Five Florida islands with a war fort, a dog beach and 328 bird species

Tampa Bay’s best-kept barrier islands

South of St. Petersburg, five connected islands stretch across 1,136 acres at the mouth of Tampa Bay.

Fort De Soto Park sits on Florida’s Gulf Coast as the largest park in the Pinellas County system, with nearly three miles of white sand beach and more than seven miles of waterfront.

Dr. Beach ranked it the No. 1 beach in America back in 2005, and TripAdvisor gave it the same title in 2009. The sand and the history run deep here, and the best parts take a full day to find.

A fort built for war that never fired a shot

The Tocobaga people fished and gathered shellfish on these barrier islands from roughly 1000 to 1500 CE. Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto landed near Tampa Bay in the 1530s, and the fort took his name in 1900.

Back in 1849, U.S. Army engineers, including future Civil War general Robert E. Lee, surveyed the islands and flagged them for coastal defense.

Construction started during the Spanish-American War in 1898, but the fort was finished after the fighting ended. It never fired a hostile shot.

Pinellas County bought the land in 1948 for about $26,500, and the park opened in 1963.

North Beach draws the biggest crowds for good reason

Soft white sand meets calm, clear turquoise water at North Beach, the most popular stretch in the park. Palm trees and gentle dunes frame the shoreline instead of hotels and high-rises.

You can grab food at the concession stand, pick up something at the gift shop, or claim a picnic shelter for the afternoon. Part of the beach is fenced off as a bird sanctuary to protect nesting and resting shorebirds.

North Beach reopened in February 2025 after months of cleanup following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in late 2024.

East Beach puts you right under the Skyway Bridge

If North Beach feels too busy, head to East Beach. It’s smaller, shadier, and a lot more laid-back.

Palm trees line the sand, and you get a clear view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, one of the most recognizable landmarks on Tampa Bay.

Large picnic pavilions and restrooms sit nearby, so you can settle in for a long afternoon without needing much else. Most people who come here are looking for exactly that kind of quiet.

Walk through halls that still hold the last seacoast mortars

The historic fort sits on Mullet Key, and you can explore its halls, rooms, and battery walls on your own.

Battery Laidley is the main draw. It holds the last four carriage-mounted 12-inch seacoast mortars left in the continental United States.

Two 6-inch Armstrong rapid-fire guns are also on display, the only weapons of their type still in existence in the country.

The fort’s batteries landed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. From the top, you can see across the beach and water in every direction.

Bike a flat 6.8-mile loop or paddle with dolphins

A paved trail runs 6. 8 miles through the park, connecting the campground, both beaches, the boat ramp, and the historic fort.

The path is 12 feet wide and flat, so walkers, runners, and cyclists all share it easily. You can rent bicycles in the park, including surrey-style bikes that groups ride together.

If you’d rather be on the water, a 2.25-mile canoe trail loops through the bayou. Paddlers spot dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and wading birds along the way.

Kayak and paddleboard rentals are available too.

328 bird species and 500 frigatebirds in summer

More than 328 bird species have been documented here over a 60-year span, and the list keeps growing. Fort De Soto is a gateway site on the Great Florida Birding Trail and draws birders from around the world.

You might spot roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets, ospreys, brown pelicans, and American oystercatchers on any given visit. During spring migration, more than 40 warbler species stop over on their way north.

In summer, as many as 500 magnificent frigatebirds roost on small mangrove islands around the park.

The only off-leash dog beach in all of Pinellas County

If you travel with a dog, this is the place. Fort De Soto runs the only beach in Pinellas County where dogs can go off-leash on the sand and in the water.

Two fenced areas sit near the beach, one for large dogs and one for small, both with water stations. The entrance is at the far southwest corner of the dog park area.

USA Today named it one of the top 10 dog-friendly beaches in America in 2024, and Dr. Beach gave it the same recognition that year.

Cast a line from two piers or right off the shore

The park has two fishing piers, one facing the Gulf and one facing the bay.

The Gulf Pier has a food and bait concession right on-site, so you don’t need to bring everything with you. Sea trout, snook, and other popular species swim these waters.

You’ll need a Florida fishing license to fish anywhere in the park, including from the piers. If pier fishing isn’t your thing, you can cast from the shoreline or launch from the boat ramp instead.

Camp right on the water with 236 hookup sites

About 236 campsites fill the park’s campground, all with water and electric hookups, a picnic table, and a charcoal grill. Restrooms with showers, laundry facilities, and a camp store sit nearby.

Some sites look out over the water and mangrove keys, so you fall asleep to the sound of the bay. Spots fill up fast, especially in winter and spring.

Make your reservation well in advance if you want one of the waterfront spots.

Hop a ferry to two islands you can only reach by boat

A ferry from Fort De Soto takes you to Egmont Key, a secluded island at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The ride runs about 30 minutes, and you’ll likely spot dolphins, sea turtles, and seabirds along the way.

On the island, you can walk through the ruins of Fort Dade and see a lighthouse dating to 1858. Endangered gopher tortoises live there too.

A separate ferry runs to Shell Key, an uninhabited barrier island and designated wildlife preserve known for shelling and clean white sand.

Explore Fort De Soto Park in Florida

You can reach Fort De Soto Park at 3500 Pinellas Bayway S. in Tierra Verde, Florida, just south of St.Petersburg.

The park opens daily at 7 a.m. and closes at sunset. Parking runs $6 per vehicle, and you can pay by app, text, terminal, or annual pass.

Expect toll booths along the Pinellas Bayway on the drive in. Some areas, including the East Loop and portions of the seawall near the historic site, may still be closed from 2024 hurricane damage.

Check the official website for updates before you go.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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