Fort De Soto Park Reviews

First time here and it was great! Lots of areas to choose from. Easy access for people with disabilities and amazing view!

Peaceful and quiet - beautiful scenery. Shells, birds, nature. Picnic area, dog areas, bathrooms. $5.00 admission to park. .75 cents toll each way across bridge.

Happy to say that despite the hurricanes this beach is still going strong. There are multiple access points, and one has a little lunch place, gift shop and beach chair and umbrella rentals. They did not have a bath house for changing but had bathrooms.
The website says something about a bridge being out, but it’s either out of date or a small bridge that doesn’t affect beach access.
Take a few quarters if you’re coming, there’s a few tolls on the drive to the park.

This is a local hidden gem if you don’t like traffic and want plenty of parking and enjoy Crystal Clearwater at the beach this is the place for you. Parking is only six dollars for the entire day. The sand is not screened like other beaches, but it is just as fluffy powdery and has nice. You will see the occasional seashell this place is a local hidden gem

You can spend the entire day here. They have beaches, nature trails, a historical fort, and plenty to offer people of all ages. Everything was clean and well kept.

This is a beautiful natural spot, a nice quiet place to get away for the day. Beaches are beautiful, although the water was quite rough on the day we were there. Lots of space to spread out from other people on the multiple beaches and recreation areas available.

Just a few things to note. There are 2 tolls while going into the park, it doesn't seem like there is any avoiding these and they are both cash-less. Secondly you will want to bring food with you or plan to have eaten before arriving as there didn't appear to be much of anything available nearby the park.

Overall a nice place to visit and a bargain price at $5 for parking for the day.

We spent a few hours exploring the park. Walked both fishing piers (saw dolphins swimming along side both) and watched the fishermen and enjoyed the views. Took a self guided nature walk-saw lots of little lizards and lots of varieties of trees and plants (beware-there is a LOT of poison ivy, so stay on the trail!). There are beautiful beaches, kayak rentals, snack bars, etc.

We stopped at the northern beach first and were not impressed. I didn’t understand all of the hype. Then we stopped near the Gulf pier and were very thankful we did. The water was calm and clear. We saw multiple fish and even had a few manatees swim by a couple times. It got very crowded after lunch, so I’d recommend getting there early and you’ll have the whole place to yourself.

This park is so beautiful! It’s clean and well kept. The workers were so beyond helpful, they arranged to get us a large tire wheelchair that we could use to get our disabled family member it the ocean to swim. She had not been able to get into the ocean for 10 years !!
Everyone was wonderful.

This park is just beautiful has something for everyone you can spend the whole day here! The fishing is free and no licenses required on the piers great. The beach is amazing the store on the gulf pier the lady that works there was just the nicest and informational for us especially cause we are from Detroit and have fresh water fishing we knew nothing on saltwater fishing.. if driving a rental car the toll road to it may not have person in the change booth so make sure to just bring .75 cent cause it is now gonna cost us $5 through the rental car.i hope this helps someone.

Another great hide gem! I loved the 1000' pier on the bay side. I could not believe all the aquatic life. (Fish, manatee, dolphins, crabs, horseshoe crabs and schools of small fish) Loved walking through the Fort too.

We went to the north beach during the week in the summer and found it pleasant and not crowded (definitely didn't have the place to ourselves but had a good 10-30 feet between groups). Ate at the snack shop - hot dogs between $3.50-$5.00. Not fantastic, but decent and a good price. Tried snorkeling but the water was way too cloudy. Drove down to the fort and pier after the beach. Interesting to read about the fort, and enjoyed walking down the pier as well. Saw a couple of dolphins, schools of fish towards the top of the water, and birds checking out carts/bucket of people fishing off the pier. Great day.

We went for a ride to Fort De Soto Park on the advice of a few people we talked to. Beautiful beaches and a lot of nice picnic areas with tables and grills. A great place to ride your bike or just walk around. They have nice wide walking and biking trails, or just leisurely walk the beach. It does cost $5 to get into the park after you pay .75 to cross a bridge. Well worth the drive.

We love this park. Campgroud are perfect, bathroom super clean. The beach is 7 min from campground. I can’t wait to go back

Our dog was in heaven on the dog beach. A long stretch of sandy beach with plenty of space for blankets and chairs. Dogs of all sizes hanging out or chasing toys in the waves. We had not brought toys, as our dog often loses focus and lets floating toys float away, but I think he chased every toy that was thrown for another dog.

I would go at least weekly if I lived anywhere near here!

And there are also two sizeable fenced dog parks.

Map app led us to a boat launch first as the park entrance. Then we were directed to the park entrance itself. Then had to make a decision East Beach or North Beach. We had no idea. Then without much signage, we followed other cars and ended up at a fishing pier. Were directed further down the road. Drove for quite a distance before seeing signs for North Beach. Exited and walked down to the beach to find........about 2 feet wide and a bit dirty. Asked yet another person what in the heck we were doing wrong and were directed even further down to North Beach proper. Very wide beach indeed with access but infilled water sections with no cross over, so we waded through pools to get to the beach. All in search of shells. LOL Shelling was nice but unimpressive on the whole. Tide had gone out at 11 pm the night before so, inexperienced, we were hoping that arrival immediately in the morning might be productive. We picked up a few things but were confused. Talked to a local who said that he thinks this is the best beach around. Who knows?! It was nearly empty there when we went so early in the am but the parking lot was massive - no doubt this is a major hot spot!!! I was simply stunned by the size of the park itself, just make sure you know where you're going when you get there! The views are beautiful and open, and the beach sand is gorgeous!

The beaches are so extensive and beautiful you will have a wonderful time. Lots of parking, rest rooms and even a snack bar and gift shop. And a historic fort. It's a great place to spend an hour or a day. Clean and wonderfully maintained with a natural Florida look.

This park is a treasure for history, biking,kayaking ,beaches,camping and more. Just a $5.00 entrance fee and free to those with handicap plates. There were two snacks bars that had hot dogs,ice cream and other fare for reasonable rates. beachwear, flip flops and floaters. Great gift shop at the Fort and North beach. There are bike and kayak rentals at the park.
We stopped at the Fort then drove to the end and decided to picnic at North beach. If you cannot walk far do not park to the far left where the first two restrooms #3 are you will walk past the protected wetland then a haul to the shoreline.
Park in the middle near the North beach snack bar. There are plenty of restrooms and pinnacle pavilions with fire pits to cook on as well as trash barrels.
This park is immaculate. The north beach has clear shallow water perfect for toddlers to collect shells and splash around. Hard packed sand.
I went here because of prior reviews on this outstanding park. I will be back to explore this gem.

One of the best beaches in Florida .Affordable parking ( only $ 5 a day), spacious and clean bathrooms, places to grill barbecue, prestine beaches , historic site, dog beach .

What a beautiful place! We stopped with our dog for a picnic. The dog beach area is lovely and the fenced in area is extra large. There are many different use areas like a fishing pier, campground and historic fort. We will definitely return to camp and bike the trails.

Beautiful large state park with 2 beaches. The north beach is a much better beach. We wanted to snorkle and saw this had great reviews. It was easy to get to from Tampa. We found sand dollars and saw a bunch of fish. It had nice bike/walking trails and 2 places to grab food. It also had restrooms on both beaches with pavilions you can rent out. They pavilions are very large and have 2 grills on each site. The west beach had more seaweed and such. We packed sandwiches and drinks. Overall it was a great day

Very much enjoyed a morning at this park. The tide was out and many shore birds were about. There is a somewhat preserved fort with signage about the fort’s use in the Spanish-American war.

Beautiful white sand beaches, a fishing pier, historic fort and museum. It's a little bit out from St. Petersburg. On the day we were there, it was not crowded—perhaps because it is a little further from the city. There is also a concession stand where you can get lunch.

Visited Fort De Soto Dog Beach and Park with our 2 dogs. There is a fenced in area for dogs. We had our 2 yorkies run in the small dog area. From there it was on to the beach. The beach is very big and dogs are allowed free under voice command.

Being our dogs are very small, we kept them leashed and near us as the bigger dogs frequently roamed the area. We had no issues with other dogs. The beach is big enough where you can stay away from other dogs if needed.

There were other pet owners walking their small dogs unleashed with no issues. On two occasions, other small dogs roamed into our camp. We loved this beach and all it has to offer.

I was there for a short visit earlier this month. The fort was a little underwhelming. The walk on the pier was nice enough. Noting speial for me, but perhaps if I had more time I would have found more to do there.

The place is spotless and it is a huge park. The north beach is spectacular. The fort itself has some interesting displays and information. Drive into each of the park areas all have different views and activities. Youight even see dolphins and manatees ' look for the signs

We were VERY pleased with our experience at this beautiful park. We saw lots of birds and lucked out by being there when they were in a feeding frenzy. The beaches looked clean and well maintained. I look forward to returning to this park when we return to the area.

My husband and I took our 5 month old Great Dane puppy to the Fort De Soto Dog Beach to get her some exercise and to help socialize her with other dogs. There were signs all over that said dogs had to be on a leash, so we kept her on a leash. As I was walking her along the water there were dogs ALL OVER running free. Dogs were coming up to her and jumping on her and humping her and knocking her to the ground. I was yelling no and get off and get away and for owners to come and get their f*cking dogs. No one seemed to care that there was a mob of dogs swarming my puppy and that she was scared and trying to hide behind me to get away from all these loose dogs! She is large, about 60 lbs., but she was obviously not enjoying herself. Plus there was poop everywhere. The irresponsible and awful dog owners made this a terrible day for us, and we will never go back there.

It cost $5 per. car to get in the park. The beaches were great. We found several sand dollars. The picnic area was clean and had covered tables. The bathrooms were clean. Had a great day

I have been to MULTITUDES of beaches in florida... almost all of them..and this one takes the cake. 5 dollars to get in. Stop and check out the fort it's super cool and eerie. The gift shop has a very nice selection. The french fries are A+ at the snack shack and they have vegetarian options. Then make your way to North Beach. The water is SO GENTLE no big waves and the water is shallow. You can go VERY far out and still be at your knees. Everytime I go I find multitudes of sand dollars. I've also found a starfish and a GIANT conch shell. You can walk for all of eternity down the beach it just keeps going and if you get there early in the morning you will be the only person there and can scream out into the abyss. The facilities there are some of the nicer beach bathrooms I've been to. They also have covered picnic pavilions with grills and feet wash off stations. You can tell that everything is really taken care of. I will continue to keep coming back here time and time again. Great for the whole family. Every time I dont want to leave and it's where I bring my friends and family when they come to visit.

We love this beach. White powder sand and clear bluegreen water. The quick service restaurant has decent food and snow cones. There are restrooms and outdoor showers. Lots of parking.

Well, there are 4 of such canons in the park. The other ones are in the Philipines apparently.

Very instructive to visit such forts that protected the USA during the Spanish war.

A must do visit if you are in the region.

I spent a beautiful day here with my friends and family. There is plenty of parking, clean bathrooms, a store and a nice snack bar. The beach is clean and well kept and the water is clear and clean. We hope to return here when we visit the area.

Driving down the coast of Florida, kept going until we ended up at Fort De Soto Park. Nice park with a history going back to the Spanish American War. Very interesting and way out in the Gulf.

On Easter Sunday, this park was very popular. Luckily, we got there fairly early in the morning, so we didn't have to wait in line much to get into the park (the line was miles long when we left.) Once in the park, we turned right and went to the farthest north parking area. Passing the picnickers and sunbathers, the beach to the north was relatively uncrowded, and we had a great time walking and looking at shells, birds, mangroves, etc. Coming back, we went along the back side of the peninsula, away from the oceanfront - calmer water, and more wildlife to be viewed. Note that it was necessary to wade a shallow spot to get out to the beach, even at low tide - be prepared!
The Fort itself was a fun stop as well. You can climb up onto the top of the embankment for a great view, or stroll along at ground level to see the guns and a gallery of photographs and drawings.

We rode 12 miles today. The bike trails are excellent and run the entire length of the park. Beaches are easily accessible and clean. Park is beautiful.

I loved this beach and think its one of the nest in the bay area. There iss plenty of real estate on the beach to find areas to set up and relax at. Its also a very short walk from the parking lot to the actual beach. I say a lot of families bring their grills and items to hang out all day. Be sure to brimg food to eat as its really no vendors/food trucks on the beach. There is a sandbar you can walk out on which is pretty cool. The water is warm and clear.there are all types of sand dollars and seashells you can find here too.

The park is five islands on the Gulf of Mexico, covers over 1,100 acres. Beautiful white sand, things to do: swim, fish, kayaking, dog beach, hiking, biking. Named after Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1900. The fort is on Mullet Key and the lighthouse on Egmont Key.

This is our favorite beach to visit in the area. It is not crowded like many of the Gulf Coast beaches. You will see plenty of wildlife and possibly a Manatee. It will cost you $5 to enter the park to park for the entire day. We enjoy the peace and quiet at the Fort DeSoto.

Fun trails, park and picnic areas. The Fort is a site to see - my boys lived exploring all the rooms and dont forget a walk down the pier and some ice cream to top it all off!

