Poll: Cato Costa or Ft Desoto

[Terry England]

Attention: Camper Challenged,
I think the closest place to Ft. Desoto campground (that would put up with us scallawags) would be the Magnuson Hotel Marina Cove. It's at the north end of the Skyway on the east side of US -19 (www.marinacoveresort.com) It ain't quite "fabulous' but it's better than "OK". A good boat ramp (Maximo Park) is close by. Plenty of parking for boat trailers and tow rigs.
There are not many Mom and Pop places left on St. Pete Beach with dockage anymore. Tierra Verde and Isla del Sol are pretty much all townhouses and condos. You better be ready to "jump up off your wallet" if you stay on the Beaches.

[DonV]

"You better be ready to "jump up off your wallet""

Rest assured in my case it will NOT be a very far jump down to the ground.

[kmoose]

We have stayed with our boat at the bayside inn and marina in Terra Verde and it was fine. Good dockage and kitchenette rooms. About $130 a night and no need for bilge pumps and bug spray.

[Terry England]

Snookerd, My Post #18 was what I know about a reasonably priced hotel within a few minutes of Fort Desoto. There are other reasonable priced hotels in the St. Pete/Clearwater area, just not many nearby Fort Desoto - if that is the chosen location. I think the one Ken stayed at before is in Treasure Island which is probably 15 miles north of Ft. Desoto.

As we all know, Fort Desoto is a great campground with an epic boat ramp, but in some recent posts I get a feeling that some of our SeaCraft He-men, after taming the oceans all day, want to find a mint under their pillow at night and not a palmetto bug! (woosies). Plus Don wants a bar that serves drinks with umbrellas in 'em. They'd look funny stick'in out of a Masons Jar.

Danny, I think there are many more Mom and Pop places down in the Charlotte Harbor/Pine Island area to investigate for a gathering that would be relatively near Cayo Costa State Park, for those die-hard campers who like to sleep on picnic tables in tropical storms - just for practice!

If you haven't voted yet, don't mash the button on your keyboard 'till we get back with 'ya. It's sooooo close!

[bilgerat]

I didn't vote, nov 7th Ill be chasing whitetail in Ontario, yall have fun, I make one of these some day

[cdavisdb]

Staying centralized is probably a toss up. Desoto has the considerable advantage that you can drive to the site. CC, if you are not going to camp, has closer places to stay. Terry's channel is a little less than a mile(mostly slow if you don't know it) after that, its less than 2 miles to Cabbage Key and not more than 6 to Bokeelia or Pineland. Camping in the official site on CC is about 7 miles or walking distance if you want to bend the rules. There are probably some places to stay on North Captiva, less than a mile. Nice thing about Terry's channel, after you have been in and out a couple of times, its easy to get out in black dark, so its no problem staying late. Terry, of course, has a bunch of room at his place. Don't expect mints under your pillow.

[Terry England]

Originally Posted by cdavisdb

Staying centralized is probably a toss up. Desoto has the considerable advantage that you can drive to the site. CC, if you are not going to camp, has closer places to stay. Terry's channel is a little less than a mile(mostly slow if you don't know it) after that, its less than 2 miles to Cabbage Key and not more than 6 to Bokeelia or Pineland. Camping in the official site on CC is about 7 miles or walking distance if you want to bend the rules. There are probably some places to stay on North Captiva, less than a mile. Nice thing about Terry's channel, after you have been in and out a couple of times, its easy to get out in black dark, so its no problem staying late. Terry, of course, has a bunch of room at his place. Don't expect mints under your pillow.

Dang Conner, Don't use science, math, geography AND logic all in the same paragraph - you confuse us Democrats.

[Snookerd]

It seems that Cayo Costa is now tied with Fort Desoto for the lead! Who would not go because it's too far south??

[DonV]

Not me! I would book a room though.

[Islandtrader]

Originally Posted by Snookerd

It seems that Cayo Costa is now tied with Fort Desoto for the lead! Who would not go because it's too far south??

Too far south for me...I would rather throw my boat on the trailer and tow it up to FT.Desoto ...rather than just boat down the ICW 10 miles and enjoy the ride.


JOKE....JOKE