Coquina Key Dog Park

Coquina Key sits on a man-made island with one of the more colorful backstories in St. Petersburg. It started out as "Lewis Island," purchased in 1910 by local grocer and banker Edson Lewis, who platted a subdivision and then gave up by 1913 when the spot proved too remote, with no utilities in reach. What had been a peninsula became an actual island in the early 1920s, after developer Charles Hall — the same Hall behind the Kenwood neighborhood — dredged a channel through it. The Mackle brothers bought most of the land in 1955 and built out today's neighborhood; a 1957 community contest gave the island its current name, replacing the interim nickname "Goat Island." Longtime residents still call it "The Friendly Island."

Benches and drinking fountains serve both large and small dogs in a setting that feels more nature preserve than city park. A small dock next door is popular for fishing or launching a kayak once your dog has had its run.