Fort Desoto Dog Park Beach

Located in the city of St. Petersburg, Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach is a three-mile-long and wide beach that is a part of a park named Fort De Soto Dog Park.Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach has very beautiful white sand  and it faces the Gulf of Mexico.  Spread across 1,136 acres, Fort De Soto Dog Park is west of the mouth of Tampa Bay and is an awesome spot for photography.  Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach.” 

As the name suggests, Fort De Soto Dog Park welcomes dogs on leash and even has a playground called Paw Playground where dogs are allowed off leash.Although Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach does not have lifeguards, Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach offers many amenities including restrooms, dog showers, 15 picnic tables, trails, playgrounds, an overnight campground with 238 family camping sites, a fishing pier, and an old Spanish fort. 

There are many fun activities at Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach including swimming, camping, fishing, hiking, boating, photography, and beach walking.  Please note that you must have a fishing license to fish throughout the park, including fishing piers.  If you are looking for additional activities, you can drive 15 minutes north to see sea turtles and rare birds laying eggs and nesting respectively at Boca Ciega Bay Aquatic Preserve.

If you are looking for nearby attractions, there are many options within a 35-minute drive of Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach. Oddities & Antiques is an amazing art gallery with collections of paintings, photographs, wood art, and art workshops and classes. Clearwater Marine Aquarium is home to North American river otters, green sea turtles, cownose rays, southern stingrays, nurse sharks, great white pelicans, hogfish, red drum, and Winter – a bottlenose dolphin. If you like recreational activities, Caladesi Island State Park offers a three-mile-long nature trail, boats, canoes, kayaks, birding, and wildlife viewing. Another great attraction near Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach is Pier 60, an incredible fishing spot featuring street performers, artistic shops, and beautiful sunset views for clicking Instagram-worthy pictures. 

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a 15-minute drive of Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach. The Spanish restaurant Columbia Restaurant Sand Key offers gazpacho, paella valenciana, patata bravas, fideua, tortilla, jamon, and churros. Gondolier Pizza is a pizza restaurant featuring homemade pizza, breadsticks, and chicken wings. Another good restaurant near Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach is Beach Shanty Café which serves many brunch options including dim sums, waffles, hash browns, eggs, salmon, and blintzes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach, you can drive 25 minutes to many nearby hotels. The 4-Star Sandpearl Resort features a walk-in pool, poolside bar, spa, sauna, fitness center, kids’ club, two beachfront restaurants, and beachfront fire pits. If you are looking for affordable hotels near Fort De Soto Dog Park Beach, the 3-Star Hotel Cabana Clearwater Beach has a nice pool – and Hampton Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach is a 2-Star hotel with a heated pool, rooftop bar, bistro, gym, and restaurant.