Honeymoon Island State Park is once again welcoming visitors, and recovery efforts continue following Hurricane Helene’s extensive damage.

The hurricane severely impacted the park’s coastal dunes. To restore the shoreline, the Florida Park Service hired Clearwater-based Gator Dredging to remove and redistribute 168,000 cubic yards of sand from nearby Hurricane Pass. That material was used to rebuild the park’s beaches and dunes.

By March, restoration crews had planted 30,000 sea oats to help stabilize the reconstructed dunes—marking the completion of the recovery project.

“Honeymoon took the brunt of all three hurricanes and experienced the worst damage in Dunedin since the 1929 hurricane,” said officials from the Friends of Island Parks support group. “The park is now open to the public on a limited basis.”

Dunedin City Commissioner Tom Dugard urged residents to take advantage of the park’s partial reopening.

“People don’t realize it’s open,” Dugard said. “We need to get the word out.”

Visitors can enjoy beach walks, the dog-friendly beach, scenic nature trails, and the park’s nature center. Temporary restrooms are available, and beach chairs are available for rent.

According to the Friends of Island Parks, Honeymoon Island remains Florida’s most-visited state park.

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(Image credit: Douglas Clifford/TB Newspapers)

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