Fort De Soto Park is one of St. Pete Beach's most well-revered natural treasures. From it's beautiful, white, sandy beach - often voted one of the top in the nation - to rigorous nature trails, fishing piers, camping and more, Fort De Soto is a mecca for nature-inspired recreation in St. Petersburg.
While patrons have enjoyed all these amenities at no cost for years, things will change come January 3rd, 2012.
Beginning this Tuesday, park attendees will now have to cough up $5 per carload to park at a pay plaza to enter this historical St. Pete park. The cost was implemented by the city to offset maintenance costs for the beach. Years of budget cuts have left the grass overgrown, the trash piling up, and bathrooms dirty at the park.
Fort De Soto Park hasn't always technically been free. Patrons have always had to pay a state-imposed 50 cents on the Pinellas Bayway that leads to the park, but even so, this is chump change (pun intended) in comparision to the $5 to enter Fort De Soto Park.
This $5 fee will also be implemented at Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs. These two parks are the most popular in Pinellas County. Fort De Soto had 2.8 million visitors last year while Fred Howard had 1.6 million.
Fort De Soto was one of the rare St. Pete beaches that boasted free parking. Most, including other beaches like Sand Key Park, have parking meters that charge a small amount of change per hour. Fort De Soto will now go from free to one of the most expensive beaches to park at beginning on Tuesday, January 3rd.
