Living a Boating Lifestyle in Dunedin, Florida

Dunedin is an old sailing town of about 36,000 with a wonderful setting on Florida's Gulf Coast, just above Clearwater.  From here one can find great boating not only in the St. Joseph Sound and many rivers, but also out into the Gulf of Mexico. Dunedin has unobstructed views of some great Gulf beaches including those on Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Park.  The latter was named the best public beach in America. Its downtown is quaint but prosperous and serves as the model for other Florida towns looking to avoid the big box/corporate franchise look-alike sweepstakes. Dunedin was settled by Scots and retains many interesting Scottish traditions and festivals such as the Highland Games and Spring Clan Gathering each spring.

Here is what Southern Living Magazine had to say about Dunedin in its November, 2008 feature story on the town: "You could walk the 15 square blocks of downtown Dunedin in less than an hour. Still, odds are, you’d get lost within minutes. There’s just something—many things, actually—about this coastal town on the St. Joseph Sound that engulfs the unsuspecting as well as the willing. Just ask the locals."

Where to Retire in Dunedin and Home Prices

Dunedin has active adult communities (see link at top left).
Zillow reports the median home value to be $336,922 in mid-2021, a 29% increase over the past year.

What Is Special about Dunedin

Unusually good access to beautiful beaches. Interesting downtown.  Home to spring training for the Toronto Blue Jays. Many parks and an outstanding recreation program and resources. A 39 mile of bike/pedestrian trail that bisects downtown. Money Magazine named Dunedin 1 of  "6 terrific towns on the water". Dunedin Highland Games is an annual celebration of Scottish music, dance and sports

What Is Not Special about Dunedin

Like a lot of popular places you might complain about traffic and congestion. Hurricanes are scary when you are this close to the coast in Florida. Home insurance rates are high.

Climate and Physical Environment

Right on the Gulf of Mexico and west of Tampa Bay. Just a few miles from Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Dunedin has a huge new public library that is very popular. The library is across the street from a large senior center and next door to the baseball stadium where the Toronto Blue Jays have spring training and their minor league team plays in summer.  Shopping and restaurants are good in the compact downtown. The Scottish roots of Dunedin provide some interesting festivals such as the Dunedin Highland Games, an annual celebration of Scottish music, dance and sports.  Nature is a big passion in Dunedin, but if you are looking for culture you can find it in nearby Tampa, a very large city with every kind of cultural resource.

Crime

Crime is below average in Dunedin.

Medical Facilities

Mease Hospital Dunedin is a 143-bed facility that has every major specialty. In 2009 the hospital was having a major expansion.   Mease Hospital won the Magnet Designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2008.  Other large hospitals are nearby.

Transportation

Nearby Tampa is a major transportation hub. That  airport is a just a short hop away with convenient flights about everywhere. A former trolley line is now an extremely popular walk/bike trail - it runs right through the center of town.  There is a town marina a block from downtown.

Valuable Links

Visit Dunedin

Florida retirement guide

6 Terrific Towns on the Water

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