Dunedin: The Gulf Coast Town You Should Already Know About
A walkable downtown, an obsession with craft beer, the Pinellas Trail running through it, and easy access to two of Florida's best state parks. Here's the case for Dunedin.
Dunedin punches well above its weight. A small Gulf Coast town with Scottish heritage, a downtown you can actually walk, an outsized craft beer scene, and direct access to two of the best state parks in Florida. If you've never made it a stop on a Gulf Coast trip, fix that.
Downtown Dunedin
The downtown is compact, low-rise, and has resisted the strip-mall sprawl that flattened most of suburban Florida. Main Street and Douglas Avenue are lined with locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and shops. It's genuinely walkable, which puts it in rare company on the Gulf Coast.
Sea & City Rentals has properties within easy reach of downtown Dunedin — book direct. The Indian Rocks Beach vacation rental sits about 20 minutes south of Dunedin and makes a great base for the whole Pinellas beach corridor. For large groups making Dunedin and Honeymoon Island a day trip, the Tampa waterfront home is 45 minutes away — browse all Sea & City Rentals homes to find the right fit for your group.
The Brewery Scene
Dunedin has more breweries per capita than nearly any town in Florida. Highlights:
- Dunedin Brewery — the oldest microbrewery in Florida, classic taproom, live music several nights a week
- Caledonia Brewing — Scottish-themed, leans into the heritage, solid traditional styles done well
- Soggy Bottom Brewing — newer, neighborhood feel, rotating taps
- HOB Brewing — small-batch, experimental, worth the stop
Honeymoon Island & Caladesi
The causeway out to Honeymoon Island starts in Dunedin. Honeymoon is a state park with miles of undeveloped beach, easy parking, and a ferry that runs to Caladesi Island — repeatedly ranked among the best beaches in the country. Caladesi is accessible only by boat, which keeps it quiet even on busy weekends.
The Pinellas Trail
The 38-mile Pinellas Trail runs straight through downtown Dunedin. Rent bikes downtown, ride north toward Tarpon Springs or south toward Clearwater, and stop at breweries along the way. It's one of the better casual day plans on the coast.
When to Go
Friday evenings downtown are lively but not chaotic. Saturday mornings have a great farmers market. Sundays are quiet and ideal for breakfast and a beach day at Honeymoon.