Fort De Soto Park Campground
County Park
Write a Review 3500 Pinellas Bayway S Saint Petersburg, FL 33715 727-582-2100 Official WebsiteGPS: 27.6348, -82.7182
Overview of Fort De Soto Park Campground
Campsites 86 - 164 allow pets.
Last Price Paid: $48
Reported by Kathy on 6/30/2024
Longest RV Reported: 40 feet (Class A)
Reported by Peace on 3/21/2021
Number of Sites 236
Pad Type gravel
Reservations yes
Elevation 0 ft / 0 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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Q&A - Ask the Community about Fort De Soto Park Campground
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 727-582-2100
JM asked on 12/17/2022
Does anyone know if there any way to see Fort De Soto's available campsites for your dates without having to check ea...
Dd asked on 5/31/2021
Any tips or tricks as to how to score a site here? Many have shared their frustration with the reservation site even...
Psychgirl74 asked on 5/26/2021
Hi! I made a reservation for Fort De Soto in Area 1, which is supposed to be for tent camping and trailers under 16 f...
Anna asked on 4/19/2021
Does anyone know if Fort De Soto Park has beach wheelchairs for rent?
Reviews of Fort De Soto Park Campground 65 people have reviewed this location.
Cell Phone Coverage
Confirmed by 35 Users
Last reported 9/26/2023
Confirmed by 21 Users
Last reported 5/27/2024
Confirmed by 11 Users
Last reported 5/27/2024
Reviewed 5/4/2018
| Days stayed: | 1 |
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| Site Number: | 168 |
Overall Rating
Ground is well kept and amenities are clean and in great shape. A pass to a he park and beaches is included in the price. Beach was voted most beautiful in the USA
Cerfew unforced after 10 pm
Jean-Guy would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great fun with the kids and the dog”
Reviewed 5/2/2018
| Nightly rate: | $43 |
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| Days stayed: | 3 |
| Site Number: | 121 |
Overall Rating
We had a lot of fun here at Fort De Soto. I travel in total with eight, my wife and six kids and one dog. Sites were very clean, staff was friendly, bathroom/showers clean and well-kept. The sites are tight and ours backed right up to the playground which was great for the kids. It is a five minute drive from the beach and dogs a... more
We had a lot of fun here at Fort De Soto. I travel in total with eight, my wife and six kids and one dog. Sites were very clean, staff was friendly, bathroom/showers clean and well-kept. The sites are tight and ours backed right up to the playground which was great for the kids. It is a five minute drive from the beach and dogs are welcome. Rangers and park staff are very friendly to campers and RVs in the beach parking lot.
Ps Watch for poison ivy it looks like it’s on every site
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Nick would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“I am local so here is the fishing report also.”
Reviewed 4/2/2018
| Nightly rate: | $42 |
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| Days stayed: | 3 |
| Site Number: | 3 12 18 |
Overall Rating
This place is beautiful, semi quiet since it is packed most of the time. I have stayed there about 20 times over the years. It is easy to get a spot on weekdays but weekends is terrible. Sometimes you have to move. I take my Kayak's and fish. I also take it out in the ocean since it is an Ocean Kayak but be very careful of the curr... more
This place is beautiful, semi quiet since it is packed most of the time. I have stayed there about 20 times over the years. It is easy to get a spot on weekdays but weekends is terrible. Sometimes you have to move. I take my Kayak's and fish. I also take it out in the ocean since it is an Ocean Kayak but be very careful of the currents coming in and out. Stay close to the shore. If you want to see the manatee's and dolphins up close it is a little treck on a kayak. If you are on the ocean side you paddle out towards the ocean after you pass the first island take a left before you get to the ocean. There are 2 islands, first one take a left. The water will get calmer because of the barriers. about 15 to 20 min slow paddling time you will get into an area that has a no motorized boat area. keep following that towards the right. On the right side you will see where all the manatee's are hanging close to the shore. There are dolphin's galore also. Now there is a law that states it is Illegal to harass manatee's. So i will explain a little about that. manatee's are very friendly and curious. They will come right up to you if you are in the water. It is NOT against the law to touch them if they come up to you. Just don't try to ride on them, etc. That is when it is considered Harassing. They do not bite and they have hairy bristles all over them. They are beautiful. They stay in that area because there are not any motorized vehicles. Enjoy yourself. BTW they are only there when the water is warm. If it is cold season you should go visit Big Bend Power Station is a major coal-fired power plant, located across Tampa Bay from Tampa, Florida on nearly 1,500 acres in southeastern Hillsborough County, close to Apollo Beach. It is owned and operated by TECO Energy. They have a viewing bridge and there are hundreds there hanging out in the warm water. It is also free to view but i think you pay to park.
