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Ballast Point Park

4.3 (91 reviews)
Closed 6:00 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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Paris T.

Ballast Point Park is a wonderful park with a great view of the bay. There is a playground for bigger and smaller kids plus a splash pad. The walking trails are nice to enjoy and you can work your way to Bayshore if you want to go further. On the weekends it tends to get very busy and finding a place to park can be challenging. The weekdays are so peaceful though. The restrooms are not in the greatest shape so I really try to avoid if possible. Renting a covered shelter is very easy through the parks and rec which I recently did for a birthday party. I highly recommend this park, but definitely come on a weekday if you prefer a more relaxed atmosphere!

A protected mangrove habitat
Karen V.

I really enjoyed my visit to this park on Ballast Point. It's a beautiful location with awesome views of the Hillsborough Bay. It's worth a visit just for the Tampa skyline view. It's also great for bird watching. Have you noticed that there always seems to be a pelican perching on a post near a pier? It can be any pier. Well, there was also one here... even though it was further out in the distance. This park is a great place for families, and anyone who likes to fish. There's no fee for fishing off of the pier. I saw a few people fishing while I was there. It has a boat ramp and docking area (also free). There are picnic tables (covered and uncovered), swinging benches, a gazebo, and even a playground with a splash pad. There's a walking path that runs through it, as well as a fitness center. There are some very colorful murals along the barrier between the park and the Yacht Club. Ballast Point Park is super close to MacDill AFB. It was surprisingly my first visit to this spot in the South Bayshore area. I decided to stop at Leon's Lobstah Shack on my way home from the base. Yes, there is a great casual place to get seafood and even a smash burger. It was a great last minute decision to check it out on a beautiful summer morning. I was surprised to find available parking spaces during the late morning hours on a weekday. Just keep in mind that parking may be limited during peak hours or on the weekend. Other than the parking situation, it's just a great place to relax and soak in the view. It's a cool hidden gem in South Tampa.

Nikita H.

I love coming to this pier to fish, relax or stroll with the kids or that week's date. I take all of my dates to the same places. look how happy he is to be there. There's a bait shop and cafe on the premises as well as a playground for the littles. There's a bathroom and everything closes around sunset. I don't know the exact time but they're never open when it's dark. I've seen dolphins, squid, turtles, crabs etc. it's always so breezy and beautiful and at night you can see the beautiful lit up Tampa skyline and planes and helicopters decorating the sky. It's really a beautiful place to frequent

Arnab D.

This feels like my backyard because I frequent this place. Park wise it isn't the biggest park with many parking options, but that view, but that sunrise, but that moonrise! There's a restaurant that closes by 6pm, mostly and a few benches around, fishing pier and you can even launch kayak, boat from here (now I don't own a boat, so I'm not aware of the water depth requirement for a specific size of a boat. There's a gym in the vicinity as well. There's children's play area in the park and a couple of shelters I believe. Only sad thing is that the trash cans can get overfill easily and also gives the birds, squirrel opportunity to dig out plastic out of the trash to find food, even junk food. Smoking seems to be quite common and frequent in this area as well.

Taste of Boston Relaxed waterfront restaurant serving New England-style seafood plus burgers & sandwiches.
Me A.

Relaxed waterfront restaurant serving New England-style seafood plus burgers & sandwiches. The Food was delicious before or after fishing.

Roxanne D.

One of my very favorite parks in town. Every time I go there the experience is different for me and it gets better. This trip, I took my parents. They are elderly and it's been such a long time since they have actually been to a nice park. They live in New Mexico. So treating them to Ballast Point Park was a must. They loved it. The best parts about this park is they offer everything for everyone. Fishing. Playground. Food. And a Senior Center all right there. And the views. Absolutely stunning. There are so many parks in the Tampa Bay Area. This park is tops. Kids. Adults and dogs. Everyone will love it.

View of Motorboating n downtown Tampa from Ballast point park, off Interbay and bayshore, South Tampa
Brian M.

Ballast Point Park is at the end of the Bayshore Linear Trail in South Tampa off Interbay boulevard just north of the Tampa Yacht club and is a good spot to catch sunrises over Hillsborough Bay with a nice view of downtown Tampa. Ballast Point Park is also a good spot for fishing, holding a picnic, and for docking your boat. However, parking spots are very limited and fill up quickly because of all the people coming to fish, use the gym, attend picnics, or catch Pokémon. You can find street parking 2 blocks down the road when there are no spots left in the parks parking lot. I recommend biking or boating here if you have to. Ballast Point Park features: - a 600 foot fishing pier - a shaded splash park - playground - picnic areas - grills - a gazebo - a boat dock - a boat ramp - Taste of Boston waterfront restaurant - bait shop Shelters with grills and picnic tables are first-come, first-served and others are available by reservation. Reservations are from 8am to 6pm and must be made three days in advance and can be one year out. The Fishing Pier is free and open 24 hours, 7 days a week. The rest of the park is open from 6am to 8pm. The fishing pier is well lit and Florida saltwater fishing licenses are required. Equipment rental is available. The Boat Ramp is in good condition, single lane, poured in place concrete boat ramp with boarding dock. There are only 4 spots for vehicles with trailers and parking spots fill up quickly. The Joe Abrahams Fitness & Wellness Center is open Monday-Friday 6 am - 8:30 pm, Saturday 8am - 3pm, and Closed Sunday. Membership is $15/month. There's really not a lot at this park to keep me coming back other than the view of the Water and downtown which is also available on the bayshore walking trail. It would be nice if this park featured ping pong, kayak rental, a pool, or tennis courts but there are tennis courts across the street.

Pier looking back towards the park
Kayla M.

Fun park in a great little area. I took my 12-month-old and there was plenty for her to do, as well as plenty for kids much older than her. Loved the long pier, playground and splash area.

