04 Nov 2010, Posted by Jennifer in Area Information & Photos,Don Pedro Island, Florida,Palm Island, Florida,Placida, Florida.

Don Pedro Island State Park

Beautiful Don Pedro Island State Park is part of an extensive chain of barrier islands extending along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Between Knight Island and Little Gasparilla Island, Don Pedro (also known as Palm Island) is accessible only by private boat or ferry. Boaters can tie up at the dock on the mangrove-lined bay side of the island. Access the dock via the channel south of the Cape Haze power line crossing, but be sure to idle, as the channel is only 2.5 feet deep. Keep your eyes peeled for endangered species such as West Indian manatees, gopher tortoises, bald eagles and American oystercatchers. With one mile of white sand beach, enjoy sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling and shelling on Don Pedro’s Gulf side. Boat and surf fishing are other favorite pastimes of visitors to the 230-acre park. Hikers and nature lovers can explore trails of the Park’s land base portion on the Cape Haze Peninsula. The 100-acre land base also offers a fishing dock, nature trails and a picnic shelter.

This is one of my favorite spots because it’s usually empty–especially during the summer months. The water is very shallow for quite a long time so it makes it a great spot for young children and easy snorkeling. If you take a shallow water boat, you can anchor steps away from the beach and enjoy the easy privacy allowed by a bridge-less barrier island. Not to mention, I think this is one of the most beautiful spots around with wide beaches full of shark’s teeth and shells, swaying natural grasses and no disruption from homes or man-made structures.