Do yourself a favor and bring along at least a small galvanized bucket. jQuery('.facebook-like-widget-3 .fb-page' ).attr( 'data-width', availableSpace ); Fort De Soto Campground has sites for all types of camping units. Fort De Soto Campground in Tierra Verde, Florida: 161 reviews, 52 photos, & 28 tips from fellow RVers. Dinner by the campfire and a relaxing night turned into a headache. The sites that are not either of the above are not wor... Fort DeSoto Campground Cancellation Policy. Fort De Soto Park Campground has 238 single-family campsites and is located on an island in a beautiful 1,136-acre park in the Tampa Bay Area. Our opinion points to the 'best of the best' sites being in the 'no pets' loop in Area 3. This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com, Great spots surrounded by trees . Be prepared for other people’s dogs to come visit you and share your dog’s water bowl. The reviews below are not up to Campendium's standards for quality and reliability and therefore are not counted toward the overall star rating. The complexity of the ecology is not immediately … There was literally a stream running through the site. Additionally, there is a large boat ramp just a few minutes from the campground. Fort De Soto Park Overview. Hard to believe its a county park! Reservations: Residents of Pinellas County can make reservations 7 months in advance. Sadly from the lady at the office to the grounds keepers all we got was redness. We had a great two nights (an October Sunday and Monday night) in site 13 (tent/small camper area) immediately on the water. Beautiful grounds, sh*t people run it. The pastime has been such an integral part of Florida’s history, it’s only natural that camping would come of age right here. more. Fort De Soto Park Campground is a campsite in Pinellas County. if ( 'undefined' !== typeof FB ) { }; Camping right on the water at Fort De Soto Park CampgroundFort De Soto Park Campground has to be one of the best, non-well-kept secrets out there. window.fbAsyncInit = function() { Which is covered with starfish, conch shells, and other ocean gems. Fort De Soto offers 10% of their sites in a pseudo 'walk-in' fashion. Everywhere. Fort DeSoto Park Campground is located on St. Jean Key along the Mullet Key Bayou in Fort DeSoto Park. The sites are large and filled with trees and palms. Fort De Soto information and pictues about camping, beaches, wildlife and birds. Large campsites. Your camping pass includes access to the fishing pier and the beaches, which is otherwise $5/day per vehicle. This is a fabulous, award-winning county-run campground in Pinellas County, Florida. Normally perhaps not a huge deal, but these ended up being the coldest days of the season so far, and not having at least one day with a semi-hot shower wasn't good. The campground roads need to be graded - they’re full of huge potholes at this time. So all of a sudden $33 turn into $45. Everyone else can make reservations 6 months in advance. Turn left on Pinellas Bayway/Hwy 679 and follow to Fort DeSoto Park. A couple of reasons: One, the showers were not hot. View on Map Local Directions: Located on St. Jean Key along the Mullet Key Bayou in Fort DeSoto Park. Our site backed up to the bathroom, had a view of an inlet out the back, and the playground off to the side. Fort de Soto Park Campground, St. Petersburg: See 285 traveler reviews, 288 candid photos, and great deals for Fort de Soto Park Campground, ranked #1 of 17 specialty lodging in St. Petersburg and rated 4.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. Bring the family and have fun! } The bathroom offers 3 showers with awesome pressure and amazingly hot water and several toilets. Before you make a reservation, look at the campground map carefully and do not settle for a site that is not waterfront or pull-through. This is one of those campgrounds where it pays to study the map–each loop has … St. Pete has lots to do when you are looking for time away from the campsite. Accommodations were good and facilities were clean. Fort De Soto campsite reservations and all park shelter reservations can also be made online or at this office. Empty sites are cleaned thoroughly between guests. All the camp sites have electric and water connections, and many have front views of the inland water and direct access to the Gulf of Mexico by boat.  To make a camping reservation please contact the Campground reservation system. Would rate more highly if noise complaints could be addressed more thoroughly by staff. more. more. A few tolls on the way bring some quarts for exact change tolls. if ( maxWidth < availableSpace ) { Especially since we did it by snagging a cancellation only 3 weeks before arrival. FB.XFBML.parse(); Hot showers are great and you regularly see workers maintaining all the facilities. availableSpace = maxWidth; minimum advance notice or will be subject to forfeiting the … Take the ferry to Egmont Key or Shell Key for the day. There is also a bike/kayak/paddle board rental location closer to the beach. There is a 7% tourism tax and 5% sales tax. Also be aware that g... The all weather day room is sometimes referred to as “The Fort De Soto Living Room”. This is entirely because of the issue above. This is a great area and I highly recommend Fort de Soto. