Beautiful Island! We took the ferry from Honeymoon Island over at 10 am and caught the 1:30 ferry back (after having a pretty good burger at the cafe). We went for the purpose of finding shells, and WE DID! Head to the beach from the ferry dock (about a four minute walk), then turn right and head north. Shells upon shells upon shells! Theres a great display of the types of shells by the dock, so you can ID what you find!

The most beautiful, peaceful, and clean beach I have visited throughout my travels so far.Jerry, the Ferryboat tour guide, was extremely passionate about the wildlife and environment, and everyone who ran the state park were very nice and knowledgeable.Definitely a local gem that I have to visit again.

Beautiful location with plenty to offer. Everything was very maintained, and easy to navigate. Will be returning

$8 to get into Honeymoon Island Park and then $16 a person to get to the Island. Worth it! Amazing and friendly people working and answering any questions you may have. There is a gift shop and place to buy food on the island as well.

One of my favorite places on the Gulf side of Florida to find sand dollars.....clean, beautiful and quiet....

This park is definitely a place to go and scratch off your bucket list. Seeing the gulf of Mexico out here is amazing! Great for any age; if you pick up a shell to bring home, you must make sure theres nothing alive inside. Being that this is a state park, you cant bring anything home that is alive like a fiddler crab, starfish, etc.

A great place to park your yacht and enjoy a sunny day exploring this island. Nice to get away spot. Bring bikes and kayaks

Wide expanse of sugar white beach fringed by vegitationSand bars with shallow water for wading.Plethora of marine birdsCrystal clear waterShells strewing the shore.Quicence.Civilization absent and irrelevant.

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

Amazing and beautiful beach.Easy access, super organized, good service and friendliness in transportation an excellent experience. It is a short and enjoyable trip, once you get to the island everything is very careful. This place is a small hidden paradise of clear waters that everyone should visit.They have all the facilities, such as showers, bathrooms, convenience store and all are in excellent condition. I insist if you visit Pinellas county you should enjoy this experience.

Nice island of the coast of Florida. We actually walked from the northern tip of clearwater to caladesi during low ride and only hadtoger in water to our knees once along the way. However it was about a 2 mile hile one way. Just as beautiful as clearwater. The shell trees were a cool sight. Boats hang out here just off the shore.

Very pretty place. Still natural and pristine. Beach is very white sand and plenty of space to not feel crowded. You need to take your boat or ferry to get here. Has a small shop and grill for food and drink. Restrooms are like other state parks; good enough for what you need.

Great adventure..prepare to walk...you can be by yourself in you own spot...ride there is an adventure in itself..dont go on the nature trail...rathlesnakes and mosquitoes!!!

One with nature! Love this spot. Ferry over and enjoy your day!

A beautiful natural Florida beach only accessible by boat. The way to beat the crowds and enjoy a real beach.

If you are debating this beach verses Honeymoon this is the one to visit. Its a better experience here on Caladesi. The beach is smoother and quiet. They have facilities here. The only issue is paying $16 per person on the ferry or taking the long kayaking trip.Bigger picture though... This beach isnt much different than most of the island chain south of here. If you find a town thats less busy, the beach and water are the same. Its not much different.

First visit was Great! The beach was beautiful and the water warm. Very few people on the island on a Wednesday.

Amazingly beautiful island. Perfect beach. Chairs and food available for rent and purchase if you dont want to drag a lot of stuff. Lovely ferry ride. Even saw dolphins.

A little more adventuresome, hiking, snorkeling, watersports. Sand is sharper and water choppier. Still a secluded beautiful beach with a lovely ferry ride

You wont find a nice beach around. Limited guest quantity on the beach so its never crowded. The beach attendant even drilled a hole for our umbrella! So many great seashells to find and take home, and they have a tasty snack spot right on the island.

Absolutely love this place. Beautifully taken care of and clean.

White sand. Great waves. The ferry ride is so relaxing. Completely worth it.

