The Florida coast on the Gulf of Mexico offers hundreds of miles of beaches. Numerous parks dot the coastline from Everglades National Park in the south to Pensacola on the Florida panhandle to the north. These parks, which offer activities such as beachcombing, nature trails and camping, are owned by city, county, state and national governments.
Pinellas County in central Florida offers beach access through 31 parks, three of them major beach parks. Fort De Soto Park covers more than seven miles of Gulf coastline, while Sand Key Park has almost one-half mile of beach. Howard Park is located in Tarpon Springs, and provides wildlife viewing opportunities on its 155 acres. Activities at the beach parks include picnicking, swimming and fishing.
Pinellas County Parks
Main Office
12520 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33774
727-582-2100
pinellascounty.org/park/beaches.htm
The state owns several parks along the Gulf of Mexico coast, including Deer Lake State Park and Caladesi Island State Park, which offers boat camping. Caladesi Island has 108 day-use spaces for boats in its marina, but also provides slips for boats to park overnight; 30 amp electrical service and water hookups are available. Caladesi Island has a three-mile nature trail as well as three miles of water trails for kayakers.
Deer Lake is a coastal dune lake which the state's website notes is rare worldwide, and in the United States can only be found on the Gulf coast. Visitors can learn about the dune ecosystem, cross a boardwalk to the beach, or walk/bile the 10-mile Walton County trail.
Florida Division of Recreation and Parks
3900 Commonwealth Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
850-245-2157
floridastateparks.org/default.cfm
The National Parks Service owns several parks and historic sites throughout Florida. On the Gulf coast it is responsible for The Gulf Islands National Seashore and Everglades National Park. The national seashore, which also includes Mississippi's Gulf coast, includes several forts dating back to when Florida was a Spanish colony up to World War II.
Everglades National Park is located at the very southern tip of the Sunshine State and extends north along the Gulf of Mexico. The park service describes Everglades as a large, subtropical wilderness that is home to numerous rare and endangered species of animals. The park, established in 1947, is a UN World Heritage Site and also has been designated an International Biosphere Reserve.
Everglades National Park
815 Oyster Bar Lane
Everglades City, FL 34139
239-695-3311
nps.gov/ever/index.htm
