A VACATION WITHIN YOUR VACATION
Kayak through mangrove trails on Caladesi Island
Experience the beauty and tranquility of Caladesi Island
By Heather Turk
With everything there is for travelers to see and do in the St. Pete/Clearwater area, sometimes it can be easy to forget that a vacation is supposed to be relaxing. Fortunately, there’s a pristine paradise close by where visitors can decompress while still having some fun in the sun.
Named the seventh best beach on Dr. Beach’s 2021 Top 10 Beaches list, Caladesi Island State Park is one of the few completely natural islands located along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Accessible only by boat, the tranquil getaway is just a 20-minute ferry ride away from Dunedin’s Honeymoon Island State Park. “Caladesi Island has a very rich history,” said Janet Henderson, president of the Caladesi Island Ferry, the only boat service licensed to transport passengers to Caladesi Island. “A family once farmed there, and a few books have been written about life on the island. Our intent is to give our passengers a vacation within their vacation. Their trip is enhanced by stories related by our captains and crew about the history and formation of this barrier island.”
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