through your chairs and blankets.
If you're still here, hang on for the worst part! There are many MANY jet ski rental places all around. Approximately 728 people had jet skis riding them just beyond where people swim. The noise was INCREDIBLE! And the smell of gasoline and exhaust is overwhelming!
Now, I understand there are quieter, more secluded areas around this island, but if you park anywhere near the pavilions (around Cafe Honeymoon & South Beach Pavilion Cafe) this WILL BE your experience!
Now excuse me, I still have cuts on my knee I need to attend to! Good Luck!

A little slice of heaven on earth. We visited in early morning and the beach was almost empty. Lots of sandy beach area to relax. Shells to collect- dolphins to spot and watch the birds.
Seems to be mostly local Floridians that came later.
They know a good spot.

Great beaches. Rental chairs and umbrellas available. Causway beaches are great also. Concession stands available.

Gorgeous island at the end of a long causeway. Beautiful beaches surround the island. The main beach has two pavilions that sell food and souvenirs. There are many secluded beach areas if you like privacy. There is a large welcome center which displays an assortment of wildlife and hiking trails that can travelled on foot or with a two or four seat rental bike.

We were surprised at just how many rocks and shells were on most of the beaches, but it is natural and pretty - just not like most of the photos we had seen. I will say that the nature preservation made us feel more appreciative of the non-commercialization.

Once we found the area along the southern beach with more sand (just north of the dog beach), we took our shoes off to walk. The sand was the soft, fine grain typical of the gulf coast. It was accompanied by lots of sea grass and wood, but it was welcome and not an annoyance. We really enjoyed our time by the water. We parked at the southernmost (left) part of the Main Beach parking by the cafe. We even saw dolphins close to shore and lots of birds. There were maybe 100 cars total parked in all the lots and it was not very crowded, which was nice.

My main comment isn’t applicable to all, but it sadly isn’t very positive: the cafe along the beach (two locations) needs some improvements to help keep the island current and living up to its name. We visited the southern-most cafe. It could be a nice addition if it were more on-brand with the romantic idea of “honeymoon”; instead, the inside felt like a dated, cramped convenience store kitchen. The employees were nice, but the food was bland and served in paper baskets on red trays. There were no windows to see out and there was no decor - just paper menu posters and letter board menus on the walls. There was an area with Honeymoon Island souvenirs and merchandise for sale, but it was difficult to access because it was in the corner on the opposite side of the line to order, and the items were chintzy. The outdoor patio was nice and breezy, but very large for the amount of people there. I think they could stand to take away some of the outdoor eating space to expand the indoor standing/ordering area. Hopefully they’ll modernize it and up the quality a little soon because it does take away from the experience. It wasn’t terrible by any means, but seemed very out of place...it took our excitement and fondness down several levels.

Just enjoy the nature and relax, and unless you’re starving, you may want to skip the cafe.

If going to beach take shoes to try to go in the water. Rocky beach, shells in water. Very disappointed. Water color was awesome.

Easy path with so much wildlife… We saw an armadillo, a tortoise, lots of Osprey and nests, A great horned owl and its nest and even a bald eagle nest with two parents attending to babies! Very pleasant walk highly recommended!

The beach was amazing and the shelling was even better. It's a great area to spend time with family, have a date day, walk or bike surrounded by gorgeous views. Crystal clear waters and soft sandy beaches will give you a perfect day under the blue sky.

Best dog beach around, sunsets are amazing, dolphins can easily be spotted and watched, and beach sand is soft which tons of shells to pick from! We loved it here! We love walking the beach so this was a great place for us all to enjoy, we walked both sides and up to the tip where we found trees decorated with sea shells and a million large and small conk shells. It wasn't overcrowded, very clean beach, bathhouses, and walkways. Wish I snapped pics, but the trails and the roads leading into the park are full of beautiful greenery, large trees, and flowers. Water color is vibrant blue and clean, a bit chilly but it was February! A must see and collect the shells!