Love this place. We go by private boat but you can get there by ferry. Its such a great place to spend the day. Clean beach, nive boat slips for big and small vessels. Restrooms and showers and a concession stand too. No matter how you get there it is worth the trip.

This is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL place on earth! Unspoiled island and hardley anyone there! No roads = No cars! Just nature!

Wonderful hidden paradise. About as exclusive as it gets for a public beach. Clean facilities and great trails. Highly recommend.

Had a beautiful time at the beach. The beach is primarily accessible via boat/ferry. They have rentals available for kayaks, chairs, umbrellas. A concession stand is also at the park with a variety of food, drinks, and beach accessories. Price is slightly high. Overall great place to go to the beach without a huge crowd. If you go via ferry it’s 14$ per adult if you arrive via your own boat you pay $2 per person at the ranger station. Highly recommend this beach for anyone visiting the gulf coast!

The ferry ride to/from Honeymoon Beach is so nice! And Caladesi Island is good for shelling and quiet beach time. The walk from docks to beach is on boardwalk. Rental chairs/umbrellas, snack bar, gift shop and bathhouse.

Caladesi island is something u recommend seeing if you’re looking for a peaceful and quiet day at the beach! You can get there by walking from Clearwater beach, and it does take a little bit over an hour, and you can also take the ferry which would be the easy way and I do recommend it! It was an amazing experience, and so beautiful, breathtaking! USE MOSQUITO REPELLENT BEFORE HEADING OUT HERE! We learned they hard way and basically got over 100 bites from one trip, but it was well worth it!

Great place to escape! Take a 15-20 min ferry ride out of Honeymoon Island State Park. There is kayak and boat rentals, trials, concessions, outdoor showers, clean, ventilated bathroom/ changing area. For a nice September day is wasn’t overrun with people. Nice birdwatching. If I lived closer I could see visiting this often.

Ferry ride over was fun and the boat captains are all quite amusing. However, the island itself seems like it could be organized a bit better in terms of how to go about rentals for kayaks and things of that nature.Also, food options are quite limited and the gift shop is very small for an island of that size.

Beautiful nature preserve and beach. Only way onto the beach is walk up from Clearwater, sail in or take the ferry over. Beach was not packed when we went but they said during the holidays it does get packed but there is a large beach for everyone. There is changing room building on the path up to the beach and chair/umbrella rentals once you get to the beach.

So beautiful here. Seemingly endless beaches, tons of cool creatures and sea shells galore. Must see.

If youre looking for a less crowded, quieter, and more secluded beach experience, then Caladesi Island is perfect for you. A short ferry ride and your day of sun and sand begins. Restrooms and changing rooms, along with a snack bar, are available on the island. Theres even a wonderful nature trail through the palms and pines. Not a beach person? Then go for the bird watching or shelling...or just a picnic. We suggest getting out to the island early so you can claim your beach chairs and umbrella (for a reasonable price) before theyre gone. Caladesi is the perfect beach!

Beautiful beaches without the crowds. Water and sand were beautiful. So many shells scattered along the beach for those that love to shell hunt. Warnings posted that inform you of marine life, such as stingrays. The ferry ride over was quick and easy. We even got to see dolphins on the way there! It was so cool and a memorable experience for all of us.

Well worth the time to hike the island. The boats that take you over and back will stop for a moment if dolphins are present. The Burgers on the Island are pricey but pretty good.

Awesome place where you have a bit more privacy and at low tide a huge sandbar to hang out on and keep cool. Water can flow strong in pass so paddle inland a bit if in kayak.

Super fun place to go hang out for the day! The captain and his helper were very friendly and helpful people. The beaches on caladesi island really are something else. I would say this island is a must see if you are in the area. Well worth the 14 dollar ferry ride over there.

Such a beautiful place! Getting off the ferry you are greeted with grassland and palm trees. The path to the beach is well marked and easy to follow with a bath house along the way, this is especially helpful for way back when you want to rinse off. Once on the beach you have shells, sand, water, and birds competing for your attention. Well worth the time to visit!

