I would have loved if we could have gone inside the museum... that's what the 1 star knocked off is for. But the rest of the grounds and displays were great! The beachfront walking trail and the story of deSoto's history from Spain described in full detail... I was not excited to hear how some of the horses had to be killed and eaten for survival purposes ... But back in the day, almost 500 years ago, I guess emergency survival food and water kits weren't readily available. Good idea to keep in your car, along with some TP. I would love to kayak around here. The water and the view were beautiful! There is a long route and a short route for walking, you also will learn about the different types of mangroves and other Florida native plants/trees. Definitely worth another visit, hopefully when the museum is open again, but my understanding is there's no one even answering the phones (even at the number on the sandwich board as you enter the park) so you'll never know when they will reopen. read more

Desoto National Memorial - Parks Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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This site is still undergoing reconstruction after the storm damage in 2024 but the trails are open and a limited number of events are being staged on some weekends. The Spanish explorer De Soto landed near Tampa Bay in 1539 hoping to find gold, bring religion to the indigenous Americans and claim land for Spain. De Soto died from disease in 1542 never having found the gold he was seeking. The survivors of his expedition eventually reached the Mississippi river and set sail for the Caribbean in 1543. This National Monument is dedicated to him and has a nice hiking trail through the mangroves here. There are also two privately funded monuments dedicated to the religious personnel who accompanied De Soto on his voyage to America. Free admission and parking. The visitor center is still closed but porta johns are available. read more

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Tony and I stopped today at DeSota Memorial Landing Park at Palma Sola FL just before crossing over to Anna Maria Island. The park is free to enjoy and hike around! If in the area you should definitely check it out! read more

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There's a few trails. Nice clean and beautiful. I will be back. I went here with my dog and it was great. read more

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Beautiful views and full of history. Also free entrance. Lots of info along the nature trail and visitor center. Worth the visit just smaller than I expected. read more

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On a sweltering day in May of 1539, Hernando de Soto and an army of over 600 soldiers splashed ashore in the Tampa Bay Area, well its May, 2022 - 483 years later and the Florida sun is still sweltering according to TWC as I walked the same paths as Desoto and his men did, although I did have a half frozen bottle of Dasani Water with me and a comfortable pair of reef flip flops. The Spanish believed that de Soto's excursion to Florida was a failure I totally disagree, although they acquired neither gold nor prosperity and founded no colonies they did lose some of the swine they brought over which became the ancestors of the feral razorback pigs that we enjoy in the southeast today, let me tell you if you've ever pulled a rack of boar ribs off the smoker you'd say de Soto made one heck of a contribution, plus he discovered the great Mississippi River shortly after departing Florida and that ain't nothing short of awesome. Well I enjoyed walking the grounds here and the ranger inside the visitor center was a pleasure to speak with, she provided some amazing insight to the area and other things to see - I passed on the 20 minute film available since I wasn't planning to take a test on the subject matter, but I will say if you're here definitely try on the helmets on display and feel like a real conquistador it's free... read more

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Beautiful area to reflect and enjoy your day. Great place to walk your dog or just yourself. Enjoy all the scenery and trails.

A really beautiful national monument, with a one of a kind shell surfaced trail and recently-updated boardwalk through mangroves and gumbo limbo trees along the shore. There's a small fort/Indian village recreation (apparently being renovated when we visited), a nice visitors center (closed right now because of covid), and some beautiful open park grounds. The park has several information signs. They also have these somewhat creepy wood cutouts with printed pictures of actors depicting members of the DeSoto landing party and Indians who are probably accurately shown as not seeming too happy about things. Because it's on the bay, it's nice and breezy, and the trails wind under the shade of the coastal hammock. The trails are also dog friendly. This is a really well maintained, very nice park. read more

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Our winter hideaway, Bradenton is just so peaceful. The lack of crowds and so many locals keep us coming back to this treasured park. There are walking trails through the forested tropical landscape and all against a rolling tide. We love just spending the day on a quiet, peaceful coastline. Sometimes we are the only ones in view. I love how dog friendly this park is. They even provide doggie clean up bags. The best part, most people clean up after their pets. This really is a quiet escape from the norm. read more

Desoto National Memorial - Our dog on a trail - Parks Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

There aren't very many national parks or monuments or memorials in Florida so we wanted to try to visit the one closest to us and were pleasantly surprised! It's small and located almost within a neighborhood so it was a bit unique compared to ones you may have visited in the past. Even without Covid, facilities are pretty limited but there are restrooms open even now. The walking trail was the highlight with some great water views and some peace and quiet. This would not be fun if it was hot - choose your days wisely! It does seem to be very pet friendly as well. read more