It was a holiday weekend and the park was crowded but we found our spot and set up as a family group. The only complain was that the water was pretty shallow. The little kids liked it but the older ones didn't. We were near the dog park. We enjoyed our day and we were able to relax on a busy holiday . We brought our own lunches and it was only $8 a car load to get in. Go early if you can to get a spot.

My friend and I visited honeymoon island in March and found it to be disappointing. There is very little beach on the island. In addition, a good portion of the beach is full of rocks. If you plan to use a blanket, it could be tough. Because of the small size of the beach, people were really close together which we did not like. Would not return.

We rode our bikes from Dunedin on the PInellas trail over the causeway (14 miles round trip). After 2$ pp fee, we rode to the Northern end of island on the well groomed paved bike trail. We began our "triathlon" part two experience by beginning a walk/hike on the Osprey Trail, intending to do the whole loop (9:30 AM). However, the mosquitos attacked immediately even though I had bug spray on. We unfortunately had to turn around pretty quickly, and began the 3rd part of our "tri" time by swimming in the North Beach waters. It was calm, warm and enjoyable. The sand was not hot, a little shelly initially to enter the water, but a less crowded experience. Hopefully there are better times to visit that the mosquitos are not present! The parking lot still had quite a few spaces when we left at 11:00 on a weekday in summer.

Wonderful, scenic and filled with sunshine this park is breathtaking and filled with all the amenities you could wish for. The bathrooms are clean, the changing areas roomy. The beach is wonderful, yet if you are going for a dip, I recommend water shoes, there are lots of pebbles, rocks and shells that will rip and tear at your tender feet. Once you cross over the sand bar, its smooth.

$8 to get in the line was long the water is amazing there a little cafe there too pricey. Beautiful and has nature trail

I would have rated this beach a 5 but it’s affected by Ted tide and a lot of dead sea life on the shore. Not crowded at all, waves (which we were looking for on the gulf side) and white beaches!
Well worth the entry fee of $8!

For an entrance fee of just $8, you can enjoy a nice state park for the day. The beach is nice and restrooms are nearby. You can also take a ferry ride from the park.

On the way there; it’s a beautiful view. You can actually pull off either side of the road and park your car right by the water with no fee. Fishing or lounging is great. Also perfect for a sunset.
The State park was very nice and clean. 1 truck with 4 people was $8.00. The park closes at 6:30 pm. Sand is white & find some seashells. Bathrooms are big and clean. Many foot washing stations. State park has bike/walking path along with a Nature walk. Be ware!!!! If you are doing the Nature walk. There is a ton of mosquitoes. Bug spray did work for me. I had several welts. Seen smaller & big motors home in the parking lots. This is dog friendly & 1 beach is designated for pets on the beach. I seen 1 food truck & Cafe.

A sublime landscape that makes you want to contemplate it for hours... Always a real pleasure and a moment of happiness when visiting Honeymoon Island.

The beach needs to be groomed and the yards and piles of seaweed need to be removed so that you can reach the water without walking through it. It's disgusting. And the sandy Beach is gone on the dog beach. It's all rocks now. The shelling is bad now too

We were looking for a nice spot to let our dog stretch his legs on our way down the coast. This was a nice stop. It was $8 per vehicle to enter the park. There was plenty of parking near the dog beach. Be aware that there can be standing water on the trail leading to the beach, which is a short walk. Bug spray is a good idea.

The sand isn't beautiful - it had more of a sludgy, muddy texture so we kept our shoes on. There were lots of dogs yet plenty of space to spread out. Dogs must be kept on leash.

We were underwhelmed by our visit to Honeymoon Island. The ongoing beach restoration has closed some of the beaches and heavy equipment is visible. However even the open beaches weren’t that impressive. Sandy in some places and Ricky in others. And there weren’t any long stretches for a nice long walk. Check traffic before going because the entry gates are a real bottleneck, leading to long backups at peak times

Very beautiful but packed and lots of traffic to enter!
$8 per car up to 8 ppl and if you are alone just $4
Restrooms and showers to rinse after the beach

If you want a pristine beach in an untouched pristine nature preserve with wildlife galore - this is the place to go!

