De Soto National Memorial — Local services in Palmetto

Fishing fishing fish... Interspersed with an excellent opportunity to witness Florida’s wildlife at its epicenter. My family, & I, are lucky enough to have witnessed a dolphin pod feeding, while on the trails. It lasted for more than an hours time. Splashing, jumping, twirling, there must have been upwards of twenty dolphins. We decided to fish off the point facing the skyway bridge, across Tampa bay from the memorial. Most exciting about this moment in time, I felt the dolphin were actually pushing the smaller fish closer to the shoreline, where my fishing line was located. The beautiful animals knew my hope that day, to catch a prehistoric mammoth, a fish worthy of Jules Verne novels, a tale to tell for the remainder of our existence. A 20 inch trout, puffer fish, and blue crab, all bellowed over yonder, to my bait, and line. By the conclusion of this review, my trout will morph into a Goliath Grouper, 6 foot long, with teeth that could tear a vehicle apart. Transcending past fishing tales, and instituting myself into the novels Mr. Verne has created, meanwhile jumping from his submarine, atop Hemingway’s Pilar, thus creating my tale. I joke in earnest, I believe humor should be used as much as possible these days. The journey through Desoto memorial, was breathtaking. Aside from the fishing, and dolphin show. The area is located close enough to the Anna Maria beaches, downtown Bradenton area, and everything in between to not cause a hassle to travellers. The foliage is interspersed with Florida history, placards, representations of Florida’s emerging natural beauty, the scenery of our world, history. Religious artifacts, & statues, stand taller than a New York high rise. At the very least, that’s how they seem to me... Please, give us the opportunity to amaze you, and come see our very own Desoto...

De Soto National Memorial: A Historically Rich Visit, Awaiting Full Restoration My recent visit to the De Soto National Memorial was a truly insightful experience, offering a fascinating glimpse into the history of the area. It was a great place to visit and learn about the history of the first European contact in Florida, with informative exhibits and beautiful natural surroundings. The historical reenactments and interpretive signs provided a vivid understanding of the past. An added bonus is that the memorial is also dog friendly, making it a great outing for the whole family, including your furry companions.

However, it was clear that the memorial is still recovering from recent events. The place still shows the damaged caused by the hurricane from 2024. While efforts have clearly been made, there were visible signs of impact, which understandably affected the overall presentation of some areas.

Despite the lingering effects of the hurricane, the educational value and the natural beauty of the memorial still shone through. I genuinely enjoyed my time there and the opportunity to connect with such a significant piece of history.

I sincerely hope to go again once the place has been restored to its full glory. With its historical importance and scenic setting, a fully restored De Soto National Memorial would undoubtedly be an even more enriching experience. I look forward to seeing it brought back to its...

This is one of the best in the area. Currently (December 2019) portions of the "historical path" are under construction, but almost all of the park remains open including the gorgeous walking trails. Seems like every time we go, and take a different turn, we wind up somewhere else - usually on the water. Very dog friendly, very child friendly (so long as you don't let them run on the large rocks). The rangers are helpful and always ready to answer a question. Amenities (bathrooms, water fountain, even a shoe brush implement) are clean and modern. The exhibits are small, as befits a smaller park, but very well done. One visit, we watched a group of very excited youngsters learning to shoot a bow and arrow - not sure if it was part of a special occasion or just something the park offers, but it was great to see history mixed in with the excitement of these children. And the history is accurate! The park's various presentations make no secret of the betrayal of friendly natives, their enslavement, or the forced marches. At the same time, they acknowledge the incredible exploration and fortitude of De Soto and his troops. There are terrific maps of their march, not just in the local area but all the way North and then West, as well as a pretty good small exhibition about artifacts and archaeology. So far, this is our...