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I took a solo day trip from our hotel in Treasure island down to Sarasota. On the way back I drove the scenic coastal route up Longboat Key and stopped at the Desoto National Memorial. A small area ran by the National Park Service to commemorate the place where Hernando Desoto and his crew and multiple ships entered the mouth of Tampa Bay 480 years ago on the first European exploration of what would become the United States. The journey lasted several years throughout the Southeastern US and provided great information on the geography, flora and fauna of the area and the inhabitants. Those native tribes suffered mightily at the hands of this exhibition - directly and indirectly from lingering diseases. The park has a few native type shelters and trails around the perimeter of the park including access to the Manatee River. The visitor center offers a film, educational maps and gifts. read more

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I make it a point to visit a national park each year. Since the year is almost ending, I took a crack at one in Florida. First, I tried on the armor of a would be conquistador. It didn't feel heavy at first, but once you put on the body chainmail, you really start feeling the weight. The trails here are fairly short. As you wander about the white sands, you'll see cutout boards of conquistadors and indians alike. At the same time, you will see signs with historical information posted on them. As with most trails in Florida, the stench of poo is imminent and we also ran into a beehive, so be cautious! read more

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We found this small park by accident on our way home from Bradenton last Saturday. Admission and parking are free, but donations are gratefully welcomed. Unfortunately, although the park itself closes at sunset, the parking lot & Visitor Center close at 5pm daily. In fact, at 4:48pm, we had to ask to be let inside the exhibit building as they had already begun locking up for the day. I decided to take photos of each display, with the intention of reading the placards later. While I understand people like to leave work on-time, the feeling of being rushed was uncomfortable, especially since it seemed they were trying to finish early. Throughout this small waterfront park, we found markers detailing historic events & facts related to the area. As we were leaving, a park ranger told us that de Soto never landed nor walked here, but this was the land available several decades ago for a park in his honor. With a sandy beach, lots of Florida scrub, & the Sunshine Skyway in the distance, this dog-friendly park is a beautiful place to learn a bit of Florida history. The park hosts living history recreations from December through April, including an annual reenactment of de Soto's landing, and kayak tours are available on the weekends during summer months. From nps.gov: "In 1537, Hernando de Soto would meet with the Emperor Charles V and impress him with his tales from the Indies. Charles would later approve de Soto's request to govern & conquer a portion of the New World, a place named La Florida. De Soto would depart Spain in September 1537 to travel to Cuba were he would claim his title of Governor and begin forming his expedition to La Florida. May 1539, de Soto would depart Havana and sail for a selected bay on Florida's west coast to begin the expedition that would cost him his fortune & his life." read more

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This place was very nice with dog friendly on leash trails - its a 1 mile loop by the water and you get bits of history lesson as you walk with the cut out figures along the path - a re- enactments was taking place when we were there And it was open air so i'm sure we could have taken pups in but wanted to hit the trail -- WARNING- this place is awesome on a cool day in the winter months it is however surrounded by water and swamp like on the one side -- if you come on a hot day or in the summer take a bath in bug spray before hitting the trail or you will get eaten and bit -- mosquitos still carry disease so be cautious - otherwise the place is very nice i would go again with the right conditions read more

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Very beautiful, clean, and super scenic memorial! Love the view of the Gulf. A lot of places to sit and look at the water! Only upset: My boyfriend and I initially drove out to Desoto for the dogs. I was a little bummed because they say they're dog friendly so, we assumed we could have the dogs go along the water / in the sand closer to the water but it's blocked off. You can have the pups basically in the area at the front / entrance overlooking the water but, that's it. Not much grass / things for them. read more

Desoto National Memorial - The Gulf - Parks Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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We stopped in at De Soto National Memorial on a road trip through Florida. The park is designed to teach you the history of the De Soto party's exploration in search of gold. De Soto was a pretty bad guy, but he did put his mark on US history, so it's definitely interesting. They have a good audio-visual program available, a museum, and interpretive/interactive displays on the grounds. The grounds are also really beautiful. The day we arrived it was raining on and off pretty hard, so we were unable to go hiking like we wanted to, but we did explore everything close to the visitor center. The layout is well done and I definitely recommend a visit to this park for National Park buffs or History buffs. You will enjoy it. read more

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The park is amazing, the staff was very kind and informative. The day we went, it was raining hard, and we had brought our puppy, Mia, and pets werent allowed in the visitor center. The staff allowed us to scoot inside off to the side to stay dry, we very much appreciated that. The park itself was beautiful. There is a big hiking trail where it takes you along historic areas with signs detailing the history of the park. The park wasnt crowded at all, there were only a few other people besides us there. We were definitely able to relax and enjoy. Im personally very avid about learning since history and exploration is my passion, and I really appreciate the space and lack of crowds here at the time of us going. All in all, I definitely recommend the park. Its very clean and gorgeous and there is definitely opportunity for learning a bit about Floridas history and the history of De Soto. The staff is once again, amazing. I would definitely come visit again! read more

