$20 per adult for the return boat ride, $10 for children from 6 through 12, nothing for under-sixes. On top of that, $8 per car, for up to eight people, to drive into Honeymoon Island State Park, where the boat leaves. Up to four hours on Caladesi Island before the return trip. Those are the figures that decide a day at Caladesi Island State Park, an island on Florida's Gulf Coast that has stayed largely undeveloped and can only be reached by water.
The ferry is a private, family-run concession inside the Florida state park system, and its rules follow from that. The dock office in Honeymoon Island State Park is the one place to buy tickets. The first boat is at 10 a.m. In October, after Labor Day, weekday boats run once an hour and weekend boats every half hour, and the line operates every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Florida State Parks and the operator publish the same ferry fares, so the cost of a Caladesi day can be worked out before leaving home.
Hourly boats from 10 a.m., every 30 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays
Departure pattern published by the operator, read October 7, 2026; hourly weekday service applies from Labor Day until mid-February 2027 Caladesi Island Ferry — Schedules and Pricing · 2026-10-07
The ferry window and the park gate are two different bills
Two separate payments, to two separate parties. The park entry goes to Florida State Parks at the Honeymoon Island gate and covers the car and up to eight people in it. The ferry ticket goes to the concessionaire at the dock and is priced per person, round trip. For ferry riders, Florida State Parks lists only the Honeymoon Island entry; Caladesi's own admission is charged to people arriving in their own boats or kayaks.
A family of four, both kids between 6 and 12, arriving in one car therefore pays $8 at the gate and $60 at the ferry window, before anything bought on the island.
| Adult | $ 20 |
| Child 6–12 | $ 10 |
| Child 5 and under | Free |
| Vehicle, up to eight people | $ 8 |
| Single-occupant vehicle | $ 4 |
| Pedestrian, cyclist or extra passenger | $ 2 |
| Sunset fee per vehicle, last hour before closing | $ 4 |
Ferry fares from the operator and Florida State Parks, park entry fees from Florida State Parks; both read October 7, 2026 Florida State Parks — Caladesi Island State Park, Hours & Fees · 2026-10-07
A state-park dock at each end
Both landings sit inside state parks with the same hours, 8 a.m. until sundown all year round, and the boat is the only scheduled way across, since Caladesi is accessible only by boat. Georgia's Cumberland Island ferry from St. Marys works on a similar split: private boat, public park, two separate charges.
Honeymoon Island State Park ferry dock
You reach the ferry by driving into Honeymoon Island State Park along the Dunedin Causeway, which means paying the park entry first. The Caladesi Ferry Ticket Office is at the park's dock; it is the only place tickets are sold, and there is no online booking.
Honeymoon Island has its own beaches, picnic areas and a nature center, so a wait for a later boat is easy to fill. The park opens at 8 a.m., two hours before the first ferry.
Caladesi Island State Park marina
The ferry lands at the park marina, and boardwalks lead from there to the Gulf beaches. Florida Beach Services runs the snack bar and a small gift shop steps from the ferry dock, and beach chairs, umbrellas and kayaks can be had on the island.
Florida State Parks lists the marina docks as open for day use only from September 29, 2026, with one dock still under construction, and warns that food service on the island may be limited for now.
South across the pass from Honeymoon Island
Caladesi lies just south of Honeymoon Island, off the Gulf shore of Pinellas County near Dunedin. The ferry runs from the Honeymoon Island dock down to the Caladesi marina, and from the marina boardwalks lead across the island to the Gulf beach.
Packing for the Caladesi boat
- No beach carts
Since January 1, 2023 the ferry has refused beach carts and wagons. Strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are fine, as are chairs, umbrellas and coolers you can carry aboard.
- Leave the dog at home
No pets on the boat, and alcohol, fireworks and pets are also banned on Caladesi's beaches.
- Bring a way to pay on site
Ferry tickets are sold only at the Caladesi Ferry Ticket Office in Honeymoon Island State Park, never online.
- Watch the four-hour clock
The ferry ticket includes a stay of up to four hours. The return time depends on when you bought the ticket, so confirm it before you board.
- Shelling rules
Collecting live shells is prohibited on Caladesi. Empty shells are part of the island's appeal.
- The Honeymoon sandspit
Since April 2024 erosion has cut off the northernmost mile of Honeymoon Island's sandspit. Florida State Parks asks visitors not to wade across the gap.
An untouched Gulf island run by the state
Caladesi Island State Park has three miles of beach and a nature trail inland through old-growth slash pine and live oak to the historic Scharrer Homestead. The homesteader Myrtle Scharrer Betz called the island "paradise" in her memoirs. On the bay side, a three-mile paddling trail winds through mangroves, and kayaks are available on the island.
Honeymoon Island, the departure point, is a state park in its own right, with more than four miles of beach and a trail of about three miles through one of the few virgin slash pine forests still standing. The Rotary Centennial Nature Center there covers the park's history, including how Honeymoon Island got its name.
Caladesi Island ferry questions asked at the Honeymoon Island dock
Do I pay both the ferry and a state park fee to visit Caladesi?
Yes, but only once each. You pay Florida State Parks at the Honeymoon Island gate, $8 per vehicle, or $2 per walker or cyclist; then the ferry: $20 per adult and $10 for each child between 6 and 12, round trip. Ferry passengers do not pay Caladesi's separate boater admission.
First Caladesi boat of the day, and how often after that in the fall?
Departures start at 10 a.m. from Honeymoon Island. After Labor Day, departures are hourly on weekdays and every half hour on weekends. Half-hourly service every day returns in mid-February.
How long can I stay on Caladesi Island with a ferry ticket?
Up to four hours. The operator says the exact length depends on when you bought your ticket, so ask for your return window at the office.
Can I buy Caladesi ferry tickets online?
No. They are sold only at the Caladesi Ferry Ticket Office in Honeymoon Island State Park.
Wagons and dogs: are either allowed?
Neither. Beach carts and wagons have been banned on the ferry since January 1, 2023, and pets are not allowed on board. Strollers, walkers and wheelchairs are allowed.
Is everything on Caladesi open this fall?
Mostly. The ferry is running, and from September 29, 2026 Florida State Parks lists the marina docks as open for day use, with D-Dock still under construction, no overnight marina stays and food service that may be temporarily limited.
Which dates are the Caladesi boats off?
Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, plus any day the weather stops it. Otherwise the boats sail daily, all year round.