Fort Desoto Beach is my favorite

The most beautiful place in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area has to be Fort De Soto. Fort De Soto is a group of small islands, but it is not just a normal beach. It is also a hidden paradise. You can do all the normal beach activities there but you can also camp at Fort De Soto. Sure there are campsites everywhere but waking up at Fort De Soto and watching the sunrise over the ocean would be amazing. If you like to travel with your dog, there is a special part of the beach for dog owners. They also have a dog park which was voted one the top 10 dog parks in the US.  Your dogs can run around and cool down in the water. You can take all kinds of boat rides to explore the different islands. It is definitely worth the trip.

 I like it because its not a typical public beach,  it seems to be calmer. You don't have all the people getting drunk and acting crazy. The views are breathtaking. After all it was voted one of the most beautiful beaches. My family goes to Fort De Soto at least twice a month. We go so much that we have an annual pass. They have a really cool gift shop. Santa has even shopped for Noah there a couple times.  Fort De Soto isn't a well known spot to tourists. It is a great place for long romantic walks on the beach. My family loves shells so we enjoy hunting for shells and going on mud walks.

We have found some interesting and beautiful shells. Noah is great at identifying shells. Noah enjoys Fort De Soto  because it is fun for him. He likes to watch the people fishing.  I can't wait to take him fishing off the pier. You can fish and rent kayaks too. There is something for the whole family at Fort De Soto.  It is surely a place that you will enjoy and return every time you visit this area. 

Admission is free although you do have to pay $5 to park. If you have a disabled driving permit, parking is free.  If you walk or ride a bike you do not have to pay for parking.