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    Key Vista Nature Park

    4.4 (33 reviews)

    Key Vista Nature Park Photos

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    Progress Energy's creepy "Anclote Power Plant" yikes.
    Cheri Y.

    This is a very strange park. It has some very strange "rules" for being right on the Gulf of Mexico, the water is not very clear & there is a very large creepy plant in the distance. The sign upon entering clearly says: "No swimming allowed here" and I wondered why is that? This park is clearly on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico with a large beach area, so why no swimming? That is a great question. As you enter the park, even from my photo of the park sign at the entrance you can see this very creepy plant in the background. So I wondered if that had anything to do with the "no swimming" rules. So I did some digging & this is what I learned. The very creepy plant adjacent to this park is a power plant called the "Anclote Power Plant" owned by Progress Energy (located near Holiday, Fla. in Pasco County) It generates more than 1,000 megawatts (MW) from two steam units. "Progress Energy Florida" says it's to convert the Anclote Power Plant to CLEANER natural gas. Their webpage says that the Emissions-reducing conversion will "ALLOW" the company to comply with "NEW" federal standards. Hua? (Not good word salad folks) yikes. BECAUSE, "Currently, the plant uses oil & natural gas. The change is required to "ALLOW" the company to comply with "NEW" federal emission standards for coal & oil-fired generating units, including the EPA's new "MERCURY and AIR TOXICS STANDARDS" (MATS) rule." YIKES. (Nope, not good word salad folks) No wonder there is no swimming allowed. Do not recommend.

    Cottonmouth snake

    I wanted to take my husband to explore the flora and fauna of Florida and this was nearby and suited us well. However, one area had signs of a fire, which didn't impede our enjoyment, but did increase our curiosity about what happened. Highlights included an inlet and a beach where we came across a junvenile Cottonmouth Snake (poisonous). We also enjoyed the view from a lookout tower.

    Lauren L.

    Small but cute little park to walk through very beginner trails. It's quiet and unassuming with a water area that is peaceful.

    Libbe G.

    One of our favorite places to see wildlife. The bird sanctuary provides for all types of birds of prey including bald eagles. They have a nest along the trail and if you go early in the am you can see the mom and dad feeding the babies.

    Night Heron
    Charlie G.

    Beautiful area for nature walks, and wildlife photography! Lot of varied terrain, and huge amounts of wildlife and water birds of all sorts! I saw a number of Ospreys here... unfortunately I was not able to get any good photographs of them in flight, just one shot while feeding high in a tree, but did shoot a lot of other birds. Highly recommended for anyone that enjoys nature!

    Trail bridge
    Ken K.

    I've been going to Key Vista for probably a decade now. I visit several parks around Tampa Bay but love bringing my dog here. Key Vista isn't just a dog park with a fenced in play area leashed dogs can trot the entire nature park. Key Vista has a small parking lot with limited facilities. it's main attraction is it's nature trails that lead visitors to shoreline along the Gulf of Mexico, a three story observation tower and an elevated aluminum walkway that connects to the Anclote Pier. Key Vista is a Pasco county park which is comparable in some ways to Crews Lake in Shady Hills. A few years ago all Pasco parks required a $2 entry fee which was later disbanded by the BOCC so Key Vista is now free for anyone to visit. When I bring my dog here she loves walking the trail, sniffing the brush, barking at turtles, seagulls and squirrels. We climb the tower and look at the water. We'll walk and play fetch on the beach and she'll run into the Gulf. Many people come here to walk the trails without dogs though. I always see people fishing here. The shoreline areas are limited and most space is occupied by mangroves. Although there are no large open spaces here visitors can enjoy several benches along trails some of which face the gulf and a neighboring canal. Visitors can view wildlife and enjoy beautiful sunsets.

    Entrance
    Vickie R.

    This small park has a few trail it is dog friendly. Don't expect to see to many people here, it's just u and Mother Nature

    Dana N.

    We love this park! Beautiful little glimpses of the water with both boardwalk and natural trails. It also leads out to a park. Lots of shade and bathrooms here too! Very easy trail for all ages.