Located at the end of the causeway right at the water's edge, minutes from town. Very clean, convenient and enjoyable. It had 4 areas to park and enjoy the beach. The North end is my favorite because it has the most white sandy beach area and nooks in the mangroves for privacy & social distancing.

Beautiful views especially at the north end at sunset. If you have your own beach chairs and umbrella, go to the north end.
If you need to rent umbrella and chairs, they are available and you will need them. The beach is extremely rocky so make sure you have water shoes to safely get into the ocean.
It is a national park so there is a $7 fee for all day.

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 .

Honeymoon beach was nice, but now there is no sand only huge painful rocks. I found a tiny spot that was flat so I can put down my chair. A few years ago the rocks were cleared and sand poured, but now as of December 2019 it's covered with rocks. Can't walk on the beach and painfully impossible going into the water.

Honeymoon Island State Park is just a short walk from our friend's condo in Dunedin Florida. We quite enjoyed the visitor's center, as well as walking and driving around in the park. It is a great place to visit.

I was visiting a friend here and heard this was a good beach for swimming. It was pretty, and diverse with plants. the ocean did not smell. I did not walk any trails because I was a little afraid of seeing a rattlesnake. I was traveling home the next day and didn’t want to risk any injuries. I’m more used to MN and WI state parks, that’s why I rated it a 4. Also the nature center said open daily on a sign, then when you walk all the way to the door it said it wasn’t open on Mon/Tues. Minor detail.

My husband and I biked from our hotel down the trail to honeymoon Island across the causeway and all over the island both on the paved trail and on the sand trails. A good mountain bike is best for the trail rides on the island. Very pretty and very well-kept asphalt trail all the way around the island. This is a definite must if you’re in the Dunedin area

The best part of Honeymoon Island is the North Beach which was just replenished with sand a few months ago. We like to keep walking north until the shoreline becomes narrow and the mangrove trees make a great place to sit and take it all in.
On a clear day the water is beautiful emerald green and the sand is so very soft and white. You can walk a couple more miles to the end and see 3 Rooker Island which is accessible by boat. Honeymoon / Caladesi Island and Ft. Desota North beach sandbar are the only places I call paradise in this area I grew up in.

We went here with the kids and their friend. The water was warm, and it wasn't too crowded, but it was very rocky, even in the water. We either were not in a good place, or it's almost all rocky. We had. to move to the small patch of sand without rocks about 20 min. away. On the plus side, it had a visitors' center with lots of interesting info about the area and the beach.

I first visited in June, and it was very crowded and hard to enjoy. Honeymoon Island is definitely less crowded in the winter! Our goal was shelling so first we went at low tide (8am Jan. 3rd) It was magical. I found loads of gorgeous shells and had a wonderful time seeing different animals. There were lots of sea birds and Ibis, sea anemone, tulips, fighting conchs, sea stars, etc. Our second visit was in the afternoon, and it went well too. Fewer shells, but not too crowded at all. Be warned, the ferry to Caladesi Island is closed until further notice due to hurricane damage. Also, the northern end of the island is closed for the same reason. The pet beach, main beach and gift shop/museum are open but none of the other buildings are open. They have about 20 port-a-potties and sinks set up. In spite of these issues, I would go back in a minute!

We really enjoyed exploring the park. We saw an amazing number of Ospreys and got to see an American Bald Eagle on a nest with her babies!!! The park has a good visitors center as well.

We visited for the first time this weekend. It was very beautiful even with the construction on the beach. We got their at 8 when it opened to ensure a good parking spot and spot on the beach. The beach fills up quickly.