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What a great little place. When stopping at the Gamble Plantation, the park service ranger told me to visit this little gem. It's Free entry as it's run by the National Park Service. Located on the Southern shore of the Manatee river, the spot is a memorial to Hernando DeSoto Expedition into Florida and the Southeastern US. His expedition landed in the nearby Ruskin, but the Memorial has recreated and maintained the Point shore as he would have witnessed on his landing on La Florida (a Red Mangrove swamp). We got there near the end of the day so I parked outside the gate (gates close at 5:00). The visitor center has a great little museum with artifacts and shows a 20 minute video on the De Soto expedition. There's a self guided nature trail (about 1 mile) where you pick up a Trail Map and walk to 12 numbered posts learning about local Mangrove forests, Epiphytes, Spanish Bayonet, grapes, berry, capers, etc. The park is on a shore point that creates a nice little cove. You can go wading but they ask you to look out for sharp shells, barnacles and rays. The park also has massive native Florida trees (my favorite) the "Bursera simaruba" aka the Gumbo-Limbo. The shore (by the main entry) has wood benches throughout and we were able to catch the incredible West Coast sunset away from the crazies on Spring Break in the Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria island. read more

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It is pretty cool to have part of the National Parks System in our backyard. This particular park is very small, but packed with fun. While we were there we did the hike, getting a little lost while at it. The rangers up front were very helpful as well. There is also kayaking and living history sessions, both of which I definitely want to check out! read more

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Very nice trails! The property is kept in good condition and felt safe. Great views off the skyway , mangroves, etc.

This was a great find near where we were staying. It offered a nice short walk through a couple diverse ecospheres. They also helped educate us on Desoto's expedition and horrible treatment of the native people. read more

a great place to walk and enjoy a differant view of Florida. It has a wonderful historical display and film on the area. Its a small park and worth a visit. It is also dog friendly. read more

I enjoyed this 1 mile hiking trail along gorgeous clear waters and white sand beaches. I went in mid-November and the sea grapes are ripening then; pick them straight off the trees! There's not a lot of meat on them but they're juicy and have an intense peach-cherry flavor. I enjoyed the National Park Service film and displays. And I thought they were extremely up front about the violence and destruction DeSoto brought with him. No sugarcoating here. A park ranger was also helpful enough to ID another edible fruit for me--the hog plum--also fantastic, with a musky plum flavor, and ripening in November. read more

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What a pleasant little find. Needing to get our Senior Lifetime passes to the National Park System, hubby found that this place had some passes to sell. The cost was going to go,up from $10 to $80 quite soon, and we wanted the bargain price. This is where Desoto presumably landed and set up camp for his men. There are some huts about the property where reenactments are put on at times. The Ranger station/ Visitor Center is small but has a room where a short film is played, a small gift shop, very clean restrooms and the main room has a few artifacts from the time of Desoto. You can walk the trails they have and even have a picnic at one of the picnic tables they have all about the grounds. There is even a small beach available to use. A beautiful huge live oak tree greets you on the way to the Visitor Center. Will definitely return when the weather cools with the grandsons. read more

Hubs, pup and I stopped in this past weekend - we loved that dogs were welcome, and provided mutt mitts/appropriate trash cans. This attraction is small, but very well maintained. We enjoyed the shaded trail and reading learning a little history along the way. read more

This is a treasure of a place. If you have dogs, this is a wonderful place to take them. In the winter season, Desoto has many events... ALL FREE!!! from concerts, living history programs, Dog events, Holiday night hikes... etc... don't miss it this year! Check out their web site for updated info. I come here almost everyday to walk my dog! The Rangers are really nice too! Don't miss this place. BTW... The reviews before this one are right on the money. read more

Desoto National Memorial - Parks Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

DeSoto was clearly a nutjob and I would put this guy in his own class of mean. I'm glad this guy's mission failed for the most part because I would rather have the Indians in America than DeSoto's band of Spanish settlements and tapas in more places than we already have to deal with. You can go this free place and learn about the rest of the story, but you just have to ask the ranger to start the movie for you. It is the best part and really informative. There are a few huts on property that lacked WiFi back in the day and some cardboard cutouts of Indians on a few short trails that we traversed and some good views of the water. Silly pictures are also available of yourself wearing the rather large iron helmets, but I wouldn't try anything else on because I'm sure budget cuts won't let them clean all the stuff that the tourists put on their bodies before you got there. The funniest part of DeSoto's expedition was in what he brought over to Florida on his boats. How could this dude bring 200 pigs, 300 horses and only two women!!! He must have had some bad priorities or good hand cream. Poor Guy. And when he discovered a female tribe leader in Tennesee, he let her escape after using her as a slave. DeSoto didn't get the gold and obviously did not have a way with the ladies either. read more

