Egmont Key State Park Reviews

We saw lots of creatures in the sea grass - fish, barracuda, crab, rays and a small shark just to name a few. There is a ferry boat that will take you out and pick you up at a specific time. The island has ruins of a fort and a lighthouse to explore. We saw a few other sailboats and anglers so we didn't feel completely abandoned. You can see the Don Caesar hotel from there, too. If you want a really good look at this beach, the opening scene of the movie "The Punisher" was filmed on this beach. On the way back our ferry captain stopped so we could watch the dolphin that were chasing the boat. We had a fabulous time and we will be back.

I just boated around the island today and was fascinated by the wonderful white beaches along its west side. The beach is accessible by boat, if you're willing to anchor and wade ashore.
The most wonderful thing about Egmont is its inaccessibility. It hasn't been overrun by tourists or picnickers! There's no water, no rest rooms, no food. But lots of birds, its a sanctuary.

We caught the ferry out to Egmont for relaxing afternoon. It was exactly that. The weather was warm and the breeze made it very comfortable. There were lots of birds and we also saw gopher tortoise. That was pretty cool. We had plenty of privacy on the beach and really enjoyed exploring the island. Great way to spend the afternoon.

I was born in this area of Florida, so the 1st time I visited Egmont was about 50 yrs ago, when I was 5 yrs old. Even today, the place is only accessable by boat & few tourists know of it. (So I might be crazy to be letting you guys in on this fabulous place.) Today, it is a really beautiful beach & state park. (See link.) THERE ARE NO BATHROOMS OR FOOD OR WATER ON THE ISLAND. You must bring whatever you want & please don't leave trash behind! The walking is quite uneven in places, so I would not advise it for the elderly or anyone w/difficulty w/walking or balance. I have always taken Hubbard's ferry from Ft Desoto Park & been very happy w/them. I think the boat ride round trip is about $20 each, but well worth it. They drop you off in the morning & come back at a prearranged time in the afternoon. The info & phone numbers are on the website. Call & make reservations. When I went (4Xs now), they took us looking for dolphins on the boat ride back. Most times we saw some & once we saw at least 50 w/babies up close. Ask your boat captain--if it's horse shoe crab or sting ray breeding time, you'll need to be very careful! (Do the sting ray shuffle-he'll explain. Actually, personally, I'd just stay out of the water, if that's the case.) This is mostly a big desserted island. Ferry boat captains have a house here & there is an abandoned old fort & a light house. You can read about it on the website. Also, there are lots of gopher tortises on the island. Egmont is located where the Gulf of Mexico meets Tampa Bay, so there is typically more wildlife than your average beach & a LOT less people. I once had a manatee swim right up to me there. Also, I have never seen a shark there or heard of a problem. But do be aware that this area is one of a few (2, I think) hammerhead shark breeding grounds in the world. That said, I'm a big chicken & I swim there, so... The water is usually very clear here & some like to snorkel. I strongly suggest you bring some frozen water bottles, snacks & a cooler. Suggest you wear a bathing suit w/a cover up & bring sunscreen & sunglasses. (A backpack would be easiest to carry towels, etc.) If you walk around the whole island, you'll get some exercise & see some beautiful views & probably lots of neat birds. This is the REAL Florida & such a refreshing change from the tourist traps of Orlando. If you love beautiful beaches & hate crowds, this is the place for you! (There are other people here, but usually not a lot, as the only access is by boat. I don't think pets are allowed on Egmont. But the park from which you get the ferry (Ft Desoto) has a great dog park & is a really nice park too. I grew up in Fl & Egmont Key is my very favorite place in the state. :)

http://fortdesoto.com/egmont1.php

This is a National Island Wildlife Refuge, and is only accessible by boat, you can spend the day, sunbathing, snorkeling, shell collecting or hiking around looking for turtles and other wildlife.

Trip to Egmont key was recommend by a co worker! Come ready to play survival for this trip! Besides there not being any facilities on the island it was a pleasant and an extreme nature walk all in one!!!

The wife and I reserved a ferry ride with Hubbard Marina departing from Fort Desoto!

I've seen some reviews about rude ferry staff and totally disagree. There are many services operating to Egmont Key, so perhaps one of the comments was about a different service, but the easiest and best is the park service contracted ferry that you take from Fort Desoto Park. Just make reservations in advance. Boats leave at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. They take you to the drop off point on the island, and give you a bit of instruction. They also will take people for an extra fee to go snorkeling over the submerged fort. You can sign up/pay for the snorkeling on the boat. You are on your own on the island. There are no public facilities, no potties. Bring beach shade. This place is hotter than heck in the summer time. Bring a sandwich and at least four bottles of water per person, too. The park service polices the area regularly on their scooters, so there is security. The ferry comes back at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. There are a lot of boats coming and going, lots of tour boats, etc., and that becomes a bit of a bother. So go early. Take a moment away from the beach and stroll the finely laid brick streets of this military ghost town, and honor the soldiers who stood watch during a war long ago. The old gun battery and the lighthouse are worth viewing. We did not go snorkeling, but will next time. We saw a gopher turtle; don't touch or bother them, please. We enjoyed our day. There is a movement to save the island, which is eroding. You may want to chip in to save it after spending a half day enjoying it.

I had a lovely time. The history was interesting, the flora and fauna was beautiful. Found some great shells. Captain Brett and Captain Dave were very pleasant and helpful. Saw dolphins jumping around.

You have to go to this place to experience the beauty. We took the Tampa Bay Ferry from Fort De Soto state park which took us to Egmont Key. We took the 11 AM ferry. It is about a 15-20 minutes boat ride. The color of the water is breathtaking.

The captain was in a good mood to drop us in the beach near the sunken ruins which was less crowded than the main part. It was like our own private beach. The dead trees created a hevenly view. The wack back from there to the main part of the key by the beach was awesome. We also took a detour through the ghost town which was a unique experience. The boat picked us up at 2:30 PM.

On our return trip, we say dolphins. what a bonus!! The captain followed the dolphins for around 20-30 minutes which we cannot appreciate enough.

I think this is one must thing all should do when in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area.

We took the Egmont Key Shuttle over from Ft Desoto. We wish we had more time there. It was fascinating to see the Skimmers with their chicks. The ruins of the old fort were cool to see and this sea life in the water was great. We saw many different fish in the water and found some great shells on the beach. We will always take one day to visit here when in the area.

This is our 3 visit to Fort DeSoto State Park and our second time taking the ferry to Egmont Key. The captain and "lobster boy" were excellent guides! We enjoyed looking for shells on the gulf, seeing the light house and many turtles. The best was on our way back from Egmont Key to Fort DeSoto - our ferry paired up with another boat to have dolphins play in the wake of waves of the boats. It truly was amazing watching the dolphins in their own environment!

At certain times of the year this place can feel like you are the only ones there. The beach is sugar sand and the historic Fort Dade is a delightful walking tour. The gopher tortoises are everywhere. A little hidden gem if you hit it in the off season. The ferry over was well narrated and the crew were good hosts. Would love to go back again!

This is a beautiful little island a quick 15 minute ferry ride from Fort Desoto State Park. We took Hubbard Marina's ferry and they weren't nearly as high pressure with tips as I had previously read. We saw a dolphin on the way over. Once there we found some tortoises, and the ruins were cool to walk around and climb on. We spent a couple of hours on the beach which, going in October in the middle of the week meant it was fairly secluded. The gulf side of the island is absolutely gorgeous and we found tons of amazing shells. I would definitely pay the money to come back again, if nothing more than to lay on that beach for a few hours.

We took the ferry boat from Fort De Soto. When you do that you have to make sure you call and make reservations and that you show up at the very lest 30 minutes before or they will give your reservation away. We took the 10am boat and Egmont Key is about a 15 to 20 minute ride from Fort De Soto. We got to see Sea Turtles on our ride over and the boat captain tried to stop and make sure everyone got a chance to see it. Once the boat drops you off you have 3 to 4 hours, depending on which pick up time you choose, to explore and enjoy the beaches. And when they tell you to wear appropiate shoes because the interior sand is hot, they mean it. I have never been on sand that was that hot, it will burn the skin off your feet. We saw alot of birds and Gopher Tortises.

I would have rated this excellent if the trip would have been longer than 3 or 4 hours when it cost us $20. a person. And, you also have to remember if you do this ferry at Fort De Soto, you have the admission price to get into the park of $5.00. And, if you go through any tolls like the Sunshine Skyway that will add to your cost. And, there is I think two .50 cent tolls or one might be .75, on the way into the park.

Captain art was amazing and made our experience well worth while! We got to see a fisherman catch a huge terrapin. Egmont key is beautiful and captain Art was very knowledgeable about the area. I think his mate was named Robin and i apologize if I’m wrong but she was awesome too! Very kind and personable!

We went to Egmont Key as part of a snorkel tour. Snorkeling in the area definitely isn't the best but the fort, its history, and the trails are definitely worth the trip. We encountered many birds, gopher tortoises, the lighthouse, and beautiful views. And it's somewhat eerie to see the cemetery there and read about its occupants... some identified only as "baby boy, 6 months." Additionally, on our way out to the area, we saw dolphins and manatees! I highly recommend a trip out here.

I loved it here in Egmont key it was absolutely gorgeous and we had the best find out here exploring this island

It is a very beautiful little Island that you could probably walk around in a couple of hours. There are some naval gun battery fortifications to visit, but these are a little rundown and might not be easily accessible for older people. Very nice beaches, but I recommend visiting in the winter months when the water is calmer, and there are fewer mosquitoes. There is a lighthouse that you can take some photographs of and there is also the remains of a town that was burnt to the ground though only one building has been rebuilt and the town is basically streets and building foundations. These are all overgrown and the only creatures living there are turtles Birds and a lot of mosquitoes. A great place to snorkel in the winter, but not the summer. I would also say that snorkeling there might be a challenge as there are dozens and dozens of boats anchored off the island and it might actually be tough to find a place to snorkel. We went on a Friday so I imagine the situation is even worse on a Saturday and Sunday. However, the ferry over from Fort De Soto state park is enjoyable, and we did get to see at least a dozen dolphins. The ferry is not free. It’s run by a company called Hubbards and cost roughly $45 per person. It’s actually cheaper to buy it at the park itself then online because online you get charged service fees. Overall nice place to visit, but not secluded and there are an awful lot of boats.

This is a gorgeous island and a fabulous museum, it is a bird and turtle sanctuary, there are so many ways to get to Egmont Key by boat, there is little places to visit and read all the history of the island. The ruins are still there. The waters surrounding Egmont or pristine clean. Anyone going there must bring their own food and of course remove any trash. They recently had a fire on the island it is so said. A great place for tourists

I would like to share my wonderful experience with you, on my trip to Egmont Key of the coast of St. Pete, Florida, On Father's day of 2014, My daughter and her boyfriend and I purchased tickets from Hubbard's Marina, John's Pass, Madeira Beach, Florida. The ferry departed from the pier at Fort De Soto Park. When I arrived I was great with warm welcome, from Capt. Jeff and his wonderful crew, they were personable and well schooled in history of the island and surrounding waters, both going and coming from the Island he stopped along the way pointing out the turtles, dolphins and other sea-life
On the key my family and I walked thru to the other beach taking in the rich history of the island and the natural surroundings including the light-house. the natural; untouched key was amazing.
We opted for the snorkel package out to the ruins right off the bird sanctuary that takes up part of the island. the snorkeling without gear is $15.00 but well worth it and gear is available, we brought our own to use on the beach as well. There is plenty of fish and structure to see there, the water was warm and the visibility was good. We saw Bermuda chubs, black drum, parrot fish, snappers, and Spanish mackerel fish as well as thousands of baby bait fish is huge schools, if felt like we were in the fish bowl as we swam about them
After about an hour we took a tour of the rest of the island to see the the thousands of birds on the sanctuary side of the island, Capt. Jeff pointed out a large school of large rays swimming close to shore, and a nest of osprey parents and chicks.
after that we had and another hour to pic-nic and.explore the beaches.
On our return trip last trip back to park, Capt. Jeff slowed and followed a large sea turtle so all could get a good look at him and take pics. Just before docking at park he followed a dolphin a bit so we all good get pics and see him playing in the water.

We found this trip to be a great distraction from the commercial attractions in the area, off the beaten path one that was naturally entertaining and relaxing!

The Hubbard's Marina ferry Staff made all the difference in full
enjoying all the history and natural Adventures that Egmont Key had to offer.

I would recommend this trip to everyone, as this a piece of Florida's history in a most beautiful natural setting in which to to snorkel, shell and explore.

We took a boat tour to Egmont Key with the intent to snorkel the sunken ruins. What we didn't know is that the ruins really are only visible in the Spring, when the water is clearer. While we were disappointed in that, we hiked around the island, did some awesome shelling, explored the forts, discovered all the cool gopher tortoises (everywhere!) and had a really nice afternoon. We wish we would have brought closed-toe shoes for the hiking. Be sure to bring water, a hat, and sunscreen (there are no facilities on the island and they dropped us off for 3 hours).

Took the ferry from Fort De Soto which was great and spent 3 hours or so walking around looking at the buildings and hunting for tortoises...we saw loads and did loads of swimming. There is no shade so you need to bring your own along with any food or drinks you want. We had a brilliant day and would go back.

So let me start by saying my idea of roughing it is I'm staying at the Ritz and they are out of Diet Coke. I am not a nature/granola kinda gal. Egmont Key is beautiful once you get over to the beach side but if you are older, have trouble walking too far, have to go to the bathroom really bad, or are otherwise incapacitated you will find this trek daunting. The ferries all drop you off on the "bay" side and you have to walk to the other side to see the pretty beach. We were there in July which of course is a super hot time of the year here so to be fair that was definitely a factor. There is very little shade in the island, no bathrooms of course and very few spots to rest or sit down. The trails are soft squishy sand which again is challenging for anyone who is not into tossing those big cross fit truck tires around. Seriously I thought it was just my old chubby hangry self that was having a hard time but even my 23-25 year old niece and nephew were wiped out by the time we got back to the boat. Perhaps during the cooler weather it is much cu more do-able. The island is fine and the beach is pretty but as far as "wildlife" goes we only saw one turtle and hardly found any shells - definitely not what we've heard about. If you are going to do one boat ride while here I would recommend skipping Egmont and doing the sunset sail instead.

This was my first trip to Egmont key. You leave the dock at Desoto park. The ride over is $20/person. We also decided to do the snorkel trip (another $20/person).

The beach was nice...albeit a lot of seaweed on some of the shore and you only have access to half the island (you aren't allowed on the bird sanctuary). There is a small light house, but you aren't allowed inside/at the top. We saw a lot of turtles (even a tiny baby one!) ..but that's about all there is to see on the island. There is a "ghost town" but we opted out of that, so we could practice snorkeling near the dock.

Snorkeling off Egmont was probably the best time we had. Lots of different shells, fish and found two star fish! The actual snorkeling excursion was disappointing. You won't see any brightly colored coral or fish (it is st.pete after all) but there were tons of boats and the "Spanish ruins" are pretty much big cement blocks in the water?! The trip was kind of pricey for what it actually was. I most likely would not do this again...or if I did, I would stay by the dock and snorkel.

