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7/21/2009

St. Pete/Clearwater, FL (July 21, 2009) – There once was a time when the family vacation didn’t include Fido.

All that has changed and, according to a ranking released yesterday, would-be visitors to the St. Pete/Clearwater area have yet another reason to bring their favorite four-legged friend.

Petside.com, a popular site for pet owners and pet enthusiasts, ranked St. Pete/Clearwater’s Fort De Soto Park fifth on their list of the Top 10 Dog-Friendly Beaches in the U.S.

Winners were chosen by pet owners for their —outstanding features and promise of fun”---although the pets had a say in the rankings as well. Beaches from Illinois, Texas, California, Georgia, Oregon, Rhode Island and Maryland also took honors.

Known for its unique —Paw Playground,” Fort De Soto impressed the editors with its amenities including —dog showers, a dog beach and fresh drinking water.” Petside also referred to Paw Playground’s fenced-in areas, which separate large and small dogs for safer play.

One of only two Florida beaches to make the list, the 1,135-acre county park has been a popular choice in travel rankings, topping the list of the country’s best beaches by coastal geologist Dr. Stephen Leatherman---a.k.a. Dr. Beach---in 1995 and nabbing TripAdvisor’s best beach title in 2008 and 2009.

Paw Playground is open year-round from 7 a.m. to sundown, unless otherwise posted. For more information on Fort De Soto, please visit http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_Desoto.htm.

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater is the destination marketing organization for Pinellas County, Florida.

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For more information: www.VisitStPeteClearwater.com
Contact: CVB Assistant Director David Downing: David@VisitSPC.com
Phone: 727.464.7213

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