A Dunedin Day Trip from Clearwater Beach: Breweries, Shops and the Trail

The short version

Dunedin is the easiest half day off the sand from a Clearwater base. It is a small, walkable downtown about 15 minutes north, built for wandering: independent shops, waterfront parks, the Pinellas Trail running straight through the middle of it, and a cluster of craft breweries anchored by Dunedin Brewery, Florida’s oldest microbrewery (Visit St. Pete Clearwater). It also happens to sit right next to Honeymoon Island State Park, which is where the boat to undeveloped Caladesi Island leaves from, so you can pair a morning at the beach with an afternoon of shops and a beer without much driving.

From our Avalon condos this is a drive, not a walk, which is exactly why it is a good use of a rental car you probably already have for the beach run. Below is what to do, what it costs, and how to get there.

Why Dunedin is worth a day

Most Clearwater trips never leave the beach, and that is fine. But if you want one day that feels like the real Gulf coast instead of the resort strip, Dunedin is the pick. The downtown is genuinely walkable, the kind of place you park once and cover on foot. Visit St. Pete Clearwater describes it as a walkable district of independent shops and craft breweries, and the one specific, checkable fact worth carrying is that Dunedin Brewery is the oldest microbrewery in Florida (Visit St. Pete Clearwater). Hours and taproom offerings change, so check current before you plan an evening around any single spot.

The Pinellas Trail cuts right through downtown Dunedin, which is part of what makes the town feel bikeable and relaxed rather than car choked. It is a paved rail trail good for a walk or a rented bike between shops and the waterfront.

And then there is the water. Dunedin sits beside Honeymoon Island and the ferry to top-ranked Caladesi Island, which is what turns a shopping stroll into a full day out.

Dunedin highlights and getting there

Everything below is a short drive north of the beach. Prices and hours are the changeable kind, so treat them as a starting point and check current before you go.

Pairing Dunedin with the islands

The move a lot of visitors miss is that Dunedin and the island beaches are the same trip. Honeymoon Island State Park is about 20 minutes north near Dunedin, a quiet stretch of sand with an osprey trail, $8 per vehicle for up to eight people, open 8am to sundown every day of the year (Florida State Parks).

From the Honeymoon Island dock, the ferry runs across to Caladesi Island, one of the top ranked undeveloped beaches in the country and reachable only by boat. The crossing is about 20 minutes, runs around $20 round trip for anyone 13 and up and $10 for children 6 to 12, on top of the $8 park entry, and the schedule holds you to roughly a four hour stay (Caladesi Ferry, check current). Do the beach in the morning while it is cool, then roll back into downtown Dunedin for shops, the trail and a late lunch or a brewery stop. We go deeper on both islands in our things to do near Avalon guide.

Getting to Dunedin from Avalon

Our two short stay condos are at the gated Avalon complex in Clearwater, about 3.5 miles and a 10 to 15 minute drive from Clearwater Beach. Dunedin sits just up the coast to the north, so from Avalon it is a straightforward drive. A car is the simplest way to do this day, and since you will likely have one for the beach anyway, the day trip costs you nothing extra but gas and parking.

If you would rather not drive the whole way, the Jolley Trolley runs the coastal route that connects Clearwater Beach, downtown Clearwater, Dunedin and points north up to Tarpon Springs, 7 days a week, at $2.25 one way and free for children 8 and under (fares and schedule, check current). It is a fun, low stress option once you are near the coast, though from an inland base like Avalon most people find the car easier. The full driving, parking and trolley detail lives in our getting to the beach guide.

One honest note on our place: the Oasis Dream apartment is on the third floor with stairs and no elevator, so if you are hauling beach gear and coolers up after a long island day, that is worth knowing. Tell us first if stairs are a concern.

When to go

Dunedin is a year round day trip, but the weather shapes how you spend it. The hot, wettest stretch runs June through September, when afternoon storms are common, so on those days it is smart to hit Honeymoon Island early and keep the shops and breweries for the afternoon when the rain rolls through. The cooler, drier months from November through March are easier for walking the trail and downtown without the midday heat (Clearwater climate normals). Our month by month guide breaks the seasons down in full.

Frequently asked questions

More from us: where to stay in Clearwater Beach, staying at Avalon, and our three places, Oasis Dream Vacations, Blue Ocean and Dolphin Point.