We parked near the entrance to the right of the cafe. It was soft sand however there were tons of shells and part of the beach did have a lot of rocks. Would recommend wearing water shoes. Once you got past the rocks though it was perfect for swimming and playing. The waves weren’t crazy and my 5 year old was able to swim and play easily past where the rocks were, about waist deep for here.

The showers and bathrooms are easily accessible from where we parked. Definitely one of my favorite Florida beaches.

This beach was recommended to us as a good place to take our dog.

Our dog had a ball playing around with other dogs and splashing around in the water. Everyone around that particular area were dog lovers, so there was a lot of good natured interaction.

We didn't explore any of the rest of the park, but saw several people riding bikes.

Enjoyed a relaxing walk on the north end of Honeymoon Island yesterday late afternoon. Peaceful & quiet with only the sea breezes and birds as noises. Getting away from people & traffic is easy on Honeymoon island. Many locals come in the evenings to stroll or watch the sunset. Best get away beach experience without all the touristy trappings of Clearwater.

Warm water, family friendly, clean, and a manatee kept popping up 20 yards from us. Great beach and has facilities!

Drive across the causeway and you are there. A small entrance fee and then you can enjoy beaches, the nature center featuring native plants, information about local animals--(there are rattle snakes on the island but they are shy). There are facilities for changing in bathing suits, a small cafe--but the big attraction for us were the nature trails--marked with informative signage. A lovely place to go.

Had our wedding ceremony here and it was beautiful! We chose the arch and chairs package. Adequate signage and items included. Bring speakers and microphones if you have more than ten guests.

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.

We hadn't been in awhile because the last time we were there they were dredging all around the dog beach portion. We had to wait in a little bit of a line to get in but having a state park pass makes the pass through pretty seamless. The beach was wonderful even if the water was still a little cool for our tastes. No dredging and our dog had a blast roaming in and out of the water. We still haven't tried out any of the trails or biked the park but plan to do it in the future. This is the park where you can also get a ride on a boat over to Caladesi Island State Park for a fee.

We needed a beach chair package last minute, and they were able to make it out to deliver everything to Clearwater Beach. Excellent customer service! Great Experience!

Such a great state park! $2 each if you bike in. The Bike trail starting on the causeway is wonderful. Flat and easy. We biked into the park and checked out all the beach spots to decide where to go back to for laying out. All very pretty. The area near Cafe Honeymoon was less busy that Oasis. Bathrooms are nice.

While staying at Alafia River State Park, we ventured west to go shelling. It has been many years since we have gone collecting for west coast shells and based on some recent videos I had seen, the beach looked to be just what I needed. We arrived not long after low tide first thing in the morning, and started our search. I did find a lot of beautiful shells, but didn’t find any fighting conchs, tulips, whelks or shells of that type. I was satisfied with what I did find, though. By the time we left, the beach had become very crowded for a Wednesday morning—perhaps due to spring break? All of the videos I had seen of it previously made it appear like it was not that busy of a beach. Perhaps they were just not filming the many other people there.

One of the most beautiful beaches in America. Lots of parking and cooking facilities. Worth the drive.

Got to the park bright and early in the morning to help avoid some crowds. We ended up renting a surrey bike, boy was that fun! Peddling around the island we found a lot of turtles and birds, we were bummed that we didn't see any snakes, but o well. The kids love the beach, it was loaded with shells for them to pick from. Very happy that we stopped by.

Most beautiful beach I've ever seen or been to. Bad reviews stating rocks and seaweed, must have been some place else. It was glorious

What a great beach to stroll on , not to crowded, great shelling, quite a few dolphins feeding off shore definitely worth $8 a car, will be back

We checked out the State park Honeymoon beach, early (March 2021) had plenty of parking. Park has benches and "porch swing" out by trail to beach to relax and enjoy. We set up at far west end of parking area mid way between the two bath houses. We set up our chairs and settled in to have lunch. We did experience agressive seagulls swooping in to try to take what ever they could grab. Saw the birds land and use beaks to try to open the person 20 feet aways box of crackers.

