My visit to this place has been a long time coming. But I finally made it!
Just a short ferry ride from one of my favorite state parks Honeymoon Island, a visit to Caladesi Island is like visiting your own private island. With long stretches of white sand, great shelling, mangrove tunnels to explore, and nature trails to hike, this island is the perfect place to explore and relax.
To get to Caladesi Island, you take the ferry from Honeymoon Island State Park. You will pay to enter the park, it was $4.00 for myself, and you can hang around till sunset. To get the ferry, you will take the first left. There are signs for the ferry and dog beach. Keep following the signs, and it will drop you off at the parking lot.
You will head over to the kiosk to purchase your ticket. Tickets for adults are $18.00 and children are $9.00. Also, no carts or wagons are allowed.
*Note* You can't purchase your ticket online ahead of time. BUT if you visit the website and go to the tab Schedules and Pricing, at the bottom is the link to a coupon. You don't need to print it out, I just took a picture of it and show it when you go up to the kiosk.
There are restrooms right by the kiosk center.
The first ferry is slated for 10 am, BUT the early bird gets the worm. They started selling tickets after 9 am, and those of us there got to get on the ferry at 9:30 am. Your ticket will have your return time stamped on to it, mine was 2:00 pm. You will need to hold on to your ticket for your return.
It was a smooth, quick little jaunt over to the island. Our captain filled us in on the history of Caladesi and Honeymoon Island. Once upon a time, they were one giant island called Hog Island due to roaming pigs. A hurricane in the 1920s split the two islands, creating Hurricane Pass.
The last part of the boat trip will show you the mangroves that surround the east side of the island.
You can rent a kayak at the concession stand on the island, and they will show you a map to explore the mangrove tunnels.
Tip: A tip from the staff. It is better to do the tunnels in the wintertime when it is less buggy.
You will disembark at the main building, where the concession stand is, as well as restrooms and places to fill your reusable water bottles. The concession stand has several food options for lunch, with fun treats like ice cream, smoothies, and slushies. If you end up needing sunscreen, bug spray, or snorkel gear, they got you covered. There is also a shower/rinse area near the building.
A quick little 5-minute walk on a paved path will take you to the boardwalks that will guide you over Florida foliage and sand dunes to a beautiful beach.
There are two boardwalk entrances to the beach. Each have buildings with restrooms and shower/rinse stations.
If you didn't bring your own, you can rent one of the umbrellas with chairs that they have set up.
I was fine with my straw mat and wide-brim sunhat. They also don't allow wagons or carts to transport gear, so pack wisely.
Because we were the first to the island, along with the staff, it truly felt like I had my own little slice of heaven for a bit.
Our captain mentioned that for shelling, shells tend to be to the right and sand dollars to the left. I have to say, he was right!
Even when it got busier later on, there still weren't that many people. Florida beaches can get crowded, especially in peak times like the summer. This is why I prefer visiting the state parks or going to one of the islands.
I didn't get to explore much of the nature trail. The storms had the trail flooded in some parts.
*Note* If you do end up walking the nature trail or exploring the mangroves, I highly suggest bringing bug spray. You will thank me later!
Also, I saw a couple of signs warning of rattlesnakes on the island. So I would bring a pair of closed-toed shoes for the trail.
I got so lucky with a perfect beach day! There was a cool breeze, the water was refreshing, and the perfect amount of cloud coverage to occasionally give us relief from that glaring summer sun.
I think Hemmingway would agree that this is an island in the Gulf stream definitely worth visiting.
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