FISHING, If you want to fish do not go to the place described above. All the dolphins will steal your fish. Shore fishing is great in that area. I have caught grouper and Gulf flounder over that way. If you can get out to the island to the right to fish it is much better. Some spots you can walk way out in the water on the sand dunes and fish off. You just have to look at the water color change to see them being as they constantly change. I use live shrimp most of the time. Or frozen squid. you should google a bait place before you go in. I do not know if they sell bait at the store. There is also a wall by the boat ramp that you can fish off of. Some parts are shady. You will catch more in the shade which you prob knew. Good luck and enjoy your stay.
This pic I am posting is when a dolphin just went under my kayak on the right side. We didn't snap the pic quick enough.
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RAY BURR would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Peaceful Beach Stay ”
Reviewed 1/12/2018
| Nightly rate: | $35 |
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| Days stayed: | 7 |
| Site Number: | 233, 182 |
Overall Rating
This was a nice stay to get away from crowds and enjoy nature by the beach. Beautiful sunsets, many birds, funny raccoons, and some pests of course. Each site seems private. Staying at a waterfront site is very nice and worth it (on the west side). Sites are Sandy of course so you will track in sand, but that is to be expected. Laundry... more
This was a nice stay to get away from crowds and enjoy nature by the beach. Beautiful sunsets, many birds, funny raccoons, and some pests of course. Each site seems private. Staying at a waterfront site is very nice and worth it (on the west side). Sites are Sandy of course so you will track in sand, but that is to be expected. Laundry is $1.75 per wash and dry and works well. Staff was very nice and helpful. Watch out for tree limbs, but we did just fine in our 32’ Fifth Wheel. Perfect place to ride a bike. Keep checking the website and vacancies will open up if you want to stay. We only reserved about 2 weeks in advance. Toll is $1.75 total to get back in from getting groceries (with just a car). Limited ATT. I used a booster and could stream non HD.
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nicolesnutrition would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Hidden gem!!”
Reviewed 12/25/2017
| Nightly rate: | $38 |
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| Days stayed: | 10 |
| Site Number: | 210 |
Overall Rating
Great campground! We had a beautiful waterfront spot. Quiet, clean, good facilities, spacious, could drop kayak in right from our site. Camped in a 41’ class A. Some low branches brushed the roof but did no damage. But then we’re 13’6” high... took some maneuvering to back in our spot as the feeder road is not very wide and lined wi... more
Great campground! We had a beautiful waterfront spot. Quiet, clean, good facilities, spacious, could drop kayak in right from our site. Camped in a 41’ class A. Some low branches brushed the roof but did no damage. But then we’re 13’6” high... took some maneuvering to back in our spot as the feeder road is not very wide and lined with palms. Nothing that can’t be done with a good spotter. No sewer hook up, but dump is on site.
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JDek would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“WOW! Wish we could have stayed longer!”
Reviewed 11/27/2017
| Nightly rate: | $38 |
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| Days stayed: | 5 |
| Site Number: | 122 |
| RV Length: | 22' |
Overall Rating
This campground is a great hidden gem. Well maybe not totally hidden since it does book up a lot, but it's a county park so maybe overlooked sometimes. But that's better for you!! It is surrounded with ocean views from most of the sites, with paved bike or walking/running trails to many more beaches including a specific dog beach just ... more
This campground is a great hidden gem. Well maybe not totally hidden since it does book up a lot, but it's a county park so maybe overlooked sometimes. But that's better for you!! It is surrounded with ocean views from most of the sites, with paved bike or walking/running trails to many more beaches including a specific dog beach just down the road. The sites are huge and pretty private with trees and palms in between each one and well maintained. Bathrooms and showers are super clean and nice. Water and electric hook ups only, have to use dump station in park. Really affordable for Florida in December especially so close to St. Petersburg. Kayak, SUP rentals available and lots of fishing right off the campground. The two loops are depressed by dog owners or no pets but both sides are beautiful. Museums, restaurants and shops not too far away in st. Pete's, but the campground feels like an isolated beach island. I can't say enough how much we love this spot!
