Egmont Key State Park
St. Petersburg, FL
Egmont Key sits at the mouth of Tampa Bay, an island with no cars, no bridge, and the crumbling brick ruins of Fort Dade half swallowed by sand and surf along the shore. A ferry from Fort De Soto Park makes the thirty minute run several times a day, and dolphins show up on the crossing often enough that people expect them.
A real fort ruin crumbling into the Gulf and dolphins on nearly every ferry crossing make it a genuine local favorite, though depending entirely on the ferry schedule means the trip needs some planning.
How we score beachesWalk the beach at low tide if you want to see the most of the old fort's foundations, the water uncovers more of the ruins than at high tide. Bring cash for the ferry and check the schedule before heading out, it runs less often outside the busier months.
There's no driving on the island itself. Parking at Fort De Soto for the ferry, and the ferry fare itself, are the only costs, generally cheaper than a private charter.
The dock leads onto sand trails and old brick roads from the fort era, uneven in places where the ruins have crumbled. There's no boardwalk or paved path once you're off the ferry.
Pets aren't allowed anywhere on the island, refuge rules that apply no matter how you arrive.
Winter and spring bring the calmest ferry crossings and the most comfortable walking weather on an island with little shade. Summer heat and hurricane season, June through November, make the exposed walk a tougher call, though the ferry runs less predictably outside peak season too.
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