We went up to Egmont Key State Park and rode the ferry over to Egmont Key. We were a couple of hours early for the ferry so we went swimming and hung out on the pier watching the local fisherman. It was hot but the water was cool and gorgeous. We rode the ferry over to Egmont Key and was over there a couple hours. If you want intact shells that is the place to go. We found so many gorgeous intact shells and intact sand dollars. My son found a starfish, multiple live sand dollars and crabs and one huge empty conch shell. Everyone had a great time!

If you have a boat or would like to take the ferry; you must go to this Island. We saw this Island on the web so one day we ventured out and found it. Very very very nice and so much fun! The water is clearer then you have on the beaches, there can be lots of people but everyone stays to themselves. Small beach to layout on, but you won't be disappointed. My husband and I & the in-laws swam in the water for the most part. Very little waves, you can float, snorkel, and just relax and talk :) Water was warm and relaxing. Locals drive their boats up, anchor them down and get out and have a good time. One thing I didn’t do but wish I did was explore the Island. So much history and so many things to see. I will make sure I do this next time I visit :)

You can only reach Egmont Key by private boat or ferry. We take our boat out on calm days. The Gulf side beach is beautiful and pretty private. It has many different looks as you walk along. Some areas are nice for shelling, some for swimming, some for snorkeling...... A few 'remains' remain from the fort but nothing WOW. The brick roads are pretty cool to walk along and think about how this community might have looked 100 years ago. It would be great if guests could go in the lighthouse and have a 360 degree overlook of the area. I imagine it would be pretty cool. Some of the island needs to be cleaned up and I really wish there were restrooms. That would bump it up to 5 stars for me.

First off, if you have your own boat that can navigate through through the Gulf, then it's worth a visit to this place. Note that there are no restrooms on the Key, and no services or staff of any kind.

Whatever you do, don't take the Hubbards Marina Ferry to Egmont Key. The price is $20 per person, so with tax, I spent $85 to take the 10 minute pontoon boat ride out there with my 3 kids. The site says they have an old fort to explore, but nothing remains of the old fort but a few deteriorating concrete foundations. There is a lighthouse on the key (but can't go in it) and a guard house; those are the only intact structures on the Island. The beach on the gulf side is nice, but there are many nicer beaches in Florida without the ridiculous ferry ride.

My nephew broke is ankle on one of the deteriorating concrete foundations and the Ferry staff was rude, completely unprofessional, and joked about it over the PA system on the way back to Fort Desoto.

The final thing that actually made me laugh, was the ferry operator stated that the crew works for tips. After spending $85 to get my kids and myself over to the key, I dropped a couple pennies in the tip jar. I hope the "captain" watching me took note.

Why would you come to Florida and not want to visit a beautiful beach, shelling, and a lighthouse, along with the ruins of a fort...it was a beautiful day. We did not encounter any bugs. Sun is stronger than you think. Boat captain took us out for dolphin viewing on the way back to the dock.

To see unspoiled beach, huge turtles, excellent shelling (we found a perfectly shaped and preserved unoccupied conch shell!), snorkeling, historical walk through the fort ruins, great photo opportunites of the lighthouse and landscape you have to visit Egmont Key. We prefer to drive to Fort DeSoto park and catch Hubbard's Marina's ferry shuttle that takes off twice each morning for Egmont Key and returns twice each afternoon to tak you back. The ferry staff is friendly and they have food and drinks for sale, will rent you snorkeling gear and will take you to the sunken Fort ruins for snorkeling before exploring the beach if you like. Hubbard's goes out of their way to make sure you have fun and will point out dolphins, manatee and sometimes sharks on your ride out to the Key. We take this trip every year and recommend it to everyone we know. There are no services on the island, so be sure to bring a small cooler with food & beverages for the beach, sunscreen, hat and cover up. Bring a mesh bag for shells too because there are a TON! Cash is preferred for the ferry, so bring some cash too. :) P.S. No restrooms on the island.

What a great way to spend a day! Shelling is fantastic! A laid back exploration time....
take a picnic lunch and relax!

You are sure to spy dolphins & sea turtles on your way there, and tortoise once you have arrived. Highly recommended!!

Friends and I on a 'girls trip' took a four hour charter trip to Egmont Key. The island is beautiful and has interesting history and artifacts. Four hours here wasn't enough to both enjoy the beach and the ruins. I look through the images of others on tripadvisor and realize how much we missed! We used Miss John's Pass for the charter to the Key--I would **not** recommend them. The snorkeling spot chosen to stop at was pathetic at best and when I asked about stopping at the site of the shipwreck ruins, the captain was a total jerk about it. He (Captain Randy) was also totally disrespectful to the others on the boat, gave no useful information about the island, and we basically paid for a taxi to the island. So, I'm not sure what the best way is to travel to the island (which company to use), but it is worth getting to! I give the 'attraction' 4 stars out of 5 because the information ON the island is poor--there are no maps and very few information boards outlining the extensive history of the ruins. You are constantly guessing what something might have been. I'd suggest printing out info from the web and taking it with you if you are interested in the ruins.

The Island was nice and the water was beautiful. We did a lot of walking and started at the North end by the Lighthouse. We did see numerous Gopher Tortoise Some shells and only a few sharks teeth were found. It is a nice day trip to make.

I've flown over the island many times but the trip there by ferry was very rewarding. You can get more information on line about schedules ticket prices etc. I think you will enjoy your visit.

My four other girl friends went on spring break to the area, and I happened to stumble across a day trip with Island Boat Adventures to here. It was a blast! I have never been to a shore with such a variety of shells before, and if shells aren't up your ally, there's plenty other things to do as well. There are many tortoises that roam the island, although my friends and I spent most of our time walking up and down the coast shelling so we didn't see any. The paths also looked very nice. There are also many osprey nests on the island as well, so if you like bird watching it is ideal! The day we were there, the water didn't have great visibility so snorkeling wasn't great. Otherwise, this is a WONDERFUL place to do some snorkeling on a clear day.

If you have the chance, make sure to go here!!!

Went here as part of Island Adventure tour. Had fun seeing the ruins of the fort, the tortoises, and walking on the beach. Beautiful and peaceful place to explore.

Catch the Hubbard ferry located @ Fort Desota, of course this is weather permitting. Pack a picnic lunch, or purchase a take along lunch you can purchase on the ferry. Take plenty of water, sunscreen, hat, wear a bathing suit along with cover up. Comfortable shoes/Sandles. Enjoy the ride over & back. You might see a Dolphin or 2. Explore the island, walk along the brick roads, climb a Battery, check out the lighthouse, walk on the beach, go for a swim on the Gulf side or Bay side. Look @ all the birds. Find some Ghophers or Box turtles. Explore, relax, enjoy. Be sure to take pictures.

We took what we thought was a Snorkel tour but what they don't tell you is tha visibility is non existent. I guess if you are looking for a trip to an island with abandoned buildings then this might work for you. But we paid for what we thought was a snorkel cruise and that was simply misleading as you could not see your hand in front of your face under water. Plus our driver Captain Richard was great at driving the boat but we spent two of the four hours traveling and he was a dud as a tour guide. In fact when we asked a question you were lucky to get a 2 - 3 word answer. We had 7 people in our group and not one of us liked it.

We visit Egmont every time we stay in the area. Boat trip and a visit to a deserted (almost) Island, all for 20 dollars! When we visited last year the beach erosion was so bad on the Gulf side that we wondered how many times we would be able to come back before the Island disappeared. It was good to see that a lot of the beach had been "restored" over the winter - I guess it's an ongoing battle!
My wife likes the shelling, which was excellent this time, and I prefer the history and nature. The captain on the Fort Desoto ferry, who has been the same guy for years, is always fun in a grumpy captain kind of way, and will usually take a little detour to look for Dolphins or Manatees on the return trip, which is always nice. He didn't this time, as a lone person on the trip got lost on the Island and had to be found by the Rangers (so we were late leaving) but hey, if we didn't see any on this trip, we had plenty of other opportunities during our stay.

An outstanding place to view nature, relax and walk an uninhabited island. Tours are available with knowledgeable volunteers. Remains of military fortifications are fun to explore. Sea and land life abound: tortoises, rays, birds, dolphins... Be prepared for an unforgiving sun. Dress for it!

Our family of 11 adults and four kids took a catamaran ride from Anna Maria Island out to Egmont Key. We didn't know what to expect. The beach was beautiful and calm but the water still a bit cold in April. At the beach, the ruins of Ft, Dade, a Spanish American War defense station, are crumbling into the water. It makes a cove where fish gather and the snorkeling is good. A walking trail leads to the remains of the military town which functioned in the early 1900's and was inhabited by 300 people. Ruins of homes, a firehouse, and other buildings can be seem. There is also a lighthouse which still functions. Many of the palm trees on the beach were burned on one side of the trunk.The boat captain told us a lightening strike in August, 2016 started a fire on the island. The result added a bit of devastation to a beautiful beach and made it a bit different than your normal Florida barrier island.
It was a wonderful way to spend a few hours - the juxtaposition of the beautiful water and beach with the historical ruins made it a worthwhile outing.

Great boat ride, great views, turtles everywhere, old fort was very interesting to walk by and take pictures. Amazing view and we saw A Dolphin!

Not really much to do on the Island. The shelling is only average and unless you are a real history buff the old ruins aren't much to see. And, with the Island shoreline currently being rejuvenated there is heavy equipment and large pipes spoiling the natural beauty of the beach restricting the areas that are accessible. Hopefully, when the work is completed a trip to the island will be more enjoyable. The ride over to the Island on the Tampa Bay Ferry was short and uneventful. This wasn't a tour guided ride with the crew providing any interesting facts about the Island, types of shells found, or birds that nest there, so I didn't understand why the tip jar came out on the return trip. At best the day was an average experience.

Me and my girlfriend went on this trip on our vacation and did the the snorkling. The experience was cool but the captin of the boat was super rude and just gave a bad vibe. Other than that it was a fun experience but the snorkling is not what you would think. I would not do it again! If you want to see Dolphins and Manitees go and rent a kayak in Fort De Soto and you will get an up close in personal experience with these beautiful wild creatures way better than the snorkling! Take my advise.

Just want to add to my previous review that I agree w/the comments some others have made about snorkeling here. When younger, I used to scuba dive about 5 miles out in the Gulf from Egmont. There is or at least used to be a 12' coral reef out there off Egmont somewhere, if you can find it! It was beautiful dive w/ maybe 10-50 foot visibility (depending on the weather), but the currents are wicked at the reef though & this is not a beginner's dive... (No one could swim against that current on the surface. We had to time our ascents to hit the surface exactly at the dive platform. Those who missed, were left drifting until the boat could go pick them up--pretty scary I thought.) You cannot swim to this coral reef from Egmont Key though!! I have never snorkeled off Egmont & I don't think I would want to personally. In any case, don't expect Carribean like visibility & keep in mind that visibility is largely dependent on weather. If you get a beautiful sunny day, I'd expect maybe 20' (??) visibilty. If it's a cloudy day, I'd say, forget it! If you want to snorkel or dive, I'd say go to The Keys or Crystal River (fresh water--you can snorkel w/manatees there in the winter). In my experience, most good salt water snorkeling sites require a boat to get to & this snorkeling is just a little ways off the beach. Guess it just depends how picky you are.

Also, I was surprised to read the negative reviews of Hubbard's Ferry. That business has been in the area since I was a child, at least. (They also run fishing boats & I don't know what else.) Anyway, I have always been very happy w/their service, including our most recent trip. Their boats are not fancy, but staff have always been really knowlegable & helpful in my experience. I think they have 2 different drop off times. Suggest you inquire about this. It's not worth the trouble if you are only going to be on the island for 2 hrs. I'd say most people will want to spent at least 4 hrs on the island. We always bring a cooler w/lunch & stay most of the day. (Remember, you'll have to carry it though. We usually park our cooler at the boat drop off point, throw frozen water bottles in our backpacks & come back to the cooler for lunch.) Hope that helps.

My family and I were booked wrong by Hubbars Marina accidently and did not get to go on the Shelling trip to Egmont as planned but they tried to make it right and gave us a free boat ride over there. We were taken over by Tampa Bay Ferry with Laney. She was a hateful mean first mate. She was insultive to my mother-in-law right from the start because we got the trip free because we got booked for the wrong tour. She even said, "Do you know where you are going now and are you on the right boat?" So out of line. After we got to the island we were so happy and enjoyed it. We had the boat right back with Laney again. She started to come around with the tip bucket and my mother in law was putting money in the bucket and TOLD her hold while she was looking in her camera case for more money. Laney told her you got this trip for free and that is all you are tipping? We make a living on tips only... **mother-in-law still trying to get the rest of the money out of her case and told her I am getting it so hold on please. Laney asked if she had a card and my mother-in-law said yes but that she did not want to have her card ran. Laney started again and again in front of everyone. We told her she earned her tip right there and to go away if she was going to be rude. She did nothing but nag and be start the next 30 minutes towards us. The Captain was a nice a man and said she was not very nice ands tried to apologize while we were unloading

I found the Island to have a magical affect until one finds the Ghost Town.. A town that time forgot,,,, here is where the white man help Seminole Indians until they were deported inland and stripped of their land.... One have to begin to think of how where the Indian population treated??? Food, clothes, shelter. Forced medical care???? Go and you be the judge

I read all the reviews and although my teen wanted to go I hesitated. I even told her and a friend she was bringing to be prepared. I’d heard the women selling the tickets was rude and so were the ferry boat’s crew. They said “we really want to go let’s do this!”
So When we arrived and approached the ticket booth I braced myself for it... and guess what? The lady couldn’t have been more helpful and she even got my humor in our brief chat.
Still I told the girls, the Captain will be cranky and drive the boat with his feet. His first mate will get annoyed if we ask questions. Well guess what? Yes, he did steer the boat with his feet for a few minutes, but he was funny and friendly. The first mate answered my questions with a smile!
When we got to Egmont Key ( Angie) the first mate even held up a sign to remind us when the boat returns for us. I’m a visual person so that really helps!
We had a fabulous time on practically a deserted island! The water temperature was perfect and we even found sand dollars. You do have to bring everything you need with you, or buy or rent it from the boat. We were prepared. We brought a rolling cooler with drinks, snacks and lunch as well as a beach umbrella and towels. Also remember you must take all your trash from the island too. Oh, one other word of caution, the black crows on the island will get into your bag and steal your food so don’t leave any bags open.
The girls enjoyed exploring the ghost town and other remains from the days as a military post. The light house makes for a perfect photo op.
The girls even saw tortoises and their nests!
The gulf side ( behind the light house is the best place to enjoy the beach and water.
The ferry boat picks up where it drops off ( near the light house) so be sure to get back over there before the appointed time as you will be left behind, and they say it is very expensive to arrange a private pickup.
I want to share our adventure on the way back to Fort Desoto. If the crew hadn’t already proved to me ( on the way over) that they were worth a good review they certainly left no question in my mind on the way home!
As we were sailing back to Fort Desoto someone noticed a pelican was dangling from a structure in the water by its wing. It had become caught in a fishing line and the hook was also embedded in its wing. As we got closer to get a look at him he was able to free himself from the structure, but couldn’t move his wing which was wrapped tightly with fishing line. The crew tried to get him into the boat with a long handled net but was unsuccessful. The first mate Angie, was determined though and she refused to leave the bird to struggle. She jumped in the water, swam to the bird and to the delight of the entire boat was able to swim with the pelican in tow back to the boat! Wow! What an amazing human being... once aboard she was a bit scratched up from barnacles on the side of the boat but that didn’t deter her. She took to caring for the bird.
With the help of a few passengers and the captain the hook was removed and the fishing lines were loosened. A call was made to a bird rescue group to come to the dock and we all gave a collective sigh of relief that all would be okay. Just then two dolphins appeared beside the boat swimming along side us. My romantic side decided they were thanking Angie for helping a creature in need!
So if you want to know what I think about the Ferry Boat service from Fort Desoto to Egmont Key, there you have it! I am so glad I didn’t allow a few negative reviews to keep me from this incredibly memorable experience. Angie and the Captain deserve accolades for their caring nature and they truly gave us an experience that will remain a highlight of our summer!