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@ChasingTabor would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Waterfront is worth the extra $2”
Reviewed 11/17/2017
| Nightly rate: | $38 |
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| Days stayed: | 4 |
| RV Length: | 24' (Travel Trailer) |
Overall Rating
Gorgeous campsite on the water, they do charge $2 extra for waterfront, but it’s definitely worth it. Verizon worked well with our cell booster, but we could only use ATT at the camp store. Lots of bike trails and a beautiful beach to watch the sunset. Convenient to grocery stores and all St. Pete has to offer! Bathrooms were clean and... more
Gorgeous campsite on the water, they do charge $2 extra for waterfront, but it’s definitely worth it. Verizon worked well with our cell booster, but we could only use ATT at the camp store. Lots of bike trails and a beautiful beach to watch the sunset. Convenient to grocery stores and all St. Pete has to offer! Bathrooms were clean and laundry was convenient. Our site did hold water when it rained, but it was Florida in August so it was a risk saw coming. We camped here 7/30-8/3
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Journeying Jacksons would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great place”
Reviewed 6/6/2017
| Nightly rate: | $35 |
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| Days stayed: | 3 |
| Site Number: | 119 |
| RV Length: | 35' (Fifth Wheel) |
Overall Rating
Background: this was the first place my soon to be wife and I ever camped (tent) together 45 years ago and the first picture ever taken of us as a couple was taken at the fort at that time, while I was in the USAF and stationed at MacDill AFB after returning from a tour in Vietnam. We were married a couple of months after this trip. ... more
Background: this was the first place my soon to be wife and I ever camped (tent) together 45 years ago and the first picture ever taken of us as a couple was taken at the fort at that time, while I was in the USAF and stationed at MacDill AFB after returning from a tour in Vietnam. We were married a couple of months after this trip.
We wanted to recreate the picture and were lucky enough to score a campsite on fairly short notice. I also have a good friend who lives very close to the park and we had not seen each other in over forty years, so wanted to renew our friendship. On this trip we were not lucky enough to score a waterfront site (they are very nice), so had an interior site in the dog area (we have a dog). Check in was quick and easy. Our site was right by a restroom and it was clean and also close to a nice playground. We had electric and water hookups and the water was good. Our PI EMS system indicated good, steady power during our stay. It also had a picnic table and grill, but not a fire ring, although they could be rented at the store. We had our own, but since the temperature was in the low 90s we did not have any campfires. The park has a really nice set of very large off-the-leash dog runs, one for big dogs and one for small dogs. It also has a doggy beach. The East Beach was almost deserted and the North Beach is incredibly beautiful, just as it was 45 years ago. The nearest grocery store is 6-7 miles back north and requires paying a toll to get back to the campground. The camp store is very small, but had quite a bit of stuff. There are two dump stations in the campground, but from the doggy area we were required to exit the campground then come back in at the entrance to get to them. Both had standing water in the road right by the dump holes. The staff was friendly and courteous. We really enjoyed our stay here and yes, with the help of a patient stranger we were able to duplicate the photo.
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Bill & Jeri RV Travels would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Lush campground, many sites with waterviews”
Reviewed 1/2/2017
| Nightly rate: | $41 |
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| Days stayed: | 10 |
| Site Number: | 190, 214 & 108 |
Overall Rating
Pinellas County residents can make a reservation 7 months in advance, while the rest of us only have a 6 month window. I booked our sites for Christmas through New Years 6 months to the day in advance and couldn't get 1 site for the entire stay, so we had to move 2 times. We previously stayed here 10 years ago and loved it. The camp... more
Pinellas County residents can make a reservation 7 months in advance, while the rest of us only have a 6 month window. I booked our sites for Christmas through New Years 6 months to the day in advance and couldn't get 1 site for the entire stay, so we had to move 2 times.
