CALADESI & HONEYMOON ISLANDS
1 Causeway Boulevard
Dunedin, Florida 34698
(727) 469-5942
In the shadow of Clearwater Beach are the tandem treats of Caladesi Island and Honeymoon Island. Originally inhabited by the pre-Columbian Tocobagan tribe, the area first appeared on maps in the 1830s, as Sand Island and, in the 1880s, Hog Island. Caladesi and neighboring Honeymoon Island were once part of a large barrier island that was split in half during an intense hurricane in 1921. The resultant waterway between the islands is aptly known as Hurricane Pass. In the early 1940s, LIFE magazine advertised the area's climate and bungalows as the perfect getaway for newlyweds, rebranding it Honeymoon Island. Honeymoon Island boasts about 4.5 miles of beach, while Caladesi's beach, accessible from Honeymoon by ferry, stretches 3 miles. Both islands are home to Florida State Parks.
© April L. Gustetter