Nice, quick ferry ride out to the island. Beaches were very nice and clean as well as the provided restrooms and changing facilities. Much less crowded than other nice beaches around the area. Highly recommend!

This place is absolutely beautiful to go to enjoy the beach, nature trails, ferry ride, and so much more. Peaceful, scenic and relaxing the whole time. Cant wait to go back again soon.

Oh i was out of this world when i saw this place. The water is beautiful. Very romantic place to spend your day. Dolphins came to us & play around. I highly recommend this island.

Beach is okay. Best part is the ferry from honeymoon island to Caladesi island

Beautiful beach! The ferry is a lot of fun. I do wish you could stay longer than your 4 hour window but it is so relaxing. Lots of shells and sun to go around!

What a lovely place! We went by private boat and had a huge section of beach to ourselves. The shells hanging from trees were beautiful! Beach was perfect! Trails! Wildlife! Just GO!

Fishing tip: walk along the beach toward Clearwater until you see the palm trees, wade out to waist height, put live shrimp on a jig head and cast straight ahead anytime from low tide to 4 hours after low tide.Fish on, boys

Really enjoyed our time here. Facilities were clean. Staff on the shuttle boat were very friendly.

Its a beautiful place. Take the ferry from Honeymoon island. Its a 10-15 min ride.

Beautiful. Secluded private beach. Wonderful beach chair and umbrella rental service. I will remember this beach gift for such a long time to come.

Always beautiful place & fun to explore. We found lots of tiny crabs, a hermit crab, sea snails & we even saw some dolphins while on the ferry! Word of advice though, check the tide schedule before you plan to take the kayak tour. We paid for entrance & the ferry, only to find out we couldnt do the kayak tour because parts arent passable during low tide.

This is a fantastic place to spend the day on the Tampa Bay. The State Park is pretty big with a lot of activities to do, but my favorite is taking the ferry to Caladesi Island. The ferry is only $15 round trip and once in the island (almost virgin) you can enjoy the beach, go kayaking through the mangroves or get a quick bite at the only store/restaurant in the island. They are really all friendly and if you’re lucky you get to see some dolphins during your ride.

Easy ferry ride but did not like the designated return time on the ticket. Soft sugar sand. Extra warm sea water that was extremely murky. Pleasant staff.

Definitely worth a visit. Neat beach with lot shells. Theres a natural walk which takes about an hour (be sure to apply bug spray before going otherwise the mosquitoes can be bad). We didnt see any armadillos, but did see lots of birds and lizards. Bathrooms are clean and well serviced. Park staff is friendly and helpful. Theres a large marina for docking your boat. Costs $6/boat. You can dock overnight.

Great sun sets. Pure white sand

The island is just great. Everything for a great day at the beach.

Beautiful beach..white sand and plenty of seashells

8 dollar park entry then 16 per person for the ferry but you get a beautiful beach to walk on and a low amount of folks walking around. 4 hours of time is allowed before you have to catch the next ferry back.

Always beautiful. Great park staff.

Worth the time and money to get there. We took the ferry from honeymoon island. It cost about $36 for two adults and one kids. The ferry ride took about 10-15 minutes, then you have to walk across the island, about 4 minutes.But it is worth it, we walked maybe about a minute or two north of where you enter the beach and we were at the edge of the main crowd with plenty of space.Beautiful views, lots of shells to pick through and collect. Your time is limited to 4 hours, but that is plenty of time if you’re planning on just relaxing on the beach.