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore( js, fjs ); } Paddle on the water. Especially since we did it by snagging a cancellation only 3 weeks before arrival. Fort De Soto Park 3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde, FL 33715 Park Office (727) 893-9185 Campground Office (727) 893-9185 Reserve Campground Online The camp store* has basic grocery items, ice, souvenirs, and hand-dipped ice cream. Become a Campendium Supporter and enjoy ad-free browsing plus bonus features! Get rid of that and the place is quiet as can be). fusion_resize_page_widget(); We were in site 114 which backed up to the main road. Fort De Soto Park also has a 7-mile, 12-foot wide asphalt recreation trail for bikers and inline skaters that connects the campground with the north and east beach swim centers and the historic fort. Camp store has bikes and fire pits for rent. Jeez. All sites have water and electric hook-up (30/50 amp service), a picnic table, and a charcoal grill. A paved trail running the length of the Isle and several sandy road trails near the beach. I wasn't going to waste their time asking about hot water and leaf blowers. There is also a bike/kayak/paddle board rental location closer to the beach. Florida's Pinellas County Park System has some of the best parks in the nation and they offer a treasure trove of recreational opportunities. Dogs have free run of the dog beach and socialize a lot with other dogs and people. We also booked a pontoon tour of shell key where we saw dolphins and found several sand dollars. I’ve talked before about campgrounds that have a legendary feel to them due to how many... We stayed at Ft. De Soto on our way home from The Keys at the advice of our James Island neighbors. Close to clean restroom/showers, friendly check in and camp store staff. Come rediscover the meaning of family and being together in nature. If you’re staying at Fort DeSoto Park, make … e 0 0.5 1 Miles ( function( d, s, id ) { However, there are no tolls on the way out. If you’re camping in the pet area, make note of the entrance. Enjoy the views. Turn left on Pinellas Bayway/Hwy 679 and follow to Fort DeSoto Park. Fort De Soto Park Campground from Mapcarta, the free map. The park itself has well kept grounds with beautiful camping spots. The major drawback of Fort De Soto is that every time you leave... you have to pay at least one (likely two) tolls to get back in. No dust. availableSpace = maxWidth; In 25 years of camping we have never heard an A/C unit in this poor of condition... would pay to have it repaired. We had a great two nights (an October Sunday and Monday night) in site 13 (tent/small camper area) immediately on the water. The Parks and Conservation Resources administrative office is located at 12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo. The waterfront sites at this park are my favorite place to camp. North Beach beach is absolutely beautiful and there’s a fort to explore. Restrooms and ample parking are available, plus a boat ramp, kayak, canoe and bike rentals, and the historic fort. The campground will be on your right. And of course people who had carved in their initials. It would have been better if we were visiting from far away and hadn’t already spent a lot of time there. Please enter your email address, a new password will be emailed to you. 10% of sites are set aside for walk-ins and they open up every Friday morning. js = d.createElement( s ); The overall park is huge and we were glad to have our bikes. fjs = d.getElementsByTagName( s )[0]; It wasn't 'the best' site in the park... but I would argue that there isn't a bad site in the park - there are just 'super amazing', 'amazing', 'sweet', and 'better than a si... This a great state park to visit and explore. Here is the Campground link: more. On our last day there, our dog was bitten by a very aggressive older dog who ran up to him and snapped at his face without being provoked. Have Consumer Cellphone and coverage was almost nonexistent. A camp store, dump stations and modern restrooms with showers and laundry facilities are provided for your convenience. more. We loved the bike path to the b... Post was not sent - check your email addresses! I didn't see that as their responsibility. These hold back sites can be reserved up to 7 days. Why not 5? Off-leash dog beach cons: Hectic on nice days, and some dogs can be unpredictable and aggressive with owners who don’t control them. Bait and concessions are available. Whether you are sitting on the beach or kayaking near the still water's edge at Fort De Soto, you find yourself absorbed in the abundance of natural beauty for as far as the eye can see. Enjoy a sunrise or sunset at the campground. PS: Due to Covid there was little sign of any management. Fort DeSoto Dog Beach is a beach in Pinellas County. 1st RV Camping Trip: Fort Desoto ( 11/27-28/2018 ) Our first trip was on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, to Fort Desoto Park Campground. This was our first time camping there. First, let me just say we live in Tampa and have been to Fort De Soto many times just to go to the beach. The sites that are on the water have beautiful views. Campground Office hours at Fort De Soto Park are Saturday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. / Friday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. WiFi is available at the camp store and office. It fills up early. Garbage cans every few sites, emptied daily. It’s on the left across from the office. Friendly and helpful staff. 