Last Word

But here’s something you might not know: some of our area’s most beautiful beaches are the hardest to reach. In fact, a handful of them—known for their scenic nature trails, pristine white sand and breathtaking views of the blue-green Gulf of Mexico—are accessible only by private boat or ferry. Here are our favorites.

Caladesi Island, located a mile west of Dunedin in Tampa" target="_blank">Pinellas County, has three miles of nature trails and picnic pavilions. Visitors can dock their boats at the marina or catch a ferry from nearby Honeymoon Island. For park details and ferry pickup, call (727) 469-5918.

Nature lovers will appreciate unspoiled Shell Key Preserve’s 2,000 acres of uninhabited beaches, mangrove islands and salt marshes. A bird watcher’s paradise, this beach is also one of the best places on the west coast of Florida to search for sand dollars. “Many of my passengers say that once you’re on the island, you forget that you’re 10 minutes away from St. Pete Beach,” says Alva Sholty, owner of Shell Key Shuttle. For boating or shuttle directions, visit www.shellkeyshuttle.com.

A slightly more primitive but equally picturesque beach, Anclote Key Preserve State Park is a four-mile-long island just off the coast of Tarpon Springs. Accessible only by private boat, it is home to more than 43 species of birds, including the American oystercatcher, bald eagle and piping plover. Campgrounds are available if you’d like to have an overnight adventure, but you’ll have to bring your own water. For park information, call (727) 469-5942.

Egmont Key, with the crumbling remains of Fort Dade, built in 1906 at the start of the Spanish-American War, is located just south of Fort Desoto Beach at the mouth of Tampa Bay. With a 150-year-old lighthouse and shores perfect for shell collecting, visitors can swim, fish and picnic on its palm-lined shores. For ferry details, contact Hubbard’s Sea Adventures at (727) 398-6577.??
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Sara Minton is listings editor of? Tampa Bay Homebuyer.