We went to Fort De Soto last weekend to try one of the top dog friendly beaches near Sarasota and had the best time exploring with Basil. It’s the largest park within the Pinellas County Park System, with 1,136 acres made up of five keys. It has beautiful beaches and one of them is dog friendly!
We went to the fort in the morning, and then drove over to the dog park and beach. The dog area has rinsing stations, a dog park with fenced off room to run off leash, and is very well maintained. The beach itself is not fenced, but has it’s own section for pups and their owners- it was really cute to see all the dogs playing together and in the water. We keep Basil on-leash for the beach (he is a runner and would be raiding the snack stand immediately) with a sand stake- the beach is a narrow enough stretch that he was able to splash and play. He had a great time!
Tip for visiting Fort de Soto with your pup:
- Visit the fort in the morning- there is limited shade! Then head back in your car and go over to the dog beach.
- Pack a picnic! Food options are limited.
- Go up to the top of the fort for the best view.
- Be mindful of your pup’s paws on the pavement and sand (the dog park is not white sand!)- both get very hot, and we had to carry Basil.
- Bring extra water for you and your pup, and have an umbrella for shade.
- Look for dolphins! We saw a dozen swimming very close to the dogs in the water, it was so cute!
- Have cash and a Sunpass for entrance onto the island and park entry.
- Keep your dog on a leash (unless at the dog beach) per park rules.
I didn’t get any photos of the dog beach to protect my camera from sandy pups, but shared a reel here that has more of our day!
xoxo