Honey moom iland florida8/22/2023 ![]() There is a concessionaire on the Island so you can rent a kayak or bring your own.Ī morning of exploring the island is sure to result in a hungry crowd. Squirreled away between the sand spit and the nature trail, it is a coveted kayaking destination. Common nesting birds native to the island include osprey, oystercatchers, snowy plovers, and least terns.Įnjoy a quiet bit of sand and sea away from the crowds at Pelican Cove. Ornithologists and wildlife enthusiasts alike will delight in the Island’s eagles, Roseate spoonbills, snowy egrets, blue herons, great-horned owls, gopher tortoises, raccoons, and armadillos. You can also run the park drive.Ĭheck out all the trails on Honeymoon Island State Park here. The Osprey and Pelican Trail, a 2.5-mile hiking loop, is the best way to see this incredible wonder. Honeymoon Island State Park has one of the few remaining virgin slash pine forests in the world. Saltwater game fish including, snook, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, redfish, snapper, cobia, whiting, sheepshead, tarpon, pompano, and spotted sea trout are frequently caught just offshore. The beach provides a variety of fishing opportunities. For a more relaxed afternoon, both facilities also rent beach chairs and umbrellas. The South Beach Pavilion rents bicycles for short or long rides, and Café Honeymoon has kayaks available for exploring the waterfront. Hiking, sunbathing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, and shelling are easily accessible family favorites. There are a thousand ways to experience Honeymoon Island State Park. Download a map of Honeymoon Island here.You can see photos of the vacationing couples as well as learn about the park’s history and resources at The Rotary Club Centennial Nature Center on the Island. Thereafter, it was referred to as Honeymoon Island. In 1939, Life Magazine held a contest for newlyweds granting a two-week honeymoon stay on the island. What remains today is a field of hardened limestone rocks that is unlike any other beach in the area. In 1969 the south end of the island was changed forever when 1.5 million cubic yards of limestone pebbles, rocks, and quartz sand, dredged just offshore, were added to the beach. The northern shore has remained unchanged since the island’s formation and features sand dunes and great waves for surfing. The north and south shores offer dramatically different landscapes to explore. Honeymoon Island was formed in 1921 when a hurricane carved a channel between what is now Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands. The sand spit has expanded during the past decades from a few sand bars to miles of picturesque beaches. In addition, various interpretive kiosks can be found throughout the park containing information on the indigenous plants and animals on the island.Īlthough visited by over one million people each year, the more intrepid travelers can find some quiet meditation and peace by walking the two and a half miles to the sand spit. While at Honeymoon Island State Park, don't miss the observation deck which provides ample views of wading birds and plant life at low tide. Visitors are welcome to explore the sandy slopes while being respectful of the fragility of this part of the Island’s geography. ![]() Critical to preserving the beach, habitats, and a variety of different plant species, the dunes are important to maintaining the local ecosystem. Honeymoon State Park is home to a large sea of undulating sand dunes. ![]() ![]() ![]() Plus, there's a cool bonus.you can take a ferry to neighboring Caladesi Island! In 2007 Honeymoon Island was Florida's most visited state park and remains ever-popular today due to the depth and breadth of its opportunity for adventure, especially when it's just a quick trip from Tampa or St. If you want to learn more about Honeymoon Island, please check out my comprehensive guide to the state park on the Happier Place website.A natural barrier island, this State Park rewards its visitors with over four miles of pristine beaches and a three-mile trail through one of Florida’s only virgin slash pine forests. So today under a bit of pressure before diving into yet another work weekend with two markets today and tomorrow (offering my photography and Happier Place products), I just want to share a few of the photos I’ve collected without much further ado. And I keep running out of time every day. But I’ve been meaning to write, select photos, and post the opus for at least a month. Honeymoon Island State Park deserves a more flushed out blog post than this. Let me show you some views from the beaches and trails – with birds and wildflowers galore. 331 Shares Honeymoon Island quickly became one of my favorite places as soon as we moved to the Florida Gulf Coast. ![]()
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