Egmont Key

Visit Egmont Key While Vacationing In Tampa Bay

Planning a vacation in Tampa Bay Florida? Be sure to schedule a day to go to the beautiful wildlife preserve that is Egmont Key State Park. Egmont Key State Park or Shell Key as it is sometimes called, is a wildlife preserve that is home to many species of birds, Gopher Tortoise and Box Turtles. Egmont Key State Park also has some of the beautiful waters in Tampa Bay, and spending a day collecting shells and watching the wildlife in Egmont Key State Park is sure to delight anyone. Egmont Key State Park is open every day from 8 AM until sundown. Access to the Egmont Key State Park is only available by boat, but there are many charter boats in Tampa Bay where tourists can either buy a spot on a pre-packaged tour of Egmont Key State Park or rent a boat and head over to the island on their own to explore. Take the ferry over to Egmont Key State Park and be sure to see the Egmont Key Lighthouse, one of the oldest working lighthouses left in the United States. The Egmont Key Lighthouse has been lighting the way for ships at night in Tampa Bay for over one hundred and fifty years. Also, when visiting Egmont Key State Park visitors can see gun batteries built in 1898 to defend Tampa Bay, and 100 year old brick roads.

Come To Egmont State Park Prepared For The Day

There are some things that every tourist should bring when planning to spend the day in Egmont Key State Park. An important item to bring is a camera. Be sure to bring a camera to capture some wildlife on film. There are no shops in Egmont Key State Park, so be sure to pack a picnic lunch, water or other beverages, snacks, a change of clothes, a sweater or sweatshirt, extra socks and shoes, and sunscreen. Savvy nature lovers might also want to bring a compass or GPS device, some basic first aid items like anti bacterial cream and band aids, bug repellant, and a sturdy pair of hiking shoes. It can be a pain to lug around a cooler or a backpack filled with some of these items, but it’s important for visitors to come prepared since Egmont Key State Park is in fact a national park and won’t have any of the conveniences some tourists might think.