Fort De Soto Park

The reservation system is a certified mess!! 😵
But when you eventually manage to get a spot, it's a really great place to relax and spend a few nights away!

Each site has water and electric hookups, as well as a charcoal grill and picnic table for dining.
The bathrooms have basic showers with endless hot water, and there are even washer/dryer units for the longer term stays available.

Camp store prices are about what you'd expect. But the store folks are helpful and friendly. And can provide firewood and fire rings for those who like to sit by the flames before turning in.

Sites vary in quality and comfort. Just like anywhere.
Do your due diligence, and check out your sites before booking.
There are video reviews of the various sites on YouTube with a quick search if you're not local also!

First time campers (May 2021) and had the pleasure of camping next to Tom and Judith, who help manage the camp site. WOW, what wonderful people but also attentive and went out of their way for us. Such pleasant people. You can see that they ENJOY helping others. Can't wait to return.

There are a number of lovely white sand beaches, so you're bound to find one you like. I was only here for lunch with me cousins, but the water was so perfect that I went in fully clothed. Cool artifacts from the Spanish-American war. One downside is that all of the picnic tables are on concrete patios or pavilions, blech. It'd be nice if there were at least a few on the grass in the shade.

I don't really want everyone to know this, but THIS PLACE IS AMAZING! The beaches were clean and beautiful. There were restrooms and showers to rinse off sand. We came to spend the day at the beach and check out the fort. It was so beautiful. There was a HUGE line to get in the park for $5 but once you were in it wasn't terribly busy and we were there on a hot spring break day.

This is a very nice park overall. The fort was a bit unique for us because most forts we have toured are along the U.S. East Coast. Most of the fort is accessible to walk through. The rest of the park is fantastic. Nice areas for biking, many kayak launches and rentals for both if needed. We had a wide range of ages in our group and everyone enjoyed the visit. The road leading into the park has a couple of tolls and there is a per car admission. We had a great visit and it is worth a trip out to the park when in the St. Pete.