A Big Pinellas Park
It starts with great beaches, much of which is very natural and untouched. Walk to the NW tip to see sand dunes and great views of the boating action. Checkout the century+ old fort, to see it's unique and rich heritage. As you explore the island, you will discover the myriad of ways folks take advantage of this treasure, both by land and water.
| pool area |
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| No pools, but you do have the great beaches to swim and play around the water.
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| cleanliness |
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| The grounds and beaches were nice and well maintained.★★★★ |
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| parking |
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| Despite the number of parking lots, they do fill up on peak days. However, this is less common and overflow parking is available, but you may need to walk a bit further.
★★★★ |
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| restrooms |
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| No problem here, they even have both indoor and outdoor showers.
★★★ |
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| dining/drinks |
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| Fort Desoto has a nice food concession area located at the North Beach Swim Center to get you by. But, there are great waterfront restaurants and bars located within a few miles, at the northern part of Tierra Verde and St. Pete Beach. The campground has a general store for the the basics: charcoal, baked beans, etc.
★★★ |
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| kid friendly |
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| A great kid place, with the shorelines to explore and fish. Kids love this beach and the water.
★★★★★ |
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| dog friendly |
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| A little to the south of the Fort is a huge paw playground for off-leash action. It is big doggie fun at Fort Desoto Park.
★★★★★ |
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| traffic/access |
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| Traffic getting in and out is not usually a problem, except when the bridges go up. Toll booths around the area are a hassle to some.
★★★ |
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Activities 
It is all here, including nice shelters and picnic areas for a BBQ outing. The spot for water play: swimming, boating, and kayaking around the islands. A great spot for you to rollerblade, bicycling, fishing, or walk the trails.
| biking |
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| Be sure to bring bikes, it is the best way to get around the islands.
★★★★★ |
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| boating |
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| A super boating spot, as you can explore each of the five core islands: Madelaine Key, St. Jean Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key, and Mullet Key. From the boat ramp, it takes about 3 minutes to reach the Gulf.
★★★★★ |
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| boat ramps |
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| How about 30-lane boat ramp facility, the largest in Pinellas County.
★★★★★ |
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| camping |
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| Great waterfront camp sites and you have the ability to leave your boat in the water overnight.
★★★★★ |
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| fishing |
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| Off the pier, shoreline, dock, boat, or bridge...all of your fishing options at Fort Desoto. The park's location and marine topography creates one of the best fishing areas in Florida.
★★★★★ |
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| hiking/walking |
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| Great walking and hiking around the entire park. Try a great walk down the beach and around the historic Fort.
★★★★★ |
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| nature trails |
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| You can walk along the wooded wilderness or follow the nature trails, but the the best nature trail is the shoreline!
★★★★★ |
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| picnicing |
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| Certainly this park has some of the best and most used picnic tables and shelters in Florida.
★★★★★ |
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| playgrounds |
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| They have playground areas that small kids will enjoy. Adults will love the swings.
★★★★ |
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| swimming |
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| Fort Desoto has wonderful beaches for top notch swimming and water play.
★★★★★ |
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| tennis |
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| No tennis at Fort Desoto Park.
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| volleyball |
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| Bring your volleyball, and hit around on the beach.
★★★ |
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| water recreation |
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| Fort Desoto has plenty of water play fun, between the wonderful beaches, kayaking, boating, and fishing.
★★★★★ |
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