Ended up on Egmont Key when we took a dolphin cruise out of the St Pete Beach area. Never expected such a quaint little island that was full of history and beauty. The water is sky blue, shelling is amazing, old lighthouse and fort here. Bring your picnic lunch and enjoy!

We went in June and it was very hot already of course. The ride out to the island was very pitchy -- I was suprised no one threw up. There are aspects of the island that are maybe a little depressing. Forts almost always are kind of depressing to me, and there is a history of fortification here. The roads and remnants of buildings are interesting, though. There are no bathrooms or latrines (or concessionaires) so be prepared to find a place to take care of that if needed. Definitely take enough liquid (water, gatorade, etc.) so that you don't become dehydrated (a danger in this area during summer). There was a family that was very unprepared for Egmont Key, though they were good sports and went anyway (were expecting facilities, etc.). Remember to bring cash, to tip the ferry folks.

After going to Dry Tortugas this park doesn't compare but it's closer and easier to get to, has a historic component and feels like an adventure with the run down forte and surrounded by water. Fun day experience and very affordable!

Very cool place to visit, you need to take a boat to get there but with the visit, make sure you see the island and do the tour in a boat around it as well
We used five o clock Charlie's tours with Captain John, I would use him again to see this island he turned this into av4 hrs adventure for the entirfamily

We drove up by boat from Siesta Key which took us about 1 hour and 45 minutes. When we got to Egmont Key, the water was calm and clear. We snorkeled around the rocks at the southern end of the key. I saw a barracuda, a large hermit crab in a shell about a foot long, a stingray, a bunch of reef fish and a large school of baitfish. It was well worth the trip.

We were looking for a getaway from just swimming in the ocean while on Anna Maria island and found this little boat adventure that took us to the island with this state park on it. Checking out the fort's and the lighthouse was pretty cool and the little trails throughout the island. Water was very good to swim in as well. Captain Orca was our boat captain and he got us there and back with no issues.

There wasn't much on island. Only 2 ruins to see and shells connecting was what they said it is. Just a bunch of small shells no pretty big size ones. Snorkeling was just 30 min and water was to dirty to see into it.

Hubbards marina ferry is HORRIBLE. The reservation lady is exceptionally RUDE, and aggressive about being rotten to callers. She should seriously consider a career that doesn't allow her to actually speak with anyone....the booking experience was truly unpleasant. She insisted on a credit card, then demanded to be paid in cash. She refused to answer questions about the duration of the trip and commented "we will get you there and back on our time, not yours". She would not tell us what to expect when we arrive in terms sights on the island and said "I don't make the sights, I just take the money". I had to call a second time (had to confirm the timing with my wife)....the first time she was extremely pushy about my credit card, then the second would not take a reservation saying that "it is now first come first served and you will be lucky to get on" had to talk her into taking my reservation saying that we had just spoken 5 minutes ago.....her response "well why didn't you just book it the first time?"
Absolutely abhorrent customer service....will never deal with them again, and reccomend you find someone else.
The island is beautiful, the scenery gorgeous, and a great get-a-way.

We left on the Tampa Ferry from Ft De Soto Park. The ride was 25 for adults and 12.50 for kids under 12. Ferry ride was fine, but when I purchased the tickets I asked about taking our own snorkeling gear, said it was fine to take. Did not mention that we could not get to the ruins to snorkel until we were on the Ferry to Egmont Key and that there was an additional charge to do so. If you are solely looking for the historical value in Egmont then its worth the time. There are far better beaches and clearer water elsewhere.. The trip we took was 4 hours and felt cheated and disappointed afterwards. Would not recommend or at the very least make sure you ask all the questions you want answered before you go.

The only access to Egmont Key is by boat. We used the Hubbard's Marina ferry service which is basic but adequate. The toilet facilities are for emergencies and everyone is given a last chance for the landside facilities before departure.The crew was jolly and took time to find porpoise which always brings a smile. Egmont Key is a well kept secret of Florida maintained by the Florida Park Service. The beach is Florida white sand and sparsely used (may be more heavily used on the weekends with private boaters). On past trips I have spent the day on this beach with a picnic and sun umbrella. Exploring the island will reveal the ruins of Fort Dade and the community of several thousand who supported the fort at the turn of the 20th century. A reminder of the importance of Tampa during the Spanish-American War. A wonderful day trip and so different from what people expect to find in Florida. Upon return to the mainland it is worth the half hour it will take to explore the sister fort, Fort DeSoto. This fort is maintained and helps to imagine what Ft. Dade looked like 100+ years ago. One of the cannons from Ft. Dade is on display at Ft. DeSoto.

Egmont Key State Park is accessable only by small ferry unless you have your own boat. Fort Desoto entrance fee is $5, which gets you into the park where the Egmont Key ferry is.

Approximately 1/2 of the island is wildlife refuge and off limits to visitors. The other 1/2 of the island has the remains of Fort Dade which was totally not interesting to even this history buff. They evidently must have decided to preserve the history of this island after everything but the cannon and amunition bunkers had been demolished or blown away. Most of whats left is building foundations and brick walkways. This island has evidently been severely eroding away from gulf storms and currents. Somebody has evidently convinced the state to put big $$$ into pumping sand back into the areas that the sea had reclaimed. What a waste, it's already eroding away again. Shelling is just as good at Fort Desoto, so save your $$ and don't go here. It's just not worth the time and money for what's there.

**IMPORTANT** There are no facilities of any type on Egmont Key - water, bathroom, trash cans, etc. Whatever you need must be brought with you and brought back out again.

Don't waste your time or money visiting this island. It is currently over run by construction equipment for the replenishing of the sand. There is a giant (4 foot diameter) pipeline running along one entire side of the island. It's noisy and there are constructions cranes and workers driving around. It is certainly not the peaceful getaway we were looking for. We walked around the ruins. There was not much to see there. At one of the ruins the smell of sewage was so strong that we couldn't even go near the buildings.

The ferry ride over is just that....a ferry ride. The captain and 'first mate' try to make it sound more exciting than it is by looking for elusive dolphins on the ride.

The biggest turn-off was the passing of the 'tip jar' at the end of the ferry ride. They suggested a $3 tip per person and walked up to every person. Very rude! I would never tip someone like that. I'm not sure what they thought they deserved a tip for? We paid our $20 roundtrip ferry fee.

The beach where the ferry leaves from is more beautiful than the beach at Egmont Key. Stay there if you want beach time.

First off I should say that I will not write a bad review, just the Truth , but this ferry service was the lowest of the low in my experience. This is not about the Island, it is just so so not really worth the short time you do have there. It burned after a lightning strike recently [ 8 2016 ] but the lighthouse that you cannot tour is still there.
The ferry wants a reservation by credit card to charge if you no show,but when you do show up on time your reservation has been given to a walk up customer and you will have to wait for the next boat losing about an hour of your time.If you think this sucks by the way, well you can just lump it.They really do not care.
They seem almost desperate to wring every cent possible out of you while being as rude as possible.Very odd combination.
Dire warning about being late for returns were emphasized ""If you get left,call Sea Tow"" You do not stay until 3oclock as it states in the brochure that's when the boat has to be back at the dock.Miller time I suppose.One crew member was drinking beer on the way back as I recall.
Do you want to snorkel? It will be 15 Dollars more plus the five for the rental,We passed at that point and we were glad we did.The island is narrow and long 1/4 by 1.5 miles or so and we walked across through soft sand to the outer Gulf side beach.The boat had left a group of Snorkelers from the first trip on the beach waiting in front of the lighthouse and they picked them up for the Snorkel trip we [second boat ] had all passed on.
Imagine our surprise when the boat pulled up just off the beach we had walked to and set an anchor in 5 ft of water,. SNORKEL away. Nothing to see move along move along.
Best part was the trip back as the Captain kicked back, steering with his feet with all due diligence
of a seasoned Professional, was the pleading begging explanation that they were paid like restaurant workers and tip were part of the pay.YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS POOR PAYING JOB IN PARADISE. I nearly cried for the poor soul.
He felt the big yellow plastic sign stating ""Tips are customary and expected ":just was not enough of a reminder. RUDE and demeaning of him and the Crew.UNBELIEVABLE Gall.
If you want to experience a Nice Trip to a better, well maintained Sand key please go to Caladesi Island in Honey Moon beach park just a short way up the coast.I live here in Florida so we have explored as much as we can.We had heard about Egmont Key and wanted to see it as part of that search for pristine Florida.Not really worth the trip,bummer.
Be sure to tip your funny, helpful informative polite Caladesi crew who know how to treat a guest.I know that's where I will always go from now on,lesson learned.We have a choice and we should reward the good and warn about the bad.
I have traveled all over the world and the only ruder experience was with a Greek Taxi in Athens.

We had a 4 hr tour. But 2 hrs spent riding on the boat over. It was slow. Island Pearl Excursions catamaran.
The captain was nice and so was his 1st mate.
Just didn't seem like enough time for exploring, shelling, snorkeling. We did pack our own food and drinks which was a good idea. Their snorkeling gear was old, molding and very dirty!
No relaxing because we had to fit it all in.
The tortoises were everywhere. Too windy for snorkeling. Shelling wasn't all that great. The island was much bigger then We anticipated.
Not sure I'd go back.

Great beaches on both sides. Plenty of wild life. Saw 13 gopher tortoises. They're very gently and awesome to see. Please don't touch or bother them to much. Say hi and take a few pics. Birds everywhere. Clean island. Please keep it that way . 😁

We took the ferry from Fort De Soto ($20) and were on the island a few hours. I wish we had more time. The island has a little something for everyone...swimming, shelling, history, lighthouse, turtles and birds. The water was very calm and shallow for a long way out. During the first few minutes wading on the gulf side, we saw a stingray. The shelling was pretty good-about the same as Pass-a-grille beach. Fairly quiet and peaceful. I really enjoyed seeing the bird and turtle nests that were roped off so they could not be disturbed. We saw a big freighter pass by the island also. We did not snorkle. I especially liked being on an island that had no houses, hotels, tourist traps.

Took a trip to this amazing island via dolphin excursions. They were pretty organized and i liked the fact that the boat stayed at the drop off point. Meant that you could leave stuff on the boat while you went off to explore island. Being from crowded New England, it was a very cool experience to swim on a beach with NO ONE else around. Our two13 year old boys liked it very much, but the comments about poor snorkeling are true. No visibilty. That was a minor point in our trip. We loved the isolation, the history, the natural beauty. Well worth the time.

Ian is an awesome captain! My husband and I have taken his tour twice and loved it both times! We saw dolphins and Ian stopped every time so we could all enjoy the sightings. They do a great job and are very informative about the ruins as well as the island. Great time for only 50 bucks per person, so worth it! It was the highlight of our whole trip!

Visited Egmont while on a private boat tour (highly recommend 'Island time boat tours' with Matt and Beth!)

We got dropped at the shore and spent an hour wandering round the island.
We visited the lighthouse and the fort ruins
But what I really wanted to see was the gopher tortoise, and we were not disappointed.

Saw a few tortoises around. One was on a path we wanted to walk on. Decided to go a different way so we didn't disturb the tortoise at which point it ran towards us, went past, crossed the path behind us then started eating. Luckily I filmed the whole thing!

Then walking down a path we heard a rustling noise. We hear this all the time and it's always just a lizard. But on this occasion it was a tiny baby gopher tortoise! Not even 10cm long and was moving along right by the path. Stood for ages taking photos/videos and it was the highlight of our day!

Definitely recommend a visit here.

Our family of 4 loved our time spent here! Our tickets were $25 per adult and $12.50 per kid for the ferry ride to get there and back. We booked it online. The captain and Tony were great! Very friendly and informative and gave the kids a shark tooth they had found! The waves were rough because of high winds but our 8 year old son loved it! We boarded the ferry at 11am and got back to the same spot by 2:05 pm. Re-boarded the ferry from the key at 1:45pm to go back. Wish we could’ve stayed on the island longer but we had a lot of fun in the time allotted. Saw 2 dolphins briefly on the way to the key! Sooo many shells everywhere! At 1st we found small conch type shells that had parts broken but the further we headed the better shape those shells were! Lots of big shells too! The old buildings/rubble were neat to see and also the lighthouse. We saw 2 tortoises! Loved going here with my family!

A pretty popular place in the mouth of Tampa Bay. You can only access it by boat but it is worth the ride to get there.

This is a fun thing to do for the day. The ferry ride is only $20 and they bring you out to Egmont Key for several hours of shelling, wandering the island, and enjoying a non-crowded beach. We had a manatee swim by very close to us. It was all fun! We also brought our fins and snorkles and did the snorkling tour which was also very fun. The ferry captain took us to a few locations where we could see manatees and dolphin, and that was a bonus. Low key activity, but it was a true Florida adventure that we enjoyed.

Rented a 8 man (150hp outboard) deck cruiser from AMI water-sports for $330 for 6 hrs. First day was 15mph winds out of east. Water too choppy and AMI WATERSPORT let us wait 2 days at no charge.
Ride over was 40 minutes and fun. Island is fun to explore. Water is clear on east side depending on wind, just not much wildlife to see in water or out, other than birds. Sand is nice. Whole experience is weather and company dependent. Overall we enjoyed the experience. Some of the beach is closed for bird sanctuary.

Egmont key is a nice little island. It's secluded and the only way to get there is with a boat. We took a ferry from Fort De Soto Park. There are historic forts (only one that you can actually walk through) and we saw so many gopher tortoises. Only half of the island is open to walk around. The other half is a sanctuary for bird nesting. Great place for a day trip, the water was ice cold so January's not the best month for swimming.

Let me start off that I am a Florida (Pinellas county) Native, that being said Egmont Key is by far the most beautiful and unique destination in Pinellas County. Fortunately for us natives you can only get there by boat. If you have an opportunity to go to Egmont Key I wouldn't hesitate, There are several trails throughout the island that lead to Forts, a schoolhouse, and other buildings from the early 1900's. The water is absolutely amazing out there. It's a beautiful place that is unspoiled and a must if you have an opportunity to visit.

