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Fort De Soto Park is a county park near St. Petersburg, Florida. There are plenty of recreational activities available at the park. It has some great beaches, campsites, nature trails, bike trails, and boat ramps, as well as a historic fort dating back to 1898. It’s also where you can catch a ferry to Egmont Key.
Fort De Soto Park, which is open daily, charges a US$5 parking permit, payable at the park’s entrance booth. It’s good until the park closes after sunset.
Fort De Soto
Fort De Soto, for which the park is named, is located at the southwest corner of the park. The fort was built in 1898 during the Spanish-American War in order to protect Tampa Bay from a possible invasion. Troops began leaving gradually from 1910 to 1948.
It’s possible to walk a trail around Battery Laidley, a remaining section of the fort, and into some rooms where photos are on display. There are even a few mortars and cannons along the way, including the last surviving seacoast mortars in the continental United States.
The trail continues to the top of the fort which is covered with grass and shrubs. There are some great views of the beach from there.
Across the parking lot from the fort is the Quartermaster Museum. Located in an exact replica of the quartermaster storehouse building, visitors can learn about the history of the fort. The museum is open daily from 9am to 4pm and admission is free. The museum was closed when we drove by so we didn’t have a chance to visit.
Fishing Pier
Next to the fort is a fishing pier which is open from 7am to 11pm daily. A bait shop sits nearby as well as a concession stand. We decided to walk for a bit along the beach north of the pier and fort. It’s a good place to hunt for seashells.
North Beach
North Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Gulf coast. With powdery white sand and crystal clear water, it’s a great place to spend a day. The beach features a concession area and changing rooms.
On the south side of North Beach is a protected area for migrating birds. The public is forbidden to enter the area, but it’s easy to spot large flocks of birds from the boundary.
East Beach
East Beach wasn’t nearly as nice as North Beach. It was much quieter, with only a few people using the picnic area for a private party, but the beach wasn’t as welcoming.
First of all, there were stickers on the ground that ended up getting caught on our feet while walking to the beach. Secondly, there was a lot of seaweed on the sand. The best thing about East Beach were the views of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