A historic site of Fort De Soto with great views of the bay and beach access. There are displays and signs informing of the historic fort built in the 1890s. A nice relaxing spot to enjoy the beach and history of Tampa Bay. Lots of parking and there is a $5 entry fee and $1 for the toll bridge. There is also a snack bar at the Fort and parking lot.

My wife and I did not know what to expect. We finished our kayak tour and saw this park on the map. We wished we had more time, and we really wished we had brought a picnic lunch. Phila Deli was on the way, so we could have easily made it happen.

The park is a combination of marsh, tidal flats, palm trees and coastal beach. As a birder, you can find warblers and small land birds in the thick brush and palms. As you drive along the coast, there are plenty of tidal flats that have shorebirds. I could have spent hours just birding this park.

The pier was under construction, so we could not walk out there. Still, there was plenty of other places to park and enjoy the beach.

Very clean and great views. Lots to explore. Very friendly dog park. Great play areas. Easy parking and not so crowded that you feel overwhelmed

Six miles of beaches and an old fort with lots of cannons. What more could a family with kids ask? Bring cash because there are tolls to and from the fort.

This is a fantastic place to visit. The beaches are beautiful and the view from the Fort is awesome. We walked the pier and enjoyed seeing manatees and dolphin. We entered the water and had a manatee about 6 ft. in front of us. We were able to video several manatees. This was definitely a bucket list item for me!

Great huge camp site on the dog side if u have a 30 ft camper or bigger . The site are clean and big . The wash house are cleaned and cleaned daily .the lil store has lots of things from ice cream 😋. To different snacks to different food
To they cook burgers hot dogs 🌭. The staff is very helpful and friendly. The fort is a great place to see and swim at the fort pier side . No one there also the north end , u can go island hopping and get lots lots of shells . Stay till 630/7 to see the beautiful sun sets . The only issues is the no siems are bad , if theres no breezes there in the campsites ... just some advice put baby oil on the legs and arms they can not bite you then . 🤗

This park and it's beaches are a gem! So different from the crowded commercialism at the other St. Pete beaches. Plenty of parking for $5 a day, restrooms, picnic shelters and lots of handicap facilities. Beautiful white sand and turquoise water, not to mention all the shells. So glad we found this!!

I love this whole area! You can bike, kayak and enjoy the beach!
This is a peaceful beach! They have places to eat and you can rent the beach chairs and umbrellas

A must if in the area. Beautiful beach. Plenty of parking. Would recommend driving down to north beach for parking, then you can wade over to shell island which was beautiful and fun. Bring a picnic and $5.00 to get in. Plan to spend the day.

We were excited to visit this park, the actual beach is nice and the water is very calm and clear. We were sitting tanning and suddenly started feeling little black bugs stinging us. Not sure if they were sand fleas?. They continued to sting us so we packed up. Walking through the grass to our car we were swarmed by mosquitoes, I mean all over us. We tried to use the outside shower to get them off but there were so many of them! My daughter was hysterical crying they were biting her her legs, back even her face. We had to run to the car!! The beauty of this park is not worth the bug issues!! It’s terrible

Relaxing beach. Ample space for everyone. Powder like sand at your feet only second to Siesta Key/ Sarasota. Clean overall.

Only con was in the north end beach there was water that likely became trapped from the tide and made getting to/ returning to parking lit a bit of a task. Did not go above knee high in most place but be prepared to get wet

The attraction is North beach! We were there on a Saturday and it was not crowded. The parking lot for North beach is huge and when we saw the beach we knew why. Extremely fine beautiful white sand and the beach is literally over 100 yards wide and very long. The shelling is so good because of a number of shallow sandbars that break the surf. We found a huge variety of shells and lots of sand dollars in about a foot of water between the sandbars. This is a great beach for kids as the sandbars make a lot of shallow, warm pools. Beyond the sandbars the swimming is very nice. Very gradually sloping sandy bottom. There are fairly clean bathrooms and showers.
Old Fort DeSoto is also on the site. It was built of concrete in 1894 for the Spanish American war and is not a very interesting structure. There are some old huge mortar emplacements and some other heavy giuns on display. You can walk on the top front wall of the fort for a nice view and the parapet has a ramp on the South end for the handicapped. There is a small museum that we did not visit because we ran out of time.There is also a snack bar that is open till 5. Admission is $5 per vehicle and can be paid at the entrance booth or at an automatic kiosk.
There is also a really nice campground that we are told is nearly impossible to get into.

Wonderful beach, not crowded. water was mostly calm, and you could go far before it got deep. we saw little crabs in shells, and a SEA HORSE!!!!! white sandy beach, and the sunset was amazing! worth the $5 entrance fee.

We've been to Fort Desoto at least half a dozen times and always more to explore. This trip it was a sunset over the Lighthouse at Egmont Key, just a few miles offshore and then back in the morning for sunrise over the Sunshine Skyway. Fishing, Beaches, Kayaking and more make this one of our favorite FL State Parks. Location, Location, Location.

We stopped by to see what was out there and were pleasantly surprised. Great area there’s a beach for people only, a beach allowing dogs and a beach for walking only due to strong currents. There’s a ferry ride to Egmont Key and there’s an enclosed area for dogs to run. We enjoyed the walk out into the pier and gift shop. The walked around the fort and a terrific gift shoot and snack bar. There’s a campground on the premises. Highly recommended.

I love this place and so do my dogs! There are 2 dog parks available, a dog walking trail and the dog friendly beach. Pack a picnic and enjoy! The place has grills too. Explore this historic fort with your pooch too! The price of admission is a couple tolls and $5 to park. This is the best bang for your buck in Florida!

We went to North Beach the white sand was beautiful and the water is a tropical blue green color. Very clean area and has restrooms and small snack bar.

This is not the easiest place to get to unless you have a car but well worth the trip! Several beach areas, many trails, outdoor activities including bicycle rentals, kayaking etc. Also has a dog friendly beach. The $5 day rate to get in is a bargain.

Fort De Soto Park is a pleasant drive about 40 minutes from Madeira Beach. It is $5/car to get in, an absolute bargain. My wife and I spent a lovely day there. There is much to do: visit the fort, camp, picnic, fish and of course there are the beautiful white sand beaches. We spent alot of time combing the beach between the gift shop and gulf pier. My wife loves to search for shells. We were surprised to find many banded tulip welks in the sand, as well as other shells. The were beautiful but unfortunately (for us) almost all were alive. We never knowingly take live shells so were very happy to find a couple of empty ones. Other people told us it is not unusual for large quantities of live shells to wash up there. Previous weeks included starfish and sand dollars. We picniced and walked every beach the park offered. We ended our day by the East Beach which offers a view of Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Fort De Soto is a beautiful park and a Great way to spend your day.

This place is well worth the visit if you want to get away from everything, places to barbecue, picnic, tour round the fort and looks like a nice beach with a pier for fishing. You would need to take all your provisions for the day as the only shop we found closed at 1pm. There are facilities, bathrooms etc. The for itself is quite interesting, we walked down the pier, lots of people fishing so may be a good area, can also see the big boats coming out of the port. It was very quiet when we went and had the place more or less to ourselves

Staying in camp, clean, spaces decent size & fairly private. Short bike ride to beaches, piers, park. Paved wide bike trails. Quiet (though here during weekdays). From the size of beach parking lots & huge boat ramps, I expect on weekends this is a very popular park.

Beautiful sunrise, beautiful white sand beach. I cannot wait to visit again. Do yourself a favour and get there for the sunrise.

Only the most beautiful beach I have ever visited! Natural beauty and peaceful spots to get away from it all! Only $5 for a day pass! You can rent umbrellas and chairs if you want. Very nice bathroom and showers. Don’t miss out!

Has always been our favourite beach when visiting. This was our first time visiting since COVID. I can’t believe how much more beach has been reclaimed. We are seniors and gave up after walking out half way to the north beach. It would be nice if they had a drop off lane for seniors

I've been to this place twice now. Its a great way to spend a day with soft sand beaches with warm gulf waters largely unspoiled. There are simple beach services there such as grills and gift shops. Additionally there are other activities like Kayaks for rent and the historic fort. The park also has options for camping.

We had a beautiful day at Fort DeSoto. We started off the day kayaking with manatee, then we went to the beautiful north beach for shelling and swimming. We walked through the forts, visited the gift shops and saw sting rays off the fishing pier. It costs $5.00 per car and I recommend getting there by 10 am . Bring a sun umbrella or rent one if spending the day at the beach. There are covered picnic areas, bathrooms and concessions . Even a “busy” day isn’t as crowded as most public beaches. North beach has a sand bar with soft, white sand. You can find whole sand dollars and some pretty shells. If we had more time we would have biked the paved path. You’ll be glad you visited here! If you are lucky enough to see manatee, please respect their space and enjoy by viewing them only!

My sons and I toured the park with REMI’S Segway adventures. With plenty of parking and breathtaking views this park would be a great day of fishing, swimming, biking or all of the above and more for the whole family. The facilities here are nice and there are several large pavilions for big get togethers. If your in the area and looking for something to do, stop in and check this park out!

We love visiting this park! The beach is the nicest in the area. Especially for young children. When I’m in Clearwater beach i always feel like my kids are bugging our neighbors because it is so crowded. Here is spread out and water can be both calm and rough- plan ahead. Also after lots of rain North Beach can have lots of mosquitoes. Come for a full day and grill out in the pavilions and stay for sunset!!!

If you like natural beaches, this is the place to go for a daytrip. Just a short drive from anywhere in the St. Pete area.

Wish we had had more time to explore as there is so much to do and see here, even with the heat. And if you like camping, they have beautiful and private campsites, nearly all backing up to the water. Beaches are lovely and were uncrowded on our visit, pier was terrific - we saw a variety of shore birds, an "aggregation" of manatees which swam right up to some guys fishing, a dolphin and a porpoise... Plenty of places for a cookout, a fort to explore, and lovely grounds to get a good walk in. We'll be back next time we're in the area!

2 nd trip there will make it an annual event amazing beaches and trails for all to share and the beautiful scenery is breathtaking

One of my favourite parks in the world
Beautifully kept beaches and land.
Great car parking.
Lovely bbq areas

Highly recommend

My wife enjoys shelling but we havent gone in a LONG time. We last went to Fort Desoto a couple years back and got some really great shells and sand dollars.

We went this week and got there around 9:30 am. The park costs $6.00 for parking and offers numerous kiosks to pay. Bring plastic as it doesn't take cash.

We went to the north end. As we walked to the beach there was a nasty smell that I did not know if it was dead fish, garbage or whatever, but as we got to the beach the smell went away.

It was low tide so we began to shell. I was disappointed not to find and sand dollars but some kid found some cool looking welks that were still alive so they couldnt be kept.

We than sat on out chairs and got sun as we saw the tourists roll in and the beach get busy-not crowded, but not the quiet we had at the start.

We didn't get any good shells but we got some sun and a relaxing time on the beach.

Beautiful place! Super quiet, for those who like fishing the pier is a great place. You only pay $5 for parking. Good structure for the bathroom. But it's ideal for those who are spending the day to take something to eat and drink.

Traveled to St. Pete for vacation in the middle of June. Decided to travel over to Fort De Soto Park and spend the day as we had read that it was a good place to go with young children. We were not disappointed other than the rain(not their fault). There is a fee to get in but it's very low and well worth it. There are multiple piers to walk out on. The fort is a cool place to visit and kill an hour. A tip: Go on top of the fort for some really great photo spots. Near the fort is a shop/snack bar. It was somewhat overpriced but we didn't eat there so I can't comment on the food quality. The highlight for the park is the tidal pool beach. It's absolutely perfect for young children. Near the parking lot was a cool boat shaped playground. As we walked to the beach noticed that it was not crowded at all. Plenty of space to spread out and not have someone on top of you. It's tidal pool is shallow no matter where the tide is, there are no waves and if you are one to worry about the marine life there is little chance of a problem here. If you do want the full ocean then you just walk out past the tidal pool and you get the full waves and also some really good shelling. Collected some conch shells that measured almost 2ft long. We collected some good shells and sand dollars also at this beach but you had to swim out some and dive down for them. Our older kids had a blast getting shells. I read the park also has great kayaking and canoeing but we did not have time to partake. They have a beach on the other end of the island but we didn't visit it so can't say how nice it is. There is a campground in the park for tents or campers so it would be a great place to camp and have access to the beach. All in all, I recommend this place for anyone staying in the area and wanting an awesome day away from the usual busy beach crowds.

We saw the fort it nice then. And then we walked the beach very pretty lots of shells nice day to be out there. Then we walked the trails. U can see the skyway bridge got a good picture of that. It cost 5 but worth it.

There are many amenities at the park, such as beach, fort, dog park. Visited the actual fort area and was disappointed that there wasn't a museum.

Great visit with our 12 & 4 yo. We liked it so much we came back the next day and rented bikes. Several bbq areas, beaches, playgrounds, & piers. Get there early cause they close at sunset (about 6p in January). Kayak rentals available but if you are looking to get to shell key, check out the boat launch before the park instead.