Love to visit Egmont key, been there many times, I take people over from Bradenton when they visit, would like to see a dock put there so we don't have to wade to shore, however I do like that it has been left to nature.

We've been going by private family or friends boats for 40 years. The past 15 years, there are SO many "tour boats"that there is no room for anyone to dock, bay side or ocean side.

Sad to see those in private boats stark naked urinating or just totally naked when you have young children. I used to have my alost teenage girls look in a different direction. They do it at Sand Key too where yiou can find Sand dollars. No modesty. I can understand it if no one else is around but they don't care who is around in any part.

We stopped donating yearly to turtke oreservation. If the ride around Eggmont key, they see the nudity and ignore it apparently. Shame on them. We're moving into our home full time now that our children are grown, if we head out there and there is nudity any place we are reporting it, Doesn't bother us, it will bother others children. One time we were walking to the fort and a couple was doing the nasty in the sand on the way to the fort. Some people have no scruples.. Our son was 4, he asked us "what are they doing". We said "making a baby" and changed the conversation.

You take a ferry to get to this beautiful island. Nice paths to walk on and see wildlife. We were able to find a part of the beach where we felt like we were the only ones there.

Really neat place, short 20 ride from the dock for $20 round trip. the key is free but you have to pay for the ride over and back.Drops you off at 11 and picks you up at 2 PM. Great Shells to be found. The water is crystal clear. Not much to do on the key, lighthouse and that is about it. Great Day Tho!

I was stationed at Egmont Key in the mid 70's and just returned from my third visit on June 3, 2014. It was time well spent and I would recommend it as a must see when visiting the Tampa area. Most of the island was overgrown when I was stationed there, making it very difficult to see the remains of Fort Dade. But, today, thanks to the efforts of many, many hours of volunteer work, the interior is much more visible, with interpretive signage marking the locations of many of the islands structures and buildings. The ferry service is top notch and a safe, quick way to get to the island. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase on the ferry. It is advisable to bring extra water and wear good walking shoes. And, of course, bring your camera. Make it one of your next stops. You won't be disappointed.

This is an island located at the mouth of Tampa Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. It is only accessible by boat and you can catch a ferry in Ft Desoto Park. The island is undeveloped and the only person that lives there full time is the Park Ranger. You will see manatees, dolphins and other marine wildlife from the pristine beaches. And the water here is clearer than any in the area. There are trails on the island and you can explore the whole island with great views of The Gulf, the Sunshine skyway bridge, and the gulf. The island is also a historical area that a one point on the 1800's was the site of a military installation. On a self guided tour you can walk the brick roads and get a look back in history. The cemetery is a real eye opener with each person listed with their cause of death including one "male, yankee sympathizer, died of gunshot wounds". While walking the island you will see various sea birds, Osprey, and land turtles if you are lucky. Overall a great place for families, friends, or a romantic getaway.

We were wanting to kayak to Egmont Key from the south, and we found a wonderful beach to launch from on Anna Maria. To get there, drive north past the Anna Maria pier to the very end of the road. There is public beach access there (with parking on a side street), and a short carry to the beach. From there, Passage Key and Egmont Key are both visible (Passage looking like a sand bar in the distance, Egmont slightly to its left).

We chose a calm day--as the paddle is over open water, and it can get really rough--and headed for Passage Key. This adds a little bit to the distance, but allows a break. You can get out and wade in the gorgeous beaches surrounding this Key. The traverse itself is beautiful: shallow, crystalline waters, over white quartz sand. We saw rays and dolphins, and schools of fish.

Much of the paddle from Passage to Egmont is over deep water. A lot of Egmont is a wildlife refuge, and as you approach it you will see signs on land and in the water prohibiting access. So, continue along the east side of the island past these signs to a beach where there are signs saying "No pets allowed" :) This is where you can land your kayak. At the north end of this beach there is a pilots' station, which is private land. If you walk up to it you will see a path to your left which takes you around the pilots' station and leads into the trail system, and to the many ruins on the island. You can find maps of Egmont, and info about its history on its website.

We hiked to the north end of the island, to Fort Dade, and poked around the ruins. And we saw many of the gopher tortoises on the island. We found a picnic table by the lighthouse and had lunch (being watched by a tortoise). And we headed back to Anna Maria, via Passage, with a following wind. We estimate the entire length of the paddle to be seven or eight miles. We hiked a few miles as well. So, allow yourself enough time, and be sure to bring plenty of water :)

This trip includes a lot of variety: gorgeous beaches and paddling, hiking and history, nature and wildlife. Highly recommended for the adventurous paddler.

Egmont is rich with history, beautiful beaches and wonderful wildlife. Captain Frank gave us a lot information and spots to see before we stepped of his boat. The shelling was amazing. Even when the wind picked up on our way back to AMI; we felt safe. It was a nice boat ride to neat island. A+ from this retired teacher
PS We will be back for a Dolphin Watch!

We've taken the ferry before however this time, they neglected to tell us that we had to go to a separate location to pick up tickets since they're trying ticketing as a "new customer experience." We did everything we were told to do -- made reservation, arrived 40 minutes before departure and waited by the loading area for what turned out to be a late arriving ferry. There was a big line by the time the ferry got there that we had been waiting in for over 30 minutes. In the past the ferry was always there early like they ask you to be to give everyone time to board. This time they rushed everyone on to make up the late arrival and it wasn't until boarding that they told us we needed tickets at a kiosk far from the dock that they don't tell you about when you make the reservation and that there are no signs for at the location anywhere. The woman on staff proceeded to tell me we didn't have reservation and that we were the late ones, the boat was full and it was leaving without us. They showed up late, while we were early, neglected to inform us of the different procedure, and accommodate us while being rude about the whole thing. For

Tour boat was nice. The beach was beautiful and we spent a good hour picking up a variety of shells. Also walked around and looked at the lighthouse and found five Gopher Tortoises. It was a really nice trip and well worth 25 a piece. Would highly recommend!

The boat ride was a short 25 minutes to the island. Once on the island you were free to roam the historical Fort for three hours. There was also swimming, snorkeling and shelling on the island. The batteries were accessible and awesome to see. There were plenty of tortoises on the island to see as well. We visited the island with our 5 year old twins and teenagers and there was enough on the island to keep everyone interested with being on the island. I recommend taking a picnic lunch with you or purchase the sandwich lunches available on the boat ride over as there are no provisions available on the island. The views of the gulf are breathtaking and you may even get visited by a manatee as we were while swimming off shore! We will definitely add this to our list of repeat activities for future visits.

On October 24th (perfect weather), I & a friend booked a 5-hour adventure (10 am to 3 pm) with FLIPFLOPS-SAILING.COM---with Egmont Key State Park as our destination. We boarded Captain Kit's 30 foot motorized catamaran on Anna Maria Island, Keys Marina---in Holmes Beach. Captain Kit offers 5 sailing options, but this is the only trip that takes 5-hours, with Egmont Key as a destination. THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE WAS FANTASTIC!!!! After a 1 1/2 hour relaxing sail on Kit's roomy, immaculate boat...with many seating options...bathroom facilities...& an ample kitchen with large refrigerator, we arrived at Egmont Key. We were allowed 2 hours on the island to snorkel...swim/sunbathe...walk the interior & explore the ruins of Fort Dade...visit the Tampa Bay lighthouse...get "up close & personal" with the Gopher Tortoises...& go "shelling" on the Key's pristine white beach. A sub sandwich, chips & a drink (ample amounts of water are furnished) was provided on our return voyage. For $99.00, per person, this is the best way to experience multiple things during a 5-hour period---with an informed, amicable, entertaining captain, at the helm of a beautiful sailing vessel!!!! Visit his website---www.FLIPFLOPS-SAILING.COM. & his "facebook page" with this title---to view comments & pictures! Kit truly loves his job!!!!

This is a beautiful island with historic ruins, great beaches, snorkeling and loads of fun. The parks service people were extremely friendly and more than willing to answer any questions we had. I will definitely go back to this wonderful island again.

Visited by the convenient ferry from Ft Desoto Park. The captain was entertaining and detoured for some dolphin watching. The island is a scenic blend of history, beautiful blue water beaches and wildlife. Tour the old spanish american war era ruins, then swim and snorkel. Beach renourishment going on
in our visit, the island is shrinking quite a bit. Be advised, no bathrooms on the island so you are 3 hours without restroom facilities. On the ferry, there are chairs avail. for rent, bring your own drinks/picnic.

If you enjoy history, or nature this is definitely a place to visit. If you enjoy both, this is a MUST SEE.

The best time to visit is before the storm season - as is the best time for any water excursion. If you visit prior to the storm season, you will be rewarded with Bahamas clear water which is great for swimming, or snorkeling.

On the island was a military town, which has since burned to the ground. Last time we were there, they had one of the many buildings almost rebuilt. I'm not sure what their long term plan is.

What IS still there are the many forts around the island. One of them happens to be in the water now due to erosion, which makes for terrific snorkeling.

It's honestly very pricey to visit, but worth it - expect to pay $25 for the ferry to the island, and another $20 or so to the other side of the island for snorkeling in the fort.

There are no facilities on site, so be prepared. There are also no concessions, however the ferry (which is located at Ft Desoto Park) does have snacks and beverages available.

We want to thank Capt Jeff, Lani and sharktooth Chris for another great experience. For the best experience get there at 9:45am and don't be late. Call ahead for reservations (you can pay cash once there). The ferry books up. We like to go to Egmont Key and be dropped off with our own snorkel masks. We go to the left by the bird sanctuary and find great shells and fish there. Take a small ice chest with water and snacks and an umbrella for shade. There are no restrooms on the island, but it is beautiful. Depending on the season, there may be stingrays or jellyfish, but just listen to Capt Jeff for how to avoid them. Remember shuffle your feet if near the grass in the water. Capt Jeff also showed us turtles and dolphins during the 15 min trip and made it a great experience. We have taken it 4 times now. I highly recommend this ferry service and Egmont Key.

Mike and Laura

My wife and I took the Hubbard's Ferry from Mullet Key (Fort De Soto Park) for $25 each and thought the trip was overpriced--although I have no idea of what their operating costs and profit margins are. Still, it's just a small island with a lighthouse and some ruins. Yes, it has a nice beach, but I'm not a beach person. A beach bum might give it a 5. Much of the island is off-limits due to bird or gopher tortoise sanctuary or the harbor pilot's operation.

This was a no nonsense ferry from point A to point B. Egmont Key is beautiful and it was nice to spend a day on a secluded beach with my family. I've taken other boats to the island that included much longer boat rides, snorkeling and dolphin encounters. You get what you pay for with this cruise. Captain and first mate were entertaining and made this a pleasant 15 min trip there and back. It really depends on what you looking for with this experience.

It was a nice trip from Fort DeSoto dock. The island shoreline was recently replenished leaving a thick layer of crushed shells to walk on. The natural shoreline was not accessible bing protected by a no go zone set up to protect birds, turtles, etc. The island was supposed to be a treasure trove for shells but it was not. Will not return.

The boat ride over was cool, it was advertised as a seashell excursion. The good news is that I saw more Dolphins than I ever have on a dolphin cruise! The island itself was not really worth all the effort. The water is not so good, with lots a sea weed, the sand dirty. The abandoned fort was cool and you could see where some big guns had been anchored. Overall I don't think I'd do it again. The island is free but the ride over is not.

Egmont Key State Park can only be reached by boat or ferry. Food, water and restrooms are not available. And no alcoholic beverages of pets of any kind are permitted on the island. Other than that, you'll have a wonderful visiting this historic site at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Egmont Key State Park is located on Egmont Key, which lies southwest of Fort de Soto Park. Among notable sites on the island are the Egmont Key Lighthouse,which has served ship traffic into and out of the port of Tampa for over 70 years, and the ruins of Fort Dade, a Spanish-American War era fort. Also located on the south end of the narrow 328-acre strip of land is the Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1974. Egmont Key was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It is recommended that visitors take the ferry from Fort de Soto Park. Activities include swimming, sun-bathing, shelling, boating, picnicing, snorkeling, touring the fort, wildlife viewing and walking the nature trails. Shells are abundant. So are turtles. While aboard the ferry, look for dolphins and huge ocean-going tankers and cargo ships that frequent Tampa Bay. The park is open from 8 in the morning until sundown year-round.

We paid $20.00 per person to go to this private island ( we had a group of 9 people) with nice beaches and as soon as we got to the beach a bunch of speed boats and fishing boats dropped their anchors on the beach and took up all the beach space, so it made it impossible to swim in the water at the beach. Also this island is not supposed to have any alcohol on it and all of these rude people on these boats were drinking and making a lot of noise being very rude. These people that show up on these private boats (not the ferry's) made the day we spent on Egmont Key miserable. I don't know who is in charge of Egmont Key but they should not allow all of these boat to drop their anchors on the beach. I would not recommend spending the day at this beach because of all of these rude boaters. There were way too many boaters allowed to anchor on the beach.

Surprise my partner with a remote birthday present. I was not expecting much but end up delight it with everything. Our tour company was everything, it was a private one, less people e came with us, we were able to see dolphins, and go snorkeling.

On our recent trip to the Gulf with friends, we decided to make our last day an all-day outside adventure. We started off with the ferry ride from Fort DeSoto Park to Egmont Key, and enjoyed getting to meet the captain and his first mate, Zip. Both did an excellent job to ensure a safe voyage to the island, and were kind enough to allow us to store items on the boat, as well as providing snacks when we returned for a quick break from our adventures around the island. Egmont key was truly a beautiful site. We ventured inland to see the lighthouse, the abandoned buildings and historical markers. We watched the workers trying to replenish the sands on the beach, as one of the island shorelines has been eroding away. We enjoyed the beautiful view of crystal clear, green-blue waters and even jumped at the opportunity to see some dolphins! Overall, a really great way to get away from the crowds and the buildings, to get back to nature and enjoy some vitamin sunshine. If we're back in the area again next year, we're going to do this again! Highly recommend! This is a great family venture, and I would suggest making sure to bring water and pack lunches so you can picnic around the area. Some of our companions on the ferry ride spent the day sunbathing and others took the opportunity to explore. Two thumbs up!

We took the Egmont Ferry to the island today. Beautiful beaches and historical artifacts, cemetery and remains of an old fort. However, the main reason we went was shelling. Shelling was not what it was purported to be. Would not recommend if you are only interested in the shells.

Stopped here as part of a quick tour and wish we would have had more time to explore. There is a lot of history to explore here. If you like to collect seashells you can find a lot of those here too, mostly small ones, but there are a lot. I would go back, again, I would just allow myself more time. My teenage daughter didn't like it, because it was hot and she doesn't like that kind of thing.

A completely different kind of State Park! We took the last ferry trip of the day (afternoon) and there was hardly anyone else on the island in the middle of the week in March. It's easy to bring a cooler and a chair and an umbrella if that's what you're looking for. We had a great time wandering along the old brick roads, exploring the concrete foundations and batteries, and speculating about living out there on the island.

