Fort De Soto Park — Attraction in Gulfport

Fort De Soto Park Campground is a hidden gem nestled on the southwestern coast of Florida, offering a unique blend of natural beauty, historical significance, and modern amenities that cater to outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. The campground itself is meticulously maintained, with sites that are spacious and well-appointed, ensuring privacy and comfort for campers. Whether you're pitching a tent or parking an RV, you'll find the facilities to be top-notch, including clean restrooms, hot showers, and convenient utility hookups.

One of the campground's standout features is its location within Fort De Soto Park, which boasts stunning beaches that have been ranked among the best in the country. The soft, white sands and crystal-clear waters provide a perfect backdrop for swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing, while the park's extensive trail system invites visitors to explore its rich biodiversity on foot or by bike.

For history buffs, the park offers a fascinating glimpse into Florida's past with the well-preserved Fort De Soto, a key outpost during the Spanish-American War. Educational signage and guided tours are available, offering insight into the area's strategic importance and the daily lives of the soldiers stationed there.

Anglers and kayakers will also find plenty to love about Fort De Soto Park Campground. The surrounding waters are teeming with fish, making it a prime spot for casting a line from the shore or venturing out by boat. Meanwhile, the park's mangrove-lined waterways provide serene paddling opportunities, with kayak rentals available onsite.

What truly sets Fort De Soto Park Campground apart, however, is its atmosphere of tranquility and escape. Despite its convenient location near St. Petersburg and Tampa, the park feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It's a place where families can reconnect with nature and each other, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

In summary, Fort De Soto Park Campground is an exceptional destination for camping enthusiasts looking for a blend of recreational activities, natural beauty, and historical exploration. With its well-maintained facilities, stunning setting, and wide range of activities, it's no wonder that visitors return year after year. Whether you're seeking a peaceful retreat or an adventurous outing, Fort De Soto Park Campground promises an...

The most beautiful beach I have ever seen!! If you’re looking for a non-touristy more laid back beach vibe this is the place to go! I went with my three kids and it wasn’t as convenient (no ice cream shop, slides, restaurants right near the beach) as Clearwater beach BUT it was BY FAR more beautiful and breathtaking! I felt like we were in paradise! Crystal clear waters and powdery white sand! Knee deep clear waters 100 feet out! Tons of seashells and sand dollars! Saw a lot of softshell crabs and dolphins! Theres a sand bar on the north end that was really neat to walk on! So so beautiful!

A few tips for getting to the beach from a visitor. Download the ParkMobile app and create an account before hand. This will make parking a breeze. Parking was like $5 for the whole day. If you want to go to the gift shop there are two at the park. The first one is the camp shop (to the West off of Pinellas Bayway S). This will have more camping type gear with a few beach items and barely any souvenirs. Keep heading South till you get to the flag pole and turn right on Anderson Boulevard. You’ll eventually see another sign for a gift shop. This one is much bigger and has way more beach gear and souvenirs as well as a place to get a quick meal to go. The North end of the beach is the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen! It is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to down to Sand Dollar Beach and we had to cross a knee deep stretch of water near the parking lot to get to the sand so I wouldn’t bring a wagon unless you have two people to carry it over the water. Bathrooms are also a long way away from North Beach so try and go before you head down to the beach. We went on a Wednesday in April and the beach was semi-crowded but less crowded the farther north on the beach you go. There are chair and umbrella rentals you can rent from the gift shop but they put them out for you and I think it’s a ways from North beach so if you plan on going to north beach I would suggest bringing your own umbrella and blanket or chairs.

They do have sand sprayers near the parking lot to spray off the sand from your feet. Overall we all loved this beach more than Clearwater beach due to how beautiful it was. If you’re deciding between the two choose Clearwater for convenience, fun, and the hustle and bustle. Choose Fort De Soto for nature, peace and quiet, and...

I've been to a lot of gulf coast beaches and state parks and Fort De Soto is my new favorite! There are so many areas to take part in different recreational activities. East Beach is great for wind surfing, there's boat launches, there's a pier for fishing, a dog beach, and then North Beach that's great for families and people just wanting to enjoy a day at the water! There's also so many trails to walk or ride a bike on. And all of these areas are very well marked! There's no guard stand you have to pay at. There are payment kiosks or you can use the Park Mobile app to pay the $5 fee for parking. We spent our time soley at North Beach and we were so impressed with it for our family. There's TONS of parking, several clean bathrooms, playgrounds, a concession stand with a mini gift shop type store in case you forgot anything from baby floats to beach umbrellas. There's also a handicap entrance to the beach. While there's no easy roll mat that takes you directly onto the beach, the sand is somewhat compacted and we were able to roll our wagon with our toddlers and our beach items in it fairly easily. They also have beach wheelchairs for free to use at the concession stand! The water is beautiful, there's a lifeguard on duty, the entrance into the water is a little shelly so you may want water shoes for your littles. As I said before, the pretty white sand is more compacted which is fantastic for kids (or adults) because when you come out from swimming you don't get instantly covered in sand to the point where you can't touch anything without covering it in sand. There's also a shower on the way out near the bathrooms/concession stand. Before you get to North Beach they have another concession stand and a more proper gift shop for souvenirs. Getting ice cream was a nice treat on the way out. Also, all of the staff we met were so nice! I would definitely recommend coming here to visit! It's so beautiful, cheap to visit, and you could easily spend the...