As mothers, we’re all the time looking out for family-friendly locations that make touring with children each enjoyable and enjoyable. I’m thrilled to share a beautiful travelogue from one in all our readers about her go to to Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County, Florida. Whether or not you’re planning your subsequent household journey or simply daydreaming concerning the excellent seashore day, her firsthand expertise presents inspiration. Get pleasure from!
Mother’s Journey Testimony:
Probably the greatest locations I’ve discovered for taking my rising household is Fort Desoto Park in Pinellas County, Florida. This park presents a surprise of issues to do this are excellent for households with younger kids. Since my very own kids are 3 months and 18 months previous, it was important to discover a vacation spot that might stimulate their rising curiosity whereas being kids/family-friendly.
Listed below are a number of the issues I like about Fort De Soto Park:
Bicycle trails and leases: There are onsite bicycle leases is the park close to the historic fort, with a surrey and bikes with toddler seats. The bike trails are paved and lighted and run by way of the park or you possibly can go on the dirt-covered bike trails operating alongside the gulf bay.
Nice seashores: One of many top-rated seashores in america, with an commentary pier so your little ones can benefit from the sounds of nature. We loved all the pieces from wading within the water to watching the dolphins swim within the bay.
Seashells: The park’s seashores are recognized for his or her abundance of seashells. We didn’t choose any this yr, but when we come again subsequent yr, I feel my oldest will get pleasure from trying to find distinctive shells.(Discover extra toddler-friendly beach activities here.)
Household-friendly facilities: The park is well-equipped with family-friendly amenities, together with clear restrooms and a handy concession stand. These facilities make the expertise a lot simpler for fogeys with younger kids.
Nature trails: It’s so straightforward to reap the benefits of the character trails because the park’s trails are stroller-friendly and ideal for a peaceable stroll whereas exposing your kids to nature.
Playground: The park has a pirate-themed playground on the North Seaside. It’s an excellent spot for teenagers to burn off power. This might be excellent when my oldest is 2.5 years previous subsequent yr!
Shaded picknic areas: There are shaded areas with picnic tables and pavilions to get pleasure from that big day on the seashore.
Campgrounds: Additionally they have a campground (with a playground) that provides primitive and full hookups in your pleasure to remain outside.
I extremely advocate Fort De Soto Park as an escape that stimulates the senses with pure sights, sounds, and the calming surroundings solely nature can supply. Close by sights embrace varied Gulf seashores, fishing spots, and mountain climbing trails, making it a flexible vacation spot for households.
Regardless of the busyness of life with two younger kids, as you possibly can think about, I actually felt that Fort De Soto allowed me to decelerate and actually loosen up. It’s a spot I’ll hold coming again to!
Watch this video to get an impression of what this excellent place is like!
Ideas for Households with Older Youngsters
Along with the nice suggestions supplied by our reader above, I’d like so as to add a number of extra issues to do for households with older children:
Discover the historic fort: Uncover the park’s namesake fort, full with cannons and a wealthy historical past relationship again to the Spanish-American Warfare. It’s a enjoyable and academic exercise for households with older children.
Wildlife watching: Deliver binoculars for birdwatching or hold an eye fixed out for sea turtles and manatees within the park’s waters.
Kayaking and canoeing: Hire a kayak or canoe to paddle by way of serene mangroves and waterways—an ideal journey for older children and youths. Leases can be found within the park.
Fishing: Fort De Soto presents fishing piers the place households can solid a line and luxuriate in a calming time collectively.
Take a ferry to Egmont Key: Hop on a ferry to close by Egmont Key, a secluded island with a historic lighthouse, mountain climbing trails, and snorkeling alternatives.
Snorkeling and swimming: Deliver masks and fins for underwater exploration within the calm, clear waters. (Examine water safety for children here.)
Geocaching: Take part in a real-world treasure hunt by geocaching. It’s a fascinating exercise that older kids and youths could get pleasure from – gaming in actual life as an alternative of on their mobiles for a change…
Sundown viewing: Keep till night to observe a wide ranging Gulf Coast sundown. Deliver a digital camera to seize the magical colours over the water. (If in case you have younger children who’re used to falling asleep within the stroller, that is excellent as a romantic date for brand new dad and mom, too!)
Park Location
Fort De Soto Park is situated in Pinellas County, Florida, on the southern tip of the county close to St. Petersburg. It isn’t a state park, as many assume, however a county park. The park spans 5 interconnected islands (or keys) and covers over 1,100 acres of pristine seashores, mangroves, and pure habitats alongside the Gulf of Mexico. The names of the keys are:
- St. Jean Key
- St. Christopher Key
- Bonne Fortune Key
- Madelaine Key
- Large Island Key
These keys are related by bridges and have a mixture of seashores, mangroves, trails, and leisure amenities, making the park a various and family-friendly vacation spot. It’s simply accessible by automobile, however sadly not with public transportation. Extra details about Fort De Soto Park may be discovered here on the Pinellas County website.
Extra Child-Pleasant Trip Spots In Florida
Who else has visited Fort Desoto State Park or is contemplating a go to? Drop a remark beneath! 🙂
Paula Dennholt based Straightforward Child Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and being pregnant author since then. Her parenting method and writing are based mostly on research in cognitive-behavioral fashions and remedy for kids and her expertise as a mom and stepmother. Life as a mother or father has satisfied her of how essential it’s to place relationships earlier than guidelines. She strongly believes in optimistic parenting and a science-based method.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who help in reviewing and writing articles.
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