BEACHES VisitSPC.com/Beaches FORT DE SOTO PARK A beachy bastion: Lucky for us, the county purchased the erstwhile military fortress of Fort De Soto Park after World War II, and now we get to enjoy its 7-mile-long keychain of estuaries, pine-shaded recreation areas and undeveloped beaches. Snap a pic of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at the park’s East Beach. Catch leaping dolphins at the end of the Gulf Pier. Go fly a kite: Because it’s at the confluence of Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, the area’s crosscurrents make this sandy apex a popular spot for kiteboarders. Bark if you love a dog beach: A few paw prints from the Bay Pier, Fort De Soto’s Dog Beach allows dogs and their humans to play together in the water and onshore. Secluded picnic spots: Take a shady stroll at the Arrowhead Picnic & Fishing Area. At North Beach, pine-shaded picnic areas skirt white, sandy beaches with glistening tide pools. Mangroves and jagged, giant driftwood limbs enhance the area’s natural beauty. 36 AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES
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