2024 01 19 - DeSoto Nat'l Memorial - Bradenton FL

Picture: Sign is facing the bay near the trail, this is not by a highway.

Parking is free, admission is free. We saw a lot about DeSoto when we visited the history museum in Tampa a few days ago so we thought why not.

The area is small, only 27 acres. But has a building plus a small reenactment area.

Picture: Sand trail.

There are both sand trails and boardwalk trails. We are right next to the water so there is only a foot or two change in elevation. Elevation change isn't an issue here in FL but can be for some in other parts of the country.

Picture: Boardwalk area.

We saw a couple of dolphins swimming past. No tricks, we would only see them surface and then we'd have to guess where they were going to surface next.

We saw something here we haven't seen before. A large boat had run aground or was washed ashore. And now it had a removal tag on it. Like a parking notice. Move it or loose it. The boat as it was sitting on land was about twice as tall as I am.

The trail was less than a mile. I'm guessing the boardwalk was a lot less than that.

We had just called and gotten work a couple of miles before we got here so we didn't stay long but did want to see it when we were that close.

Picture: That is us, on the beach here at DeSoto.