Our First True Campground Experience: Fort Desoto Park

In September, after successfully camping at our rented home and at George and Bonnie's ranch, we decided to camp at a local Pinellas County Park, Fort Desoto Park.  This would be our maiden voyage to a real campground!

Fort Desoto Park, is located at the southern tip of Pinellas County just north of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on I275.  It's a county park famous for it's beaches: 
Fort De Soto Named America’s Top Beach for 2009 
Pristine Area Favorite Lauded as “Portrait of Tranquility” 
Fort De Soto Park was named America’s Top Beach for the second consecutive year by TripAdvisor, the world's largest online travel community.
Citing a “spectacular combination of soft white sand, calm, clear water and a laid-back atmosphere,” the popular online travel network put the park’s North Beach at the top of its annual best-of list, based on TripAdvisor's Popularity Index.
This marks the second time in three years the pristine Pinellas County beach has received top honors on an annual “best-of” list. In 2005 Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. “Dr. Beach,” named Fort De Soto the nation’s #1 Beach. 

Our site was on the water, albeit more like a lagoon area in the back and canal in the front.  There were no sewer hook-ups, but it did have 50 amp electric.  Our site was large and contained an above ground grill.   All in all it's a beautiful park and campground.  However, getting a reservation is often difficult and pricey at $40 per night!

View of the front of the site which was an oyster laden canal.

To the right is a view out the back of our site, a shallow lagoon.

Our experience in this park cemented our desire to get on the road and begin the full time RV lifestyle.