Fort De Soto is five islands, a fort, and one of the best beaches in the country

Fort De Soto Park occupies five interconnected keys at the southern end of Pinellas County, covering more than a thousand acres. It is a county park, not a state park, and it is one of the largest and best of them anywhere in Florida.

North Beach

North Beach has repeatedly appeared at or near the top of national beach rankings. It has a shallow lagoon that is well suited to small children, a long stretch of sand, and enough space that it absorbs a crowd better than the barrier island beaches further north.

The fort is real

The park is named for the fortification built here around the time of the Spanish-American War, intended to defend the approaches to Tampa Bay. Batteries and mounted guns remain on the site and are open to walk through. It saw no combat, which is the usual fate of coastal fortifications, and it survives largely because of that.

Birds

Fort De Soto is one of the significant birding locations on the Gulf coast, particularly during spring and fall migration when exhausted songbirds make landfall here after crossing the Gulf. Birders travel a long way for those weeks. Shorebirds and wading birds are present year round.

Everything else

The park has a campground, a large paved trail network, kayak launches, fishing piers on both the Gulf and bay sides, and a dog beach. A ferry runs seasonally to Egmont Key, an island state park and wildlife refuge in the mouth of Tampa Bay with its own lighthouse and ruins.

Getting there

Access is via the Pinellas Bayway, which is a toll road. There is a parking fee inside the park. It is far enough south that it never feels like an accident to be there, which is part of why it stays as good as it is.

Cover photo: Christopher Hollis / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Source.