Voted #1 beach in the country this year. One of our personal favorites. It's a beautiful boat ride in through a mangrove lined canal and they have a very nice marina. It is an island, no cars.

Caladesi Island

Looks very calm and remote. Near Tampa?

I didn't think the beach was any better than Siesta Key Beach, other than there was noone else around in the middle of January. I sure did like the marina!

Yes, north of Tampa on the ICW.

Hey, we have great beaches in So Cal, too ... oh wait. Heal the Bay's report card came out and I guess we have a little sewage.

Beautiful white sand beaches with primitive campsites, gotta love it.

Semper Fi 75

Seabuddy, not very remote, right off the Dunedin causeway and Hurricane Pass, just north of Clearwater Beach. When I was a kid we used to walk to it from Clearwater Beach, you could walk in knee to waist deep water and swim about 100' to get there. There is a ferry that runs from Honeymoon Island in Dunedin to take non boaters there now. The view from the beach is open Gulf waters. There are nature trails and a little burger stand.

Billy, I think Siesta Key was named up at the top of the list also.

CMJ, I am not surprised. Obviously they are totally different in their useage. Siesta Key has developments and pavilions and tons of people. Caladesi is a more restricted in access and more natural. My wife did come home with a Crap Ton of shells and sponges and stuff from Caladesi. She loved it. My son just loved running and jumping in the sand!

Caladesi is one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen.
We still haven’t gotten there via our boat.
(only by ferry, aka pontoon boat)

I will say the water seems more blue & clear south of Tampa Bay.
Anna Maria Island for example...

Our perceptions of the water are the same. I attributed it to the fact that it was January when I was there!

It's worth the trip up the Intercoastal in your boat, in my opinion. That would make an excellent cruise for you guys.