Nice beaches, and great Wildlife!
Written: Mar 26 '08
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Pros: Nice beach, outstanding nature trails
Cons: Crowds during the high seasons
The Bottom Line: A nice beach, easy to get to, and a bird watchers paradise!
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| andgott's Full Review: Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area |
Honeymoon Island is a great place to visit the beach, walk some trails, and have a picnic.
It is one of the nicer beaches that is accessible via car along the Gulf Coast. I often see where people rate this beach poorly, because it is a little rocky, or they dislike the washed-up seaweed... But this is a more natural beach than what the 'average' beachgoer is used to. The perfect, clean beaches in Clearwater are manicured daily to look like that. This is the beach- How nature intended it to be!
The beaches are nice, But what attracts me to the island is the nature trails and the wildlife. There is a nature center on the island, that has interactive exhibits that teach about the local ecosystems, and the importance of keeping the barrier islands like Honeymoon intact. Not far from the center, there is a network of Nature trails.
The Aptly named Osprey trail wanders north through a pine scrub. It seems that virtually every pine tree there has an active osprey nest in it. During the spring time, you will get to watch the ospreys hunt in the waters surrounding the island, and then return to the nest with food for their young. This is one of the best spots that I have found anywhere to take photos of the osprey, too.
The Osprey trail is a loop, and is just about 2 miles in length. There are a few opportunities to shorten the walk by cutting across, so if you aren't up to the full hike, you can adjust it as required. Be forewarned, though- Especially during the wet season, the trails can flood a little and become very muddy in places.
You can take the Pelican trail right to the tip of the island. There is a nice, natural beach there- that seldom has anyone on it. It is a great place to watch the wading birds feed and the osprey hunt. Chances are, you'll also see wild dolphins playing in the sheltered gulf waters here as well.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 per car to get into the park. There are plenty of bathhouses and restroom facilities, and they are always well maintained and clean. There is a snack bar available as well.
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: March-May
Review Topic: Overview
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Epinions.com ID:
andgott
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Location: Florida & Tennessee
Reviews written: 77
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Merchant Marine officer, Aritst, and Traveller.
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