East Beach (Fort De Soto Park)

White sand beach
Mullet Key, St. Petersburg, FL 33715, USA
250 miles from Panama City Beach, FL
Cleanliness
Water quality
Crowded
Impressions
Overall
Grades suggested by our reviewer
Water Quality
Unknown (read more)
Nudist beach

Beach amenities

  • AccessibilityEasy beach access
  • WCPublic restrooms nearby
  • PlaygroundKids will have fun!
  • ParkingCar parking nearby
  • ShowerPublic showers available
  • Public grillsGrills or fire pits
  • Picnic tablesPicnic benches available
👉 Download a FREE PDF map

About this beach

Nestled on five islands, Fort De Soto Park has two main beaches where you can enjoy sunbathing, shelling, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, biking, camping, and wildlife watching.

One of them is East Beach located on the southeast shore stretching along the Tampa Bay. It is less popular than North Beach, which means more quietness and tranquility in the absence of big crowds. East Beach was opened in 1963 and still has that charm of the 60s. At its far east end, there is an unofficial nude beach.

Location and Access

Southwest of Tampa and south of St. Petersburg, Fort De Soto Park is located at 3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde. The park is ADA accessible. The beach has no admission fee but in order to get to it, you have to enter Fort De Soto Park and pay $5 for entrance. This fee also includes parking. There is a spacious parking lot within a short walking distance from the beach.

Facilities

There is a public wheelchair-accessible restroom and bathhouse with showers to rinse the sand off. There are picnic spots with tables, shelters, and grills at various locations. There are also pavilions for rent – you must reserve them in advance. The kids will love the playground, which is about 150 meters away from the gazebos. There are swings for adults and children.

Beach Conditions

East Beach at Fort De Soto Park is one of the best beaches in the Tampa area. The sand is not super fine but it’s white and clean. The water is not always clear, sometimes it’s brown, with debris and seaweed. However, when the weather is good and there isn’t too much seaweed swimming is fantastic. If you like nude sunbathing and swimming, go to the far east end where the unofficial nude beach is situated.

Other Activities

It is a nice peaceful place to spend a day picnicking, swimming, and just relaxing while watching the birds, waves, and ships passing in the channel. There is a good view of the Skyway Bridge and it’s amazing in the sunrise. However, don’t expect to see the sunset since the area faces east.

Wildlife

There is some amazing wildlife. The beach visitors have good chances to see dolphins in the bay. The area is also great for birding.

Driving Time

  • 45 minutes from Tampa, FL
  • 2 hours 10 minutes from Fort Myers, FL
  • 2 hours 10 minutes from Orlando, FL

Hotels and rentals

If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:

Beaches nearby

Additionally, there's a number of beaches near East Beach (Fort De Soto Park) which you can visit:

Beach reviewed by:
Vera
Photos from Google Maps
Bush on the seashoreTables and benches near the beachEast Beach at Fort De Soto ParkClouds over the beachSkyway Bridge
Show rooms near this beach×

Visitor questions:

Question: Hello there, I’m requesting information assistance. I read and heard that on the East side of the beach there is an unofficial nude beach. I’ve been wanting to see and explore it very much but am having trouble finding it. I was wondering if you could give me any information that could tell me how or where to find it? The one time I looked I went all the way down in the circle area that has no designated parking but can park sideways. All I saw was water and a circle of trees. Could it be out passed the water behind the trees where I would have to go out in the water and cross over it? The one other place I looked was just before the circle the parking lot with designated and kid playground and beach on the left. I saw a little trail and followed it but I didn’t find anything. If you could give me any directions or information that could help me to find the unofficial nude beach on the east side of the beach I would be very grateful... Thank you
Asked by Matt about 4 years ago
Answer: Here is the information from Tampa Area Naturists association: to find the nude section, you should go east along Anderson Blvd until the road ends. You will see a circle of trees there. This place is also called Mullet Key. It seems like this is one of the places where you have already been to. Maybe the problem was that no one except you came to the nude area that day, which made you believe that you found a wrong spot. We've spotted the nude area on Google Maps for you: https://goo.gl/maps/VKiPaokmnAuAyuBC9. Have a nice beach day! No tan lines!
Question: I don't know about East Beach, but there definitely is an unofficial nude beach area south of North Beach. I was nude on it, along with maybe a dozen other nude people. It's at the end of a long stretch of beach that dead-ends into a grove of trees. I was told the park rangers do occasionally patrol the area and run off the nude bathers. When I was there, there was a man kind of standing guard, looking out for the rangers. Which makes the experience not as relaxing as it could be, as you're always sort of on the lookout for rangers. Though they're obviously largely ignored, there are signs posted prohibiting being nude. https://www.google.com/maps/@27.6316403,-82.7400515,394m/data=!3m1!1e3
Asked by CF about 4 years ago
Answer: Thank you so much for the information provided! It will help other nude beachgoers find the right place.
Question: Where is the nude beach? Maps?
Asked by Steve about 2 years ago
Answer: To find the nude section, go east along Anderson Blvd until the road ends. You will see a circle of trees there. This place is also called Mullet Key. We've spotted the nude area on Google Maps for you: https://goo.gl/maps/VKiPaokmnAuAyuBC9. Have a nice beach day! No tan lines!
Question: Your kidding. Ft de Soto has a clothing optional beach?
Asked by Paul almost 2 years ago
Answer: We're not kidding! 😀 Despite being a historical landmark, Fort de Soto does have a nude section. It is located far away from the crowded beach area, though. Interested? Then go east along Anderson Blvd until the road ends. You will see a circle of trees there. This place is also called Mullet Key. We've spotted the nude area on Google Maps for you: https://goo.gl/maps/VKiPaokmnAuAyuBC9. Have a nice beach day! No tan lines!
Question: Can you still sunbathe nude on Fort de Soto East beach in 2024?
Asked by Michelle 6 months ago
Answer: Yes, you can. The nude area is unofficial. Make sure that you go to the furthest east end of the island. You can sunbathe au naturel only in that secluded part of Fort de Soto.
Question: Hi Vera! Thanks for the info on this unofficial nude beach. My girlfriend and I gave it a shot and followed the directions but when we arrived there were only kayakers and fisherman there. We really walked all around that area thinking we missed something but couldn't find anyone enjoying the sun. Is this still a nude beach?
Asked by Lee m. 3 months ago
Answer: This is probably because Fort de Soto is a faraway place, and few people know that it has a nude zone. Hope you had a nice day despite you didn't find the nude beach!

East Beach (Fort De Soto Park) videos

Birds on East Beach, Fort De Soto
An astonishing video of beautiful birds splashing in the water near the beach
Fort De Soto Park (east end)
A breathtaking drone made video of the beach

Weather conditions

Current weather at the beach and 3 day forecast

Best times to visit

Average temperature (°F)
Beach map and directions
The beach is located in Tierra Verde, Florida Mullet Key, St. Petersburg, FL 33715, USA (Open on Google Maps)
Drag and zoom the map to view lodging options near the beach.
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East Beach (Fort De Soto Park) reviews and photos
Reviewed on: April 7, 2020