Is the Caladesi Island ferry worth it? I took the $20 ferry from Honeymoon Island State Park to Caladesi Island, rated the No. 3 beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach for 2026, just over a year after it reopened from Hurricane Helene. Here’s what the day really looked like, what it cost, and what to know before you go.
I got there early (that was the warning), dodged mosquitoes before I even boarded, spotted dolphins on the ride over, and got the story of the hurricane damage from the ferry crew and a park ranger. Keep in mind: the trail no longer reaches the beach, the bugs are real, and the walk from the dock to the sand is shorter than you’d think.
WHAT IT COST
– Ferry: $20
– Honeymoon Island State Park entry: $4
– Lunch on the island: $20
– Emergency bug spray: $16.04
Total: about $60
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
– You get a maximum of 4 hours on the island, with a guaranteed return time on your ticket
– Earlier boats run about every half hour if there’s room
– Bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks; alcohol only if you buy it on the island
– No wagons allowed, so pack light
– The dock-to-beach walk is under 5 minutes
– Bring strong bug spray for the walk through the grass and mangroves
– Alternatively, walk in about 2.5 miles from the north end of Clearwater Beach ($2 honor box)
CHAPTERS
0:00 Get here early
0:23 Honeymoon Island & the $20 ferry
0:55 The mosquito warning
1:56 Boarding the Caladesi ferry
2:10 Dolphins on the ride over
2:27 Dr. Beach, Clearwater & your return time
3:44 Hurricane damage at the marina
4:28 The café & the $16.04 bug spray
5:14 Snakes, closed boardwalks & the Island Trail
6:29 How hurricanes split and joined these islands
7:20 The walk to the beach
8:13 Chair rentals & what to bring
9:17 America’s No. 3 beach & the shells
10:42 Walking in from Clearwater Beach
11:46 The beach fills up
12:53 Back through the jungle
13:58 Ranger station: history, rattlesnakes & Helene
15:41 What it cost & know before you go
16:14 Final thoughts
16:41 Bloopers
📍 Caladesi Island State Park
Ferry departs from Honeymoon Island State Park
1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin FL 34698
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🎬 MORE FLORIDA TOWNS
Watch the complete Florida Local: Real Places Beyond the Obvious playlist:
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Honeymoon Island Has What Clearwater Doesn’t: https://youtu.be/Z40VtHZlK2Q
I Found Greece in Florida & The Food Was Insane (Tarpon Springs): https://youtu.be/1d5C17Fhm-k
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🎵 Music Credit:
“Ease Back” by Ketsa
Music by ketsa.uk
Source: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/cc-by-free-to-use-for-anything/ease-back/
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0): https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Changes made: edited for length, faded in/out, and mixed under narration.
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