# Fort De Soto Park: North Beach Coastal Shelling & Historic Battery Discovery

> Place to go for families in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater area (FL). Times are Eastern Time.

- When: Open daily 7:00 AM to sunset; Fort and visitor center open 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Dates: Tue, Dec 1 – Sun, Feb 28
- Where: Fort De Soto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715
- Ages: All ages; wide paved trails accommodate strollers; calm tidal pools at North Beach ideal for toddlers
- Price: $5 daily county park parking fee per vehicle (automated pay stations); Fort exploration and beach access free
- Schedule: Open daily 7:00 AM to sunset; Fort and visitor center open 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Organizer: Pinellas County Parks & Conservation Resources
- Official page: https://pinellas.gov/parks/fort-de-soto-park/
- Last checked: Wed, Nov 4

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/tampa/activities/fort-de-soto-park-north-beach-coastal-shelling-and-historic-battery-di--listing-032e259bc36cf3280084a3e6

## About

Spanning 1,136 pristine coastal acres across five interconnected barrier islands at the mouth of Tampa Bay, Fort De Soto Park is a premier winter coastal wonderland for families. Winter brings mild breezes, crystal-clear water, and world-class beachcombing along North Beach, where toddlers and children can safely wade on sandbars, hunt for unbroken sand dollars and conch shells, and watch brown pelicans dive.

Families can wander through historic Battery Laidley, touch century-old mortar cannons from the Spanish-American War, and climb to the firing deck for sweeping vistas across the Gulf of Mexico and Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The park also features a 7-mile paved waterfront recreation trail perfect for strollers and bicycles, shaded picnic pavilions with grills, modern restrooms with outdoor rinse showers, a pirate ship playground, and two fishing piers.

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