We had an amazing time at Caladesi Island!It is so beautiful here!We took the ferry ($14 each adult for round trip). The drivers were wonderful. The only down fall is that you only get 4 hours on the island.There is tons of shells, we also seen dolphins extremely close to us, as well as manatees! It was amazing!!We had a really good time here. Both my husband and I loved exploring the island and ocean. We brought a huge bag of shells back which was wonderful. They were the pretty ones too! The ones that are usually hard to find!The water was like 88 degrees, could have been cooler but in August its hard to have cooler water with as hot as the days are.Make sure you bring sunscreen, water, towel, bag for shells, and a hat. You will have a wonderful time. This is a great place to take kiddos/family as well!! :)A+++ we cant wait to go back!!

The short ferry to ride over to the island was nice. The ferry operators were entertaining and knowledgeable! You can find coupons for a dollar off! I cant wait to go again

The Beach their was really nice and not allot of people. fun ride on the ferry their and back

Not sure how this beach ranks as one of the best in America. Maybe we were there on an off day, but the water was brown and cloudy and full of sea grass. The shore was covered in sea grass as well. For our family of 4, we paid $8 to get in the park and $64 to take the ferry over. It was a lot of money to spend for a sub par beach compared to some of the other surrounding beaches. Also, the showers were far from the beach, which was inconvenient for us. The ferry was clean and efficient with friendly drivers. We also saw 2 dolphins on the ferry ride back!

We crossed Hurricane pass and we have miles of not crowded beach for ourselvesWonderful place.

Beautiful Island Park! Staff is helpful and considerate. Facilities andgrounds are clean and user friendly. I hope to be able to visit often.

Awesome beach! Very clean. We went on the boat. Dolphin everywhere when we were coming in and leaving.

A fantastic island and great place to kayak. I launched my kayak from the causeway and paddled through the park. Its a great variety of scenery from the sandy island to the mangrove tunnels theres a lot to see.

It was a nice trip. The ferry operators were great, bring cash for tips. The beach was crowded on a Sunday and not as pristine as I wouldve guessed. Plan to walk ALOT to find a spot not in a hoard of people. Between the ferry and walking it took us about an hour and a half from the time we parked to finding a good spot on the beach. The beach is pretty narrow also making it difficult to find a spot. This being my 1st time on the gulf I will say the pictures look nicer than reality so keep that in mind if youve never been and it may not be such a shock. All that being said we made the best of it and had a good day. Didnt find anything spectacular for shells and there was a lot of seagrass on beach and in water but we relaxed and walked in the sand and surf.

Love it!!!! Like having an island for your self. Water is clear. No seaweeds.

Beautiful. Wish they let you stay longer than 4 hours.

Accessible by boat and ferry alone, this island is a nice place to find cultural diversity. When I was there, I met French people, russian people, british people, and even some Scandinavians.

Great kayaking. The kayak trail had pretty low hanging branches and got pretty tight in places.

I love this place! Clear and clean water and beaches. Please help to keep it clean so everyone can enjoy it for many years!

Id definitely give more than 5 stars if I could. Amazingly beautiful, clear and clean water, great wildlife, white sand, not crowded (although the most popular sections tend to be busy), fantastic view, the sunset is just breathtaking.Access is a bit tricky. Theres a ferry service from Honeymoon-Caladesi (from/to north) or you can park your car (not cheap!!!) at a public parking spot. The point is: the northest point of Caladesi is about 3 mi from the parking places. Pleasant walk. No transportation at all and its highly counter advised to park your car where youre not supposed to. (Hefty fines or theyd even tow it away very quickly.)This beach is one of the best shell beach in Florida. However, you need to know what to expect. Definitely do not expect tons of big, flawless shells on every sq inches. If youre lucky youd find one nice, 3-5 ones every 200. Showroom pieces, larger than 10 in size, hardly ever been found. (They could be purchased in souvenir shops. They are anything but cheap.)All in all, this is a great, fun place. Highly recommended.

Its ok.. Its a beach, you have to get to it by boat. There are at least two bathroom facilities available. They have a snack bar that sells food and beverages. Its $6 per boat on entry. It was extremely hot when we were there I believe it was 101F. Not really anything else there to do except hang out on the beach. Its probably less crowded then the main beaches around which would be the biggest positive. I have to be honest here, Im not a beach person. I enjoy the shade. So my favorite part was riding in the boat there and leaving for the ride back..