Had fun exploring with the kids, even wore them out on the trail along the water no complaints from them that they were bored they loved it. We gotta great cross breeze and even stuck our feet to wade in the water and found a live conch shell! The signs were fun to read, was cool to walk where explorers walked in 1530! read more

Desoto National Memorial - The conch shell we found while wading in the water - Parks Near Me - Bradenton, Florida

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Great little park off Manatee Ave. There is lots of history here. They have videos playing in a little hut, shorts trails, and a small beach area. We took our dog here and she loved splashing around in the water. Lots of large trees providing shady areas. Great place to capture local Florida history. read more

The park was beautiful and easy to find. Parking is free which was awesome considering that I am from southeast Florida and you need to pay for everything here. There were no signs pointing to the water but a very nice lady walked my to the dog area. The walk there was very pretty with bridges and lots of trees with peaks at the water. My dog HATED the water. But it was so nice and we had an entire area to ourselves. The water was clean and the beach was very clean. All of the people I met were very friendly. As we were leaving, my dog got something stuck in her paw. The drama queen that she is refused to walk on it so I had to carry her from the exit back to the car. Two very nice ladies helped me take a look and it and another lady offered to bring me tweezers. I am removing a star because there were no hoses or washing areas. I couldn't clean off her paw for her and she was a sandy mess in my car. read more

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Lovely place, great history. There is a small museum, containing a very informative presentation on De Soto and his travels. The star here is the trail/outdoor activities. Take some time to explore, at least the short portion of the trail. My kids loved it as there are further historical displays scattered throughout. Great for an hour or two of activities. read more

A local cyclist recommended the park for its 1 mile hike which is partly on raised walkways and lightly covered by trees. Excellent find.

This is one of the best in the area. Currently (December 2019) portions of the "historical path" are under construction, but almost all of the park remains open including the gorgeous walking trails. Seems like every time we go, and take a different turn, we wind up somewhere else - usually on the water. Very dog friendly, very child friendly (so long as you don't let them run on the large rocks). The rangers are helpful and always ready to answer a question. Amenities (bathrooms, water fountain, even a shoe brush implement) are clean and modern. The exhibits are small, as befits a smaller park, but very well done. One visit, we watched a group of very excited youngsters learning to shoot a bow and arrow - not sure if it was part of a special occasion or just something the park offers, but it was great to see history mixed in with the excitement of these children. And the history is accurate! The park's various presentations make no secret of the betrayal of friendly natives, their enslavement, or the forced marches. At the same time, they acknowledge the incredible exploration and fortitude of De Soto and his troops. There are terrific maps of their march, not just in the local area but all the way North and then West, as well as a pretty good small exhibition about artifacts and archaeology. So far, this is our favorite park. read more

This is my favorite place to take my dogs. The trails that meander through the park are well kept and provide plenty of shade. There are historic markers and informational cutouts that relay the story of the atrocities that Desoto and his crew committed when they landed. The park also has plenty of other displays and a visitors center for history buffs. I like it not only for when I bring the dogs but it is also a nice quiet place to sketch. read more

I couldn't say it any better than the previous reviewers. The staff here really care about this park, and the volunteers do to! (Although I might be a little biased since my grandmother is a volunteer :O) But it is true! A lot of people go everyday to walk their dogs, or just walk to meet friends. I love it and if you are lucky you might catch some dolphins fishing in the cove. Such a special place! read more

I enjoyed everything but the walk. I didn't go to the beach there but it was a long shady walk so it was enjoyable.

Love this place for the water view, trail walks and two small beach areas (although I've never seen anyone technically swimming like they are at the beach). Dog friendly too. They even have a little doggie water fountain next to the human one by the main building where they also have some artifacts and history on display. Nice cheap date option. Pack a picnic with some wine and you are all set with or without a blanket (there are benches/tables interspersed throughout the park). That is, unless it's not majorly hot and oppressive weatherwise. Or you can just bring the kids/pets for a little exercise and history lesson. Located in a decent neighborhood in Bradenton as well. The nature walk will eventually lead to a part of the park with a big cross which is kinda cool. I have seen wedding parties take pictures in the park as well due to the nice views. Oh yeah, and unless something has changed since I was last there, it's totally free with ample parking too! read more

This was a perfect spot to do a bit of exploring and get some exercise. We sailed into the little bay and rowed in. The trails with their signs and exhibits were nicely incorporated into the natural surroundings. We hit the staffed visitor center and then enjoyed a live talk and demo. All very causal yet informative. We don't have a dog it saw plenty of them. Water views with benches were quite peaceful. read more

So glad we went! Excellent trails that are shaded. We will go back often. Perfect for a gentle hour walk along the water. Volunteers very friendly and welcoming! read more