On vacation with a Bull TERROR turning out to be a delight: Fort De Soto park Florida
Last Friday we have returned from our very first vacation with Djamila - and the three of us really had a great time together. We had decided to camp in a tent at one of the best pet friendly campgrounds in Florida, shortly over two hours away from our home: Fort De Soto Park.
The weather was perfect and so was the campsite!
Djamila has already travelled once by airplane with my husband when she had been nine weeks old and he went to Arizona to get her. It was an overnight stay with her. But instead of the expected chaos, mess and whining - she had merely slept away almost the entire trip - NO sedation involved!
Now, shortly under 18 months old, she has developed into a boisterous little pack of fun with the typical “teenage” attitude of a Bull Terrier. Always up for an adventure or play. Despite training and socializing her and trying to provide ample opportunities of play and wearing herself out, we had not once been lucky enough so far to experience her energy being completely drained.
So when my husband and I started for our 4-day trip, we were very curious to see, IF we would be able to get her to that point this time - and WHEN it would happen.
Just for those among you, who like camping - with or without pets - let me tell you: The Fort De Soto campsite site is just beautiful!
The lots are arranged around small ends of brackish water that holds a lot of fish (anglers, bring your equipment) and leads into the Gulf of Mexico.
The lots are arranged around small ends of brackish water that holds a lot of fish (anglers, bring your equipment) and leads into the Gulf of Mexico.
Lines of palm trees and light shrubbery between the lots allow for privacy. Yet everyone is close by enough to engage in conversations, if desired. The lots provide enough space for even the largest RV’s and each of them is equipped with a table and bench to sit outside and eat, a charcoal grill, water and power access.
The restrooms and bathrooms on the premises are well cared for and clean. There’s also a real small camp store which basically provides everything you could forget at home - flashlights, mosquito spray (one of the essentials in this wooded area), cosmetics, ice cubes and even fire pits for a bonfire. Ice cream, sweets & salty stuff and even pizza are all available there.
There’s a little porch behind the store - one would not expect it there - that features a real nice view when you sit there enjoying your morning coffee (if you didn’t bring your own coffee maker).
The dog park, Gulf coast beaches and historical site of Fort De Soto are just a stone's throw away from the campsite by car and roughly half an hour of walking on a paved sidewalk which is also perfect for biking or skating. Speaking of it, of course there are also bikes available for rent, as well as kayaks.
The beaches are beautiful and clean, white sand and some piers (however, dog’s are not allowed on the piers). From the dog beach - and the adjacent beaches you can enjoy a beautiful view over to the Skyway bridge and into the Tampa Bay. The entry fee of $5 for cars visiting the park is already included in the daily rate for the campsite.
The two fenced dog parks on-site, one for smaller dogs, one for the bigger dogs, are both huge!
The beach area permitted for dogs is also pretty wide and provides ample space for unleashed ball throwing and running.
Due to the weather this time of the year is just perfect for a tent trip. Low chances of rain, not too hot, not too cold. The sea already felt a little chilly - nothing for a wimp like me. But Djamila loved to take swim!
You are also allowed to take the dog on leash to the historical Fort De Soto preserve, which is just a jump away from the beaches and worth a visit! It’s a nice walk through a piece of Florida's history with some relicts, wall charts and structural remains to see.
I also noticed a tiny museum there, but we skipped that because of the dog.
We pretty much spend the entire first day on trying to wear Djamila out. Playing in the dog park and at the beach. She even developed some interest in one or the other dog. Which was great, because usually she is far more interested in toys and especially balls and basically ignoring other dogs.
So, we really enjoyed watching her have fun with other dogs, even though balls were around.
On the second day she seemed to be a little sore and her paws obviously hurt from running, which of course did not prevent her from TRYING to run after balls and play again. It was a funny view, because there was not much left of her powerful and graceful leaping. It had turned into choppy tip tapping, like she was wearing heels.
Yet, it also took half of the second day until she showed the first signs of really giving herself up to exhaustion.
There is a nice small German restaurant in Tierra Verde, the Black Forrest Cottage - approximately 10 minutes by car from the campsite - that allows pets on their porch.
We went there with Djamila on the second day. I want her to get more used to being among lots of people and also being quiet around us when sitting outside in a restaurant, so we get more chances to take her with us.
We live in pretty rural surroundings, so it is not as easy for us as just stepping outside the door and throwing her right into the action.
I was a little tense, because Djamila likes to “sing” when she likes things a lot and also when she is excited and nervous. I was also afraid she might not want to settle down. But all my doubts were resolved and we had a really good time there and a tasty early dinner.
The owners were very friendly and we chatted for a while after we had figured out that we are all from the same city in Germany. Eventually we remained there for almost two hours and sometimes almost forgot that Djamila was with us, because she went to sleep under the table.
The restaurant’s owners were not familiar with the breed and misinterpreted Djamila’s doziness as a sign of this breed in general being very calm and laid back.
You can probably imagine the smile of "knowing it better” on our faces and our answers.
In general, it was very pleasing to see how much people in that area were welcoming dogs. Djamila even took one ball home from another dog owner as a gift, because she had so fallen in love with that particular ball. It’s not that we did not bring a bag full of her favorite balls for her with us. No, now it had to be THIS ONE!
Again my experience was that the appearance of a Bull Terrier in particular seems to sweep people off their feet.
“Uh, Spuds!”, “That’s General Patton’s dog, right?”, “Hey, the Target dog!”, “So cute, look at his face, what breed is that???”
This is how it went all the time and Djamila just loved and absorbed the attention of all those people!
I felt another helpful ice breaker also was her orange harness with those badges on it saying: “Can I get a belly rub?”. I saw more than one smiles on that.
On Thursday - our last day there - Djamila seemed too worn out to keep her entertained by playing with her ball or other dogs.
And despite sunscreen for all of us we already showed some slight signs of sunburn. So we decided not to roast at the beach for another day and go on a little trip instead.
We went to John's Pass Village and Boardwalk, a small fishing village in Madeira Beach.
This is a nice place to be, with or without a dog! Lots of small shops and places to eat. Everything looks, feels and smells like vacation. It’s a nice walk over the wooden planks, where dogs are also allowed on leash. And there are also pet friendly restaurants around. Note: Parking fee is required for cars, just FYI.
We went to grab a bite at the Bamboo Beach Bar & Grill, sitting in their outside area. The very friendly waitress immediately showed up with a small bucket of ice water and a Milk Bone for Djamila.
Again people looked and smiled at her. And Djamila seemingly sensed the good vibes and enjoyed staying there with us calmly.
It was a wonderful trip - and definitely not our last one WITH the dog to this area! Djamila was still sleeping off the adventure through Saturday. Today she is back to normal, yet she seems to be a little more affectionate and attentive towards us.
I feel like this trip also helped to strengthen the bond between Djamila and us. She is not exactly a huge cuddler yet. But during the last days, every now and then she came along, hugging us and “kissing” our faces. Just as if she wanted to say “thank you for that adventure! That was so much fun!”
If you like camping, either in a tent or an RV, and are ever around here at Florida’s Gulf coast, consider a stay at the remote Fort De Soto campsite. It’s worth it!
Here's more information to be found for those who are interested: Fort De Soto Park
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Comments
One of these days I need to take my family out for a camping trip.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
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