Fort De Soto Park:
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Fort De Soto Park is the site of two famous
beaches, North Beach and East Beach. Both renowned beaches have won
several awards and accolades as top beach destinations in the US.
Situated
on the outskirts of St Petersburg, Florida, on the southwest corner of
Mullet Key, the beaches are pristine and highly inviting to tourists
and locals alike.
The entire barrier island has been turned
into a park which boasts spectacular nature trails and excellent
fishing venues in addition to the beaches.
The beach has a
large area for picnics under shady canopies or pavilions. You can park
your car for free here and take the kids to have a look at the sea oats
and watch the wild birds.
The peace and tranquility of the
place is ideal for a lazy day under the sun reading your favorite book,
soaking up the sun or splashing in the waves.
There’s even a
beach for dogs which is great if you’re planning on taking Rover out
for a swim. Canine swimmers are abundant at the dog beach. And your
pooch will most likely be happy to be among lots of other canine
friends that it can mingle with while running on the beach.
There are two beaches, North Beach and East Beach, designated for swimming due
to the strong under currents present in the other areas of the beach.
North Beach
has very soft sand that’s akin to powder and it’s a perfect place for
shelling. A sight to behold are the numerous and varied water birds
that flock to the sea. You can gaze at them from under the shade of
pine trees that are ideal for your picnic in the sea breeze.
When
you wade out into the sea, be sure to shuffle your feet in the aptly
termed ‘stingray shuffle’ to ward off any stingray barbs that may be
coming your way.
North Beach is home to a host of stingrays
that aren’t too friendly if they get stepped on. You can watch them as
they glide by and catch a glimpse of these graceful marine dwellers.
The calm, turquoise waters of the beach are shallow and
allow for young children to have a glorious time slapping in the water.
The crescent shaped beach is picture perfect and located at the base of
the old De Soto Fort.
Handy Travel Tips
In
November, there may be a number of of no-see-ums at Fort De Soto
Park. You’ve got to bring a good insect repellant to protect you from
the stings. The bites can make you itch even worse than a mosquito’s
bite.
If you’re driving, you’ll find lots of parking space at
the Fort. There’s lots more room there and the view is very
picturesque. It’s also closer to a much finer part of the beach. And
there’s absolutely no parking fee!
You can view dolphins from the fishing pier and also from the beach.
You’ll see them frolicking in the water.
They
wait at the pier for the fisherman to pull his fish out of the sea and
they quickly chew the fish off the hook for an easy meal. It’s quite a
beautiful sight to see and an excellent way to appreciate nature and
marine life.
So the next time you’re going for a trip to the beach, make a beeline
for the North Beach at the Park.
You’ll
be thrilled by the beautiful white sand and the lovely blue waters that
beckon you to wade in as far as you can go. Bring the whole family for
a picnic at the pavilions and admire the flora and fauna on a lovely,
sunny day!
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