Indian Rocks Beach Dog Park
Tucked inside a scenic nature preserve with a boardwalk through the mangroves, in a beach town with a surprisingly rich past.
🕰️ History & background
Indian Rocks Beach traces back to 1883, when the Hendrick family became among the first to homestead the barrier island. The Tampa & Gulf Coast Railroad ran a spur to the beach in 1914, turning the area into "Tampa's playground," and by the 1950s and '60s the town's biggest draw was Tiki Gardens, a Polynesian-themed attraction that pulled in 300,000 visitors a year at its peak. The city incorporated in 1955, and the dog park today sits inside a genuine nature preserve with a boardwalk through the mangroves.
🐕 What's there now
Note: non-residents need a $50 permit to use this one. Worth it for the mangrove boardwalk alone.
🗺️ Nearby
Worth a stop: Guppy's On the Beach, a well-loved local seafood spot with a park across the street for sunset.