For more than 500 years, the view from this part of Manatee County hasn't changed much.

"We call ourselves the hidden gem of Manatee County,” says Daniel Stephens, lead ranger at the De Soto National Memorial in Bradenton.

The wild flowers still grow here along the rocky shore at this park that is part of the National Park Service.

"It's untouched, and that's how we want it,” Daniel boasts. "It's just like Florida was 500 years ago when the Native Americans and Conquistadors clashed here."

It's in this area where Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto came ashore and changed life in Florida forever.

"It was a mission of the king to convert these native people to Catholicism. It was more souls for the church and a steady population for these colonies,” Daniel explains.

While De Soto never visited these pristine lands, the Conquistadors had a goal of using native people.

"Spain had a habit of converting native populations to a viable workforce,” he says.

Today, sand crabs and water fowl inhabit these 28-acres that you’ll find unspoiled. Visitors can fish in the shallow waters, stroll the coastline, go for a bike ride and hike along the gulf trail that leads to a massive crucifix on the shoreline.

"It's all about the recreation,” Daniel says about today’s park.

Dogs can also visit on a leash. Kids can complete an activity book and become a junior park ranger.

Inside the visitors center, a real knight suit in shining armor awaits, along with exhibits dedicated to the Native American's that lived here first.

"This point has a very long and very extensive history," Daniel concludes.

Tankful on Television
You can catch new Florida on a Tankful stories each Thursday and Saturday on News 13 and Bay News 9. New editions play at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m. Classic Florida on a Tankful stories can be found each Friday and Sunday on Bay News 9 and News 13 at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m.

Tankful on Demand
Catch Florida on a Tankful with Scott Fais on your time, now on Bright House Local On Demand, Channel 999. Use your remote to scroll to the right to the TRAVEL category. Then SCROLL DOWN to TANKFUL.

Scott Fais joins Travel Monthly
Catch our own Scott Fais as the Florida Correspondent on the On Demand travel magazine, Travel Monthly. Each month, Scott joins other travel reporters from across the United States as they showcase a wide variety of attractions, diners, parks and landmarks from across America. See Travel Monthly nationally on Time Warner Cable channel 411. And here at home on Channel 999.