We saw LOADS of gopher tortoises, osprey, and a bald eagle. Didn't see any snakes or racoons or anything scary (except wasps, we did see a few, but not many). There are precious few places to sit - we found a couples different sets of stairs that were in the shade that worked for us.

Use the restroom before you go on your trip-no facilities! And bring a cooler or lunchbox. Seriously, there's nothing out there, not even drinking water! We took a full lunch, snacks, and 4 large water bottles. We had too much food and drank 3 waters in 4 hours.

It was delightful to be out there, knowing how far away from land we were, and really not being able to hear civilization other than a few boats and the occasional helicopter. The beach was easy walking. We were there at high tide, so there weren't a ton of treasures to be found, but we did come home with some nice smaller shells.

You should go! If you like being outside and non-commercial beaches, you'll enjoy it!

We took the Egmont Key Ferry operated by Hubbards Marina, it was $30/person. Easy-peasy.

I've been going to St Pete Beach since I was a little girl, and I can't believe I've never gone to Egmont Key until this year. You can take your own boat, or take the ferry like I did. The ferry is $20 round-trip and it departs from Fort DeSoto County Park: just Google Egmont Key Ferry and you'll see the info. Depending on the season, they make 1 or 2 trips out, and 1 or 2 trips back (the times vary too). You can add on a snorkel excursion for a few bucks more, and apparently almost everyone on the ferry did this except for me. I just wanted to spend my time exploring the island and taking photos. By the way, everyone seemed to really enjoy the snorkeling.

Once on the island, as others have mentioned, there are NO restrooms and no food/drink. You can buy food/drink either at the snack shop on the marina, or on the ferry. Or you can bring your own like I did. The island has lots of ruins and a lighthouse, which make for fantastic photography subjects. I saw a large group of tortoises heading toward the beach, which wasn't something I see everyday. On the ferry ride back to Fort De Soto we saw several manatees and countless dolphins.

I definitely recommend checking out Egmont Key if you're looking for a non-touristy thing to do in the Tampa/St Pete area. Take food, drink, sunscreen, beach towels, a hat, and anything else you'd need for a few hours at the beach.

You either have to rent a boat or take a ferry (for a fee) to get here. But it is worth it. We enjoyed exploring the abandoned fort and the lighthouse. The key is very long, so it is a long walk to see the whole thing, either that or move the boat and re anchor.

There are hundreds of native Tortoises there that you can watch as they go about their business, and they aren't afraid of people.

TIP, go out in the morning as the gulf can get a bit choppy when the afternoon wind whips up.

Rented a pontoon boat and took the family there.....it is beautiful.
Lots and lots of shells, a nearly perfect white sand beach, and we had the whole place to ourselves!
Easy to reach by boat, lots of places to beach the boat, and lovely island trails.
The fort and lighthouse are very cool...wrought with history and interesting times!
A great place to visit!

It's such a cute little island, full (and I mean FULL) of wildlife! Plenty of hiking, beaches to hang out at, and history to learn.

Took a Ferry from the St. Petersburg area that did an hour exploring Egmont Key and an hour snorkeling. The water was incredibly clear and so pretty but there wasn’t much to look at on the island. I would do it again just for the boat ride and snorkeling but the actual island was lack luster.

We took the ferry from Ft. DeSoto. They ask you to get there early, and it's nice to have time to check it out. There is a small store on bay pier if you forgot to bring anything. Egmont Key is great natural Florida. You can pay for the snorkeling tour but we brought our own gear and headed toward the old power plant ruins. The beach is great and water was pretty clear. We saw some cool fish, some where pretty big. We brought lots of drinks and our lunch. You can't buy anything on the island so make sure to bring everything you need with you. We had a great day!!

Great place to explore or spend a day on the beach. Lots of wildlife as well as history at this park

Great excursion! Very interesting place to visit while in Florida. Captain Zippy and crew were timely and accommodating with plenty of filtered water, chairs, floaties and snacks to make your beach experience comfortable. We saw 4 of the over 1,000 tortoises on the island and we found the remains of Fort Dade and the museum very interesting.

Accessible only by boat or ferry from Fort Desoto ($20) Egmont Key is an island rich with wildlife and history. Part of the island is a bird sanctuary that is home to over 33,000 nesting pairs of shorebirds from Laughing Gulls to Pelicans and several kinds of Terns. You will also find the highly threatened Gopher Tortoise roaming the island. This year there were 83 sea turtle nests as well. It is also rich in American history. There you will find ruins of forts built during the Spanish American War and a lighthouse built in the 1940's. The beaches are pristine with pure white sand and great for finding sharks teeth. Do not miss this opportunity, it may not be here after the next big hurricane! The island is disappearing quickly from erosion despite efforts by the Egmont Key Alliance. If you enjoy your stay you can sign a petition asking for Federal funding at saveegmontkey.com.

Egmont Key contains many fond memories for me so it is a place we return to often. As a child I grew up with making overnight visits to the island, anchoring off the on the open waters at the entrance of Tampa Bay and waking early in the morning to take the dinghy ashore to hunt for shells that had washed up overnight.

Today, Egmont remains pristine and unique. Open to visitors by ferry service or private boat it is unlike any place you will ever visit. It has a long history with its location, protecting the entrance to Tampa Bay it has served as a camp for captured Seminole Indians, a Navy base for the Union Navy and as Fort Dade during the Spanish American War finally ending its military role in 1923. Today Egmont Key is a part of the Florida State Park system and open to visitors daily.

White sandy beaches encircle the tiny island where you will find walking paths, old military hardware, a lighthouse, and wildlife. The beaches remain pristine and you can swim, snorkel the ruins and spend a day of solitude away from everything. Accessible by water the waters of the entrance to Tampa Bay can be relentless and rough, more than one boater has lost their rig to the waters that can change in short time.

There is no running water on the island, no bathrooms, and no food service, So, come prepared. Over the years the island has changed as beach erosion continues to retake more an more of the island back. Most of the ferry and tour boats serving the island will tell about it and mark the areas that have been reclaimed by the sea.

Bring your camera, come prepared to see the wildlife and the Gulf in their original form. Egmont Key will be a place like no other you have ever experienced.

This was a really fun way to see some of Florida's great coast and parks. We took a ferry out of the Fort De Soto State Park. Very easy to get too. Make reservations ahead of time as there are limited spots. They only take 2 trips and you are there for 4 hours. There are no Bathroom facilities on the Island so my advice is don't drink before you go! Beautiful beach and loads of shells. Nice walking paths. Don't go if you are unable to walk for a long time on uneven surfaces. Take a backpack with towels and a light lunch to picnic it's so worth it. Sunscreen is a must!

We took the Hubbard's Marina Ferry to Egmont Key and had a fun time. Based on other reviews I (mistakenly) thought it wouldn't be crowded. We went on a Sunday in May and there were at least 20 boats anchored by the beach and lots of people on the island. The highlight was the group of manatees which swam within 20 feet of the beach for a while. The water was pretty and it was fun to walk around. We brought snorkeling gear but unfortunately it was too cloudy to snorkel. We didn't have a car so we took an uber from our hotel to the ferry. This was not a good idea since the ferry departs from a pier within DeSoto State Park so it costs $5 to drive in. The pay station is about a mile from the pier, so on the way back we walked the mile and ordered an Uber from the pay station.

Definitely worth the trip! So much history on this island and the water was gorgeous! Only wish we had more time to explore. Three hours was not enough to see everything on the island and enjoy the beach. Definitely recommend finding a ferry or boat that gives you more time on the island.

Egmont Key is a small island off of the southern tip of St. Petersburg Beach. The only way to get there is by boat, there are several companies that run shuttles from various spots.We took the shuttle run by Hubbard's Marina. (leaves from the beach at Ft. Desoto) this is the shortest/quickest route to the key.The island was a military fort back in the early 1900's and was abandoned at one point years ago. The Beach is unspoiled and raw, if you're willing to walk a little you can find your own private beach area. The day that we visited there was maybe 75-100 people on the whole island.We enjoyed wandering down the old brick roadways that used to be streets and are now just pathways surrounded by palms and undergrowth. There are tortoises all over the island we saw at least half a dozen on our walk. We split our time between beach and exploring. There are no services on the island (food,drinks,bathroom) so plan properly for your trip. We have done both Shell Key and Egmont and we prefer Egmont hands down. If you want to escape the crowded commercial beaches of St. Pete, and are the outdoors/adventurous type, and have an appreciation for history, this is for you. We will spend a day on Egmont each time we visit from now on.

Peaceful, relaxing day walking the island. We have been to many Forts around the country, This one would rate a 7. Not much of the town left, a few concrete buildings and foundations. The old brick roads are in great shape for their age. Wish we could build roads like that now. The beaches are very nice. A lot of small shells, shark teeth on the beach. Came across 3 tortoise There were only 40 people on the ferry so once you get to the Island, it is not crowded. We probably walked for an hour before we saw anyone else. No bugs to speak of in January, But wear sun block. Great ride on the ferry, will do a separate review.

We took a snorkel tour here from St Pete. The island was amazing. The old fort was really neat to walk around in. The lush vegetation was spectacular! I would definitely recommend visiting Egmont Key.

This was a long boat ride but we saw dolphins, a manatee, numerous sand dollars and a sand dollar. There are lots of birds on the island. The lighthouse was neat.

We arrived on Egmont Key by way of the ferry from Fort DeSoto. Had no idea what to expect, and were pleasantly surprised and pleased by the enormous amount of history well told through posted info. The day we were there, there were only 8 visitors to the site, and we had the amazing chance to really feel the silence and peace of the place. A cemetery there held remains of people who had lived on the island back to the Civil War. Shelling was remarkable, although Egmont is not known for that. The lighthouse still operates, although you cannot enter it. Various spots for a picnic lunch were appreciated as there are no facilities or food service on the island. Traveling to and from Fort DeSoto afforded time to see that beautiful park as well as Egmont. Fee for boat trip to island and entry to Fort DeSoto where the boat departs.

We really enjoyed the snorkeling trip there with Hubbard's ferry. The snorkeling was superb. The staff was careful with every person. Equipment could be rented and was in good working order. I couldn't snorkel but was able to stay on the boat and observe family. With boating around the island we saw parts of the island that is not open to the public, like the bird sanctuary. Visitors must bring everything they would need with them to visit the island. There are no services on the island. It is interesting to walk and see the old fort there. There is so much history to appreciate there walking down the brick streets where the service people at the fort lived.

This is the most amazing island that I have been on! I will go back if I get another chance. We always make reservations with Hubbards marina, the captain is always friendly and on every trip tries to find Dolphins for us to watch. My family and I returned from our visit today and we saw a large group of Dolphins and a huge sea turtle. Also with Hubbards marina when you board the ship you won't get wet like other ships that I see drop and pick up groups. On the island there are gopher tortoise that roam freely. On a note make sure you bring food, sunblock, and anything else that you think that you could use. On the one side of the island there are underwater ruins that you are able to snorkel. I would hands down do this every year. This is a very great and interesting trip to take for you and the family

Took the Ft. DeSoto ferry over! Nice beaches, interesting history of the island, and lots of tortoises all over the place. Kids thought the place was really neat. It was our 2nd time to the island. There is too much ground to cover everything with just one trip as you only get about 3 hours on the island by taking the ferry. Best advice....go when the water is calm! It's not nearly as nice when the waves are rough. Saw some fish snorkeling up near the ruins on the west side of the island, but that was the only place.

I love this place and I have lived in Florida 21 years. I will once again visit tomorrow for another of many visits.

The island of Egmont Key is beautiful. The beach is unspoiled and the trails around the old ruins and old town are really neat. We also saw several large gopher tortoises which was very cool! But we were disappointed with the ferry provided by Hubbard's Marina. It got the job done but just a few warnings, and I believe there are some other tour companies that go to Egmont so you might want to research some alternatives.

First of all, they advertised that they had a bathroom on board the ferry and I also confirmed this on the phone when I made the reservation. But the boat did not have a bathroom. This was one of the main reasons we chose HM over other companies, because it would just make us more relaxed knowing there was a bathroom around for a 4 hour trip.

Second, the boat departed ten minutes late because they were hoping more people would come by and jump on the tour. So although they departed 10 minutes late in order to attempt to get more business, we were not given any extra time on the island. Because of high winds they also had to park the boat in a different place than normal. This meant it took much longer to park and again we lost time on the island but weren't offered to stay any longer.

So overall, we ended up with about half hour less island time than was advertised and this was a disappointment. As I said the island is really neat and there is so much to do and explore and having just 2 hours on the island really wasn't enough. I was looking forward to having time to just hang out on the beach for a while and swim, but by the time we were done walking around the trails and old fort, we only had about half an hour on the beach and felt rushed.

My final complaint is that the company didn't seem to take safety very seriously.

overall if this is your only option i'd still recommend going, it's a very cool island but i would suggest researching some other companies too.

We took the Tampa Bay Ferry service to Egmont Key. Only $20 for round-trip fare. Excellent captain and mate! The island is really neat - historical area and lighthouse to explore, beautiful beaches and the land tortoises (look but do not touch!).

We also took the snorkeling trip - that was disappointing. Not really anything to see and the "ruins" are just a bunch of tumbled boulders in the sea with a lot of plant life attached. It may have been just the day we went but the water was silty and visibility was very poor; also don't expect to see colorful tropical fishes - they aren't in this area.

The fun part was the boat ride as the captain really looked for porpoises and manatees for us to see - success!

Super cool island state park with tons of hhistorical buildings to explore. Awesome beaches. Turtles everywhere... Highly recommend

Apparently this place is full of people during other times of the year, but for our trip out in November, we were the only ones out there. We had intended to snorkel, but there were too many jellyfish in the area. Instead, we strolled the beaches looking for shells and soaking up the sun. Found a friendly tortoise. No facilities here so bring snacks and water. Great beach - highly recommend.

Today is got to experience of the most peaceful moments of my life.. I boarded the tampa Bay Ferry. And the Captain's Todd and Erica...had such a positive vibe about them. ..they were very Friendly, Knowledgeable and Professional...In all of my Travelings ..This is one my new Favorites.. And I will spread the word around. And Make sure they ask For Todd and Erica.. Thank you so much for such a great Experience...I will Definitely Be Back

We had a wonderful half day on the island with my wife and older children. Took the ferry from Ft Desoto and the ride was about 20 min (20 bucks per person). We brought our cooler which is encouraged because there is only a ranger station on the island. Only a few people on the island with us. The island itself is a preserve, and most of the original structures have long since given way to palmetto forest which densely populate the white sandy interior. The island is maybe a half mile long but only a few hundred yards wide. I kept being reminded of Gilligan's Island - with sandy paths running all over and palm trees and coconuts everywhere. It is a real paradise. There are a few areas of interest on Egmont Key. The lighthouse area. west beach (gulf facing), historic gun batteries and forts, and the "ghost town". For our day we decided to start with strolling down the cobble stone streets of the ghost town. Although no buildings remain, it was beautiful and peaceful. We laid out a picnic blanket on an empty red cobblestone street and had lunch in the shade of palm trees next to what used to be the fire station. After lunch we walked the long sidewalk to West beach which passed some historic structures and ended on the beach where there are a series of large battlements. The guns themselves are no longer there and were taken to the main fort at Ft Desoto but several of the gun batteries remain. Strolling on the white sandy west beach we were able to see the remnants of parts of the fort which are in the ocean now. We fully explored the ghost town and the beaches and that took a good 4 hours which was all the time we had. We loaded up on the Ferry at 2:30 for the ride back which turned into a 45 min dolphin cruise. After the visit to Egmont Key we drove to North Beach at Ft Desoto for more beach time and relaxation. What a great day.

