Dunedin is one of our favorite little towns in Florida. It is a quaint beachside community near Clearwater with Scottish roots. Dunedin has a great little downtown full of art galleries, breweries, and restaurants waiting to be explored. The Chic-a-Boom Room, Crown & Bull, and 7th Sun Brewery are just some of the favorites of both locals and visitors. Pop into the Dunedin History Museum to learn a little more about this great little town and see some of the temporary art exhibits on display. Don’t forget to take in some of the local art scene at galleries like Clay & Paper Gallery of Art, Painted Fish Gallery, Stirling Arts Studio, and Knot on Main Street. Dunedin has a lot of things to do beyond its downtown, and we’ve put together this list of some of the best things to do in Dunedin, Florida.
Downtown Dunedin Florida Address: Broadway & Main Street (Google maps)https://www.facebook.com/DunedinNow
@cityofdunedin
@visitdunedinflorida
Honeymoon Island State Park
If you’re a beach lover or a nature lover, Honeymoon Island State Park has a little something for everybody. Located among a chain of barrier islands, the park is on the end of a causeway that stretches from the mainland and is reachable by car. Honeymoon Island got its name from the short time back in the 1930’s that it was home to a number of honeymoon cottages and billed as a beautiful romantic getaway for honeymooners. Those cottages are long gone, and the island has been restored back to its original state. The island is a favorite of ours because other than a few pavilions with cafes and restrooms, the island is mostly undeveloped and unspoiled. And despite it being fairly easy to get to, it’s not quite as popular or crowded as some of the other Pinellas County beaches. Honeymoon Island is a great place to escape and an incredible place to watch the sunset.
If you’re a nature lover, photographer, or a bird watcher, make sure to take a hike on the three-mile nature trail that’s set back from the beaches. Back here you’re likely to see all kinds of native Florida birds like osprey carrying freshly caught fish back to their nests, great horned owls, and even some bald eagles that have built a nest within the park.
Honeymoon Island State Park Address: 1 Causeway Blvd, Dunedin, FL
Caladesi Island State Park
Dunedin is lucky to be home to not just one, but two amazing Florida State Parks! Accessible by boat from Honeymoon Island, Caladesi Island is an isolated pristine beach getaway that’s free from development or huge crowds of tourists. The extra challenge of getting out there (it’s only accessible by boat) keeps Caladesi Island a nice quiet and peaceful escape from the rest of the world. The isolation and the preserved natural beauty has earned it a spot on “Best Beach” lists over the years. It is widely regarded as one of the best beaches in Florida. Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, who is better known as Dr. Beach, is a Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University. He has consistently ranked Caladesi Island among the best beaches in the world year after year.
Caladesi and its neighbor Honeymoon Island actually used to be one large barrier island called Hog Island. However, the powerful Category 4 Tampa Bay Hurricane of 1921 hit and broke the island in two. They are now separated by a channel that’s known as “Hurricane Pass.”
You can get out here by taking your own boat, paddling your own kayak across the channel, or hopping on the Caladesi Island Ferry from Honeymoon Island. Caladesi Island is one of our favorite beaches in Florida, and a place that can’t be missed while visiting Dunedin.
Caladesi Island State Park Address: Offshore Island, Dunedin, FL (Accessible by boat from Honeymoon Island)
Penny Lane Beatles Museum
Who would have thought that you could find a museum dedicated to one of the greatest and most influential rock bands in history right here in this quaint Florida gulf coast town? Dunedin is full of surprises! This totally free museum was conceived by a long-time Dunedin resident who decided to open up their huge collection of Beatles memorabilia to the world. The collection covers all of The Beatles history, going back to 1961. Here you’ll find everything from Yellow Submarine swag, to Beatles puppets and pins.
This entire exhibit is curated by Colin Bissett, the Executive Director of the North Pinellas Cultural Alliance. Colin grew up in Liverpool, England and was lucky enough to see some of the Beatles first performances. He attended concerts at venues like The Cavern Club and the Casbah Coffee Club before they became a global phenomenon. The free museum is open during afternoons on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Penny Lane Beatles Museum Address: 730 Broadway, Dunedin, FL
Go to a Blue Jays game
Dunedin is the spring training home of Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays, and the summertime home of their Advanced-A minor league affiliate the Dunedin Blue Jays. So whether it’s a major or minor league game, there’s some live baseball to watch in Dunedin.
Minor league baseball games are cheap entertainment for baseball fans. You might even get a chance to see the next big superstar just as they’re coming up in the league. A heads up though, the Dunedin Blue Jays have some of the lowest attendance in the Florida State League. In 2019, they averaged just over 200 people in attendance per game, so the park may be empty. A good crowd does help out with the fun vibe. Or you might just be happy since your odds are better to catch foul balls. Hopefully, that number improves after some much-needed improvements and renovations are completed at Dunedin Stadium in time for the 2020 season.