I have lived an hour away from the park for 5 years and went for the first time last week, out of curiosity. Was I impressed! It is huge and has something for everyone who likes being outdoors in Florida. I won't list all of the things to do but it is extensive and easy to access. Will go back and will bring my bike this time. Enjoy.

Just can’t beat the beaches here, great parking , good facilities etc, always head here. Many happy days spent here, watching the coming and going of boats etc. Great place to walk and watch.

Love this park. Nice history and beaches are as good as anywhere in the Tampa area. Can rent kayaks and bikes. Lots of walking trails. The nature here is great also. Always find sand dollars. This time the seagulls were diving into the water to catch fish. Cost is $5 per day

Fort De Soto is a favorite place to take visiting friends or spend time on my own. The fort is interesting, the views are great, the ice cream is yummy but bike riding is my favorite.

Great bike trails and even a round about at one end of the park Trails well kept and clearly defined.

Great public park to enjoy the beach. Plenty of space and parking. Two piers for fishing with lots of bait fish in the water. Saw some guys pulling Spanish Mackerel from the water. The North Beach has a small channel that you can cross to an island that is exposed on lower tides. A great place to find shells and sand dollars. One of the nicest beaches for us in the area. Also has a ferry to Egmont Key. That was also a great day trip. 5 dollars for parking.

Parked for a few minutes to see if we wanted to enjoy an area of the park. Walked back to the car a few minutes later and found a parking citation. I think we were being stalked by park rangers with nothing better to do. Beware. Ruined my whole day. This review is from an honest person just trying to give my senior citizen mom a fun weekend near the beach. I would have gladly paid for parking once we decided on a spot. Mean people suck. I hope that ranger loses sleep over his pathetic job.

Fort De Soto Park is amazing. It offers something for everyone whether you are there camping or simply for the day. The beaches are amazing with TONS and TONS of parking. Great cycling, paddling, walking, exploring, fishing, kiting, or anything you want to do. It can get busy in season but the area is designed to accommodate the crowds except for the one lane road to and from so plan your visit according to your threshold for traffic and crowds.

I'm a Florida local from Sarasota and have visited many times but never to camp. We came with a small travel trailer and were lucky enough to get a site right on the water as many are which by itself is rare. Great weekend and honestly one of the nicest parks I have ever been to.

Its great that possibly the most valuable real estate in all of Florida's Gulf Coast was reserved for a county park in lieu of private condos and resorts. The park has a no alcohol policy which honestly is fine. Being such an urban destination I could imagine things getting way out of hand there to the detriment of more chill folks without the ban. Even though I like a cocktail as much as the next guy, i'll take the pleasant environment over the beer any day.

Thanks Pinellas Parks for such a great place for locals and guests to visit.

My husband and I enjoy historical sights, coastal life, and beautiful beaches. . . Fort De Soto has them all. We walked around the Fort, Pier, and the shoreline. Very relaxing atmosphere. This time of year, there is a slight breeze, that the staff states, kept the bugs away.

We enjoyed the day at the park. We were getting ready to leave and decide to finish the drive and we were glad we did. There were many kitesurfing. Doing flips and twist. It was pretty awesome watching and wondering how they didn't get tangled together. I would recommend eating before you enter park as the concessions are very expensive. 5.00 for a hotdog.

We spent a week in the area and our host recommended that we try the North beach at Ft De Soto. So glad we did! This is the nicest beach we’ve been to; sand is pure white and didn’t get hot. Water is crystal clear. Lifeguards every day we were there. Snack bar and bathrooms. Parking is one low fee (5.00) for the entire day. We also kayaked on the inlet side- very nice. No craziness like at St Pete’s and no astronomical parking fees. Our new fav beach in Fla and we’ve been to many including Siesta Key, Boca Grande, and all beaches south of there.

Went to the beach and it is beautiful white sand and very pristine. Some have mentioned parking issues but we found parking very easy to navigate on the park mobile app. This is the same app you would use to park in most of St. Petersburg. Beautiful place, not crowded what more could you ask for.

Absolutely one of the nicest parks and campgrounds in Florida, huge area and plenty of various campsites. With that being the positive, the NEGATIVE is the people. Starting with the Camp Store personnel, curt and "don't waste my time with questions" attitude. Then the Camp Hosts, which I thought should be friendly, right? NOT, grumpy, never smile and seemingly don't want to be here. I smile and say good morning, 4 of them at different times just stared and continued saying NOTHING,What a way to lose your job if I were their boss!

Excellent place to see the Gulf of Mexico, and enjoy the beaches.
Bike trails, beaches, history.
There's a dog beach, and ferry to a couple of keys.

Great please to hike, swim and find shells. The fort was very cool. The kids loved exploring & playing

We visited this park for the history and the sea life. We made the trip from Clearwater, FL and the traffic was not bad except waiting in line to get inside the park was rather long. ( There is a $5 fee to enter into the park.) Once inside we proceeded to the Fort. The Fort is not as large as we thought it would be, however there was a lot of very cool pictures and maps from older Fort De Soto days. Once we had finished visiting the fort, we headed to the beach for a picnic. The water was very calm and the sea life was abundant. We saw starfish, blue crabs, stone crabs, and fish. The beach was the best part for our children, they loved finding all the sea life in the water. It is a great beach for a day trip, especially if you have children who love to explore!

Easy walk. Shaded back trails by the water. Took my dog to the dog beach. Also walked to the farthest pier.

Nice fort from 1900 with a couple guns and fortified munitions storage. There was also a trail to see the locations of the former buildings with pictures at each location but it was very poorly marked as to it’s start (park and start near the small historical building at the beginning of the parking lot). There is a campground (didn’t visit) and many beaches with lot of parking, bathrooms and picnic tables. Parking is $5. If you’re lucky, you may find a sand dollar in tact. Would have been a nice spot for a sunset but the storm offshore had other plans.

The beach at Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida was a wonderful find! I think this just might become my favorite beach. Especially when the grand kids are visiting. It's a great place to spend the entire day.

I was first impressed by the huge parking lot....not the norm for other beaches I've seen in the area. Then, the sands go on for ever providing lots of space to spread out and walk.

Add to that the dunes, vegetation, and sand bar complete with a shallow channel with a slow current for kids to float and swim in without danger of rip tide etc and you've got a winner!

It's also well known for its abundance of sand dollars which seems to be a favorite past time for folks of all ages. They have shade pavilions with picnic tables and I believe I saw some charcoal grills. They have a bath house and and easy walk to the food shack which has a small menu of burgers & dogs but adequate if you didn't pack your own lunch.
All in all this place is a winner and I'll be back frequently....the $5 entry fee to the park is well worth it.

Dog friendly beach with a lots of friendly dogs. The fort is a massive memorial to forgotten wars. The pier is a great place for watching the sunset!

Nice park with the fort, museum, bike paths, beach, etc. We had a nice time visiting, and we're surprised at how much there was to do.

We came here for the dog beach and had an enjoyable time. The beach was not crowded and everyone appeared to be practicing appropriate social distancing. Dogs all appeared to be having a great time with each other.

What a wonderful area with beaches, trails and a little history. Plenty of restrooms around. A few snack shops. Saw dolphins, manatees and plenty of birds. Bring your swimsuit and hiking shoes.

We drove to the park on a chillier day to find some outdoor excursions. They had bike rentals for a nice 6-7 mile loop. We also hiked around the museum and fort area as well as walked along the beaches. Since it was too cold to be in the water, the park was very empty so we had no problem social distancing. We did not bring a picnic, but there were many beautiful areas with table where we could have brought a lunch. We will visit again, and only $5.00 to enter the park. Super inexpensive activity.

We only had an hour to visit so it was a quick drive through with a couple of photo op stops. $5 to enter. The park is quite large and appears to have trails, lots of picnic shelters, and each of the beaches we saw had a place to get info about the park, a snack, and bathrooms. The bathrooms were pretty typical of outdoor parks with grates in the floors around the entire perimeter so they could be hosed out. They were clean. We didn't go into any of the service buildings so can't comment on their contents. The beach access points are well maintained with walkways constructed of trex and lobster wire. The beaches are beautiful. The fort itself is a low concrete bunker that reminded me of Ft Monroe in Virginia. Wish we had time to get in the water. Next time, Fort DeSoto!

This place is great for the beach scene. While walking on the pier we saw over 10 dolphins swimming in the water. It's great for snorkeling and just relaxing.

this is a little out of the way, but very easy to get to. Well kept park, nice beaches to walk on and just to relax. Hiking and bike trails, also. There are a couple of piers to walk out on and even fish off of. The fort is interesting, also. There is a museum and gift shop. Very nice all around place to go.

We enjoyed North Beach at Fort DeSoto Park. It was quiet and we found some nice shells. The store/snack bar at North Beach were closed this time of year.

If you want the best shells and sand dollars park at the north beach as far north as possible. Try to arrive an hour or so before low tide. If you can go right after a storm it is even better. Winter months from October to March at best shelling months. Bring a shell bag and if you go early in the morning or late afternoon use a little bug spray to be safe. Remember the best shelling is in the worst weather so look for cold stormy days and be early. My best shelling is to the north of north beach but during peak shell periods you can find shells in both directions. Sand dollars are partially buried a lot of times and you will find more sand dollars early during the day before other beach combers some along. You won’t find whole sand dollars on stormy days as easy as calmer days with low tide. If beach trash bugs you then please be a great citizen and pick up some trash during your hunt for shells. Trust me you will see some but this is still a beautiful beach with some great shelling in the winter months and decent shelling even in summer months. The larger shells move to shallow water once temps drop and to mate and lay eggs. Most mollusks do not like it when the water is too warm so that is why winter is better . We also get better storms during the winter and less traffic on the beach so that helps as well. Please do not leave trash on the beach and please do not take shells with love snails or hermit crabs in them. When hunting sand dollars do not take live ones. A live sand dollar will have tiny fingers or feet on the bottoms that feel like a fuzz. You can feel them move. They will be brown or green and sometimes a maroon color. Don’t kill them or other critters please. If you see horseshoe crabs flipped upside down please return them to correct position. FWC has a survey and would love to know about sightings of breeding horseshoe crabs should you see any. Please try not to disturb the shore birds. Often they fly long distances and they need to conserve and rebuild energy. Shell collecting is not about how many you collect please do not over harvest shells especially snails . The hermit crabs re use empty snail shells so leave some for the native inhabitants . This park also has other things than shell hunting. You can reserve picnic areas for small groups or large gatherings. Lots of cool hiking trails and kayaking trails to explore with great birds fish and often manatee. They have a dog park for Fido that is great. It costs five bucks to park so this place is a true bargain. No alcohol allowed and they also have boat ride concessions to Anclote key and shell key.

We took a tour of this park led by a friend. Lovely beaches. Remote. History interesting. Some resources for families, etc. There is a toll entry.

I went their today for a day at the north beach. I don't know what's going on but they whad several orange cones, yellow taped off area where the park workers ride their vehicles it's like a road for them on the outskirts of the beach. No signs saying what's going on, however you will never see beautifull emerald green waters except at Destin, Fl. The beach is clean, people are friendly and courteous, showers etc. If all that crime scene tape and bright orange cones I would give this beach a 5 star review.

We came on a really windy day but the beach was beautiful. My daughter and I walked as far as we could north and swam across the little channel to make a complete circle to the walking path. We enjoyed the different shells scattered across the beach and brought a few home. The tide was going out so we were able to see the the channels almost dry out and walk across dry with our wagon.

Avoid or bring lots of $$$$ to pay for nickel and dime fees or fines. This is my first and last time at this park. My money and time can be well spent else where.

Amazing beach- easy to park and walk to beach- lots of area- feels like your own private beach. Beautiful scenery
Old fort building a bonus

We parked at North beach and walked for over an hour before turning around. This park is beautiful and great shelling. We were lucky to find a few good ones. We went down to visit the Fort and walked on the pier. They have a nice path to walk and see the old housing that once was there. The weather was a little cooler so we did not swim but it looked like it would nice. A lot of tide pools and sand bars.

Took the grandkids to walk the beaches and they found lots of shells which was a highlight for them.

We love this calm beach. We have often seen a fair amount of wildlife: birds, fish and dolphins. The crowd is very family friendly without teens and 20s checking each other out. Modest bathing suits, not that anyone is looking. Nice distraction of the historic fort. Convenient ice cream, snack bar, gift shops that are not in your face nor spoil the natural landscape. Clear water. The bathrooms vary greatly in size, some tiny, some large. Some have outdoor showers, one has indoor showers. The only negative is a silly one - it is far to get to. Being on a peninsula it takes time once you are in St. Pete to get to the park and once headed for the park, the driveway in is miles long. It gets lots of people but not crowded.

We are blessed to LIVE on Tierra Verde and have this treasure beach 5 minutes away....so some answers below wont be accurate...
No wonder the lines to the island coming and leaving are notoriously long....well worth the wait....on the weekends and holidays.Currently we have our nostalgic draw bridge that opens on the half hout and hour only when a boat needs to go thru... we also have the construction of the new fixed span bridge going on...plus a new hotel under construction...none of this stops visitors to the island...