Thoroughly enjoyed our time on the water and on Egmont Key. My husband and I love lighthouses and always get our lighthouse passports stamped when we visit one. On this trip, the lighthouse was closed, which is where the stamp is located. The Park Rangers were kind enough to go into the lighthouse and get the stamp for us so we could stamp our passports. The snorkeling was a lot of fun! I've read reviews where people say visibility was poor at best, but that was not our experience at all! We saw an array of fish along with a few stingrays. The Captain and crew of the Egmont Ferry were fantastic! They pointed out interesting and historical places and were friendly and accommodating. A great way to spend a few hours!

We visited Egmont Key and had a nice day there. This is a place to go if you love nature and can tolerate no air conditioning or restroom facilities for a few hours as you will find neither there. We roamed the island and visited the beaches on both sides. There were many small shells to collect. I even found one huge shell (as large as my forearm), but when I began to take it out of the water, I saw it was inhabited so it stayed there. The water was so clear and surprisingly warm for early March. The ferry ride there and back was unremarkable and I thought a bit overpriced, but not ridiculously so.

Our family took the ferry from Fort DeSoto State Park to Egmont Key this April. First off, I would like to start by saying that the staff selling tickets is quite unfriendly and was frustrated that I needed to use my CC to pay the $80 charge for my family for the 10 minute ferry ride to the key (way too expensive, I think!) The "captain" and helper on the boat were equally unfriendly and actually obnoxious to the point where I asked if there were and specific good places to look for manatee in the wild and his response was "the water". He made me feel quite foolish. The hours that are advertised and that are told to you if you call are not the hours that they operate. We were told that we could leave at 10 or 11 and return at 3 or 4. Our plan was to spend the day, 11-4 on the island so that we would have enough time to explore and relax. In actuality, you can leave for the island at 10 or 11, but the ferry returns at 1:30 or 2:15 - not leaving much time for relaxing and exploring - and certainly not enough time to warrant the $80 that I paid to get there. (AND THERE IS NO BATHROOM to use at all. - the one that they assure you they have on the boat is absolutely disgusting and even almost too gross for my 5 year old boy to stand up to pee in!)

Egmont Key itself seemed quite amazing, but we didn't even have 2.5 hours to eat lunch, apply sunscreen and explore before it was time to board the boat to go back.

The kicker at the end of the trip back in was that they actually asked for tips - saying how they don't get paid hourly and survive on tips - told us that the normal tipping is $3-$4 pp. I already paid $80 to be treated like I am stupid, I certainly was not putting another $20 in the bucket.

I would definitely go back to explore Egmont Key again, but would rather spend the $300 to rent a boat than take the ferry again.

When the Egmont Key Alliance is there, you can see the inside of the lighthouse, learn about the island's ecosystem, and the island's history.

You can only get here by boat, but once you get here, it's worth it. Your day will be rustic, to say the least as there's no running water on the island. You'll need to bring your food and drinks too, as there's none of that either.

The upside is that the lack of "amenities" keeps the poseurs away. There are plenty of trails to walk, along with shady spots. Plus, there are lots of historic artifacts to see. You can get there by ferry if you don't have a boat, or a friend with a boat.

The captain and his team were very, very kind. But it was disappointing to have to drift around in the boat, right near the Key to try and find manatee’s. And then have to get back to the boat by 2:15, to drift around the water for 45 minutes, looking for manatees again, before we got back to the drop off point. I think we personally would have liked to stay on the beach longer and skip the drifting since we took the ferry to spend time on Ergmont Key.

We came back to Ft. Desoto on our last day to take the ferry to this pristine island and it didn't disappoint us. Gopher tortoise are everywhere. Seashells can be found on the gulf side of the beach with the occasional sharks tooth. For a few dollars more you can go snorkeling and see many species of fish and sand dollars beds. Dolphins are plentiful and can be spotted to and from the island. Hubbard's marina is by far the best and economical way to get there. The captain let us take pictures of the many dolphins on our way back to the pier. The history of the Island is pretty neat as well.

Booked ferry thru hubbards marina.make sure to bring cash to pay at kiosk and to tip the captain.lots of turtles. What my kid liked best was swimming and snorkeling and shelling. Lots of great photo opps in the old fort. Captain took us all on mini dolphin tour on the way back. BRING BUG SPRAY!!! Lots of mosquitos in the tree areas due to recent rains.
Awesome time....we go every year.
If drving bring plenty of change for small tolls and $5 to park.

#1- this is not Beaches or Atlantis- this is REAL Florida- this is a state park and as such is open to all residents and visitors to the state of Florida. It IS an abandoned Military Installation with ruins, and internal roads on the island.
#2- The water quality at Egmont is some of the best in the Tampa Bay Area. Looking for the Islands but couldn't stomach the 300-500 a night to stay at Atlantis or Beaches- here's water in the US 30 Minutes from Tampa International that is as good or better.
#3- A recent poster from Michigan complained about the private boats, see above-PUBLIC PARK- open tot he public- there is no alcohol allowed on land. A boat and its occupants in the water are not on the island- so they may have alcohol. BTW- those "private boats" pay an annual registration fee for those boats and that tax gets used in part to preserve some of the island that you thought was so pretty.
#4- Great place to take family and friends and get a little history with your beach- only accessible by boat and as such not near as crowded as any of the other local beaches that require you hop into your rented mini van and parade around with your new sunburn.

In short, one of the best beaches in the Southeast with friendly folks- mostly families and a great place to learn a little about what life is like in Tampa Bay- we take our water and boating seriously. If you're from out of town, welcome, take the opportunity If your visiting to talk to one of the families with a boat at this beach, you just might get a good tip for dinner or drinks that was not in the hotel lobby.

This would be a nice little trip without kids. The boat ride over was nice but once there, my kids were board. Maybe the expectations were too high. We enjoyed snorkeling for a bit and we did see a manatee. We just didn't think it was worth the money to get there.

We took the ferry from Fort Desoto Park. It was cold so we weren't planning to hang out on the beach and were wondering what we'd do for 3 hours before the ferry came back to get us. No problem there! After eating our sandwiches on the beach, we followed the pathways to the old military buildings. it was interesting to read the signs, see the old photographs and what remains. You can climb on the battery walls for a fine view.

We visited this key with friends and family via private boat in mid-may and the water was like bath water! Crystal clear, warm and gorgeous! The water was calm, too, song wasn't afraid of an undertow or anything--it really allowed us to just enjoy the water. We felt like we were on a private island/beach in some remote land! You can take a ferry here although I have never taken it. Bring food and drinks (no glass) and prepare for an awesome day! The sun was pretty intense so LOTS of sunscreen is important. We were all pretty tan and had been on the beach for days but on this key we all burned WITH sunscreen. I'm serious about the sunscreen! Wear it. A lot. And often.

There was a police on ATV patrolling (hide your beer if you have it because it could mean a big fine). I brought water shoes because I heard there were lots of sting rays but we didn't see any. We also didn't see any sharks but we did see Dolphins.

We had been to Egmont several times, it is beautiful island. Unfortunately the ferry service from Fort Desoto park was terrible. Worst service I have ever experienced. Take another way to the island!!!! We will never take this again.

Accessible only by boat, it is a tropical paradise in the Gulf of Mexico, just south of Tampa Bay. It has a working lighthouse and a rich cultural history. The gift shop, at the base of the lighthouse, is now open the third Sat. of the month; money supports the park. Parts of the old Ft. Dade are now uncovered and have historic markers. If you go, please respect the beach and wildlife (both marine and land). No facilities; leave nothing behind, please. www.egmontkey.info

My family of 5 rented a boat and went to to Egmont. The ride was nice and the weather and water were great but the island it self was not that impressive. We snorkeled around the "ruins" and there wasn't much there. We walked around the paths and the light house was cool and we saw 2 little turtles. The rest of the paths and the fort ruins take some imagination to appreciate.

A difficult one. The island is ok, although disappointed with lack of information on island regarding its past, there could have been a little more in depth background of its history. We could have done with more time to explore, but the restricted timing of ferry makes this fairly impossible. The ferry we thought was very overpriced at $20 approx pp, as it is a short journey, roughly 1/2 hr, which is extended to take in dolphin sightings if they are around. Leaves about 11.15 am on a trip which you have to catch the return about 2.15pm back, so you only get about a couple or so hours on island. Staff tried selling snorkelling trips, rental equip, food etc as you leave, & this lasted pretty much all way. On the way back they then started with the 'tip bucket' advising us that $4-5 pp would be an average tip! Personally we thought about $10-15 pp for the ferry would be a fairer price & if you want to charge more, then the snorkelling should be included in price and extend time on the island. For a family of 4 there are better things in Florida for $80+ which offer better value & nature experience such as wiki waki river in Florida. Don't get me wrong, we love exploring the more natural side of Florida, but felt distinctly ripped off by the ferry costs.

A fab day today on the ferry to egmont , a friendly bunch and a good service. A good day out on the water and visiting a near secluded island. A beautiful and interesting day. Thanks crew and captain

As suggested on the website we made reservations ahead of time and used a credit card. It was $25 pp. We were told to be there 45 mins to 1 hr ahead of time. We arrived 50 mins before our scheduled time and the boat didn't even start boarding until 10 mins after we were supposed to leave. Not sure what the point of arriving early was as everyone just had to stand around. The guy that drove the boat was kind of a jerk. We weren't told until right before we arrived at the island that they were not doing the snorkeling (which actually costs more $ even if you bring your own gear.) When we were dropped of the driver told us that if we arrived 15 mins before our scheduled time at the dock then we would look for dolphins on the way back. Everyone arrived early and we actually left 15 more before the set time but they just took us right back to the pier. We didn't look for dolphins or anything else so we got back to the pier 25 mins early. The island was really neat. Very clean. No trash cans, bathrooms, etc so please pick up after yourself. We took a picnic lunch and really enjoyed our time on the island. LOTS of beautiful shells. Saw a couple turtles while we were out walking. I was also lucky enough to see a manatee swimming not far from the shore. In conclusion the island is definitely worth visiting if you can find another way to get there.

We had a blast clear skies beautiful day and into degrees August 5, 2017 great day saw lots of turtles and fish

My husband and I took a boat tour to this island and we loved it. The lighthouse was a great sight, although sadly you can not go inside it. Turtles were walking around everywhere. The beach was quiet and beautiful! We took a picnic lunch and ate it on the beach. We walked around the old town, which sadly was mostly all destroyed, but it was a nice walk. We were about to walk into one of the old forts which was interesting. I would love to take my kids here when we go back in June!

If you are able-- please visit Eggmont Keys. Lots of shelling, snorkling, picnic, bird watching, great beach time, amazing tropical vegetation, sea tortoise sightings, the fort ruins, lovely light house. .. and more. A wonderful family outing. Be outdoors and experience something like Gilligan's Island but with true historic value. Will not disappoint you. Take plenty of water and sun screen. Lots of dolphins on the way there and other sea life. Keep your eyes open. .. what a treat. Plus, the water is gorgeous blue and clear.

We took the Egmont Key Ferry from Fort DeSoto County Park - it's an oversize pontoon boat ride with friendly fun crew. We saw dolphins on the way. We were concerned about an overcrowded beach with all the people on the ferry, but we had the beach almost to ourselves. The beachcombing was great. The fort was deteriorated with signs warning of danger everywhere. We didn't risk going inside. But the history was interesting. The lighthouse was just OK - we really like climbing lighthouses, but since there's no one on the island other than visitors, I understand how this isn't possible. Still the beachcombing was fun, the solitude delightful. Perfect beach day!

a friend took us there on his boat. the water was so crystal clear and blue, I was amazed. the kids were snorkeling in 4 feet of water finding all kinds of shells. the island was so interesting with brick lined streets and old ruins to explore. we did a geocache on the island and really saw a good portion of the buildings. must be prepared and bring everything you need as there is nothing to purchase on the island,

Beautiful area and beautiful beach. I loved the clear color of the water and there wasn't too many people there. If you visit tampa you have got to take a tour to Egmont key island. You won't regret it.

The ferry ride is $20 per person and if all you want to do is go to a nice beach there are better ones you can go to for free. The ruins and the lighthouse are neat to see if you are into that sort of thing. I would go off season for that. When it is hot, the beach is crowded with boats and it is too hot to wander around the island for long. People were looking at melted shoe bottoms on the ferry ride back. Also, you can't reserve your return trip so you can be stuck on the island for longer than you had wished or have to wait at the ferry dock to be sure you get on the one you want (can be a mad dash as there is no way to know who was there first). There are no facilities on the island.

Interesting place. Nice shallow snorkeling with lots of creatures to see. Tons of shells. Very small waves at our visit.

Was lots to walk around and see! Explore! Collect shells! Beach is beautiful. Kids loved everything about it !

We took a 4 hour tour that included a 2 hour stay on Egmont Key. What a great day. Egmont Key is an unspoiled treasure. I wish I could have stayed there all day. The water on the gulf side was beautiful. And there was nobody around to spoil it. If you walk over to the bay side the water is even clearer. I can't wait to go back.

Short boat ride to get there from Desoto park. No restrooms on island. Make sure you take drinks with you! Lighthouse, cemetery, ruins. Bird sanctuary on island that's off limits. Beautiful uncrowded beaches with lots of shells. Gopher tortoises all over the place, and we even saw a loggerhead in the water. Lots of history. We really enjoyed walking on the nice paths and seeing everything

After years of visiting the St Pete area, we finally visited this great state park. First , make sure you make reservations. We didn't and if it wasn't for a cancellation we would not have gone. Also , we had to pay cash for our fare ($20 pp) because the wifi was out and they couldn't run a credit card.

The boat ride was good and the captains were very knowledgeable about the history and area. On the way back they even slowed down so we could view dolphins.

There are no bathrooms on the island and no concessions. You need to bring food, drinks, chairs and an umbrellas.

The shelling was great! We found lots of fighting conchs and lightning whelks. You have to look in the water for them -- the nicer ones won't wash up on shore. We had overcast weather with thunderstorms in the area. The water was a little rough at first but changed to calm and clear after a little while.

You can pick up the ferry in fort de Soto park. There are other companies that go there as well.

This is a great state park at the end of Egmont Key. Family fun beach and they have a place to rent kayaks, paddle boards as well.

Let me first start by saying that we all enjoyed our day on Egmont Key. There was more to see than we expected and it is a very interesting place to walk around and get a feel for its history. We filled all our time there and didn’t sit on the beach once.

