Honeymoon Island State Park

Honeymoon Island has one of the more unlikely origin stories of any park on this list. It used to be called Hog Island, and was one single landmass with what's now Caladesi Island until a major hurricane split it in two in 1921, carving out what's still known as Hurricane Pass. In the late 1930s, businessman Clinton Washburn bought the island and, over lunch with a friend who edited Life magazine, mentioned it would make a great honeymoon spot. The magazine ran the story, the name stuck, and fifty honeymoon cottages went up — with the first newlyweds arriving on May 8, 1940. The state bought the island starting in 1974, and it's been a state park since 1981.

A leashed dog beach on the island's southern tip, plus a pet-friendly nature trail — about a 35-40 minute drive from St. Pete. There's an entrance fee per vehicle, but it's widely considered one of the best dog beaches in the whole Tampa Bay area.