This is one of the most beautiful places in central Florida. If your visiting from up North or just in the area and you are looking to go some were for a nice day out, dont let nothing stop you and visit this marvelous state park.

Absolutely gorgeous and pristine! Although every one needs to read the signs!!! LEAVE NOTHING BUT YOUR FOOTPRINTS and help keep these beautiful gems nice for years to come, and for our aquatic friends!!!!!

Nice atmosfie and a nice place to walk around and enjoyed the night atmosphere.

Nice and clean. Not over crowded.

So pretty! Great trail to go on a kayak! Watch out for snakes, crabs, spiders! A crab fell into my kayak!! It’s very quite area.

Really cool, the beach was gorgeous. The sand was soothing and relaxing!

One of my favorite Florida State Parks. Always beautiful water and beaches. Never a lot of people around you and can feel like a private island. You can only get there by private boat or ferry. If you like a natural beach setting it’s one of the very best!

An interesting park with a beautiful beach on accessible by boat or by the Caladesi ferry from Honeymoon island. There are Rattle Snakes on the beach and trail. Be careful!

Beautiful I loved the beach. I do not recommend going for the nature trail, one word (mosquitos)

Great island to take my jetski and relax

Staff very nice, clean beach nothing too special to see.

SO amazing! Having lived in the Tampa Bay area for 15 years, Ive been here a couple times, but not in the past 8+ years. I HIGHLY recommend both locals and visitors to spend the day out at Caladesi. Pack a lunch, take the ferry, and make new memories! Such beautiful and prisitine beach!

Hike experience of a lifetime.My and my wife end up walking all the way up from the Clearwater beachfront. There is a lot to enjoy along the way, you can encounter rattle snakes on your path and a lot of different species of bird. But as long as you don’t bother the wildlife You’ll be fine.The walk to the very tip of Caladesi Island is 1:30Hr from Clearwater hotel zone. We did it a a moderate pace, I’m sure a hugger or runner can do it in 30- 40 mins.There is a ranger station midway to the very top of the island and you can catch a ferry from there if you prefer not to hike.*Beware of the sun and make sure you do this hike early morning or late afternoon if you want to avoid a sunburn.*Make sure not to leave any trash behind, alcohol beverages are strictly prohibited and is heavily enforced

This island is easily accessible by ferry, kayak, or a long hike up from Clearwater Beach. It has a good secluded feel also with a white sandy beach.

Loved everything here! Kayaking through the mangroves was well worth it.

Great place to visit. We felt like we owned the island. Boat ride was pleasant and staff were very nice and informative.

A beautiful beach, not crowded at all. However, the signs werent clear. My friends and I werent from Tampa; therefore, we didnt know we should go on Honeymoon island then take a boat to Caladesi island.Also, once we got there. They didnt give a map for the island or there wasnt any signs there. We were just following people since that was our first time to there.

Love to visit this park again and again

Awesome beach and water. The ferry ride over was quick and fun. Had a great birthday thanks to God, the weather and Caladesi Island!!!

This is the nicest beach I’ve ever been to in Florida! It’s very isolated, and less busy than Honeymoon Island State Park because you have to take a ferry to get to it, but it’s totally worth it!

Great ride on ferry. Beach needs some work but nice and private. Will be back.

It was a lovely day on the ferry ride to caladesi Island. The wind was very strong but it was beautiful there.

If you are planing to go to honeymoon island you should visit Caladesi island. Take some mosquito repellents with you with a lot of sunscreen.

Its a great short boat ride, the beach is beautiful ,you may also rent, Chairs ,umbrellas and get a snakes and breavges.

Great place to spend time with friends while boating and picnicking

Beautiful, amazing you will love it. Only draw back was the 4 he restriction on the visit.