We previously stayed here 10 years ago and loved it. The campground hasn't really changed since and is still well maintained. The non-pet loop seemed cleaner than the pet loop.
Sites are lush and fairly private, lots of birds and lizards. This is one of our favorite campgrounds in Florida.
Verizon - DOWNLOAD: 5.5Mb/s, UPLOAD: 1.67Mb/s
AT&T - DOWNLOAD: 3.42Mb/s, UPLOAD: 0.43Mb/s
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Aluminarium would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“I will definitely return to this place. ”
Reviewed 8/11/2016
| Nightly rate: | $36 |
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| Days stayed: | 5 |
| Site Number: | 166 |
| RV Length: | 27' |
Overall Rating
There is so much to do and see. We took our bike and road for miles. The beach was lovely and on some days it was clear enough to snorkel. There are dolphins! We didn't have enough time to fish but there are plenty; fish are jumping out of the water here. There are waterways so you could rent a kayak overnight or longer. Tips: Make sur... more
There is so much to do and see. We took our bike and road for miles. The beach was lovely and on some days it was clear enough to snorkel. There are dolphins! We didn't have enough time to fish but there are plenty; fish are jumping out of the water here. There are waterways so you could rent a kayak overnight or longer. Tips: Make sure to go to the store to stock up before you enter. The stores are way outside of the park and there is a toll to return. There are plenty of no-see-ems so bring your resistance! Every site is under a tree so you'll have no satellite or Internet while staying in the park and there are no laundry facilities on site. Otherwise, it was a wonderful experience and we will go again.
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CinnamonTravelers would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
Page 6 of 7
2 reviews not included in the overall rating
The reviews below are not up to Campendium's standards for quality and reliability and therefore are not counted toward the overall star rating. Please see our FAQ page for more information.
“Beautiful groubds- Sh*t People Run it”
Reviewed 12/12/2018
| Nightly rate: | $45 |
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| Days stayed: | 1 |
| Site Number: | 90 |
Overall Rating
Beautiful grounds, sh*t people run it. The park itself has well kept grounds with beautiful camping spots. Sadly from the lady at the office to the grounds keepers all we got was redness. Everyone there seems to hate their job. Maybe because FL minimum wage is barely $8 and Florida is not a cheap place to live. Also be aware that g... more
Beautiful grounds, sh*t people run it. The park itself has well kept grounds with beautiful camping spots. Sadly from the lady at the office to the grounds keepers all we got was redness. Everyone there seems to hate their job. Maybe because FL minimum wage is barely $8 and Florida is not a cheap place to live.
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.
Price for camping that is being advertised is way lower than what you will actually pay. There is a 7% tourism tax and 5% sales tax. So all of a sudden $33 turn into $45.
Also the place seems to have unbelievably strict rules from no alcohol anywhere in the park to "curfew" that starts at 10pm. No generators are allowed at any time and trails in the park are shut down at dusk.
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T-Mobile 4G
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Noise was an Issue”
Reviewed 11/11/2018
| Days stayed: | 3 |
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| Site Number: | 206 |
Overall Rating
Accommodations were good and facilities were clean. However, the neighboring site had an unbelieveably loud A/C unit set up (ran louder than my generator does) and it ruined the ambiance of the evening. Dinner by the campfire and a relaxing night turned into a headache. Would rate more highly if noise complaints could be addressed more... more
Accommodations were good and facilities were clean. However, the neighboring site had an unbelieveably loud A/C unit set up (ran louder than my generator does) and it ruined the ambiance of the evening. Dinner by the campfire and a relaxing night turned into a headache. Would rate more highly if noise complaints could be addressed more thoroughly by staff. In 25 years of camping we have never heard an A/C unit in this poor of condition... would pay to have it repaired.
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This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Amenities
Hookups
- 50 Amp
- 30 Amp
- 20 Amp
- water
- Partial Hookups
Recreation
- fishing
- playground
- recreation trail
- swimming beach
- water access
Site Amenities
- fire ring
- picnic table
Facilities
- dump station
- general store
- laundry
- restrooms: flush
- showers
- trash
- water available
Pets
- pets
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