Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin, FL and Clearwater/Lake Tarpon KOA
Visiting the Gulf Coast
Our first RV trip to Florida was intended to be epic – we wanted to see it all! Only being able to book reservations for a night or two at each campground worked out just fine for us. We had so many miles to cover! Starting off in Jacksonville, we made our way west across the state. Three days later, we found ourselves on the Gulf Coast for an afternoon at Honeymoon Island State Park..
Honeymoon Island State Park History
Honeymoon Island State Park is located on the Gulf Coast in Dunedin, Florida, which is slightly north of Clearwater and Tampa.
There was once a large barrier island here, called Hog Island. It was inhabited long ago by the Tocobaga Tribe, until the Spanish explorers came in the 1500’s.
In 1921, a major hurricane split Hog Island in two, creating Caladesi Island and Honeymoon Island, with the waterway between them being called Hurricane Pass.
The northern of the two barrier islands was bought by a businessman, Clinton Washburn, in the 1940’s. He built little hut-type cottages on the beach, and marketed the island as a great place for newlyweds. The name of Honeymoon Island was born!
However, the “honeymoon” phase was cut short by World War II, and the cottages were no longer used. In the 1960’s a developer had a plan to build residential homes on the island, and a causeway to the island was built. His idea never materialized though, and eventually, the state of Florida purchased the island. It became Honeymoon Island State Park in 1981.
Grilled Cheese at the Beach
We drove across the causeway and were treated to our trip’s first view of the Gulf of Mexico!
There is no camping at Honeymoon Island State Park, so this would just be an afternoon visit. We found that the parking spots in the day-use lot were plentiful, and it was no issue to park our RV here. It was a chilly and overcast January day, so not too many visitors, and I’m sure all of us were snowbirds. We backed into a parking space with our big dinette windows facing the beach. Once again, the view was everything I’d hoped for and imagined when we bought our RV!
Walt fired up the propane and there I was, making grilled cheese sandwiches for our lunch on the beach! It seemed surreal to have all the comforts of home with us, and such a spectacular ocean (Gulf of Mexico) view to see while we ate our lunch. Yes, we were definitely in love with our RV life!
Off to a Rocky Start
As much as I enjoyed lunch, I couldn’t wait to get outside! Even though it was jacket weather, it felt absolutely incredible to be at the beach in the winter. Just outside our RV door, we found a wooden boardwalk that led us to the water’s edge.
The beach looked a little differently than we’d expected. Just a little strip of sand, with lots and lots of rocks! Although unexpected, it was still beautiful. We spent the afternoon walking the beach and were fortunate to find many shell treasures. As the waves crashed onto the beach and retreated back over the rocks, they made a unique popping sound. We found that quite entertaining! It was our little slice of paradise for the afternoon.
Lots to Do
Honeymoon Island State Park has over four miles of beach, and I believe there are areas here that are much more barefoot friendly than the spot we were in.
There are so many amenities here that we didn’t get to take part in on our short afternoon visit. Quite honestly, we didn’t even know they existed at that time.
The main beach has designated swimming areas, and there is also a pet friendly beach. Many water activities are offered including fishing, kayaking, and surfing. You can take a ferry over to Caladesi Island State Park.
Bicycle rentals are available where you can even rent a surrey or beach cruiser. They have a picnic pavilion, playground for the kiddos, a nature trail to hike, and a concession and restaurant. On Wednesday through Sunday, the Rotary Centennial Nature Center is open. Here you can learn more about the history of the islands and also the plants and animals calling these islands home.
We were oblivious to all of these great opportunities and ways to enjoy this beautiful island on this chilly winter day. I was just happy with my grilled cheese. But I can imagine how different it would be in summer months. You can be sure that when we make a return trip, we will plan to visit in a warmer season and stay here longer to take advantage of all they have to offer.
Stale Taco Shells, a Man on the Beach, and a Great Story
One of the things I’ve loved about our travels, is meeting new people and hearing the stories they have to tell.
At the foot of the boardwalk, near the entrance to the beach, a man sat in his folding chair on the sand. He was surrounded by birds. We struck up a conversation, and he explained that he had a couple stale tortilla shells and was sharing them. Although you’re not supposed to feed the wildlife, I think we’ll forgive him for this minor infraction.