10% of campsites in the park become available every Friday morning at 7 a.m. and can be secured online beginning at 7 a.m. Any remaining sites can be secured in person at the Camp Office after 9 a.m. The drive into St. Petersburg is easy. Unfortunately all the “bad” sites are located in the pet area of the campground. Trials and Tribulations of Getting a Spot at Fort De Soto Park – Tierra Verde, FL No generators are allowed at any time and trails in the park are shut down at dusk. And we didn’t even get a waterfront site! Please see our, Q&A - Ask the Community about Fort De Soto Park Campground, Written by someone with an affiliation to the property, Duplicate review submitted by the same member, Multiple reviews submitted by members of the same household, Reviewer did not actually visit the location, The Best RV Parks and Campgrounds in the Florida Keys, America's Top National Parks for RV Camping, The Mighty 5: All the Camping in Utah’s National Parks, The Top 15 States for RV Camping in National Forests, What You Need To Know About The New Camping Rules Near The Tetons, The Best State Park Campgrounds in Each State, 2 reviews not included in the overall rating, Fort De Soto, Fl – The Adventures of Liz & Jake, Fort De Soto Park Campground Review - Know Your Campground. Also, you can reserve a site for any date within the coming 7 days from a Friday - it doesn't have to be consecutive from that Friday date. After 0.8 miles, turn right at the T-intersection. We come here for what the park has to offer not necessarily the camping area itself. Jake snagged us two weeks in a campsite at Fort De Soto County Park just south of St. Petersburg Florida for late January through early February. The south shoreline that faces the channel heading into Tampa bay is also an excellent beach. Fort de Soto is one of the best campgrounds we've stayed in. } Our dog, Etta, loved the huge dog park for little dogs and the very nice dog beach. Reservations. Our neighboring sites did not have the same issues. Tent camping at Fort De Soto under the palm trees. more. Before you make a reservation, look at the campground map carefully and do not settle for a site that is not waterfront or pull-through. The overall park is huge and we were glad to have our bikes. Most of the nicer sites are in the non-pet areas. In addition, when I looked at the sites he had blown clean, there was no longer any sand buffer on the ground to soften any bumps. Jane S./Trip Advisor The campground offers a … Overall it was an okay experience. Great playground And dog beach! We’ve been on the road almost a year now, and Fort Desoto is one of our favorite parks. Also be aware that getting to this place will cost you $5-7 as there are 3 tolls and you have to pay to get into the park even if you are camping. Fort DeSoto Park is its largest, made up of five interconnected islands consisting of 1,136 acres. The s... One of our favorite campgrounds ever, Fort DeSoto is the perfect getaway near St. Petersburg, FL, particularly if you like nature, camping, kayaking, beaches, biking… you get the picture. Love the dog park and piers. Fort de Soto is one of the best campgrounds we've stayed in. Fort Desoto Park, with its stunning beaches and beautiful campground is a great place to spend a summer day. We were able to snag a 14 days in the same site while at De Soto - a true feat! Campground Area #2 is pet friendly, areas #1 and #3 are no pets allowed. Fire pits are available to rent for $3/night. I spent one day kayaking and it was a beautiful trip. This park is also a great place to fly a kite. js.id = id; Website Instructions. } This is a fabulous, award-winning county-run cam... AMANDA, TURN ON THE DAMN TV! Planning on staying at the Ft. DeSoto Campground in March? Besides the noise, there was now dust and sand over everything. The sites are large and filled with trees and palms. We used the tent/pop-up side. if ( 1 > availableSpace ) { There is a $5 modification fee for any cancellations, change site, or rescheduling of reservations. (Note - I rated "Noise" as one star. The fort campground is a beautiful facility with 238 private camp sites catering to all types of campers from the tent camper, to the fifth wheel, to the luxury highway motor home. One of our favorite campgrounds , wish we could have stayed longer, We used the tent/pop-up side. Lodge Front Desk: 24/7 All Year. Amazing sunset experience on north beach. The campground is well maintained but always seems to be busy. The waterfront sites at this park are my favorite place to camp. Take I-275/Hwy 19, Exit 17 Pinellas Bayway/54th Avenue So./Hwy 682. While you no longer have to wait in line in front of the camp office to try and reserve a walk-in camp site (yes, this used to a thing on Friday mornings), you will need to wait until a Friday morning at 7am (East Coast Time) to snag a walk-in site. No license is necessary to fish from the pier. Most offer some privacy between sites with natural foliage. This was our first time camping there. Fort DeSoto Park. We acted as 'eyes and direction' for another solo bigger rigger later in the week - our advice is that if you're solo or uncomfortable with tight back in situations - hunt down someone who has a big rig and ask for their assistance. Camp at the Beautiful Fort De Soto Park Campground if You're Lucky Enough to Reserve a Spot! 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