Overall, enjoyed our time at the park. Bath house was typical layout was clean and well stocked. We did not venture over to the RV parking area. But they have one with larger parking spaces in that section. We enjoyed our visit to the park and would come back again.

Honeymoon Island use to be the place all locals use to go hide out from the Clearwater and St. Pete tourist. Now it has been over run by transplants that have no respect for nature or the people around them. All Floridians know you don't feed seagulls, let alone near other people. Don't be those people. There are also regulations in Florida against doing so especially in state parks. If you wanna fees the seagulls go to Clearwater.

Absolutely beautiful beach. We went to North Beach and spent the day. The water is perfect temp and very calm. Not crowded and very relaxing!

We went 4 beaches in four days. This one didn’t have great reviews but was THE BEST beach for what we wanted. 67, 58, 32, 30, 3. Breaking waves. Shells. Great water. Clean. Restroom facilities. Food trucks. Rentals for chairs, umbrellas, accessible beach. We wanted a TRUE beach experience-boogie boarding. Sun. Sand. No seaweed. This was IT. Wish we’d stayed closer. Could have spent the whole week here. There are four different beaches, an event area, nature preserve, science center, and a wonderful causeway. $8 to park. For reference, we visited Fred Howard (so much seaweed), Sunwest (man made. Dull), sunset beach (just gross. And the couple next to us was drinking corona out of glass bottles. Not safe. I didn’t see any rules against it. We leave Clearwater beach. But we were trying to avoid massive crowds.

We took our 2 Pugs to the dog beach but accessed from the back side near a pavilion . You have to watch for snakes pretty much everywhere in FL and saw one. My dogs loved the shallow water and we loved the quiet location.

Clear water, white sand, very clean beach. It has showers and bathrooms. Stop by the Nature Center. You can buy souvenirs and may learn something.

I’m happy we went. Beach was beautiful, by has a lot of pebbles. Trails were well marked, but mosquitoes were everywhere and our insect repellent didn’t help much. We saw turtles and ospreys.
Not the best FL State Park, but certainly worth visiting.

From the lack of people to the nice facilities everything about our beach day was perfect. I recommend taking the ferry over to Calder as well but if you don’t want to stay for hours stopping at the north beach is perfect. You can walk the beach or simply pop a squat and enjoy the views. Highly recommend if Clearwater beach isn’t your scene

Great park to get away from the bustle and experience more quiet time. Known for the beach, but also don't miss the nature you can find while on the Osprey Trail hike. Highly recommend the ferry to Caladesi Island.

To many rocks in water, sargaso and areas at the beach that smell like dog excrement. If you want to find a decent spot at the beach you need to be early. A lot of parking space, showers and area to wash your pet. Good for riding bikes and hiking. There's sign about rattlesnakes in the park. Not going back again.

Gem! We stumbled upon this place driving around, got there 30 mins before sunset. So serene and peaceful. Would highly reccomend for sunset stroll.

If you want a place to rest and relax this is it.
It’s so beautiful and quiet!
There are lot of rocks on the shore, sand and water. Shells too.
The sand is white and soft. The water was a little cold (maybe because of the season).
There’s a cafe, gift shop, a lot of parking spots.
We paid $28 to come in the island.
It is worth it

Wow, cool place to walk the ocean, she’ll pick and see mangrove marches and bird life all in one walking strip. Can walk the great long beach, white sands, lots of shells, found some large horseshoe crabs washed up. One side is the ocean, then the other is water people kayak in and is full of herons and mangroves and really unique to see. Recommend spending some time there, could make a day of it. Has small nature centre as well, and educational aspects.

I wasn’t very impressed with this beach. We had to pay $8 to enter the park. We went to the main beach where the bathrooms were all closed off with caution tape. I’m assuming this is from the hurricane ms last year. There were outhouses though. The water itself is very shallow. There were purple flags flying for dangerous marine life. No lifeguards. Sand wasn’t great and lots of seaweed.