However - you need to take the Hubbard’s Marina Ferry website with a pinch of salt! There was no restroom on the boat! The boat didn’t stay while we were on the island so we could go back to it! There was no refreshments available at all times! It is not ‘all’ covered! Obviously the marketeers have had a fun with the facts.

The staff however were great and the captain made sure we saw lots of dolphins so that was much appreciated.

Egmont Key is one of the jewels around the Florida coast so why not take a private trip where you get the most out of it. You can dive in the sunken ruins with your captain as he show's you the way and the amazing creatures under the sea. Watch as your captain brings up sea urchins and starfish and other animals for you to see right in front of your eyes. Done snorkeling? no problem just tell the captain and he will drop you off right at the forts and the lighthouse where you can roam the island in search of cool shells, gopher tortoises, and rich history of the civil, spanish, and american war forts. The best part about it is the captain is with you the whole time in case of emergency or just for company. The boat is a private trip with only 6 people or you can take two boats that hold up to 12. Great people, Great boats, and Great prices definitely check out CoastLine Dolphin & Snorkeling Excursions in Holmes Beach, Fl. 34217 941-201-8429

Good beach, and awesome historical sites. I loved the paths throughout the island, and the turtles were fun to watch!

Tired of fighting the horrible traffic in the beach towns, Sanibel Is. Siesta Key, etc? Try taking the ferry from Fort Desoto to Egmont Key. Plenty of parking at the fort. There are lots of beaches to enjoy, many shells and those charming gopher tortoises. If you catch the first ferry you can spend 4-5 hours depending on the season. History buffs can wander the brick streets of the old town and read the signs about what was there. The one drawback is no toilets, not even pits. I don't understand why they can't put composting toilets there.

What a beautiful place to visit. We played on the beach, found shells, saw tortoise, a black snake, and enjoyed a picnic by the shores. The ferry ride was fun for the kids but the island adventure was oh so awesome. Can't wait to go back again and explore the rest of the island. By the way the ferry ride departs Fort de Soto between 10-11am and return to pick you up at Egmont Key between 2-2:30pm.

Did not see what all the hype was about this Island ..I think Anna Marie would be more enjoyable.. I thought it was an awfully dangerous place to be snorkeling when boats just come flying through there or stop and chum to fish where people are snorkling..the pics in advertisment are so misleading but hey to each there own..

This park is accessible by boat and there are numerous shuttles such as the one out of Ft. Desoto Park. There is no food or drink for sale on the island, so bring PLENTY of water to keep hydrated. The fort, Fort Dade, is NOT a Civil War fort, it is from the Spanish-American War. There is a working lighthouse and tortoises grazing on the grass. The beaches are great and offer shelling, shark tooth hunting, and snorkeling. You can watch barges going in and out of the Port of Tampa, dolphins frolicking in the waves, manatees cruising by, and spotted eagle rays gliding past! Be sure to make reservations so you can reserve a spot on the shuttle, wear plenty of sunscreen, and enjoy an awesome day on a quiet island!

If you want to visit a true island, Egmont Key is the one. Catch the Hubbard ferry @ Fort Desota. In less than 30 min you will arrive. Tampa Bay on the E side. Gulf of Mexico on the W. Much of the island has beach erosion. Still lots good beach walking& shelling. The S end is off limits. Bird nesting starting. Sea turtles will be arriving to build their nests. Much to explore. Brick roads, Batteries/Forts, if visiting on 3rd Sat of month the Radio Room, Coast Guard museum, & Guardhouse open. There is a working Lighthouse, not for climbing.

I go to Egmont Key frequently as I live in Tampa Florida only about 45 minutes away. It is a small island off the coast of Fort DeSoto. You catch a boat at 10 or 11 am, 15$per person and a 20 minute ride. The island is goergous, it has several miles of trails in cobblestone and shaded by large trees. You can walk the trail and see several interseting things. There are three forts on the island, the first you can climb to the top of and get a great view of a beautiful stretch of beach. The second is inacsessible due to erosion and the third is the largest. There are gophier turtles everwhere, some are as big as a large dog. The beaches are absolutley perfect. Soft white sand with turqouise blue water. And the best part is hardly anyone comes here so you might have the whole beach to yourself. A few forewarnings, there are no water fountains or concession on the island. Bring your own water and lunch- the ferry sells snack and beverages but is cheaper to bring a cooler. The bathrooms are never open, ever. Bring some toilet paper if you think this might be a problem. I go here at least once a month- for 15$ you can't beat it.

We recently went to Egmont Key with my cousin, who was stationed there back in the 1980s with the Coast Guard to maintain the lighthouse. We had a pleasant trip over aboard the ferry - while the captain provided the history of the area.

When we got to the island, we met up with the Park Ranger Tom and he and my cousins swapped stories about living on the island and how things have changed over the years.

One thing that I was very impressed with was the conservation efforts that have been put into the island. Tom told us all the history and it was fun to imagine what things would have been like when it was first built. There are gopher turtles all over the island and nesting areas for birds. We did not get in the water, but snorkeling is available.

Overall, it was a wonderful day!

Rode to Egmont Key on a chartered boat. They stopped for us to do snorkeling in "the ruins" first. The water was so cloudy the day we went, we could barely see past 12 inches, so that was kind of a bust.

They then rode us to the opposite side of the island, told us we had to make the 7-10 minute walk across the island if we wanted to do any shelling. They did warn us to wear our shoes while on the island.

We unloaded on shore, as the pier is in disrepair - should probably be torn down the thing is in such bad shape. There are signs saying not to disturb the turtles on the island, but no staff appeared to stop the kids from running at them and jumping over them, etc., and their parents were not stopping them either.

Thought we would be able to go into the lighthouse, but it is padlocked. That was a disappointment. I really don't even know how they can call this place a state park, it is poorly maintained, the park people we saw were driving 4 wheelers around. They have a huge junk pile on the island as well which needs to be cleaned up. Wouldn't waste my time going here again.

Perfect family day. We got to fish, explore, skim board, nice beach. When the kids want to see more, go hike the battery, check out tortoises and racer snakes. Only negative is do not bring dogs, they aren't allowed on island. We left our puppy at home, but did see ranger enforcing rules on others. Also, no drinking beer on island and they do check.

Beautiful and lush island with many turtles , birds and abundant sea life. Took a charter rather than the ferry so didn't have a lot of time to check out everything as we would have liked. Very historic with some plaques providing information but would have loved to know more. There are no restrooms and the sand trails can be difficult for some to traverse. Shelling was not as good as we'd heard, but found a few.

This was an amazing trip. The ferry ride to island was relaxing while looking for dolphins, manatees, & fish. The captain and his mate are funny and definitely know what they are doing. They give a good little history lesson & best places to see on island. The island itself is beautiful & great for those who love history & the beach is wonderful. During the snorkeling trip my group was able to do the fort ruins. This was amazing seeing all the ruins and fish. Definitely recommend

My wife and I took the Hubbard Marina Ferry hosted by Captain Art and his second hand, Zip. Both were incredible hosts and took excellent care of us as well as were informative guides with lots of knowledge.
Egmont Key Island is certainly a very remote place with no services so make sure you pack food, proper attire and protection for being in the sun since there is little to no shade. Your only means of cooling off is to go into the water. The island is pretty much a bird sanctuary with many species to view.
We enjoyed walking along the beach and viewing the many birds, having a picnic lunch, swimming and exploring the ruins on the island.
The highlight of our trip was to see a couple of manatees swimming near our boat. Captain Art took special care and gave us the thrill of approaching cautiously approaching the manatees for picture opportunities. Highly recommend this trip, especially on a sunny day when it is not painfully hot :-)
KUDOS TO CAPTAIN ART AND ZIP!! Thank you-

Absolutely gorgeous island. We rented a boat and stayed for several hours out here. Swim out to shallow Sandune‘s. Explored the ruins on the island. Not many shelves where we were… But a manatee came right up to our boat! Magical experience!

We visited Egmont Key by boat, anchored off the west side and explored an old fort by foot. There was a paved walking trail which was nice. We spent most of our time at the beach but the fort was very cool to see. There is wildlife all over from fish, birds, turtles, lizards, etc. There is a group of rocks on the southwest side & if the water is calm enough, you can snorkel in that area but be careful because boats cruise past in between the rocks.
Pets are not allowed on the island.
Make sure to only take photographs & leave nothing behind!

We visited the key by renting a boat from Anna Maria Watersports. My husband and I along with four children ages 2, 4, 6, and 8 years had a wonderful time. It was fun seeing the lighthouse (not open to the public) and wondering around the island. Since we had the boat, we stopped a few times along the island and played on the beaches. It was a great addition to our Anna Maria Island vacation!

We were lured there with the promise of good shelling, snorkeling and history. I really wanted to love this trip, but in hindsight we should have saved our money and spent the day at Fort Desoto - which is lovely.

While on the ferry over, debating whether to sign on for the snorkeling tour, an insider told us the snorkeling wasn't very good and not worth the time and money. The fort ruins were neat, but the ruins at Fort Desoto were as good if not better. And apparently the shelling was just as good at Fort Desoto beach too.

If you do go, know that they dump you on the side of the island opposite of where the shelling and ruins are. You will need to walk across it. I would only go if you didn't get your fill of shelling and history at Fort Desoto first. Also note that they press you hard to pay your tip in advance when you buy your tickets. This is clearly because you won't want to tip much after the ferry ride/day at the key. The captain was pretty arrogant and unpleasant.

Lastly I would highly recommend wearing swim shoes or some footwear the entire time there. Our friend's son accidentally stepped on an old rusty metal barb while on the beach and punctured his foot. Even if this didn't happen, I would still say skip the trip to Egmont Key and spend your day at Fort Desoto park instead.

Absolutely the best water on the Gulf Coast. We try to go every weekend to see what kind of wildlife we will see. The water is pristine. We take the wave runner out to the rocks to snorkel.

My grandfather lives there I have been there many times and know that this island is a natural beauty

There are NO toilet facilities for your 3 hours on the island, although there are on the boat which leaves as soon as you depart.

It’s a very pleasant boat ride of about 3 miles to Egmont Key. If you hurry, you can visit the two main batteries, walk the entire red brick road and stroll back along the beach. There are many small placards (some in not so great condition) with interesting Egmont history to read along the way, but keep track of time lest you miss the ferry!

Once off the beach, most of the walkways are wide, paved or brick roads. But, for a little more off the beaten track adventure, stroll down the dirt path at the first battery and see some cool ruins that have been engulfed by the “jungle” including the mine storage facility.

We’ve taken the Hubbards Ferry four twice this year and twice last year. It is GREAT, and lands you on the DRY beach; no wading with Hubbards!

Our family recently visited Egmont Key on a tour boat run by Tropical Island Getaway (see florida007.com). The island is beautiful and fascinating with it's historical Spanish-American War fort ruins to explore. On the way out to the island, the boat's wake attracted a number of dolphins. This was a highlight of the trip as my children were delighted to see the dolphins jumping in the waves right behind the boat. The island has vast secluded beaches, and on the western side of the island there are ruins from the fort which have fallen into the water. The captain & crew of the Tropical Island Getaway boat provided us with snorkels and noodles so that we could swim and snorkel around the submerged ruins. I loved that my children had this opportunity explore the marine life. The best thing about this trip was that the Tropical Island Getaway boat stayed with us at the island the entire time. This was a great convenience as the boat is equipped with a bathroom (there are no bathrooms on the island). I highly recommend this trip to anyone visiting the St. Pete/Clearwater/Tampa area.

This was our first time riding the ferry to Fort Dade, and it was amazing! The captains, Art and Zip, were so welcoming. The island itself is gorgeous, but half the fun is the ferry ride. Can’t wait to do it again.

Rode on a catamaran for a 3 hour beach combing excursion. Catamaran was a little slow.... advice to rent pontoon and stay the day..... found an amazing amount on shells,,,, just a delightful trip with ruins of the Spanish American war..... pack a cooler, sunscreen, beach shoes, hat,,,, and you can lay in the sun in the shallow water....we stayed in AMI,,, so we were not on the Tampa side... I would discourage a big boat with a lot of people,,,, by the time you coast across the Tampa bay, you can be at the Egmont in less than 30 minutes without having to be committed to a time frame...... we saw manatees, dolphins,,,,, but most of all the beauty, beach coming and being adventurous...... fun day.

Fun boat ride - cool island. We walked around, checking out the former military buildings. We brought a picnic lunch which we had on the beach - totally to ourselves! We kept an eye out for the elusive Gopher Tortoise. We saw many tracks and burrows, and finally saw one (OK, just his head) sticking out of his burrow.

Captain steered boat with his feet and begged for a tip. Island has no bathrooms. Beach is very nice , but Fort DeSoto is just as nice.

This was such a lovely day with the family. We took the ferry over and cruised along. Upon arrival we dropped off our stuff on the beach and walked pretty much the whole island looking at the old ruins of the forts and the light house. After that we tanned on the beach and swam in the clear water. Be prepared there are no bathrooms and no where to buy anything so I advice using the bathroom before leaving and bringing a cooler with water and some snacks. We saw lots of wild life. Stingrays, dolphins, birds, turtles, and we also saw a group of manatees matting which was practically right on the beach. They say it happens maybe once of twice a year. Great day indeed

This was NOT the time of year to visit this remote island (July). The Fort & Ghost town were neat- but it was so hot it was hard to enjoy. Very little, if any shade/shelter.

You can only get here by boat. It's a regular trip we make with family and friends. Simply arrive and anchor- enjoy the day in the water and sun. You can swim, snorkel, walk the island, or visit the light house. We love to go here and enjoy the day. Remember, bring food, water, sun screen and there is no bathroom on the island. Great view looking back at the sunshine skyway! Make the trip, it is worth it!

there really wasn't anything to see. there is no longer a bird sanctuary. Some ruins from a military post, but really just a beach that isn't any different than any other beach on the gulf coast.

no bathroom facilities, but you are stuck there for three hours waiting for the return ferry.

It cost 20 per person - overpriced

Hubbard Marina trip to Egmont Key was wonderful! Been coming to this area for years, first trip to Egmont. We saw dolphins, a manatee, sharks, and dozens of birds. Captain Robin and Kim were great! Highly recommend!!

There's a lot to see in Egmont key - birds, tortoises, fort ruins and the lighthouse. The only negative was battling the mosquito swarms as you tour the ruins of the fort so come prepared with bug repellant. There's nowhere to escape the heat of the sun, you have to bring your own beach umbrella & plenty of sunblock. We wanted to see the historical buildings so we opted not to carry a cumbersome umbrella. Fort Dade is in disrepair due to age and exposure to the elements so there are no safety features such as handrails when climbing stairs. The remnants of the town are just foundations. The beach and sand dunes are pristine.

Visiting Egmont Key was my trip highlight. It was an overcast day so there were not that many people on the island. Sea shells were everywhere. I had a great time picking out my favorites. Walking through the structures was really interesting. The turtles were everywhere. I recommend taking the trail to the other side of the island. The beach was great and shells were abundant. It started raining so we had to leave - but I could have spent all day here.