A beautiful day!
Kristi L.

Ballast Point is a great place to walk around after a meal and enjoy the weather. There are four swing sets along the water that can fit three or four adults comfortably, or parents with their kids. The pier can get a bit crowded with eager families spending the morning and afternoon fishing, but it makes for great people watching. There are often rowdy kids getting reprimanded, dogs, and excited fisherpeople pulling up interesting catches, like small sharks and stingrays. If you play Pokémon Go, there are Pokémon and pokéstops everywhere! There's also a gym (which I currently own; mwahaha). Parking can be a bit of a bear, but after 1pm, you can park in the trailer lot across the street, as well as the two lots closer to the water. There is a huge play area for kids and covered picnic areas for holding events, too. The most common wildlife I've seen are squirrels, pelicans, and fish hawks.

Alicia P.

As many times as I've been here, I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed this great park yet. So, here we go.... This park is lovely. On the water, great views of downtown Tampa. There's a pier. I like that there's a gym/wellness center/rec center on the grounds (Joe Abrahams). You can be a monthly member or just pay for some individual evening classes (like Zumba or Yoga, etc). I like that there are benches along the pathway, a few picnic tables and a playground area for kids far enough away from some of the other quieter areas. There's a restaurant - Best of Boston - on the grounds (I've eaten there once, it was just ok, I might give it another shot with something different to eat....another day), but it's nice that there is something available if you're hungry. The biggest drawback? Parking! :(

This is my wife after fishing for hrs and not even a nibble on shrimp and squids.
Lewis E.

Wasn't interested in the park part but the fishing is absolutely the worst I have seen..don't go fishing here unless you are close by and have no other way to go somewhere else.

Nick S.

Parking can be a bear on weekends. Probably best to park nearby and bike or walk here if possible? There is also some trash and broken bottles around.. I wonder if they should institute a $2 per carload parking free and really invest in fixing up every bit of the park to make it perfect. :) But this is a beautiful South Tampa park with views of downtown Tampa across Tampa Bay. Some secluded spots to relax. Benches. Playground and kids water park. Some exercise equipment that needs replacing and updating. Pull up bar too low. Great area for a walk. Nice long piers with a bait shop and Taste of Boston restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Just beautiful and rejuvenating to be on the eater watching the waves, birds, fish jumping and people recreating.

View from the pier

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Ask the Community - Ballast Point Park

Are the Restrooms open 24 hours for people who night fish off the Pier?

I'm pretty sure the bathrooms close when the park closes the pier says open for night fishing but everything else closes. Hope this helps .

How are the sunrises here?

They are great

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Review Highlights - Ballast Point Park

When I'm with my family, I take them for a walk down the pier to enjoy the views and pastel-colored sunrises.

Mentioned in 45 reviews

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Safety Harbor Pier - Manatees and sunrise!

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4.4(34 reviews)
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The Safety Harbor Pier is an easy five star spot and one of those places that just sticks with you…read moreafter you leave. It's simple, peaceful, and has that classic Florida waterfront feel that makes you want to slow down and take it all in. Walking out on the pier, you get beautiful views of the water and a nice breeze that makes it perfect any time of day. It's a great place to just relax, look out over the bay, and enjoy the scenery. Everything felt clean and well kept, and it wasn't overly crowded, which made the experience even better. The highlight for us was spotting a stingray swimming right near the pier such a cool and unexpected moment. Watching it glide through the water made the whole visit feel special, especially for my daughter. It's those little surprises that turn a good stop into a great one. We had a lot of fun. Overall, the Safety Harbor Pier is a perfect spot for a peaceful walk, some great views, and even a chance to see some wildlife up close. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area we'll absolutely be back.

This is a really nice spot to watch the sunrise! Beautiful! My family's first time, and it will be…read moresomething we will adopt as a ritual. So many spots to sit/stand and watch the sunrise. After the sun comes up, there is a pier you can walk that's a in a trail fashion. Check out these shots!

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Safety Harbor Pier - Peace and serenity

Peace and serenity

Safety Harbor Pier - Happy Easter morning!

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Safety Harbor Pier - View while walking to the park

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View while walking to the park

Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park

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4.6(25 reviews)
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There's a fee to enter the park, but it's worth it to take a few trails and spend a lot of time…read moreoutdoors. The trails are easy to navigate and are good for people of all levels. The nature center has a bathroom and a bit of information, but all the displays were empty, including the outdoor one that allegedly used to have a tortoise. There are canoes to rent if you're into that. Overall, it was a nice, uncrowded park to spend some time outdoors.

We visited this park as part of the 2020-2021 Hillsborough Hiking Spree. I was very impressed by…read moreit. We arrived and parked in the parking lot nearest the nature center. The center is currently closed due to Covid but the bathrooms are open. From what I could tell, on our mad dash to the bathroom and distance viewing, the displays are informative and well done. I'd love to return when it is safe to and take a look. The park has three trails that are part of the spree. We hiked the Bobcat Trail since it includes the boardwalk. The trail travels for about a half mile through trees and over dusty shells. Then it connects to the boardwalk. This was by far the best part. We walked along the beautiful, tree lined water, getting up close and personal with a bunch of small black crabs. We scanned the water for manatees but were not lucky to find any. The trail ends back at the nature center. We climbed the back steps to the top level and caught a great view of the river and the distant city. After the hike we hit up the playground for a few minutes. This is always my kids' favorite part. We also stopped off at the butterfly garden which was pretty active on this day. The park was in great shape, the bathrooms were clean, there were lots of people around doing various park things. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking, nature hunting and playing on the playground are just some of the things available at your fingertips here. So glad we visited! Can't wait to return to check out the other trails.

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Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park
Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park
Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park - Low tide

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Low tide

Ballast Point Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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