Honeymoon Island

Florida State Parks at their best. Pay the small entrance fee, find a parking spot near the south beach, and you're paddling in open Gulf within minutes. The classic move here is the crossing to Caladesi Island, about a mile of open water to a barrier-island beach that consistently ranks among the best in the country. There's no road to Caladesi; only boats and paddleboards get you there. The state-park land was nearly sold off for development in the 1960s and saved by public outcry. There's a small visitor center near the entrance that tells the story. Ospreys nest in dead pines along the trail, and dolphins are a near-daily sight in the channel between the islands.

Where do I park, and is it free?

Cost

~$8 / vehicle

Parking

Ample

State park, about 8 dollars per vehicle. The lot is large but fills by midday in season, so come early. Launch near the south beach. Restrooms and a small cafe on site.

How clear is the water?

Open Gulf water, clear on incoming tide; stiff onshore wind can stir up the shallows

What will I see?

• Ospreys nesting, dolphins year-round

What's the fishing like?

Snook along the beach, trout and redfish on the back flats; Spanish mackerel and flounder seasonal. Open Gulf, watch the wind.

How do I share the water here?

The ospreys here nest in the dead pines along the trail in one of the densest concentrations on the coast, so keep your distance from any nest tree and do not linger under it. Dolphins are out in the open Gulf year-round, and on the Caladesi crossing give them room and let them set the pace rather than steering toward them.