Edinburgh on the Gulf
According to the Dunedin Scottish Arts Foundation, Scottish families settled the town in 1899. Two Scotsmen, J.O. Douglas and James Sumerville, named it Dunedin, the Gaelic form of Edinburgh, their home city. The name stuck, and so did the culture.
The pipes came later and by accident. When Dunedin Highland Junior High opened in 1957, a reporter named Bob Longstreet, later the town's mayor, had the idea of a school pipe band. A set of bagpipes arrived from Scotland, a newly arrived piper named Matt Forsythe offered lessons, and soon there were school bands and a city band. In 1964 Dunedin paired with Stirling, Scotland as a sister city, and Summerside on Prince Edward Island joined in 2000. The foundation puts it simply: a function in Dunedin is not complete without a piper.
The modern draw is beer. Dunedin Brewery has been brewing since 1996 and calls itself the oldest distributing microbrewery still operating in Florida, with a pub kitchen and a stage for live music on Douglas Avenue. Visit St. Pete Clearwater lists a string of others within walking distance, including HOB Brewing, Caledonia Brewing, 7venth Sun, Soggy Bottom, Cueni and Woodwright.
Between pints, the county guide points to Casa Tina for family run Mexican food, Eli's Bar B Que on Fridays and Saturdays only, Happy's Bayou Bites for Cajun plates under the oaks, and Strachan's Homemade Ice Cream for dessert. The Pinellas Trail runs right through downtown.
Market mornings and the causeway
The Dunedin Downtown Market sets up every Saturday all year and on Fridays from November through June, with produce and locally made goods. It took Best Market in the 2025 Best of St. Pete Clearwater awards.
West of downtown, the Dunedin Causeway runs out across St. Joseph Sound to Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island state parks, with people fishing, paddling and swimming along the way. Dunedin is in the FWC's Tampa Bay region, so snook here follow the regional slot of 28 to 33 inches, closed in winter and again in summer.