The North Beach at Honeymoon is very difficult too walk. There has been alot
of beach erosion and now there are mangrove stumps sticking out of
the sand. Extreme tripping hazards!!

This state beach had it all. Beautiful white sand, lush green surroundings, shells to be collected, clean water to swim, nice for walking and very clean restrooms. Plenty of space to park and spread out on the beach. We did a different beach each day for a week, and this was my favorite. Will absolutely be back here and check out the other options in this state park.

While we had hoped for beautiful white sand beaches with clear water - we experienced instead fascinating birds and wildlife in a storm ravaged rocky beach. Apparently a storm had washed thousands of rocks, pebbles, seafood, driftwood and seashells onto the beachfront.
The birds and other wildlife redeem the challenges and therefore made our visit quite peacefully serene.

We recommend you wear shoes - not sandals or barefoot in order to fully appreciate this natural beauty. I got some great pictures of the wildlife and driftwood. I’m sure it would be a great place for sunrise or sunset photography 😉

I'm still exploring all the Florida State Parks, but this has been my favorite so far! What made it extra enjoyable for me was renting the lounge chairs and umbrella for the day for a very fair price, this made our visit feel more luxurious than our typical state park trip. The water was a beautiful turquoise color and the perfect temperature. I would love to visit again.

If you're looking for a relaxing day at the beach this is for you. The staff keeps the place clean and beautiful. There are changing rooms and restaurants here. The nice part is there is no alcohol allowed on the beach. The drunks can go to some other beach but not here. There were a lot of dogs allowed on the one end of the beach. We noticed some dog walkers didn't pick up after the dogs left samples. Overall though its a great place.

I spent 3 days here while visiting. The beach is nothing like anything else I have ever experienced. I have been to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica but those are no comparison. The water was 90° and there were shells everywhere. The sand was so soft, that it didn't irritate when it got between your toes lol. This beach and vast park system is a gem that needs to be explored! Make sure you go down the roads that go to the picnic area, and nature reserve!! You won't regret it. Word of caution: BRING YOUR BUG SPRAY for the times you go into the shade. I mean, it's Florida... Lol but they have no mercy. I learned the hard way on day #1. I hope you enjoy!

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.

Nice place to swim with the family, waves were light and warm water but as soon as the sunset everyone got horribly bitten by mosquitoes so that made the experience terrible..:if you are planning a trip to honeymoon island please leave before the sunset…me and my family will not be coming back again 😔

We went to hunt for shells and shark teeth and just to walk on the beach. We found quite a few shells, but no shark teeth.

Has a great pubic beach, with places to change, restrooms, eateries, and a wonderful nature trail where you can always view osprey and sometimes bald eagles. The mosquitos ate me alive, so I recommend repellent.

Beautiful beach! Water is gorgeous. Very relaxing and well worth the trip. The rest rooms are clean, parking is convenient and the beaches are well maintained.

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.

We were married at the beach as the sun was setting last year because we love this place. The beaches are outstanding! We got to see several dolphins swimming nearby. It was awesome!
We went on a hiking trail tonight and really enjoyed all of it!
This place will always be special to us!!

