St. Petersburg is home to more than 150 parks, offering a wide variety of possible activities. There are over 100 picnic areas, 80 playgrounds, 44 miles of fitness trails, 30 basketball courts, 21 boat ramps, 11 softball fields, six dog parks, five beaches, three skate parks, two disc-golf courses, and one Jai-Alai court. We also have 76 tennis courts. 33 football/soccer fields, 31 baseball fields, nine volleyball courts, four historic sites, three nature preserves, and one splash pad. And, still, there’s more! Simply put, choose an activity (or choose to just relax) and there’s a city park that fits your needs.
It’s Got it All!
Located where Boca Ciega Bay joins Tampa Bay, Maximo Park offers visitors a spacious, beautiful, and shady spot to relax, play, or learn. With recreation trails, boat ramps, shoreline fishing, two playgrounds, picnic shelters, a beach, an observation tower, and an 18- hole disc golf course, this park has it all! At 70 acres, it is the largest of St. Pete’s four archeological sites documenting the lives of the area’s indigenous cultures.
History on Top of History
Evidence unearthed during a 1973 University of South Florida excavation shows that current-day Maximo Park was settled by people at least 4,500 years ago. By the 15th century, present-day Maximo Park was part of a much larger village and served an important town center for the indigenous Tocobaga peoples until the effects of European contact resulted in the elimination of the Tocobaga in the early 18th century. Afterward, the area was used as a fishing and hunting spot but remained largely empty of permanent settlers for many decades. Then in 1843, Antonio Maximo Hernandez established a homestead on the land, which is where Maximo Park gets its name. You can learn more about the region’s long history by reading the informational signs provided throughout the park. If that doesn’t satisfy your appetite for history, a virtual tour of the archeological sites is available at www. stpeteparksrec.org/maximopark/.
Get Moving or Not: Maximo Let’s You Choose
Are you looking to relax and take in the beautiful view? Or does hiking, biking, fishing, boating, or throwing a disc sound like a perfect way to spend your day? Either way, Maximo Park has you covered. The beach offers a relaxing place to read a book or spend the day letting bay waves ease life’s stresses. If you are looking for a longer view, then climb the stairs to the top of the 50-foot observation tower where you can see for miles. Plus, with numerous trails, ramps, beaches, and an extensive shoreline, you can get moving on foot, wheels, or hull. Maximo’s most popular feature, may be the 18-hole Tocobaga Disc Golf Course. As the Professional Disc Golf Association describes, it winds “through canopies of exotic plants” and has fairways that “range from open to wooded, several with water looming.” On any given day, you’ll find enthusiastic players of all skill levels driving and putting frisbee discs on the 5,385-foot course. Even if you don’t play, it’s fun to watch. Next time your family, friends, and well-behaved leashed pup can’t agree on an activity, choose Maximo Park. It’s got it all!
Thanks
For more information about Maximo Park or St. Pete’s many other parks, visit www.stpeteparksrec.org or call (727) 893-7441.