First time visiting Fort DeSoto. Loved it. Beautiful weather that day as well. Beautiful beach, interesting history there with the forts and canons as well. Lots of wildlife too.

Today’s adventure took us to Fort DeSoto beach. This park located in Pinellas County South/Southwest of St. Petersburg.

Cost is $5.00 per car. Parking is plentiful. It has 3 miles of pure white sand beaches - two swimming areas, concession stands and restrooms. The park also has its own dog beach.

You can camp here, kayak, fish off the piers, bike/hike the nature trails. It also has the Fort plus museum.

We saw a manatee in the wild, searched for sand dollars, and swam in the calm waters.

This is one beach where you have to GET THERE EARLY. The sheriffs were closing the entire area due to “full capacity” around 3pm.

We live in Florida but today was our first time here. It didn’t disappoint! It had a manatee, sand bars, sand dollars…. We will be back!

Came to the park to do Remi's Segway. While waiting for that, we rented some kayaks and saw several manatees floating around. Saw a sting ray while closer to the open water areas. Price was reasonable about 25.00 for an hour which was good enough to see everything. No need to reserve they had plenty of kayaks.

Absolutely Beautiful, easy to get to and not crowded. The shells are amazing just love this place and will be back next year. Would highly recommend.

We went to visit the park and go to the beach. It is in the shadow of the sunshine skyway bridge, it was a Saturday and there were less than 10 people on the entire beach, almost all mine!
The facility is well maintained and the bathrooms are clean and grills are available for use, I would recommend a visit for someone looking for a beach day and not be in crowded space. While it wasn’t the most beautiful sandy white beach space it was perfectly beautiful and the solitude speaks volumes for me!

Great park!! Lots of history. Saw birds, dolphins, shells. Good hiking. Saw lots of dogs. Beautiful day to be outside to see nature

Your $ 5 entry fee includes a beautiful park. There are miles of beaches and several fishing piers. Driving around the park feels like you're in a beautiful isolated part of Florida since there are not hotels, big buildings, jet skis or other distractions. The gift shops / snack bars looked closed due to COVID, but the restrooms were available and the piers were open. There is a small fort and a museum but we did not explore - just too hot in August.
If you want to go to the beach, this is a low cost option. $ 5 park entry fee covers your parking at least during the COVID times. There is also a small SunPass toll on the road leading to the park - maybe $ 1.00.

Visited here on a weekday when it was fairly quiet, we were lucky to see manatees swimming in the beach by the fort. The beaches were white sand and the sea beautiful clear and warm, with the palm trees waving in the breeze it really was peaceful and beautiful. Parking was easy and the restrooms clean. Ice creams at the shop were very tasty. Excellent value for the $5 entrance fee

North Beach has beautiful white powdery sand that felt nice to walk on. Water was warm and although a little cloudy was a beautiful blue / green color and you can see the bottom. There is plenty of parking. Saw a manatee while walking on one of the piers!

We decided to stop by Fort DeSoto and North Beach. The fort was interesting but the beach was amazing. We went on a Friday morning and North beach was so quiet. We had tons of fun just walking the beach, shelling and swimming in the ocean. We found shells, sand dollars and lots of live crabs and critters. It was a beautiful morning stop. We will likely go back a second time this trip. We had ice cream at the snack shop and bought netted shelling bags at the gift shop. All in all, a wonderful way to spend a morning.

The Fort was interesting, if your a history buff. The beaches around the park were gorgeous and not very crowded (it was October after all). Would definitely go again when I had more time to stay.

A nice place to visit. Great picnic areas, beautiful beach and some of the best shells. I could hardly get enough! Hope to go back again.

Came here after the shuttle ferry to Shell Island was canceled. It was a wonderful day. North beach was really nice and good shelling. Lots of birds and wildlife. And good, clean restrooms.

We checked out the camping area and walked on the beach. The historical impact of Fort Desoto was interesting to learn. Always fun to visit here.

Wait for the weirdness….

As a history lover, Fort De Soto was a super exciting attraction while living in St. Petersburg. The site has an incredible half-sunken lookout, as well as cannons, bunkers and detailed informational plaques explaining the history of the 200-year old fort. The attraction also has a gift shop, and snack bar for tourists and anyone exploring the site. Fort De Soto park has beautiful, crystal-clear water and a plethora of shells for collecting… however….

During a walk along the beach, i noticed a very off-putting odor coming from the water. There was a great deal of decaying-sponge sea life baking in the sun that beach-goers need to be careful to step around, and definitely avoid when laying down a towel. WORST PART ….. these fist-sized pieces of meaty flesh had washed up on shore. It took me a while to figure out what they might be, but when I realized that they were rotting pig feet, I decided I definitely didn’t want to swim in the water. Bummer. Not sure if it was shark bait had made it to shore but regardless… it’s reason enough to find a new beach. 👎🏼

History = 5 stars
Beach = 1 star (maybe)

This place and just wow. We came during the week and there were few people. You have to go to the North beach which is very wild with sand worthy of the Caribbean. The animal fauna is also impressive with many herons and other birds. Near the pier we were able to see dolphins! Gorgeous

So sad to see plastic litter at the beach, it really was messier than at the crowded beaches in the St Pete Beach area. We arrived at the north beach at high tide, and it was really nasty to walk through muddy still brownish water from the parking lot to the beach.

A nice day trip, but won’t go there again.

Great place to go to the beach, only miles from some of the busy beaches brings you to a long section of gulf beach, not as crowded and plenty of services. Picnic tables, grills, restrooms, snack bars and plenty of parking. The Fort is worth a half hour walk, but you can spend the day on the beach, at the fishing piers, or biking or hiking. There is a $5 parking charge, but well worth it.

The sand at the beach is sugar .The water is only so so and even murkey at some times This is a great strolling beach but not a swimmers beach

My family and friends from the area that we were visiting stopped at this beach for the day and enjoyed the atmosphere and very clean water and beach. This Park is actually very big and a real nice place to spend the day. There is also a place to get food, drinks, and other things you may need for the day.

Fort Desoto is a gem. Lots of beautiful beaches to choose from. The fee of $5.00 is so reasonable, especially if spending the day at the park. Lots to see (the Fort, for one thing) and do.

Took the kids here to see if we could find some treasures in the water. The lady at the front gate told us where to head into the water to find some. We were lucky enough to find sand dollars and we even enjoyed a quick tour of the fort on our way to the beach.

This wasn't for us. Not much to see, we would rather walk the beach at the resort. Parking is $5. There is a nice paved trail for biking/roller blade/etc.

Paradise! We made a trip to Fort De Soto to check it out for camping. It was everything we wanted.....Amazing foliage, great bike and walking trails, lovely campsites., Fishing, canoe rental, a friendly and helpful staff. Historical site And acres to explore! We have reserved our campsite for May....I can hardly wait!

Beautiful white sand beaches, lots of areas to launch kayaks, fishing, ferries available to islands. Ample parking and only $5 entry fee. Nice to have baths, showers and snack bars at the beach. Also enjoyed having the option to rent bikes, lounge chairs and umbrellas on site.

A little bit of everything here. Fishing pier, historic fort, lots of little hidden beach spots. NorthBeach is incredibly. LOTS of sand dollars on the sand bar...more of them than shells. Great bike paths. Areas for dogs. Something for everyone. Peaceful and pure natural beauty

17 yo son and 15 yo daughter came with me to this park. We LOVED it. We chose this option instead of Clearwater or one of the “touristy” beaches to spend the day on the advice of our boat guide. So glad we listened!!! Easy to find, tons of parking and several different beach areas to choose from. Bathrooms available, covered pavilions, outside rinse-off showers. I believe the day pass was only $5.

No overcrowding here at all. Plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the day. Water was super clear and shallow going out a LONG way. We saw tons of fish, found tons of shells, and quite possibly the highlight of everything was the Sand Dollar population.

My son is an avid snorkeler and he was diving out a good ways and could see thousands of living sand dollars!!!! I have never seen anything like this in my life and it’s something I’ll never forget. Daughter and I were able to dive down and see as well. Just incredible. If you have a GoPro you’re going to want to take it and snorkeling gear!

My daughter loves shell hunting but we’ve never found an intact sand dollar in all our years of beach-going in TX or FL. That all changed this trip. Not only did we see the huge community of living ones, but we were able to find intact ones on the beach. We will definitely be back!

Came late in the day to kill some time before another event so we didn't get to check the beaches. Saw a gorgeous sunset, though! Spent most of our time checking out the old historic fort. Pretty interesting stuff, though I wish there was little more information. The big guns that are there were apparently never used, though perhaps that's a good thing. You can see into a number of cement bunkers and it would have been interesting to find out a little more about them. Still, we enjoyed our casual visit and the little bit of history that we did read and see

Someday when we're in the area again maybe we'll check out the beaches!

Wonderful beaches, plenty of wildlife. Even saw a dolphin. Best yet, plenty of parking :) We will definitely be back!

The Fort proper was just ok. The beach water was a touch too cool but at least the waves were light and the sand was great. Tons to do here including biking, hiking, kayaking, you name it. Well worth the ride over and the $5 parking fee.

We have two small rescue dogs that we brought with us on vacation. They had never been to the beach before and we brought them to have their first experience. We first let them run in the large gated dog park which has separate sections for large and small dogs. Our dogs ran around and played with other small dogs and had a great time. We went down to the beach and one of our dogs loved the water and the other just wanted to get his feet wet. It was also a good time except for a couple next to us had two large dogs that they let run where ever. The dogs kept running right through the middle of out blanket that we were sitting on throwing sand all over us and the blanket. After experiencing this about 4 times and the owners not trying to stop them (the owners saw them and called to them but the dogs ignored them so the owners did nothing more) we went back to the dog park and used the shower area to rinse the dogs and our legs off. This is a great set up they have here for pets to have a great day and burn off some energy. There is a $5.00 fee for parking but it is well worth it because the area is clean and set up nicely. We did ride down to the boat ramp area because we were amazed to see the number of boat ramps they had in one place. The whole area is very nice and you can tell that they have invested a lot of money into the area.

The park is located south-southwest of St. Petersburg, Florida, on five islands: Madelaine Key, St. Jean Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key and the main island, Mullet Key.

In order to reach the park, the visitors will cross the bridges and causeways, providing a beautiful view.

In the past the islands were used for military fortifications, which remnants can be visited (there’s a museum exhibit its history).

The park is well maintained and offers hiking, bicycling and kayak trails (bikes and kayaks can be rented locally), beaches, picnic area, two piers, and a ferry to Egmont Key State Park.

The snack bars don’t offer a lot of options, limited to water, soda, lemon juice, hot dogs and ice cream, so if you are planning to spend a long time at the park, mind to take some food and drinks with you.

I was looking for a fun way to entertain 6 out of town guests, so thought kayaking would be fun for all. I chose Ft. De Soto because I've kayaked there before and it is calm and shallow...great for novices! Once every one was comfortable in their kayaks, we paddled for about 5 minutes before we came upon several manatees. We had baby Osprey sightings as well. A two hour rental was a perfect fit! Ft. DeSoto offers so many ways to enjoy nature!

This is breathtakingly beautiful place. Walk or ride your bike, see it all. Tour the old bunkers and enjoy the upper walkway path. The beach and water are spectacular.

We spent 5 days camping in the Ft. De Soto campground, and I spent most of those 5 days on the beaches and trails of this gorgeous park. Not even sure where to begin. It was a little on the cool (upper 50's-lower 60's) side, so there were no crowds - perfect! The trails are immaculate and perfect for walking, running and biking; my dog especially loved the walks. The dog parks (one for big dogs, one for small dogs) are huge and we spent lots of time there; the dog beach is perfect and we took our lab to it often. I saw so many different species of birds on my jaunts, I tried to take pictures of all of them. I even saw a pink flamingo. We also spent time exploring the fort and learned some cool history. The sand on the beaches is white and soft, and I collected quite a few shells. HIGHLY recommend!

We typically visit Fort De Soto for the dog beach, but there is so much to do here. Bicycles & Kayak rentals with plenty of space to explore. Multiple beaches to soak up the sun, a mini shop on the pier with ice cream and fresh made lemonade...The store has everything you could need for a beach day or a trinket to remember your trip, AND you can walk the Fort and learn it's history. They also have pavilions available to spend the afternoon BBQ.

This was a very cool stop. The fort itself gives a great history lesson and beautiful view from the top. The beach is a short walk away and is filled with all sorts of shells. It was quiet(!) and peaceful.

The dog beach portion of the park is a dogs paradise! So many balanced, well behaved dogs of all sizes running and playing free through the water and sand, and with each other. The best socialization for my 2 Boston Terriers!

A place to take a leisurely walk and enjoy both history and the beach. the view from atop the Fort is worth the visit in itself. Can be very quiet and not as crowded aw you would expect from such a nice spot. Some of the camp spots are too close together and they seem over run by big campers. Tents almost seem out of place even though that is the way it would really be enjoyed.

Fort DeSoto is a Pinellas County Park. It sits at the southernmost tip of the peninsula in the county and forms a chevron at the southern tip. It has campgrounds, picnic areas (with covered pavilions), keys and beaches. Truly a spectacular place.