Dunedin Stadium Address: 373 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL
Dunedin Brewery (and other local breweries)
With how huge an industry craft beer has become over the last decade or so, it’s hard to imagine that the very first craft brewery in Florida opened right here in Dunedin in 1995. Since then the Florida craft beer scene has exploded into what’s considered one of the best in the country. The Tampa Bay area specifically has been called the best beer city in the USA by some, and it all started right here in the mid-1990’s at the Dunedin Brewery.
In addition to a great lineup of regular and rotating seasonal beers, Dunedin Brewery has live entertainment almost every night of the week. Come for the great beer, and stay for the live bands, DJ’s, stand up comedy, and open mic nights. You can even bring your dog, and chill outside in the beer garden.
While the Dunedin Brewery is the first and most famous brewery in town there are a bunch of others worth checking out too. 7th Sun Brewery, Woodwright Brewing, Calcedonia Brewing, Cueni Brewing, and Soggy Bottom Brewing are all right here and within a few blocks of each other, making Dunedin a local hot bed for Florida craft beer lovers.
Dunedin Brewery Address: 937 Douglas Avenue, Dunedin, FL
Edgewater Park
This local park is a great place to chill out with an outstanding view of the Dunedin Marina and the intercoastal waterway. Have an outdoor picnic, see the Veterans of Foreign Wars monument, go fishing from the pier, or drop a kayak in the water at the Edgewater Park Kayak Launch. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, paddle about a mile and half across the intercoastal out to Caladesi Island. This picturesque little park is also popular for outdoor weddings in the fall through spring near the Bon Appetit waterfront restaurant.
Edgewater Park Address: 51 Maine Street, Dunedin, FL
Highlander Park & Aquatic Complex
Every Spring Dunedin is home to the Dunedin Highland Games & Festival. This festival pays tribute to Dunedin’s Scottish roots with parades, bagpipes, and of course big dudes in kilts throwing heavy things around. The festival is a beloved local tradition that’s hosted each year at Highlander Park. When the park isn’t being used for traditional Scottish festivities, you can visit the Dunedin aquatic complex, take the kids to the Sprayground, play tennis, or get your friends together for some sand volleyball.
Highlander Park & Aquatic Complex Address: 1937 Ed Eckert Dr, Dunedin, FL
Take a ride on the Pinellas Trail
The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a 40-mile multi-use pathway that runs from St. Petersburg all the way north to Tarpon Springs. It is enjoyed by cyclists, skaters, joggers, and hikers all year round. The trail was part of the Florida “Rails to Trails” project and was paved on top of a stretch of abandoned railroad that runs right through the heart of Dunedin.
Looking for a little adventure while getting some exercise? Hop on the trail in downtown Dunedin at Main Street and just go for a ride! A favorite activity for a lot of people is to take it easy and make a day of it while stopping into some of the restaurants, bars, and breweries that are just off the trail. The Pinellas Trail is a beloved local gem for both long-distance cyclists and casual bikers. It has been called the best urban trail in Florida.
Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail Address: 349 Main St, Dunedin, FL Runs from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs, but a great place to get on it in Dunedin is near the Dunedin History Museum.
Dunedin Fine Arts Center
The Dunedin Fine Arts Center (DFAC) is a 40,000 square foot, award-winning museum and learning center for the visual arts. Located right next to Highlander Park, DFAC presents rotating art exhibits in its galleries and offers classes and workshops for both adults and kids. You can find a class here in almost every type of art you would hope to learn: photography, digital art, painting, sculpting, wood carving, and even cooking.
This place constantly has something new going on, so check the DFAC event calendar for upcoming events. A lot of these events are free and family-friendly.
Dunedin Fine Arts Center Address: 1143 Michigan Blvd, Dunedin, FL
Hammock Park
Hammock Park is a wonderful little natural oasis in the middle of town with a 2-mile hiking loop, a butterfly garden, and a disc golf course. This place is great for seeing local wildlife and is excellent for spotting a huge variety of local birds. If birdwatching or hiking isn’t your thing, Hammock Park has a 9-hole disc golf course that you can play for free. We love disc golf! It’s a very fun and budget-friendly thing to just pick up and go do. Here’s a great little set of starter discs we recommend to get you going, or just stop at a place like Play it Again Sports and pick up some used ones at the last minute. There’s a great free smartphone app we recommend called UDisc you can use to keep score, find new courses, and track your course records.
Another fun, free activity to try out here is Geocaching! We had a great time Geocaching at this park. It gives you an opportunity to explore the park but with a goal in mind…to find random trinkets hidden in the woods. Just download the Geocaching App to your phone and get out there and explore this great park!
Hammock Park Address: 1900 San Mateo Drive, Dunedin, FL
Do you have your own favorite things to do in Dunedin, Florida? Tell us about in the comments! It’s a fun little town, and we’d love to hear about them!