| Driving up US 19 through Dunedin, Florida, just above Tampa Bay, you would never suspect that adjacent to the coast is a wonderful undeveloped State Park on an island with a virgin pine forest.
Honeymoon Island State Park sits at the west end of Curlew Road (Hwy 586). A long curving causeway with beaches of its own takes you out to the island. It's a popular park, but there's plenty of room for everyone with several miles of beaches, including nature trails, a beach set aside for dogs and shallow-water grass flats that are teeming with fish and perfect for wade-fishing.
After driving through the congestion and noise of US 19, it's a great relief to arrive on Honeymoon Island, park the car, and go for a long walk. You can take a long walk on the beach, or go for a hike through the pine forest. If you enjoy birding, don't miss walking through the pines on the ¼ mile Osprey Trail along the side of the island facing St. Joseph Sound. If you'd like a guided tour, the park rangers offer a guided hike through the pines on Saturday mornings at 11 a.m. through the end of February. The highlight of the walk for me was seeing and hearing two large great-horned owls calling from the top of the tall pines.
And don't miss the Rotary Centennial Nature Center with its observation deck overlooking both St. Joseph Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. The nature center provides educational exhibits to teach us about the history and nature of Honeymoon Island and the nearby Caladesi Island. And I can tell you that the history of both islands is quite interesting, from hog farmers to honeymooners.
On the Gulf side of the island you'll find a long curving beach that is currently undergoing renourishment. That means tons of fluffy white sand are being brought in from offshore to augment the beach, which is currently narrow and rocky in places.
The first time I ever visited Honeymoon Island, I was surprised to find so many nice shells, sponges, and sea whips on the beach. So I can tell you for sure that Honeymoon Island is a great place for shelling, especially during the winter months or after a storm passes.
Honeymoon island is also the gateway to Caladesi Island State Park, just a stone's throw across Hurricane Pass. Near the entrance to Honeymoon Island is the ferry to Caladesi which runs regularly all day between the two islands. The trip to Caladesi is a must if you have the time, but I'll save the details on Caladesi for another day.
Note: There are no lifeguards on Honeymoon or Caladesi Islands, so please swim only in designated swim areas near other swimmers.
Google map of Honeymoon Island |
