A Local's Guide to Palm Harbor and Dunedin
Palm Harbor and Dunedin sit just north of Clearwater and offer something the beach corridor doesn't — actual Florida town character, great food, and Honeymoon Island.
Most Gulf Coast visitors spend their entire trip between Clearwater Beach and St. Pete, which means they miss two of the best towns in the entire region. Palm Harbor and Dunedin sit just north of Clearwater, and they offer something the beach corridor doesn't: actual, living, breathing Florida town character.
Dunedin: The Star of the Show
Downtown Dunedin
Dunedin's Main Street is everything a downtown should be. Independent shops, restaurants with real kitchens (not chains), live music spilling out of bars on weekends, and a general sense that people actually live here and like it. About eight walkable blocks — you can spend a full afternoon moving between shops, coffee, and food.
Honeymoon Island State Park
Dunedin's crown jewel. Accessible by car via the Dunedin Causeway, with gorgeous Gulf-facing beaches, osprey nests, nature trails, and a dog beach that's one of the best in the county. It also serves as the departure point for the ferry to Caladesi Island. Go early on weekends — the parking lot fills up and the park closes to new arrivals.
Dunedin Brewery
Florida's oldest craft brewery, established in 1996, and still excellent. The taproom on Main Street has a great rotating tap list, a solid pub menu, and outdoor seating that fills up on weekend evenings.
Toronto Blue Jays Spring Training
Dunedin is the spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays, and the stadium (TD Ballpark) is a charming old-school spring training facility. Games run February through March — affordable and genuinely fun if your trip overlaps.
Staying with Sea & City Rentals in Palm Harbor or Clearwater? Dunedin and Palm Harbor make for a perfect half-day or full-day excursion — we can point you to specifics based on exactly where you're staying. The Indian Rocks Beach coastal home sits about 20 minutes south of Dunedin — a great base for exploring this whole stretch of the coast. For large groups who want easy Tampa access while still being close to Dunedin and Honeymoon Island, the Tampa waterfront property makes an excellent anchor for the whole region.
Eating in Dunedin
- Kelly's — the local institution for fresh seafood and a waterfront view. The grouper is consistently excellent.
- Sea Sea Riders — solid lunch spot with a covered patio and reliably good fish sandwiches.
- Bon Appétit — upscale waterfront dining for a special occasion dinner.
- Casa Tina — authentic Mexican in a colorful space, a Dunedin staple for years.
Palm Harbor: The Quieter Side
Wall Springs Park
One of the most underappreciated parks in Pinellas County. 195 acres with an observation tower, boardwalks through old-growth cypress, and access to the shoreline of Lake Tarpon. Peaceful, beautiful, and almost nobody outside the immediate neighborhood knows it exists.
Innisbrook Resort
Home to the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour, Innisbrook is a 900-acre resort with four golf courses, multiple pools, tennis, and a spa. Even non-guests can dine at Packard's Steakhouse — worth the visit.
The Pinellas Trail
The 38-mile Pinellas Trail runs directly through both Dunedin and Palm Harbor, connecting to Clearwater to the south and Tarpon Springs to the north. Bike rentals are available in Dunedin. A few hours on the trail is one of the better ways to see the county from a different angle.