    I really enjoyed this park. Variety of trails and acquatic birds. Look out tower. I went early am so it wasn't busy. Not hard trail to work and a nice boardwalk.

    Dawn R.

    This is a great park to bring kids to walk around and look at nature. I brought my four year daughter and we saw three tortoises, hawks, baby armadillos, herring, kite, and other species of birds. My daughter loved choosing which way to go when there a fork in the path. It's on a peninsula so most paths are connected and they all pretty much lead back to the parking lot. There are no trail markers telling you how long any particular path is, but none of them were too long for my four year old to walk. There are many tall trees that do provide shade along most of the paths and being so close to the Gulf there was a nice breeze. Most of the paths have little beach accesses for you to look at the water, fish, swim, etc. The beach accesses are very small, so I wouldn't bring a bunch of blankets, umbrellas, etc. They beach accesses are more like tiny coves, many of them could only be occupied by one or two families at a time. The water is clear, but the sand is a bit muddy feeling. My kid didn't mind. There were many places to get nice pictures and discover wildlife. There is also a observation tower that you can climb (about 3 stories) next to the gulf. It has a nice view and a great breeze. There are small bathrooms at the entrance if the park that are handicapped accessible, but I wouldn't recommend this particular park if you are wheel chair bound bc most of the paths do consist of loose sand. We spent four hours there and my four year still didn't want to leave. I don't blame her, it was pretty nice. This park is one of the few Pasco county parks that have reopened since the state has shut down due to Covid-19. Currently the parking lot is open, but the bathrooms are not, and you must follow social distancing rules. Stay Safe.

    Gizmo enjoying nature.
    Brittany B.

    I really liked this park, there's an overlook three stories high. And it's very quiet there, loved the nature trails. The scenery is beautiful. My doggie even swam while we were there, she loves the water. The whole park is also dog friendly. It's also a very clean park. And I also have been finding painted shells everyday we go for a walk!

    Phenomenal sunsets!! And dolphins visit every evening.
    Ce M.

    One of my favorite spots. There's fishing, hiking, swimming and beautiful scenery with a nice beach. Anclote fishing pier is down the street with a dog park and playground.

    River!
    Nancy D.

    This is a must go to park! Yeah Pinellas! Haven't felt so close to nature in so long. This park is great from the dirt parking lot to the trail along the gulf. I cannot say enough how much one MUST visit! It is dog and kid friendly, clean and up kept. From exercise, to fishing, to finding peace of mind or family picnics, Key Vista Nature Park has something for everyone.

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    Nice area for bird watching. Nice area of shade for a sunny day! Plenty of shade to sit under.

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    1 year ago

    Great fishing and family spot for relaxing and seeing nature. I recommend this place for sure

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    Ask the Community - Key Vista Nature Park

    Do you have to pay to park?

    No.

    Is this place Dog friendly?

    Yes, but please keep your pet on a leash.

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Key Vista Nature Park

    There are many tall trees that do provide shade along most of the paths and being so close to the Gulf there was a nice breeze.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    Eagle Point Park

    Eagle Point Park

    5.0
    (5 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    LOVE LOVE LOVE! What a beautiful place! So serene, very…read morevery Zen place. Gorgeous old wild Florida scenery. Absolutely Magical. A must visit. Beautiful open tropical green spaces, Picnic areas with BBQ's & Shelters, lots of shady areas & small green forestry areas. A lovely playground area for the kids, very nice restrooms, trails, fishing piers, lookout towers, wildfire all over, gorgeous views of the mangroves. A nature lovers paradise. Photo ops in every direction. Birds everywhere, perfectly preserved natural habitats, the sounds of nature all around, trickling water sounds in the distance. No signs of civilization. Not another human in sight. You would not think that this kind of hidden, almost untouched, natural treasure exist so close to the city, but it does. And it's very well maintained. While I was there a single gardener came briefly, checked things out, weed wacked around the edge of a sidewalk & left. As it already looked perfectly manicured when he showed up. I was there for a long time & there was no one else there except the brief visit from the landscaper & one other gentleman I had a brief but lovely conversation with. When I first got there, I ran into this one single gentleman that was bow hunting. He had a great big bow & arrows. I asked him if he had seen any of the Flamingos & he said "not today" I took that as a good sign to keep exploring as I must be close! haha. Later on, as I was leaving that same gentleman went back to his truck put his bow away & got out his fishing pole & gear. I thanked him for his time again & wished him luck fishing. He then wished me luck on my hunt for the wild flamingos & quickly, silently, vanished back into the woods. New Port Richey is a gorgeous place that has it all. It's quickly becoming my favorite playground on Florida's iconic Nature Coast. Highest Recommendations.