We spent 5 hours here on New year's Eve.

Arrived just before 8am and it was really empty.
$5 to get in (plus numerous small tolls on the roads in the way in, including the skyway bridge)

If you stop just across the road after the entrance there's a short accessible trail. Not that exciting, but we did see dolphins in the sea just off one of the paths.

Enjoyed walking on both the piers and then parked at the North beach. Massive car park with restrooms and loads of entrances to the beach.
We went for a long walk on the beach and then sat for a while relaxing by the sea.

Parked and wandered round the fort. Not my idea of fun (would rather sit on a beach) but I'm sure some people would enjoy it.

Noticed that you could hire bikes at the beach car park just after the fort car park.
However there was no one there so no way to find out how much they cost or even hire a bike.
Maybe next time!

Parked at the East beach and went for a short walk. Great view of the skyway bridge from the left end of the beach but if you want to sit and relax I'd say the North beach is better.

Saw loads of osprey around sitting on light posts, as well as some parakeet in the North beach car park.

Highly recommend for a relaxing day, especially if you can go on a quiet day.

Beautiful and well maintained park. The sites were very spacious and good privacy. Just a few tips;
1. Dump prior to leaving. The dump stations are very busy and you’ll be stuck there for quite a while.
2. The camp store isn’t open late and it can be difficult to go there if you’re out during the day.
3. If you get there after the check in hours. Your campsite will have a card taped to the electrical box with the gate code and pass to go to the beaches.
4. Have change with you all the time. There’s a toll booth just as you go on the island. It’s not manned in the evenings, so you’ll need change.
We stayed 5 nights and had a great time. Plenty of fishing access and of coarse beautiful beaches!

Nice pet beach with a fenced in grass area for pets to play in. Has several different beach areas. Also can fish off the pier. Has fort. Several restroom.

This is an gorgeous beach with white sands and lots of sea shells for shelling. There are also lots of sand dollar's. At low tide the large sand bar is fully exposed and lots of cool finds.

We combed the beach (we visited here last year) and found huge shells and whole sand dollars. If you are looking for shells on your trip, this is a place to visit. The beach was not crowded. You pay $5 to enter the park and it's worth it. We saw all sorts of fish, sting rays, crabs, etc.

It's a very nice place to visit. It has a beautiful view to the sea. We took some pictures. Only bad thing is that we went and there were so many mosquitoes and we didn't take spray. Other than that it's a nice place to visit or spend the day at the beach

On a whim I decided to drive south and explore, unaware of everything offered at Fort De Soto Park. In addition to beaches there are covered gathering area, snack bars, fishing piers, and the remains of a historic fort to explore (hence the name). A drive to the northern section of the park provides fantastic views of the Sunshine Skyway across the water.

This place is so popular it is hard to find sites here is January and February. It is well maintained with some very large sites. It is part of the County Park with excellent beaches. Also the dog beach is great!

I so love visiting Fort De Soto Park. The old Fort is pretty cool to see, but the real draw was the beach. There are several different beach areas with clean bathrooms, areas for private groups. Outdoor showers to rinse off the sand. It is really a beautiful area. Great for families and also for beach walks. Bring your umbrella and stay for the day! The fee is only $5.00 which covers parking. Oh yes, and there is a dog beach, too!

We Kayaked at Ft Desoto. The water was calm and warm, we saw dolphins, manatee, snakes, crabs, and birds. We found many large shells to bring home. It was fairly uncrowded in the morning but got busier in the afternoon. We were able to park our yaks in the mangrove and cool off and have lunch and take a short nap.

Beware the many tolls and $5 parking. Well worth it though as this is absolute paradise. Beautiful beaches and views. Cool fort to explore.

Quiet when we visited the park was peaceful and beautiful place for sunsets.

Many places to see various beaches and views.

It was a cold, windy, miserable day, cold front came through, but I wanted to look for migrant birds on my day off. I can imagine this venue is awesome on good days, in spite of the conditions, I still saw 52 bird species! There were too many trails to hike them all.
The gift shop provided a moment of warmth and the grill provided a delicious warm meal.
Definitely worth the drive and effort. It costs 5 dollars to visit all day. Best time to see the birds was low tide.

took Hubbard's ferry for a day at Shell Key. found many shells and a few starfish and sand dollars. also saw some dolphins on the trip to and from the key. I would recommend this trip to parents who want their kids to be thrilled at how many shells they can pick up. P.S bring a big bucket.

This is very exceptional and well maintained park. We saw here very nice sunset. Only negative side was red tide warnings at the beach.

Nice beach and a big pier popular with the fishermen, there are a lot of trails around the park with bikes for hire too. The center is the old fort which to be honest is not much to look at , the traces of the old military base are easily seen from the trails near the fort and make the walks interesting.
A bit disappointed in the store, more like a beach shop than a park store.

Dog park and dog beach HEAVEN!!! SUPER clean, great park, small and large dog area also has watering to drink and wash puppers off after they go to the beach.
Now, the beach, it is off leash and just a fabulous place for all pups. If you don't like it, you are the type of person who needs more control over the environment and this may not be the place for you.
Beauty+ fun for all.

We wished there had been better signage to give us more information. We didn’t even find any about the Spanish American War 😧
There were bike rentals available, great trails and a lovely gift shop.

Fort De Soto Park, which is located on five offshore keys or islands about eight miles south-southwest of St. Petersburg, Florida, was once operated as a military fortification from the Civil War to the Spanish-American war to World War II and then converted into a public park with fishing piers, beaches, picnic areas, hiking trails, bicycling trails, kayak trail and a ferry to Egmont Key State Park. Historically, the land was inhabited by Native Americans from about 1,000 to 1,500 AD. The park, which is accessible by a toll road from the mainland, includes Madelaine Key, St. Jean Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key and the main island, Mullet Key, all of which are connected by bridge or causeway. Fort De Soto, named for Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, became a public park in 1948 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The park also includes an 800-foot boat ramp, camping area, 2 1/4-mile canoe trail, barrier-free nature trail, 328 species of birds, an area to exercise pets, a snack bar, a gift shop and two swimming areas. In fact, North Beach has been named "America's Best Beach."

We wanted to go to the beach and be able to take our dog as well. Ft Desoto has a great beach and they also have a seperate beach if you have your dog along. Everyone was social distancing except the dogs! The dog beach is on the bay side of the park but if you just want to swim without a dog along you can go to the gulf side. There is a neat fort at the park as well as concession stands and a gift shop. Plenty of bike trails and there is a nature walk that is handicap accessible. There is also camping at the park and you can catch the Tampa Bay ferry to Egmont Key as well. Several places to fish. Well worth a visit and nice price as it is a county park.

Amazing landscapes, and dolphins we walk close to one of them. Many fish must go well to see more animals.

Large park with Fort Desoto as an anchor to explore. Plentiful clean pavilions and bathroom facilities and oh boy the BEACHES ! They are ample, clean and wonderful. The parking is amazing. Easy access to the beaches. Kayak rentals, and bike rentals. Miles of biking paths. Great place and we will be back!

I visited St Petersburg a few times and each time and make sure to spend at least one day Fort de Soto Park. The beach here is wonderful. The white sand is soft and powdery. The water is clean in flat because of two sand bars that are nearby and parallel to the coast. there's plenty of parking at several locations with different beaches in facilities throughout this large park. Entrance fee is $5 plus $1 for the toll play before the on the road before the park. Family friendly. There is also a dog park. Highly recommend!

Extensive clean beach, white sand, calm water, North Beach has snack bar, umbrella and chair rental available

Tips:
In spring, rental for umbrella and chairs at snack bar on North Beach closes by 2:00. Chairs and umbrellas have to be returned by 3:00.

You need a car to get to the park or bike, if you are a good biker. We Ubered and could get out there but had extreme difficulty getting an Uber to bring us back to our hotel. Don't risk taking a ride service there.

If you like waves, you won't like this beach. Also, there aren't a lot of shells and nothing to see if you want to snorkel.

This beach is best for families with very young children and inexperienced swimmers. Also, for those that just want to sit around on a beach.

Great place to take your family. The kids will love the old fort and the beach. Not crowded plenty of nice beach with snack bar and gift shop. Rent bikes or a kayak. we go every year.

The beaches were good and there were decent facilities near by. You can spend all day there for the price of parking ($5). There was a fishing pier and kayak launches. We found all kinds of shells along the beach. We brought lunch and some shade umbrellas and were set for hours. Kids can bring your sand toys to make great sand castles. It was too choppy for snorkeling when we were there. It looked like there were lots of trails to bike too!

The park is huge with so much to do. We went kayaking and then could have bikes but decided to walk a little instead. We walked the pier and investigated the fort. A decent amount of history. We saw the dog beach which was wonderful and walked this very quiet path.

Had a wonderful time her very beautiful, very peaceful, very very relaxing. My dad and I took our Australian Shepherd here and she even enjoyed it.

Nice place for a day-trip; pack a picnic lunch (there is also a concession on-site) and enjoy nature: beaches, birds and trails. You can also bicycle here, either on the road or paved trail. $5 for daily parking and bring quarters for tolls. Have sunscreen and bug spray.

British birder staying at Clearwater.
I was informed Fort De Soto was a place to see shorebirds.
When I arrived at East Beach on a very windy day there was plenty of birds to see - and because of the weather there were not many people about.
Two American birders told me that North Beach could also be good for shorebirds.

On my second visit I called in at North Beach but there were many people in the area where the shorebirds usually feed.
So I went to East Beach.
Some of the shorebirds were still there at East Beach but they were being continually hounded by dozens of people milling about on the beach.
The shorebirds were unable to rest never mind feed.
It was really saddening to witness this.
I never left the car - I just sat there for 10 minutes watching the birds constantly on the move - then drove away.

Fort De Soto Park is a place for people - it’s NOT a park for wildlife.
If you visit to bird the area - then visit when the weather is relatively poor.

Everything about the beaches and marine life you read about are true, BUT as a local I have never met ruder staff/employees anywhere else in the Bay Area. Ive been here twice in 9 months and can't seem to wonder why everyone who works here is so unhappy. Definitely not the norm at other County and State Parks throughout Pinellas and Pasco County. Enjoy the beauty, avoid the staff.

Soooo beautiful here! We saw stingrays and dolphins on our trip here. The water was perfect for wadding and there were plenty of shells too.
Wasn’t no where near crowded considering it’s spring break in FL.

It's a drive to get there, but soooo worth it. Untouched beaches and preserved for everyone to enjoy!!!

Fort De Soto State Park was a wonderful experience on January day. Temps were perfect for riding bikes. The trails are clear and well marked. We rode 11 miles from one end to the other with frequent stops at beaches, etc. Just beautiful. I appreciated that the snack bar by the Fort served veggie burgers in addition to typical carnivore food. The beaches were lovely and natural. The fort was meh, compared to other fort we’ve visited, but it did include a great viewing spot. Bikes can be rented if necessary. Great day.

Visited the park after several years. It has changed a lot. Still a beautiful beach but not what it once was. Had to wade thru knee deep water to get to the beach at the North end. Paying for parking was a pain in the butt. Have to put your tag number in a machine that was difficult to read. This seems to be the norm any more but i would just rather have someone hand me a ticket and I give them $5. There is an app you can download that might make it easier had I known ahead of time. Bike trail was nice but dont bother using the bike pump along the trail. The one I used didnt work and ended up taking all the air out of my tire and i had to walk back. I enjoyed it but I dont know that we will ever go back. There are better beaches that are less hassle.

The fort itself isn't worth much of a mention, just concrete bunkers, however..........
The surrounding area is absolutely stunning.
Pure white powder sand, the sea is clear although not crystal clear, but for bird watching and Dolphin spotting it is a true gem of a place. Lovely and quiet whilst we were there in November.
Really, REALLY loved this natural park and can't wait to go back.

We visited this beach at the end of May 2019. Of the various Gulf coast beaches we visited in Florida, this was our favorite. There was a warning sign about stingrays, but we shuffled our feet as suggested and did not encounter anything. The facilities on North Beach were really well-kept and the beach was not crowded at all when we were there on a weekday. We also toured the fort, which is probably not worth a trip to see only that, but it is a nice addition if you are going to the beach there as well.

This is a journey to get to - it’s an island situated at the entrance to Tampa Bay with connected bridges going through some posh neighborhoods. Yeah, it’s a haul to get to it. This is a combination of a historic site coupled with a public beach and it is free admission. There is ample parking. Easy beach access. On the merits of the history aspect, it’s an old coastal artillery installation set up by none other than Colonel Robert E. Lee (check out his display in the museum). Interesting little museum, you can walk through and over the ghostly old fort, and the guns are still there. There is a little gift shop and snack bar for convenience. Because it is free, there are large groups of semi-vagrant people using the barbecues and hanging out at the expansive beach blasting salsa music.

Old Fort has plenty of areas to explore in your own and learn about its history. Would love to see some of the old building recreated but the area appears to be a work in progress. Really enjoyed the quiet beach and the pier was a great spot to watch dolphins!

