One of the first parks I visited after moving to Clearwater, FL was Philippe Park in Pinellas County. It’s located in Safety Harbor and is right on the bay. It’s my favorite park to visit on a Sunday afternoon with my lunch and a book and just relax.
What the park is best known for is the “Temple Mound” built by the Tocobaga Native Americans. It was made with layers of stones and shells and most likely had a structure at the top of it at one point. The structure was likely 1/3 bigger than it is now, but a hurricane washed away part of it in the 1800s. Now, the mount has stone stairs up and down the sides of it with benches along the walkways.
Around the mound and through the park are some walking trails as well as a boat launch, picnic tables, a baseball field, playground, areas for fishing, along with a few pavilions. There’s also a lot of grass area where you can set up a hammock or lay out a blanket or chair and have a picnic. There are a few sandy spots which could be considered “beach” but I’m not sure I’d go so far as to call it that. It’s more like a gap in between some trees by the bay with sand in between.
One of my favorite things to do at the park for exercise is to use the bike/walking bridge and walk or run from the park south through the downtown of Safety Harbor and then head back. If I just want to relax, then I bring my beach chair and a good book and hang out on the grass area overlooking the bay. There’s both sunny and shady areas depending on your preference.
Overall, my best recommendation is to visit the park when you want a place to go and sit and breathe. It’s a wonderful place to just relax and unwind.
