Anclote Key Preserve State Park is a boat-only barrier island off Tarpon Springs. There is no bridge and no cars. The island has a lighthouse, primitive camping, and an undeveloped Gulf beach. Launch from Anclote River Park or a Tarpon Springs marina, and bring all water and shade; services on the key are none.
Amenities:
Campground
Activities:
Fishing
Camping
Sunbathing
Rentals:
Boats
Crowd Levels:
Remote and uncrowded, ideal for solitude seekers.
Beach Access:
Boat access only; no direct car access.
Sand Description:
Undeveloped island sand with shells and wrack. No raking; mosquitoes after rain.
Nearby Activities
Featured Nearby Activity
Your business could be here
We feature six local businesses on every beach in this coast — rentals, charters, restaurants, and water sports. One featured slot is $100/month.
Anclote River Park in Holiday is a Pinellas County park on the Anclote River, not an open-Gulf beach. It has a boat ramp, picnic shelters, restrooms, and a small sandy river shoreline. People use it to launch toward Anclote Key. Swim in the Gulf at Honeymoon Island or the barrier-island towns to the south. Read more...
Crystal Beach is a small Palm Harbor waterfront, on the bay side of the peninsula rather than the open Gulf barrier islands. It is a quiet residential pocket with a tiny public access, not a swim-and-park destination like Clearwater Beach or Honeymoon Island. Come for a short local stop, not a full beach day. Read more...
Honeymoon Island State Park sits at the end of the Dunedin causeway (SR 586). It is a Florida state park with an entrance fee, a pet beach, nature trails, and a ferry to Caladesi Island. The Gulf beach faces west; the bay side is calmer and better for kayaks. Come early on weekends; the parking lots fill. Read more...
Robert K. Rees Memorial Park sits on the Anclote River in New Port Richey, Pasco County. It is a county park with a fishing pier, boat ramp, picnic area, and a small sandy shoreline — not a Pinellas Gulf barrier beach. For open-Gulf swimming, go south to Honeymoon Island or the Redingtons. Read more...
Caladesi Island State Park is the undeveloped barrier island next to Honeymoon Island. Most visitors take the ferry from Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin; there is no bridge and no cars. The Gulf beach faces west, with a kayak trail on the bay side. Bring what you need; services are limited to the ferry landing area. Read more...
Clearwater Beach sits at the end of the causeway in Clearwater, Florida, with Pier 60 as the landmark. The pier has sunset festivals, a playground, and fishing. South of the pier is the wider tourist beach; north is a bit quieter toward Sand Key. Parking is the hard part. Expect paid lots and garages near Pier 60 and along Mandalay Avenue, plus beach-meter spots that fill early on weekends. If the causeway lots are full, Read more...