    Well groomed park with inlet all around. If you love birds this place is your park. Newer play area…read moreand lots of piers. A great find to visit and Im sure nice to live by.

    Photos
    Entrance..
    Entrance..
    Beautiful mangrove waterways..
    Beautiful mangrove waterways..
    Beauty!

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    Beauty!
    Discovery Playground

    Discovery Playground

    4.3
    (8 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    Park is newly renovated and completely fenced in. There is ample parking. I love that it has a good…read moreamount of benches and picnic tables surrounding the park but inside the fenced in area. Lots of options for lunch or just to eat a snack. There is also a bathroom, which is really convenient as you don't have to leave the play area or walk very far. It can get pretty busy on the weekends but is quieter during the week. They have multiple swing options, a small playground for younger kids, a larger playground for older kids, and various climbing/play structures. It is completely turf but is surrounded by a concrete walkway- so pretty wheelchair and stroller friendly. It is pretty shaded as well so you aren't being blasted by the sun. I would say this park is more suited to 2+. There are multiple climbing components that are pretty challenging and just require more coordination/strength.

    Yelp needs to update the key photos for this park. We came here anticipating it to be an awesome…read morewooden playground (hard to find) with mulch and dirt and an adventurous outdoorsy vibe, which is what the pictures reflect. My young boys and I were disappointed to find it had been Renovated for some time now with toxic Turf and plastic/metal playgrounds. Playground felt much smaller this way than when it had been wooden with plank beams running throughout. It is also incredibly packed, but I think that's also because there is a sports complex here and I'm assuming many younger kids are here playing on the playground while older ones play sports. The upside is that it's still a public playground and an outdoor activity for kids. There are bathrooms in the playground area so that's a convenience.

    Photos
    Swing area
    Swing area
    Swing area
    Swing area
    Discovery Playground

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    Anclote Gulf Park

    Anclote Gulf Park

    4.4
    (14 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    Looking for a low-key Florida gem? You need to check out Anclote Gulf Park in Holiday! It's the…read moreperfect spot for a chill day out with something for literally everyone (including the pups!). Fishing Goals: There's a huge 500-foot fishing pier that's open 24/7. Perfect for catching those sunset views. Cookout Ready: Grab a picnic shelter and fire up the grill! They're right next to the children's playground, so you can eat while the kids burn off energy. Dog Heaven: They have two fenced-in areas so big and small dogs can run wild safely. Nature Walk: Take the boardwalk through the woods--it's super peaceful and leads you right to a small beach area to dip your toes in. The Basics: Don't worry, they have clean restrooms and plenty of parking. Whether you're here to fish, hike, or just soak up the Gulf breeze, this park is a total win.

    This was my least favorite park in the area…read more It was very small, didn't have a lot of shade, the restrooms were open air & there is a very creepy industrial plant in the background so the views are not very good either. Didn't see any wild flamingos there. As a matter of fact didn't see any wildlife there at all. As it's really just a dog park with some trails to walk your dogs. Not a great place to take photos. The dog park area is new & very nice thou if you have dogs. There is three different runs sectioned off, one for small dogs, one for large dogs & one for the med sized dogs.

    Photos
    Anclote Gulf Park
    Anclote Gulf Park
    Anclote Gulf Park

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    Key Vista Nature Park - parks - Updated July 2026

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