Most campers are so easy to talk to. The usual questions of where we all are from and where we are going always seem to lead it off, but sometimes the conversations become more meaningful. This gentleman told us that he was the owner of the huge Class A (the motorhomes that look like a bus) that we noticed up in the parking lot. When he asked us where we were spending the night, he seemed surprised that we were staying at a campground. He explained with great pride, that he spends his days at wonderful places like this. Then finds a Walmart, Cracker Barrel, or other place that allows free overnight stays. He told us that he’s only paid for a campground possibly two or three times, ever, and asked us why we would spend money on camping when you can find a place for free.
As I’ve mentioned before, we feel more comfortable when we know that we have a hopefully safe and pleasant place to spend the night. We still weren’t emotionally ready or experienced enough yet to tackle the whole, find-a-place-to-spend-the-night scenario. But hats off to this fellow!
We chatted with him for quite a while, and he shared his story and actually shed a tear telling it. Back when he was young, he had a wife and child and a minimum pay job that was going nowhere. He knew that he needed a better income and life for his family. So, while deciding what to do next, he put an old refrigerator out on his porch with a for-sale sign on it to try and generate a little extra income.
It sold right away, and that inspired him to look for other used appliances that he could sell. He built the trust of his neighbors by selling quality used items from his porch. Word spread, and people sought him out to purchase used appliances.
From those humble beginnings, he created an official business that not only supported his family, but thrived for thirty years. He was now retired and had enough money saved to buy the RV and live his best retirement life.
We not only left the beach with treasures from the ocean, but also the treasure of a true success story.
Clearwater/Lake Tarpon KOA Holiday
The only campground experiences we’d had so far had been Florida State Parks. I must say that we were spoiled by the privacy and solitude of those sites.
When we pulled into the Clearwater/Lake Tarpon KOA, it was late afternoon, so once again I had no time to explore. First impression – disappointment.
It seemed crowded – we could see all of our neighbors. And it was near the highway, so there was road noise and sirens.
Plus, our site #107 cost $ 97.62 for one night in 2021, twice the amount of the state parks. I was starting to see the wisdom of the man on the beach and his free lodging theory.
However, check-in was a breeze and the employees very nice. And we had full hook-ups (fresh water, electricity, and sewer) at our site. This turned out to be handy, as we didn’t realize that our gray tank was full until after dark.
There are little indicator lights in the RV that show your tank levels. For those of you who aren’t aware of RV lingo, gray tank water is your dirty sink and shower water. The black tank is the toilet. We had spent three full days without needing to dump our tanks, but the “full” light was now glowing. The time had come.
Walt had watched many instructional videos and learned the tips and tricks of doing this correctly, so out he went in the dark with his headlamp and rubber gloves. First attempt – success!
Check out was by 11:30, so I had time to walk and explore the campground the next day before we left. Have to say that Clearwater/Lake Tarpon KOA redeemed itself! It was very clean and all of the employees I passed on my walk were very friendly. They have what they call a butterfly garden, and I found a lot of the foliage enchanting! There are amenities that we did not take advantage of because of our short stay. But all in all, it was a nice place for us to stop for the night.
We have since camped at many KOA campgrounds, and they are hit or miss as far as road noise, etc. That’s the price you pay when you are conveniently located near a highway. I signed up for the KOA Rewards program that cost $ 33 a year in 2022. Membership entitles you to 10% off of each stay, as well as some other perks. During our first year of camping, we definitely saved enough to pay for that and then some, so well worth it. I think the price in 2023 is $36 per year, but I would still consider it a good deal.
I actually love KOA campgrounds. In fact, two of my favorite campground locations have been at a KOA. It was just different than what we had experienced on that first trip. We now kind of mix it up between state parks and KOA. When we are in need of a laundry, a maintenance day, or just a place that we know is reliable in a totally unfamiliar area, that’s what I book.
In my opinion the KOA is A-OK!
I love reading about your adventures, the history and interesting facts about the different places, and the people you’ve met along the way!
So interesting to read all the stories, information, vivid descriptions, really felt like we were there too! Loved it!❤️