![]() There are more than 2.7 million visitors each year.Beach” named it the nation’s top beach in 2005. TripAdvisor named Fort De Soto America’s Top Beach in 2009, and “Dr.If you visit in those months, you’ll likely see several areas marked by signs to indicate where sea turtle eggs are buried. The beaches at Fort De Soto also attract loggerhead sea turtles, which lay eggs there between April and September.The park is home to a protected shorebird habitat area that’s not open to the public. The park has seven miles of waterfront and three miles of sandy beach. It’s 1,136 acres, making it the largest park in the Pinellas County Park System.Here are a few cool facts and figures about the park: Pete.įort De Soto is nestled among five interconnected islands, according to the Pinellas County Parks website. Here’s what to expect at Fort De Soto Park and Shell Key (we’ll update this article to include Egmont Key soon). You can make a day out of your visit, or you can choose instead to take a short ferry ride from Fort De Soto to Shell Key Preserve or Egmont Key. The staff at Shell Key Shuttle is always very accommodating and friendly.If you’re looking for a close-to-home adventure, head on over to Fort De Soto Park in St. So it does significantly limit the possibility to walk to a spot away from everybody is still very much less populated as any of the beaches accessible by land. Since then, I have been informed that the island was divided into two smaller islands by Hurricane Irma also, much of the island is protected bird and/or turtle sanctuary, and you aren't allowed to go into those areas. There were still tons of shells on this side of the island. I took a chair, cooler, umbrella, blankets, drinks, and lunch, and set up 'camp' at a spot where I couldn't seen anyone else, and had a fabulous time relaxing and enjoying the view all by myself. I thought I'd just walk to the other island is APPARENTLY bigger than I thought and I never got to the other side lol. Once on the island, the first time I was a bit disappointed, because the shuttle drops you at the other side of the island from where I had previously visited. I discovered the Shuttle when I had wanted to go to the island but no one else could go with me, and I was frustrated because I can't haul the kayak by myself, so I searched and found Shell Key Shuttle, who, for about $25, would take me to the island and drop me off for up to 6 hours!! On the boat ride over, the captain shares local information, and we almost always see dolphins playing. The island is completely primitive-NO facilities (i.e., bathrooms of any kind). You can only access the island by boat, which makes for fewer people. I fell IN LOVE with the island! There were shells EVERYWHERE! and we went during the week, so we were the ONLY people on the island! I was in Paradise! After that we started kayaking over from nearby Fort Desoto's Arrowhead picnic area, and sometimes camped overnight. I love the shuttle! I learned of this island when I first moved to Florida 11 years ago, when some friends took me with them on their boat.
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