I've been to honeymoon many times and enjoyed the beach but we now have a dog and wanted to take him out with us so we went to the dog beach. Let's just say it was hell on earth. As soon as I parked and opened my door I had what could only be described as mosquitos with a personal grudge against me. I immediately had about 15 mosquitoes on my arm and they were flying all over in the car. I said f*ck this got back in the car and found another place to park across the street. No mosquitoes there but still had to deal with all the ones that got in my car which what seems to be a full blown colony. Once we got all our stuff out and ready for the walk the long trail to the beach the little blood suckers were waiting for us in full force. I put bug spray on myself and my girlfriend it had absolutely no effect. To give everyone a picture on exactly how it was walking the trail to get to the beach picture the mosquitos as the Allies during the D Day invasion of Normandy and you are the Germans. It was pure hell with flapping our arms trying to move out bodies doing whatever we could to get them off but they are relentless and would stick to us like glue. Even my dog was feeling the mosquitos blood lust. Once at the beach it was low tide and not that many people so we set up shop and was quite pleasant. The beach itself is ok. Lots of rocks and shells so bring water shoes. On the way back we dealt with the same evil mosquitos but this time was even worse than going to the beach. From the time we started the trail to the time we tossed literally tossed our stuff in the car it was pure chaos. Scratching and doing everything we could to get out of there as fast as possible. I was itching and scratching the entire ride back home and me and my girlfriend immediately hopped in the shower and she told me that my butt was bleeding I was like what. I had at least 20 mosquitos bites on my butt cheeks and they were bad enough that even with out scratching they were bleeding. How did they bite through my bathing suit is crazy. My girlfriend had to put on my whole body inch cream after the shower. At least 100 bites. So bring different bug sprays and use them on yourself all at once and see if that helps. Other than that maybe the park should put a huge sign that warns people that they will become involuntary blood donors. This is not the best beach and it only adds insult to injury to be eaten alive by mosquitoes.

The worst $8 ever spent. The beach is full of rocks and branches sticking out all kinds of ways making it completely unsafe. The sand is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. We were there for 45 minutes and left with hundreds of bites on each person.

The park is gorgeous, and a wonderful place to visit, but do NOT go here for the beach. There are some great hiking trails, and it's a gorgeous venue for a wedding. The beach and ocean experience here sucks. The beach is extremely narrow, very rocky, and covered with sand burrs. I was shocked that with the number of people who visit here and pay money that they haven't used those resources to make the beach experience enjoyable. If you're wanting to enjoy time in the sand and the ocean, head to Clearwater, or further south to the beaches around Sarasota.

Beware all dog beach goers!!!!!
Me and my two girls decided to hit the dog beach with our doodles and where we in for a treat🥴
Let’s start with the torturous 1/2 a Mile walk to the dog beach. The long stretch is infested with what I think are horse flys. We started with a dozen or so ( which is still awful) but half way through hells fiery me and the girls are in a full on sprint! Slapping, jumping and flaring our hands and feet trying to get the little baby vampires from sucking our blood. It’s almost comically unrealistic how painful those demoniacal bugs bite. At one point I happened to look down and my dress was completely covered with them. Still under full attack running to the finish line bags in hand, here comes this poor boy headed the opposite way of us. His hands full and running to me begging for help. As I sacrifice myself to help this boy, slapping and sweeping the 100’s of bugs off his poor arms I yell “make a run for it” and we both take off…. I will never know if he made it through hells fiery but I’m staying optimistic. The girls, myself and the bogs finally make it to the beach after what felt like a live game of Jumanji. The site was beautiful. Beach was nice but all I could think about was the walk wait, sprint back to the car. Had a great time and weather was great! Pretty windy with some overcast and surrounding showers. As we are packing up(wind picking up water super choppy) we see a family of 4 on a guided kayak tour. They are all struggling and looking panicked. Me and my oldest daughter offer help but they are trying to get across the canal to the other side of the bridge which was impossible due to the strong current and wind. After some time I offered to drive them back to their car and they agreed to only send their elderly parents back with us to get their car. Now I explain all that because again, the journey back was still on my mind. Bag's in hand, doggos, girls, myself grandma and Papp papp head back through devils den. Pap and gran not knowing much English don’t understand me yelling RUN a fourth of the way through but boyyy oh boyyy did they get to understanding the situation verrrreyyy quickly 😂. I think I seen a swarm of flies at one point lift gran a few inches off the ground. All I’m saying is yes, my whole life flashed before my eyes once I seen the end of that tunnel. Not sure if it was from the massive blood lost that occurred from escaping hell or if it was the adrenaline rush.
Butttt anyways other than that we enjoyed our trip. 😂

Beautiful beach with a beautiful sunset! Lots of parking, bathrooms and a small store w/ food, sunscreen etc. Clean beach and facilities.

