Fort Desoto East Beach

Located in the small town of Tierra Verde, Fort De Soto East Beach is a one-and-ahalf-mile-long and wide beach that is a part of a park named Fort De Soto Dog Park.  Fort De Soto East 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 was named was named "America’s #1 Beach" by TripAdvisor in 2008 and 2009 – and 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 East Beach does not have lifeguards, the beach offers many amenities including restrooms, boat ramps, a fishing pier, an overnight campground, and an Old Spanish fort. 

There are many fun activities at Fort De Soto East 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. 

Getting to Fort De Soto East Beach is very easy – the park’s paid parking booth that costs $5/day is situated at 3500 Pinellas Bayway South and provides easy access to the beach. 

If you are looking for nearby attractions, there are many options within a 35-minute drive of Fort De Soto East 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 East 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 East Beach. The Spanish restaurant Columbia Restaurant Sand Key offers gazpacho, paella velenciana, patatas 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 East Beach is Beach Shanty Café that 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 East 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 East 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.