Egmont Key State Park

Located in the city of St. Petersburg, Egmont Key State Park has a two-mile-long, wide, and remote beach situated on the island of Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Spread across 328 acres, Egmont Key is a part of Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge which is home to many birds and animals including box turtles, gopher tortoises, dolphins, manatees, hummingbirds, white ibis, osprey, and brown pelicans. The southern end of Egmont Key is a nesting area of a colony of laughing gulls, but is closed to the public.  Egmont Key State Park features a historic lighthouse named Egmont Key Lighthouse that was built in 1858 and the ruins of Fort Dade – a Spanish-American War era fort. 

Egmont Key State Park is a perfect destination for picnicking, beachcombing, and wildlife watching. Although Egmont Key State Park does not have lifeguards, the beach offers many other amenities including boat ramps, nature trails, picnic tables, historic sites, and snorkeling rear rentals. 

There are many fun activities at Egmont Key State Park including swimming, snorkeling, boating, fishing, hiking, birdwatching, wildlife watching, beachcombing, and picnicking. Egmont Key State Park remains open from 8 a.m. till sunset and visitors are advised to carry water and food as there are no stores and drinking water on the island. 

Egmont Key State Park can only be accessed by taking a half-hour long boat or ferry ride from Bay Pier at Fort De Soto Park using the Egmont Key Ferry Cruise by Hubbard’s Marina that costs $30 for adults (aged 12 and up), $15 for youth (aged 3-12), and free for children under 3. The timings of the ferry are 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. daily along with an additional 2 p.m. ferry on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

If you are looking for nearby attractions, you can take a ferry from Egmont Key State Park to Fort De Soto Park to find many options within a 35-minute drive. Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge protects and acts as a natural habitat for many plants, birds, and animals. Crystal River Archaeological State Park displays exhibitions and artifacts related to the geological and archaeological history of Crystal River and the nearby area. Black Diamond Ranch is a beautiful waterfront golf club with an 18-hole golf course and was rated #1 Golf Community in Florida. Another great attraction is Three Sisters Springs, an awesome tourist attraction site for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and other water-related activities. 

If you get hungry, you can take a ferry from Egmont Key State Park to Fort De Soto Park and then drive 15 minutes to many nearby restaurants. The Mexican restaurant Los Magueyes Crystal River features tacos, nachos, quesadillas, Pico guacamole, salads, burritos, and desserts. Seafood Seller & Café is an incredible waterside restaurant with a nice menu that includes surf ‘n’ turf, oysters, fish tacos, groupers, and shrimps. Another good restaurant is Breakfast Station, a breakfast restaurant featuring pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, and homemade pies. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Egmont Key State Park, you can take a ferry to Fort De Soto Park to find many options within a 25-minute drive. The 4-Star pet-friendly hotel Plantation Inn & Golf Resort is spread across 232 acres and features a pool, spa, gym, game room, 27-hole golf course, water sports equipment rental shop, three bars, two restaurants, and snorkeling, canoeing, boating, diving, fishing, and hiking tours. Plantation on Crystal River is a 3-Star hotel that welcomes pets and has a nice pool, spa, fitness center, restaurant, golf course, and tennis courts. If you are looking for an affordable hotel, the 2-Star pet-friendly hotel Quality Inn Crystal River offers a pool and tennis courts.