It’s exactly what you want at a beach. Plenty of parking, wide beaches, shallow water and nice bathrooms with outdoor showers.

We were amazed at the Dunedin Causeway introduction to Honeymoon Island, but honestly, that was the best part. It was early March, and our plans to hike and picnic were thwarted by clouds of mosquitoes which appeared as soon as you headed into the treed areas. The best area of the beach (nicest sand) was the doggy beach. There were some unusual shells, but more rock and coral than anything. We decided to bike and the paved bike lane was wonderful. We biked through the park and out to Dunedin Causeway where it was gorgeous. In hindsight, we would have had a better day at the causeway.

We took the ferry to the island, it was a short and pleasant ride over. There is a cafe with okay food available. The beach itself is spectacular. It has white sand and turquoise blue waters. There also weren’t many people making it comfortable. We walked back to Clearwater beach from the island (about 5 miles) and it was well worth it. We barely ran into anyone giving us a secluded place to enjoy the beach.

This is a very beautiful island. However, if you are looking for seclusion and private serenity, I think you have to be very strategic to experience that here. I went on a Wednesday morning at 8:30 AM the end of April and there were already a couple dozen people walking the north beach and by 10 AM there were people everywhere. I did not like that at all and wasn't expecting that, so my experience was slightly disappointing. But only because I don't like sharing the beach! There were more shells as you walked up the north beach towards the end, but nothing super exciting and it was just after low tide. There were tons of common shells and I'm sure if you dug around you could have fun and take home buckets full. I was only looking for extraordinary ones since I had to put whatever I found in my luggage. Sand dollars seem to be fairly common here. I saw an oyster catcher and that was special! I had never seen one before. I also walked the Osprey Trail to the end to see the eagle's nest. This is a fun trail where you will potentially see lots of birds. I saw Osprey and a few other birds and lots of nests. The eagle was sitting on a tree near the nest, but it was far away and didn't move, so I didn't get a great look at it. I didn't see any tortoises sadly. I really wanted to! This is a fun trail and I would recommend it. It's about a mile to the Eagle's nest. There are a few benches along the way, as well. I recommend a sun hat - as the trail is pretty much in the sun with patches of partial shade. You can make the hike a loop by taking the Pelican trail after backtracking a little once you see the Eagle's nest (there's a gate that "ends" the trail). However, the Pelican trail is mostly grown over and sandy - so it was like walking on the beach and stepping through shrubs. I did not like that, so I crossed back over to the Osprey Trail.

First time at Honeymoon Beach. Found very rocky areas in the water which made it hard to navigate. Bring your water shoes. Otherwise, the beach was clean and the restrooms/changing rooms were very clean. The water was warm and calm. Shelling was ok, depending on what you are looking for. Showers are also available.

This is a state park, it costs $8.00 to enter. Not sure you can't have the same experience stopping along the causeway to get there. Lots of parking available on each side of the causeway, people camping, grilling, fishing, playing. Dogs are not allowed on the beach of the causeway, so the beach/sand seemed to be clean and a nice place to play. The State park has a small nature center,, per their website they will have guided nature talks. There is a nice trail into the tree area of the spit, where there are owls nesting, ospreys nesting and eagles nesting. Because there is a eagle;s nest you can't have access to all of the spit area. (protection and all of that). There is a play ground near the parking area with restroom at the END of the island. Getting to the end of the island there are 2-4 paved parking areas for the beach, and it get filled quickly. The park closes just after sunset. Lots of people go for the sunset and then all those people get to leave the island in a single file. I'm glad I went, but I won't be returning, , there are other places easier to get to and more rewarding.