We visited many years ago and had really fond memories of the beach. this time it was not enjoyable and there was a really strange unpleasant smell.

Great beach day at Fort De Soto Park. Entrance fee includes parking and there are plenty of spaces. A bit of a walk to the beach. There are washroom facilities as you walk in. A great place for families to spend the day. No lifeguards.

We went to two spots in the huge park - there is so much to see! And an added bonus is all the cute turtles! They have baby box turtles everywhere and by one of the beaches we saw a tortoise too!

Fantastic place to visit. Cristal waters, white sands, lots of places to walk, lots of shells and nice people around. Only a 5 dollars fee to spend the day. Great facilities.

Nice sites with hookups. The spaces are ample & great shade with trees. Convenient trash disposal. Bathrooms pretty clean - needs an upgrade.

Shower nozzles are inefficient at best, spraying everywhere else.

Easy check-in & overall enjoyed our stay.

Some campers were not concerned about being quiet after 10pm & kept us awake. Rangers patrolling might want to do so with their windows down or on a golf cart to hear that & address it.

This park has beautiful beaches and an historic fort to explore. There is a $5 fee to park anywhere in the park. They also have a small museum and gift shops. Something good to do in area.

The beach is nice and there was no crowd during the 4th of July week. The fort is neat and has some really rare cannons according to the information posted at the fort. There were also some different birds if you are into bird watching.

I love the old Florida here. On North beach a flock of about one hundred migrating white pelicans. Unspoiled shoreline with so many sea birds,. I saw dolphins and diving pelicans. Also clean facilities and snack bars.This is one of my favorite places to spend a day in the Tampa Bay Area.

We were down in the area looking at colleges and were told to check out Fort De Soto park by a local friend. Glad we did. It is only $5 to park and you can leave and come back later the same day if you keep your parking receipt.

The beaches were amazing, the gift shop was nice and the fort itself was really cool!

It was a lot less crowded than the other beaches in the area as well. Lots of people were fishing from the pier and we found a ton of cool shells.

We will be back next time we are down in the St. Petersburg area!

What a beautiful beach for walking and swimming - powder soft sand, tropical water - a few fish and a sting ray but they don't bother you. Go to Stand 5 - worth the $5.00 entry fee.

We drove to see the park and fort. Fort is well displayed as well as the old weapons. As far as the beaches with us being there on a weekday was not crowded. The people were friendly on the beach and sitting in the sun then watching the sun set was a perfect end to our day. Lots of different places to park and enjoy the beach. Saw places to rent kayaks

Great for biking, walking, go to tge beach, see dolphins, look for shells, etc
We came on 2 different days and had a great time and amazing sunsets.
We saw dolphins the two days we were there and went one day to east beach and the other to North beach. Worth visiting😀

Don't go on a holiday. Waited in line almost an hour to pay the parking fee for entry(fee new to us) & then found almost all parking full. Beaches we're miserable with thousands of people ( normally minimal people). Could not get parking to walk the pier, so we finally left. This park is normally quiet and a beautiful way to spend a day. We also were shocked at the parking fee, which wasn't charged any of the many years we come. The area has become so commercial. Shame

We camped for a few days at the campground and explored the park in late September. The park is lovely and the campground was wonderful. We felt like we were in our own private oasis. The campground is made up of three areas. Two areas for all camping units and one for just tents and pop-up campers. Only area two is pet friendly. The other two areas are no pet areas. We stayed in Area 3 and were right on the water. The site was level and clean. We got to see dolphins and a variety of birds. The bathrooms and spacious and clean.
There are many activities available...bike trails, beaches, boats ramps, Fort DeSoto, and a ferry ride to Egmont Key State Park.
We had a great experience and can't wait to visit again!

This was our second time visiting this state park. Had a great experience our first time. It wasn’t quite as nice this time. Lots of sea pork had washed ashore and a few jellyfish. There were a few tidal pools to wade through in order to get to the beach. Those tidal pools had quite an odor that our young girls were not a fan of. We took our beach chairs, beach toys and coolers and it’s quite a walk from the parking lot out to north beach. We were hoping to find some good shells. There weren’t many this time. If you’re wanting to find a beach for the kids to play, I wouldn’t recommend this one. This is better for just walking along the beach and checking out the surroundings.

"You People" culture. First, as far as the park is concerned, I rate it a 5. Been coming since the lat 70's and I bike in the park at least two times a week. This morning, I witnessed an exchange that I found disturbing. As I arrived at the $5 toll gate, I learned that the park was closed for a triathlon. I was waiting in line to see if perhaps a bicyclist could pass as often is the case. The park worker was speaking to an elderly gentleman through his car window. He inquired as to why the park was closed. He was told that it was a triathlon. He was then told "the sign has been up all week. You people need to read the signs". She said this while laughing and walked away. The man looked dejected and confused. He turned his car around, as advised, and left. He also, politely stopped his turning maneuver and waved me by on my bike. I felt horrible for him. It reminded me of a time when my wife and I were going for a ride (in our car) and decided to drive through the park. I asked the toll attendant, "do I need to pay the toll if I am not going to park"? Similarly, she said, "we aren't allowing that anymore; you people say that and then park anyway". I paid the toll and thought to myself that a hundred other responses would have been more appropriate. I would have preferred, "come on cheap skate, the money goes to the park". Forget about all the cliche reasons such as the park is public asset and job expectations. What about a little humanity. That poor man likely didn't come to the park last week to see a sign. He may have driven from Tampa for all we know. As the attendants are ambassadors to our paradise, I hope that "you people" exchanges are not common place.

It was a great day for as drive. We end up at Fort De Soto and spending the day at the park. Make sure to put this on your list of stop while in St Pete.

Fort De Soto Park is an absolute must visit if you're in the St. Pete/Tampa area on vacation and looking for beautiful beaches. Lot of things to do while you're there and lots of facilities and parking to use.

Not sure if it was time of day or the month or the fact that it was only 64 degrees, but not very busy. That’s the way I like it. Sand is white soft. Great place for shells too. I will definitely be coming back to this location.

We enjoyed this park which is quite large. We hope to return for camping. We toured the historic area and walked along the water. There are paved trails for biking and skating. There are also nice areas for paddling. There are many areas in the park so even if it is windy you can go to the Leeward side which is calm. There are also lots of shady areas for those who wish to avoid the sun.

What a special place with an interesting history. Fort De Soto is a fabulous outing for a day or for a few days camping. Beautiful beaches and countless birds.

Went here one afternoon - enjoyed walking on the beach, collecting shells and watching the sunset. Beach is clean .
$5 entry fee but totally worth it.

We love this beach! It's also one of the only places were dogs are allowed on Florida Beaches. Quite sadly, dog owners have made this miserable for others by not picking up after their pets. We wish there were more enforcement on the beach for people littering or acting irresponsibly in general. This is a lovely park though. The fort is nearby. The bike paths are excellent. The access to water sports is also very easy. It makes for a lovely day to feel like you are lost in the Florida keys when you are actually still 16 minutes from St. Peterburg. Also we appreciate the free parking for handicap or disabled veterans.

I enjoyed the beach, though it was a little crowded the day we went. I also found some pretty unique shells as well as a couple sand dollars. So it was great.

We went twice when there were not huge crowds. The beach is huge; classic Gulf white sand a shallow water. The fortress has good signage to explain its history. The pier is long and is used a lot by sport fisherfolk.

We brought two of our dogs here and had a fabulous time! You could walk the dogs off leash if they were under voice control. Ours stayed with us! Which was nice to see as usually they wander! I highly recommend this beach.

This park really has a bit of everything. They have 2 fishing piers, where no fishing license is required. They also hav bicycle and kayak rentals. The beach is a great place to sit or walk and collect a variety of shells. We make this a stop every time we are in the area. It is a real bargain for a $5 entry fee.

Love this gem of a beach. $5 per car open until sunset.
The beach is calm & wide, lifeguards on duty, umbrellas and chairs available for rental $30, ample free parking, restrooms, snack bar and shop on beach with sunscreen, swim boards, sunglasses, lotion, etc.
A quiet beach with no waves…we swam out and spent the day shellin for sand dollars and walked the beach looking for shells. Great family day beach 🏖

This is a beautiful area! There is a sandbar that you can find all kinds of pretty sand dollars swimming.

One of the most beautiful park in the vicinity of Tampa! Easy access (you have to carry 5 dollars in cash for the entrance), lots of parking lots! Pure white sandy beach and a beautiful sand island where you can collect sand dollar’s!

We enjoyed our day at the beach. It was an ordeal to rent chairs though. Never got waited on at the snack bar. If you aren't concerned about good service and don't care about surly employees the park itself is lovely.

Very big park with lots of beaches, bike trails, vistas, boat ramp, restrooms. Visited the park mid week in June, it was hot but the sea breeze was welcoming. Take a picnic and find a bench in the shade for a wonderful experience. The entrance fee is affordable and a bargain compared to other beach parking fees. The bike trails were really well maintained and covered the whole park.

Great campground! Large sites with good shade and a nice view on waterside sites. Bathhouses are clean and well kept. We stayed 10 days I. 2 different sites and it was a great stay.

We enjoyed a peaceful afternoon on the beautiful beach at Fort De Soto Park. The park is very well maintained and is a nice day getaway to just relax and watch the boats on the gulf as well as all the people fishing off the pier.

I was here in summer and fall. There are Once in awhile, a ton of mosquitos (even in august after heavy rain). This place is great otherwise. I went on OCT 31 and Very bad mosquitos, ants, and swarms of LARGE mosquitos in the afternoon. A dead goose was laying on beach. The park needs to step up their care and have a severe mosquito warning sign in place at times like NOW. This beach is great for swimming and can watch ships go by and I do recommend it though. I go after the snack bar on left (past pier) and not the preferred beach where crowds go

This is such a great beach. It's in a state park and payment is required to enter; but it's only $5.00 and so worth it. We loved the area mostly because it felt so natural and there are no high rises and it's not overrun - at least it wasn't the day we were there.

The first stop we made was the "doggy beach". It was fun to walk down the beach for a while and see all the dogs and their owners having fun. This beach does not have the beautiful soft sand that the other beach areas have.

Once we got to the other beach we were so excited. We could have walked along that beach for hours and hours. It was gorgeous.

There are plenty of clean restrooms and lots of parking. I would plan to bring food and beverages with me since there are no restaurants nearby. The food at the concession area is limited.

What a find! We stayed in Treasure Island, but drove about 25 minutes to discover this park filled with stuff to do. Beyond walking through the fort itself (yes, there's a fort there), there were hiking trails (or biking!); a huge dog park, snacks/food, a lovely beach for families, and a pier for fishing. We didn't get to see the campground, but I heard it was nice. If it's anything like the rest of the park, you won't go wrong. I loved this place, with so much to see and do.

Had a fantastic time here! I came by myself on a solo visit. The place is enormous and there’s tons to do, especially if you like water. I don’t swim so this activities weren’t paramount to me. But I did lots of walking a hiking along the paths. They take great steps to preserve the natural areas by minimizing use of certain areas. Through walking, however, you can certainly find many hidden beach spots completely away from anyone else. Don’t come expecting soft luscious sands like Clearwater though.

We were led to believe this was a beach and we headed here only to find out that it's just a campground with no beach access. As a campground it looks lovely, but don't head here if you just want to go to the beach

Went there as we discovered - thanks to a friendly cop - that St Pete's beaches are all "no dogs." He let us off with a warning but told us to check out the dog beach at Fort de Soto. It was a little hard to find - it's behind the dog parks - but was great fun for our Lab who was in and out of the sea with joy. We went at 7 am when park opened to avoid a lot of people/dogs as wasn't sure how that would work out. Was quiet and wonderful.
We didnt have time to explore the rest of the park but this would be a wonderful place to spend a day - no developments/hotels/restaurants/commerce. It was beautiful. Would definitely come back to walk/sit and appreciate the bird life (we saw osprey in nests) and nature.

One needs to walk through ankle deep water from the car park to the sand next to the ocean. Be careful being on the beach and getting hurt as the EMT personnel are unbelievably uncaring and unresponsive. We were at north beach inside the park, in knee deep ocean. Right next to us, a lady got stung by a stingray. She was bleeding and crying hysterically. I called 911. They came but stood around and waited for her to be carried to them. (Her husband and bystanders had to do it). There was ankle deep water between them and her and they didn’t want to get their shoes wet. I was appalled to see such inaction and lack of compassion or sense of urgency. I felt bad for the lady and am so thankful it wasn’t me. Tax dollar at work or rather, not at all working! Other than that the place is beautiful and worth a visit.

Both locals and tourists can enjoy the great outdoors at this park. Spacious and natural, this park also has all the rentals you need. There are opportunities for biking, beaching, fishing, paddle board, canoeing etc.

There are little convenience stores for snack and supplies, as well as restrooms. The park is large and well spaced out.

There is a toll booth on the way, and a parking fee (entrance to the park), rental fees for equipment - but all reasonably priced and nice access to tourists who may want to try several different activities.

You can spend an hour or a day.

And for this summer - you cannot best the space for having fun while social distancing.