If you want to take a short ferry ride to nice beaches and a very interesting historical area, book the ride out to Egmont Key just south of St. Pete Beach! Walk the island to learn about the fort's historical significance in many wars, enjoy the beaches, check out the wildlife, too! Many volunteers to offer interesting information about the fort and island.

What better than to spend Memorial Day on Egmont Beach. This beach can only be accessed by boat. Once you arrive, remember there is no modern day conveniences such as running water or bathrooms. We packed everything we needed such as food, drink and tents to protect us from the sun. Its a great place to explore, you can visit the light house that was built in the 1800's, the ruins of the fort or just walk the beach. The water was in the 80's in May and the sand was clean and white. Had a great day relaxing on the beach with friends.

rough fairy ride out to the island. Once you are there, there is a lighthouse and an average beach. There is a minimal park ranger outpost with a portolet under lock and key (only for park ranger use). So hold it or pee in the woods if this is a concern. There is the old fort from which you really cannot get a good view because the ocean side is blocked off. There are brick paths with some scenic ruins of old Spanish-American relics.

Just visited today. Took the Ferry services from DeSoto park which cost us $50 for 2 and a kid. Tips for the staff of the boat were mentioned more than once. I don't know if this is a regular occurrence on vessels or not. There was weather today, so we were lucky to even get out into the Bay. I was thankful we made it back alive after having to jog back through a huge storm, and credit the Captain for that. The Park itself is minimal. DO bring lunch, water, and go to the restroom before you leave. There are no services! The ride over was extremely pitchy, although the weather hadn't begun yet. Saw a couple of dolphins. It was coined as being great for shelling, but we saw no more spectacular shells than those on the DeSoto Park Beaches. The history of it is worth reading about, but really doesn't take that much time to explore. Also note that there isn't a lot of "accessible" beach space, and the beach space available is not really that clean or desirable. Worth a trip, just be prepared.

We enjoyed the ferry ride (Hubbard's) about as much as we enjoyed wandering around the north part of the island. On the ride back, the ferry captain stopped several times when dolphins were spotted, and that was fun.

The main attraction on the island is the ruins of Ft. Dade, built during the Spanish-American War, which was a functioning army post until 1923. The island is now a state park, and there are interpretative signs on all the brick and concrete walkways which are very useful. Be sure to pick up a map of the island near the lighthouse because without one it is easy to get confused about where you are. For history buffs, the island was also a place where captured Seminoles were kept for a time, and the Union navy occupied it during the Civil War.

It is very cool to see the huge ships pass by on their way into Tampa Bay. The narrow channel passes right by the island. Also, shelling is pretty good since the shells haven't been picked over. There are far better places to sunbathe and swim (Ft. Desoto Beach, for one).

There is no fee to visit the state park, but the ferry boat ride costs $20 per person, and reservations are a must. There are no food or drinks (or water!) on the island, but the ferry sells box lunches for those who forgot to pack a sandwich.

The island has some really interesting history. The island I think was mainly important in the Spanish American war as a fort. The beaches are beautiful, although they are eroding quickly. I went on a Saturday during the summer and there were a lot of private boats dotting the coast... I would have preferred to have gone on a weekday. On the interior of the island are the remains of a whole city from when the island was a military base, and the brick paved streets and ruins are fascinating. In the morning you are likely to spot gopher tortoises walking around, which are really unique. On the ferry back to De Soto dolphins followed the boat, which was exciting.

We decided to take a trip to the gulf for something different. We ended up discovering Egmont Key on accident. (Exploring on our boat) what a great place! We beached our boat and tied up. Set up our umbrellas and ended up staying all day! There is a ferry that comes and goes and will bring you if you don't have your own boat. But it does cost and you have a time limit. This was an old base at some point so there are old buildings and just a ton of really neat stuff all around on the island. It's small enough to walk to both sides of the island and see the bay and the gulf. We found amazing shells and had a blast snorkling. It's seriously so beautiful and I cannot wait to come back.

We decided to take a trip over to Egmont Key before we found out it was "Discover Egmont Key" weekend. The weather was a little cool for Florida standards which seemed to keep a lot of people away. I found to island interesting. It is amazing to think not that many years ago there was entire community residing on the island with many buildings. There are now only 3 buildings left standing: the light house, the guard house, and the rangers home (I don't think this was original). There are additionally many ruins on the island and the area is well marked with small plaques explaining what was in that specific area in the past. The island is NOT handicap accessible. Though the island has mostly paved or bricked paths to walk on once you get to the island getting on the pontoon shuttle boats ("FERRY") would be very tricky. This is actually a relaxing island to hang out at and just sit on the beach.There is an Alliance group that is attempting to raise money to restore some of the island. I understand there is some good snorkeling but we did not par take in that activity. Remember to pack a lunch and beverages for your visit. I would recommend the island if you are looking for some relaxing time. This is not the place to go if you are looking to be entertained. If you bring young children be aware there are SAND SPURS everywhere. You will want to keep a close eye on children and keep them on the path.

Beautiful day of exploring on this island. Take your own water/food because there is nothing to purchase on the island.

Just be very careful if you get out into the water during an outgoing tide. I got caught in a rip tide in 5 feet of water and was swept about half a mile in minutes. I am a strong swimmer and as hard as I tried, I could not get back to the boat. It was very scary. I just jumped off the boat and bam...gone! The current is very deceiving. Hang onto the ladder or grab a line from your boat if you want to get in and cool off. The water is lovely. Be safe.

We had a lovely day at Egmont Key via the Hubbards marina ferry. This was my 3rd trip to egmont key! I just love it there! Our captains, art and zip were excellent hosts. If you’ve never been to Egmont Key it’s worth a trip. The island does not have any facilities so pack for your day. Bring water, sunscreen and a snack at a minimum. Wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet, because you will be entering the ferry from the beach and exiting on the beach. Your feet will get wet! The island is completely primitive i.e. no electric no running water no bathrooms. It was formally a fort as well as other things like a hide out for rum runners and moon shiners. It is now mostly a bird sanctuary. There’s part of the island that are off-limits to humans but they are well marked. You can either spend your day at the beach, go shelling or you can explore the ruins and dream about how life was like there. On the way in, Captain Zip gave us a brief history of the island. On the way back, since we all were assembled on time, Capt Art took us to the southern tip of the island and showed us more of the island that I had never experienced before. We looked for dolphins and manatees in the sea grass and even saw a huge sea turtle! All in all a great day!

I'm local and wanted to share this with visitors to our area. We discovered this hidden treasure a few years back and couldn't believe we never knew how amazing it was. Ruins of a 120-year old fort and a ghost town atmosphere, along with beautiful, pristine beaches. Explore the whole island. I found a 13" empty conch shell on the snorkeling side. Bring a picnic and some walking shoes, as well as strong sunblock and an umbrella for shade. The boat ride over is short, but you're sure to have a dolphin encounter or two. We take the ferry from Ft. Desoto and plan to go back this year. My kids are already asking when we can go this summer. Have fun and enjoy your stay n beautiful Tampa Bay!

At the south end of Pinellas County Florida just before heading over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge there is Fort Desoto Park. The entrance fee is $5. Here one can take the ferry boat (a pontoon boat that can carry about 50 passengers and takes about 20 minutes) over to Egmont Key that also has its own fort named Fort Dade. These two forts once protected the entrance to Tampa Bay from intruders. Legend has it that a pirate, Jose Gaspar, would attack ships in the Gulf and slip back into Tampa Bay with the forts providing cover if anyone pursued. The forts were active during the Seminole War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and World War One. They have a rich history to discover. Today both are state parks.
There are several vendors offering excursions to Egmont Key at differing prices and times. The Main Ferry operated in conjunction with the State Park Service charges $20 round trip fare to Egmont Key. Annually, in November, the Egmont Key Alliance, offers Discover Egmont Key tours with discounted ferry service ($18), historians, reenactors and attractions open for viewing. They also are present on the island every third Saturday of the month. Otherwise, the island is vacant but accessible year round with one lonely park ranger living there.
Being mainly a wildlife refuge, pets are not allowed on the island. Some areas are off limits entirely like the south end of the island where nesting birds and turtles thrive. There are many walking trails, some with brick pavers, others just sand. Trees, some exotic like the strangling fig, offer abundant shade. The beaches are pristine, water clear and mainly vacant of people. Except when the volunteers are present, there are no facilities so one needs to consider bringing their own supplies sans alcohol.
The main attraction is the lighthouse originally built in 1848 and repaired in 1858 after a hurricane. It is still operational today but inaccessible unless the Alliance volunteers are present. Then, throughout the island are fortifications in various stages of disrepair some even tilting and sinking into the sand. A Civil War cemetery is near the lighthouse.
We really enjoyed discovering the island and appreciate the effort of the Egmont Ferry Alliance to enhance the experience. However, if you enjoy wandering around a place where the only sound you may hear is the screech of an Osprey, this is the place for you. Enjoy.

make sure you pack lunch and water!
There is nothing on this island but the animals that live there and the ruins from the civil war.
We saw tortoises and snakes.
We found pretty shells.
Definitely worth the visit!

We go out to Egmont on our boat during the summer and it is beautiful. Lots of places to pull over get out and relax and take pictures.

Egmont Key is at the southern end of Tampa Bay. It is accessible only by private boat or the ferry. It is home to a bird sanctuary and wildlife refuge while the northern end is where the ruins of the Spanish American War Era Fort Dade remain along with the 1848 Lighthouse. Near the center of this 1 ½ mile long island are abandoned brick-covered streets (from the 300 residents living here in 1903-1923) and a civil war cemetery that should not be missed. Make sure you read about the resident’s life span or dates on the 2 memorial plaques (in addition to their cause of death) that are interred here and try to imagine their harsh life on this remote spot!

We reserved with Hubbard’s Marina one day in advance during the off-season. It is approximately 30 minutes each way and depending on what time of year it is, the ferry schedule will vary. We found the Captain and one crew member to be polite and safety conscious. They sell water and soda (no alcoholic beverages are allowed on Egmont Key Island) plus some snacks and a boxed lunch. We brought along our own cooler as many others did on the ferry. While we waited for the 10 a.m. departure on the pier, 3 sting rays swam by.

On our return trip from Egmont Key to the parking lot at Fort DeSoto State Park, the Captain slowed down/stopped the ferry for the guests to enjoy seeing dolphins and turtles in the water. They also offer optional snorkeling for an extra fee of $15 per person. We snorkeled on our own off a beach in front of one of the old artillery placements on the Northeast tip of the island. If you snorkel in this area, watch out for strong under currents.

Several tips are essential for maximum enjoyment-

Plan & Think About What You Need – When the brochures or websites say no water, no food or no restrooms anywhere on Egmont Key Island – believe them. The sun is strong and drinking water is crucial for your trip. Take more than you think you will need and trust you will get hungry with plenty of places to explore. If you spend the least amount of time on island, you will still probably be away for 4 hours in blazing sun and temperatures that can soar. We discovered plenty of shady spots on the island plus Hubbard’s Ferry had covered areas to sit, too.

You Can Walk As Little Or As Much As You Like – The closest swimming beach is ¼ of one mile from Hubbard’s Ferry Drop (and only a tiny portion of that is paved), so make sure you have some type of footwear to trek through lots of sand. Also, be prepared to carry whatever you brought. A backpack may be a better bet than dragging something on wheels through deep sand. Wherever you hike off to, realize you have to be able to make it back to the ferry in plenty of time, too. They run on schedule!

There Are Paths All Over The Island – We had read that it is easy to explore and this is true. Some have worried they might get lost, but you’d have to work at that. While the island is 1 ½ miles long, it is pretty narrow so as long as you keep the lighthouse at the north and the sanctuary toward the south – you will find plenty of paths that others have taken! Some will take you to beautiful nearly “private” beaches.

The Last Tip Is Leave The Island In Its Pristine Condition – If you create trash, make sure you have somewhere to stow it during your visit and take it back onto the ferry or boat with you. We saw zero trash receptacles on Egmont Key Island. It is amazingly trash-free so keep it that way. One of the signs states leave only footprints behind. Also, the island is home to threatened and endangered species including gopher tortoises, box turtles. Look, but do not touch and respect their home. You are a visitor to Egmont Key Island and they were here long before you.

The line of traffic into Fort Desoto State Park can be endless. We recommend going earlier rather than later in the day. Allow more time than you think you will need plus have $5 Cash available when you enter the park plus Hubbard’s Ferry was $20 per adult with gratuities for the Captain/Crew most welcome. We traveled from Manatee County so we also had several small fares with our Sunpass. This was our first visit, but certainly not our last since it was such a pleasurable visit using the tips above.

After going once I would be more prepared for a second trip. Exhausting carrying all of your items around as I don't feel safe leaving personal items unattended for a period of time. Water was beautiful and kids enjoyed looking for shells and looking at fish with their googles. Would be better prepared next time with a cooler and chairs ect.

Our family went on the Hubbards Ferry departing from Ft. Desoto. It was so easy to get on and off the boat with the ramp. The Captain and crew were so knowledgeable about the island and all it had to offer. Everyone on board were laughing and having a terrific time. We watched people trying to go down a very steep household ladder on the yellow Quest boat, I would not recommend this to anyone no matter how fit you are, and you will be very wet while walking around, we heard lots of complaints. Egmont Key has so much to see and do, from gopher tortoises to many species of birds, the forts and old lighthouse are awesome, the red brick roads take you into an old city, lots of great shelling or snorkling, and we found the rangers on the island to be most helpful. This was our first visit, we are local, and will be going out at least once a month. You will not be disappointed no matter how young or old you are.

A boat ride away, Egmont Key is a wonderful place to visit. Snorkeling the ruins of Fort Dade found us swimming with barracuda and enjoying bright orange sea urchins attached to the fort's collapsed structure. While others spent their entire time there shelling which is indeed an enjoyable activity, we chose to explore the history and beauty of this island thoroughly and were glad that we did. From the old turtle that lives near the lighthouse, to the remaining buildings that exist from a lost place in time, this was a marvelous addition to our visit. The trails allow you to see beautiful foliage as well as get one lost in all the twists and turns. FYI - the best shelling isn't along the shoreline. Take your snorkeling mask along and venture out but a few feet to find true treasures that abound on the water's floor!

Egmont Key is a wonderful day trip for families with children of all ages . Egmont Key can only be reached by ferry or private boat as it is an island located just west of Tampa's Sunshine Skyway bridge.

It is a eco-nature preserve for nesting birds and turtles. It is also home to multiple gopher tortoises.

Egmont Key is also a good destination for history buffs. There are trails throughout the island that lead you to the ruins of Fort Dade. The Egmont key lighthouse is also a working lighthouse.

The crystal blue waters and sandy beaches are excellent for sunbathers and snorkelers. It is also a beachcomber's delight.

Do keep in mind that it is a State Park and thereby park rules do apply.

We'll do this again!!!! Walk from nearby development or take the Egmont Key Shuttle Ferry. A grand day on the key highlighted by shelling (no LIVE shelling please) and bathtub warm water. Terrific views of the lighthouse, shipping traffic and, of course the key. DO take bug spray since the mosquitos are killer active. So much fun...