Caladesi Island
Dunedin, Florida · Gulf Coast · Pristine shoreline, blue-green water, mangrove paddling and boat-access seclusion
Caladesi Island right now
Official park status
Caladesi is open for day use and ferry service from Honeymoon Island has resumed. Check Florida State Parks →
Nearby open-Gulf reference: NOAA station 42098. If the live reading fails, D’s Event Page shows no guessed temperature.
See more of Caladesi Island
The gallery shows both the elite natural beach and the boat/ferry access that materially affects the complete-day rating.
Where it is
Access matters here: Caladesi is an offshore island. Most day visitors enter Honeymoon Island State Park and take the Caladesi Connection ferry, while private boats and kayaks can also access the park.
Beach-day essentials
Parking and access
There is no ordinary drive-up beach parking on Caladesi. Ferry visitors first pay Honeymoon Island entrance ($8 per multi-occupant vehicle) and then the ferry fare: $20 per adult, $10 ages 6–12, free for children 5 and younger. The ferry provides a four-hour stay. Private-boat admission is $6 per boat for up to eight people; kayakers pay $2.
Food at Caladesi Island
Café Caladesi provides casual food such as burgers, fish and chips and smoothies, but this is not a walkable restaurant district. Florida State Parks currently warns that food service may be temporarily limited while storm recovery continues.
Activities and watersports
Caladesi is strongest for quiet swimming, shelling, fishing, hiking and kayaking through mangrove tunnels. The island also has boardwalks, nature trails and a marina for boat access.
Before you go
As of June 29, 2026, the park is open and ferry service has resumed, but Hurricane Helene recovery continues. All of C-Dock is open for day use with 26 slips plus the T-Dock; dock power and water are unavailable, overnight marina stays are unavailable, and food service may be limited.
Official current noticeVerify recovery status before traveling →D’s Beach Ratings
Overall Beach Rating: 8/10
The internal standardized calculation is kept private; the public score reflects the complete beach-day experience, not scenery alone.