My family and I went to North Beach and walked out to the point on 3/24/26. We went late in the afternoon. There were no big crowds and the beaches are pristine. This is also a good areas to look for seashells.

Beautiful state park -two perfect beaches, 2 piers, bike and walking trails , a fort, picnic areas and lots of nature to explore !

A favorite park that all Pinellas County residents should be proud of. A natural setting well preserved with plenty of outdoor amenities such as biking, swimming, picnicking, barbecuing, fishing and hiking. Additionally there is a dog park.

Met our daughter, who was camping there. Stunning, amazing views, especially at sunset. Made me wish that I still had my camper! (She got married on the beach, at sunset).

Very enjoyable beaches. Empty on a weekday during January. Could walk in the lovely fine sand for miles with very few people on the beach. Great sea shells along the shoreline. Easy to reach and well worth the $5 parking fee and would return next time in St Petersburg.

Road access to the island that is FDSP is via the Pinellas Bayway which has a toll charge to cross the causeway, payable in cash or by an e-pass (There is no toll charge to cross back to the mainland).
The entry fee to the park is $5 and your receipt acts as a validated parking ticket, so be sure to display it on your dash, once you are parked up!
Judging by the enormous car park at the North Beach this must be a popular park in summer, however when we were there on a midweek day in mid-November there was barely 20 cars there. The lack of people made exploring the sand bar and the incredible soft white sand of the beach a quiet pleasure. We had a long stroll along the beach shell, bird & fish spotting.
What’s left of the actual fort won’t take too long to view. There not’s much to see apart from the fortifications, some canons and a room with a few historical pictures of the fort during it’s time of active duty. There are actually numerous rooms built into the fortifications which you can enter, but they are completely empty!
Near the fort there is a well-stocked park store selling the usual stuff i.e. camping gear, food & drinks, souvenirs and bait for the fishing pier.
From the East Beach you get a spectacular view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, but beware the lethal little Bur Grass or Bur Clover plants that stick in the soles of your shoes. The wife was wearing flip flops and the spiteful little spikes went straight through them and stuck painfully into her feet! This was a super morning visit to FDSP.

Huge territory with plenty of space for all size groups. Sand is white and clean, snack bars and bike and kayak rentals available. $5 entrance and you can move from beach to beach for the whole day. Camping looks too crowded, but some spots are right by the water. Picnic area is also gorgeous, like the Caribbean.

The view from the pier is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! We saw several dolphins!!!!
The beach is empty, white sand, clear and cold water.
There are a lot of people fishing, it's kind of annoying because it blocks your view and they almost hit you with the hook.
There's a little shop and a place to eat (which doesn't look good).
There are bicycles, kayaks, umbrellas, chairs, etc. for rent.
Parking is +- $5.

Great campground close to beach. Bathrooms kept very clean and camp host very personable.
Reservation system sucks. Lots of empty sites in camp but none on web sight. Had hard time finding a site months ahead of time because it was supposedly full. They are not good at updating system.
Park is well maintained and a great place to camp.

Beware if not from the USA! We have visited before (a few years ago) and had a completely different experience than this past week. The kiosk’s to pay for parking are a joke, You do not receive a receipt to put on the dash or a receipt of any kind before the screen disappears and you have to start over. There is conveniently no one around to help or assist however they are watching you and ticket as soon as you leave the vehicle and go to the beach. The beach is also hard to access (muddy and facilities were not well kept). We were on beach for two hours and came back to a ticket which was stamped for the exact time we walked onto beach. We drove around for 30 mins and found two different park workers who said they couldn’t help. We then left and went to our hotel to use their internet and I checked and yes my visa was charged for parking, I emailed the contact on back of the ticket sent a picture of our vehicle, my visa transaction and the ticket and was told too bad, pay the ticket or appear in front of a judge to plead my case. This was our last day in Florida for this trip. With a rental you are supposed to pay the ticket before returning your vehicle which I couldn’t because the ticket they couldn’t stop wasn’t actually posted to their website yet, but no one could correct it even though I showed proof of payment. Long story short 2 hours at beach cost us $30 American plus $5 American for regular parking and hours of frustration as emails were not helpful and their website wasn’t working to pay the ticket and you must pay within 15 days or you will be given more fees to pay. We would not return to this park again. We visited Anna Maria Island which was spectacular with easy access and parking was easy and the people were way more friendly. Pinellas county parks do not want tourists. The whole experience with them was negative and we wish we hadn’t gone.

This is our go to beach now. After checking out several beaches in the area, we have settled on Fort De Soto for a number of reasons.

A lot of the beaches in the area have expensive street parking options. For $5 (payable using the Park Mobile app), you can park all day in a dedicated parking lot. We typically go to the North Beach area inside the park and we usually park in the first row, closest to the beach area.

The water is typically beautiful for the area. The sand is white, soft, and cool. All standard for the gulf side beaches. They do have sandbars and we found dozens of sand dollars on one of our trips. We also, during our most recent trip to Fort De Soto, encountered a few manatee. They swam through crowds of people. We also encountered tons of fish as well.

There are other amenities that we haven't yet taken advantage of such as kayaking, historic forts, etc. Do also have a reasonably priced concession stand that serves burgers, hotdogs, and chicken tenders.

My wife and I were her Tue May 11, 2021. White powder sand, warm tranquil water, cafe, bicycles, birds, fish - it has it all. Parking is plentiful and it was $5 to enter, ask for maps at the gate. There are actually several beaches here among the islands. The Fort is maintained but not restored, please climb to the top for the views.

visited with a friend while in Florida - went for quieter beach experience - walked the grounds - solid place to explore

We went here mid-week after Spring Break season, and had the place almost to ourselves. The beach near the fort (second turn after the Fort driveway) has a gift shop, grill for lunches (burgers/fries etc), ice cream (Edy's!), fresh squeezed lemonade, covered large picnic area, and chairs and umbrellas for rent. There are restrooms for changing. Nothing is fancy at all, but really it's everything one would need. This is on the gulf and is lovely. The beach does not have a life guard (though maybe they have one at North Beach which is the "family" beach). This is a park, so it's not going to be "manicured" - there is some seaweed, and the love bugs are buzzing, but that also means the beach hasn't been sprayed with chemicals.
Entry for adults is $10 per person, an absolute bargain. Two chairs and an umbrella is $20 for the day (turn in at 5, unfortunately).
The beach also has a lot of fishing spots, including at least one pier. This is an absolutely great find, shout out to Pinellas County for having such a great park!

My wife and i love to see birds. Especially the ones uncommon to our area. We know that certain birds migrate from the tropics to the North in the spring. When that happens, we travel from our home in Central Florida to Ft De Soto in Tierra Verde (St Pete) . It cost $5.00 to get into the park. The park is located near the shadows of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. it's located on the water. many hiking paths, beaches, camping and picnic areas! it is a beautiful place!

The fort has no great views or details. It is just four mortars and empty rooms.
The guess from pier are great along with free fishing.
No bathing or swimming allowed in beaches.
Not worth the 45 mins spent driving one way from Tampa.

We visited on a weekend trip to St Petersburg. This park has something for everyone. We really enjoyed some of the nature trails- they were very clean and well maintained. We saw manatees, lots of osprey, baby raccoons, horseshoe crabs, herons and more. We then got some ice cream at the gift shop and walked around the fort. The fort was interesting but didnt take us very long (it was a nice change to walk around and learn some history). Next time we want to rent a kayak and explore some of the beautiful waterways.

This huge state park has everything for families, boaters, and bikers. The North Beach has consistently been ranked among the top beaches in the U.S. White, fine sand along very wide beach is great for swimmers and walking along the beach. Breathtaking views of the bay. There are any pavilions for picnicking and for holding group get-togethers -- complete with outdoor grills and clean rest rooms. It's a park that visitors can spend days and return to enjoy the variety of activities. Also has a nice fort for history buffs.

We went here on a Monday and there was very few people. Not sure what it looks like on a weekend. The beach is beautiful with white sand and you can visit a historic fort as well.
We had a nice long walk on the beach and saw a lot of birds. Just really refreshing. The water was very rough this day so few dared a swim.
We had a great time.

While visiting Tampa we explored the area and went to Fort De Soto park. $5 to get in, plenty of parking, fishing, nice long pier, beaches and a fort. Gorgeous views of the ocean, sunset and you can see the skyline bridge. We even saw some dolphins in the ocean. Worth the trip.

The fort was not very impressive but the beach and the fishing pier were very nice. There were lots of people fishing when we were there. Large parking lots to handle weekend crowds.

While the beach and gulf is beautiful, the guy at the snack bar at the north beach is short on smarts. When my husband tried to rent an umbrella today (Tuesday), he was told that his snack bar only rents umbrellas on the weekends. But the main snack bar does rent them. So while I shlept our stuff onto the beach, my husband drove back up to the main snack bar to rent an umbrella….And yes they do rent them there BUT…they can’t be taken to any of the other beaches in the park. Oh and I forgot to mention that the guy at the main snack bar is the slightly smarter brother of the first guy my husband talked to. I don’t understand why every snack bar can’t rent umbrellas EVERY day as long as people are coming to the beach. If you can sell food…you can’t offer umbrellas? And why does this not as smart brother not know that the main snack bar umbrellas must stay on that beach? And how does a tourist unfamiliar with all of this know any of this?
Terrible communication…if you’re going to do a job regardless of what that job is,
at least try to earn your money. Instead of looking like a total moron. It’s not rocket science but it’s nice to be considerate of people’s time.

This park is very beautiful and clean. One end has great views of the bridge and the other has a beautiful beach with stunning sunsets. Explore the old fort and have a picnic. It’s a great way to relax and enjoy the day!

Beautiful white sand. Huge parking lot. Not crowded with buildings or people.
Lots of different birds.

Spent a few hours at Fort De Soto State Park. My husband rode his bike for 9+ miles while I toured the fort and checked out the beaches. The latter were much less crowded than many of the beaches in the area.

We went on May 4. The ocean was very rough. Our captain was Art and his first mate was Zip. They were very fun and knowledgeable. Great with the passengers of all ages. We saw some dolphins on the ride out and back. Though the water was very rough we were able to collect some nice shells. The best part was when we saw a few Manatees. They were so close we could of touched them if we wanted.

Loved sitting on the water at the beach! It was cold at first, but how nice it is when you take the plunge. Why were the showers shut down in the dressing room! There are showers in the open, but you can't get all the sand out without taking your bathing suit off. Very big park for everyone interest. Loved my picnic here.

We visit this park every time we are in Florida. The highlight is to walk out on the 100’ fishing dock and watch for dolphins. This time we watched three or four of them feeding at the dock for almost an hour. Afterwards be sure to visit the store and get an ice cream cone. Try the Key Lime Pie ice cream! After watching the dolphins and pelicans, we usually set up our chairs along the beach and relax, go for a walk, go for a dip, or have a picnic. In previous visits we toured the old buildings of the fort. Historical and very interesting. For $5.00 parking you can easily make a beautiful day of it. Highly recommend!

Dog beach! Off leash! The area also has 2 large dog runs that are fenced. Please clean up after your dog - no one likes stepping in poo.
Rent paddle boards across the street from the paw park beach. We saw manatees in April but not in December (the guy at the paddle board rental said the water was too cold in December).
For the humans without dogs, make a right at the flag pole and pass the dog beach. The human only beaches are much nicer than the dog beach.
Parking is 5 dollars for the day, no alcohol allowed (although I saw people who were most likely having beers in plastic cups), bring your own food because the snack bar is just a snack bar. The trail is well maintained but not well shaded.

We’re staying in the Orlando area but have vacationed in Florida many times over the years and been to the park a few times. It’s around 90 miles drive from Orlando but worth the effort as not only is it cheap to enter ($5 per car) but there are plenty of beach areas to choose from and no problems parking. We went to North Beach and the beach is only a short walk from the parking area (there’s also a small cafe selling snacks/drinks/beach stuff and clean rest rooms). The beach has a wide expanse of white sand and the waters are shallow for quite a way out, which makes it ideal for kids. Relax and enjoy!!

I'm sure it is a lovely park however the weather was not great when we visited. The Fort was mediocre although the info on the cannons was appreciated. The pier was nice to walk along and we saw dolphins which was lovely. We also watched a fisherman untangling a seabird that he had managed to catch with his line; glad he put right the harm he had done. We then drove up to North beach and decided to try the nature trail as it was still a little damp for the beach. Avoid this at all costs - it is mosquito city! We were on the trail for less than a minute before swarms of mozzies came to attack us. The trail was pretty much underwater and so we bailed at the first opportunity. We all got badly bitten all over. Not fun.

This is a great park. It has beautiful views, an interesting fort and is a great bird watching site. It was worth the $5.00 spent to get in. I would suggest a stop at this scenic spot if you are in the area.

We came here in December and really enjoyed it.
As we were staying nearby we visited again twice within the last two weeks and both times spent around 7 hours there each time.

We arrived around 8am and took advantage of the low sun to walk a long way on the beach.

Lovely soft sand and great scenery including some roped off nesting areas with birds in.

Many birds around in the trees at the car parks. And osprey everywhere (at the top of most of the poles as well as just randomly in the trees)

We hired a bike for an hour which was hard work but enjoyable. And enjoyed walking on the pier watching the fishermen. Plenty of big birds on the pier hoping to get fed!

Plenty of restrooms dotted around although it would be nice to have some more water fountains (some of them don't even work so ensure you bring lots of drink with you, although there are places you can buy drinks from)

Costs $5 to get in (plus all the tolls on the way) but if you go on a good day then it feels like you're on your own private beach as there weren't many people around when we went.

Highly recommend this place and we will be back.

Had a great spot on the water which was great for us to go kayaking. Love the park. Was glad to see it not crowded this time of the year.

We absolutely loved our visit here. Spent all day. Well worth the $5 plus $1.75 in road tolls. Saw so many birds. We saw dolphins swimming at the picnic section. We collected shells. We walked for hours.. so much fun and not crowded.. beautiful and clean. Really hope we get the chance to return one day..

This is a gorgeous state park. If I lived near here, I would be here all the time. We sent specifically for the dog park and off leash beach and were not disappointed. The fenced park was huge and clean and the off leash beach was also large with lots of room for the dogs to run and swim. There are no swimming signs, but you could wade in with your dog and enjoy the water. The rest of the park offered bike trails, boat launches, and picnic areas and everything was so nicely maintained.

This is our go-to beach when staying in Orlando (yes it is almost a 2 hr drive) and we have been here a handful of times now over the past few years, with the past couple of times being this September.

Big fishing pier - if you want to see dolphins, up close without being on a boat, this is your place. Every time we have been here, we have been treated to seeing several dolphins, much to the fishmermen's dismay. Also - lots of bait fish jumping and sea birds. It can be bright and hot - don't forget a hat and sunscreen! Too bad the bait shop doesn't open earlier! We caught a few fish from the pier - all pretty small and that seemed to be what everyone was catching that morning.

North Beach - we rented the #2picnic shelter at the north beach for our 20+ group. Nice to be right next to the rest rooms. The shelter itself is great, but it was a really long walk through 2 water holes (slippery in the one) to get to the ocean, which was absolutely fabulous right there. We had a super calm day and the water was beautiful. Also, at this beach - SO.MANY.SAND DOLLARS. Literally every step we took at about waist level and above was full of sand dollars. We must have pulled up 50 of them with our toes in 15 minutes! Found a few dead ones we could take home too!

We have also checked out the north beach down by the playground equipment and that is also really nice... the sand seems the softest there - like sifted flour, but more rough water and didn't find all the sand dollars.

The beach to swim by the fishing pier is closer and easier to get to, but it is not as protected, and some of the dead stuff washed up on shore can be pretty putrid. Nice if you like just some nice medium waves to swim in.

So many different beaches to check out and enjoy for different reasons!!

DO rent the kayaks at the park vendor and go looking for manatees, which you will highly likely see. Customer service there was great too and fair prices.

There is a toll to cross the bridge (.75 I think) to the park and a $5 fee per car to enter - totally worth it. We have always been there mid-week and the parking lots are wide open. There is tons of parking here and so much beach to spread out on. This is definitely a park we will return to again and again.

Nice fenced-in dog park for dogs in 2 SIZE CATEGORIES. Dog BEACH also nearby for dogs on-leash. Poop bags and trash cans conveniently available too. Easy parking and easy walking path. Nice vegetation of coastal plants and trees, and a small snapping turtle ? along the pathway.

I wasn't doing much this weekend so I had a tough time finding someplace 2 go and then this place popped up last minute. It has 2 main public beaches one called east and the other north. The north beach is much better than the east and has a concession stand and a gift shop and that is where most of the people go and it has a massive asphalted parking lot with @ least 3 washrooms and lots of covered places for bar-b-ques. Just B 4 the north beach is the ancient fort with cannons, old brigs and lots of info telling about the fort. There is also a pier here as well. It cost $5.00 a vehicle plus there is a $1.00 till 2 cross the the bridge into the park.

What a beautiful beach spot, walking trails, bike trails, historically significant and white sand. Where good shoes because the waterfront is a hike. Good picnic areas and lots of them.

Our Chocolate Lab loved being able to run on the beach without a leash and swimming to retrieve his tennis balls. We did have a couple negative experiences but they had more to do with people than the dogs. One owner had an aggressive German Shepard that actually bit our dog when our dog jumped in the water to retrieve his own ball. That same dog went after another dog too. And secondly, two adults went onto the beach to fish😱😠. I can’t believe they didn’t know better than to come onto a dog beach with fish hooks so I noticed that everyone moved there dogs farther away from them. Still, I wouldn’t stop going because I think those are probably rather isolated instances

Views were the best I've seen for the beaches on the gulf. Shallow, bathwater warm water, numerous sand bars and tide pools..

We enjoyed a day at the state park for a day of beachcombing for shells. There was plenty of parking in the lots. The bathrooms were clean. We walked the beach, looking for unique shells. My wife found several sand dollars. The sand bars provided different features to search for shells. We also toured the fort, found some t-shirts at the gift shop, and visited the piers. We expect to revisit again to kayak the waters in the park. Great place for families to visit. There is $5.00 parki fee which is collected when you enter the park.

Beautiful expansive white sand beach, historical fort all at the tip of Pinellas County peninsula and mouth of Tampa Bay. The best part it is not on a lot of peoples' radar so it isn't crowded like most beaches along the gulf in the county (Clearwater, St Pete Beach, Reddington Shores...). Plenty of parking, picnic facilities, public restrooms all available for public use.

This is a gorgeous park. It isn't hard to get to from St. Petersburg, but it feels so far removed from the city. It is clean and peaceful. I highly recommend the North Beach and the view from the top of the old fort.

We were searching for a lighthouse and the GPS mistakenly led us to Egmont Key and Fort Desoto Park. No lighthouse whatsoever.

However, we did visit the little Fort Desoto museum - a bit of enlightenment - and walked on the raised trail. You don't often get to see/photograph a Florida beach from a higher altitude...the hills along the shoreline here are probably some of the highest altitudes in the state! A very beautiful spot with lovely views and I am sure spectacular sunsets.

On a day when it isn't bitterly windy as it was when we were there, I am sure it is a fantastic picnic area.

Glad we stumbled upon it despite its LOL (Lack of Lighthouse).

This park had it all! Safe, clean, shells, birds, uncrowded. We only went for a couple of hours, but you could spend the day there and he completely content!

I felt very safe, saw park rangers patrolling all the time.

The beach was great, not too crowded on a Saturday afternoon and the water was near perfect. Some areas have a narrow beach so not a lot of space to spread out. Lots of great shell hunting. There wasn't a foot wash at the boardwalk by the fort.

The restroom by the fort was pretty bad, you're better to walk over to the gift shop.

The fort is kinda cool but not much to see and only a few educational signs. We spent only about 10 minutes there and it was very hot.

Hubby and I stopped here on a sunny Monday in Feb. There is a $5.00 entrance fee. We toured the Fort (won't take long) and then headed to the fishing pier. We saw three women fishing and cleaning their fish. Interesting to watch and visit with them.

There is a nice white sandy beach for sunbathing. Not too many shells. Not very crowded at all and plenty of parking. There is a small gift/snack shop with restrooms. (Also restrooms by the fort.)

There are trails to walk on and you will see the remains of other buildings that were constructed back then. You can see the Sunshine Bridge from here.

All in all a very nice park. We had packed a picnic lunch and spent a few hours here.

This park has a glorious beach with sand that feels like powder under your feet. All the facilities are clean and well maintained. The parking fee of $5 was a bargain. The water was beautifully warm. The beach is expansive with plenty of room. I doubt it ever feels crowded there. Plus, there were tidal pools in some areas- great spot for little kids to play. There is also a cove area with calmer waters. There are shelters to reserve for functions, plentiful grills and picnic tables. There is also a bird nature reserve to view.

There is NO MORE waiting at a gate/kisk to buy a ticket to enter the park. NOW, there are $5.00 parking machines that you use a credit card in. You just need your license plate #. WE went for birding, there were a few birds, but not many. The fresh water lake on the beach is corded off for nesting birds. Another inlet we used to go to to see birds, is called a restoration area, you can't cross. Getting there early in the morning we walked the beach and saw very few birds in the little water areas. There always is a few people walking the beach for shells. The Fort is nicely kept up and free to go into. The little gift shop store is FULL of anything you may have forgotten and I was pleased they had post cards. There was ice cream and some other foods you could order. There are plenty of flush toilet facilities throughout the park. Many beaches you can walk/bird/find shells or just sunbath. The fishing pier is always worth walking and watching people trying to fish is a hoot. . . But the real beauty is the white sand beaches which look so clean. . They/ people are doing a great job of keeping the beach clean, , and I love the NO DOGS on beach signs. . . I think this helps keep it all clean. This park seems to have turned into a BIKE PARK. .. so many paved trails and they are so great for family riding. This is a great park. . . thanks for keeping the fees so reasonable.

Nice sites, friendly people, good privacy and clean bathhouses. It would be a 5 if the reservation system was re vamped. Hard to get several days at once.

What a beautiful place for any kind of vacationer. There is a lot of beach for families, couples or just for someone alone.
I went with my teenager boy, and we had a lot of fun at the beach. The water was warm, then cold. You can see all the fish under you.
Later, I went for a walk, and I saw beached that were not that crowded. Couples or groups with no kids.
I can't wait to come back!

Awesome beach on weekdays (silence, birds, dolphins, manatees, winds, excellent kite boarding on flats of East and North beach’s) however very busy on weekends (partys, jet skis, boats, music...). The park is very well maintained, thanks to the friendly crews. Will return, no doubts!

Nice little state park with the remains of a 130 year old fort. Four fine beaches and a nice view of the nearby small islands. Parking costs $5.

03/26/2019
Just cruising back to Siesta Key from Clearwater... we detoured here just to check out the park.
We are definitely going to have to come back here to spend more time. The beaches we found were just amazing... and not all that crowded.
There is something here for everyone... lots of bike/hiking trails, fishing piers, kayak and canoe rentals, picnic and camping areas and historic Fort De Soto to visit.
I know there's a lot more to appreciate in this park... that's why we're going to have to come back.

We visited here today. It’s a beautiful park, well maintained and large enough to handle crowds. We waded in clear water watching many fish, went to the fishing pier, and relaxed. I can’t wait to return!

We’re taking our dog all over Florida for bucket list adventures. We drove an hour to check out the dog beach at desoto and ick. The water is very gross colored, there were dogs running everywhere without owners. Someone had to put a rogue chihuahua that was running loose into the small dog pen to stop if from passing out and was hoping the owner would find it because it followed my husband from the beach back to the parking lot which is a little bit of a walk. I just didn’t feel clean being in the water at all. I will definitely stick with Venice beach dog park as it was cleaner and much prettier.

I will say ive been coming here since I was a tiny baby! We've had family reunions to fishing trips! This beach is always under the radar. I wish they would promote it more for Camping and family friendly beach! Always clean and a safe place to play with your kids

Plenty to do for all types of folks! Take a walk down the pier, swim at the beach, walk through the fort, go to the gift shop, or rent bikes.

Heads up: the gift shop and snack bar close at 5 pm.

Fort is from the Spanish American War Days. Fort is interesting but tired. Not kept up well. Signage could be better and more informative. One of the ammunition bunkers has pictures and informative notes but the weather and humidity has made the pictures difficult to read. Would love to see the state kick in more funds to the County to fix up the fort more and redo all the signage and notes. Pay for parking at a kiosk. We paid the max which is $5. It was Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend and was good for all three days. They do enforce as we saw at least two rangers checking cars. (You input your license plate number). But parking fee is good throughout the park. Park has trails for walking and biking. Very long beach with parking areas and cars also park along the road. It is a bit of a walk from parking lots to the water. A farther walk if parking off the road. While the beach is basically the whole length of the island it was crowded. May be due to long holiday weekend and being close to St Pete and Tampa. No shells or sharks’ teeth here. There are life guard stations and rest rooms at the parking lots. And a gift shop at the fort and a couple of snack bars. They have group areas that can be reserved. Also a ferry at the beginning of the park that goes out to one of the islands and many places to put kayaks in the water. Much to do here and close to the city.

We were staying in Madeira Beach, so this is just a short drive to explore the area. Came down 699 passing St Petersburg Beach and Treasure Island. Note this route did have a toll bridge and toll roadway. Drove down, then back up to the very "tip" of the U shape park. Absolutely gorgeous area to explore with only $6 for parking fee. Everywhere we parked, plenty of spaces. Maybe it gets busier during the summer. A very inexpensive way to spend on nice beaches.

Also went to the fort where once it was a military fortifications; remnants and a museum exhibit the history. Awesome views as well. Lots of hiking trails and bike trails. A campground nearby if you want to camp.

We walked both piers, that was fun to get into the ocean. What wonderful sweeping view without all the people and commercialization. Lots of sea shells for collectors. Also a gift shop and snack bar in the park. The restrooms were very clean. There are plenty of picnic facilities, as well as shower/rinse station.

Wish we had more time here, maybe next time stay for sunset.