Hernando County Gulf Coast · Florida
Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park
- State
- Florida
- County
- Hernando County
- City / community
- Pine Island
Tampa Bay and Gulf Coast · Hernando County Gulf Coast
A small Gulf beach with a playground, picnic shelters and a concession stand. Its shallow-looking water and changing tide are reasons to check conditions, not a promise of safe swimming.
Good fit: A small Gulf beach with a playground, picnic shelters and a concession stand. Its shallow-looking water and changing tide are reasons to check conditions, not a promise of safe swimming.
Plan around: Follow the signed park arrival at 10840 Pine Island Drive; county prose retains 10800. The July 6 hours change opens the park at 10 a.m. An April 2, 2026 DOH notice lifted the Pine Island advisory using tests completed March 31; that dated result is not current water clearance.
PLAN THE BASICS
At a glance
- Dogs
- NoDetails & restrictions
- Restrooms
- YesDetails & restrictions
- Lifeguards
- Unknown · clarification pendingDetails & restrictions
- Public access
- Public accessDetails & restrictions
- Beach driving
- NoDetails & restrictions
Choose an entrance
Alfred McKeathan Pine Island Park
Named managed swimming shoreline only; no surveyed outer boundary, nearby private crossing or arbitrary riverbank membership. 10840 Pine Island Drive (county address block; descriptive text retains 10800)
Official route / restriction details ↗Parking, route & accessibility evidence
Parking & entry: $5 per car, credit card only. Disabled-veteran and handicapped-placard exemptions are listed by the county; RVs, buses and trailers are not allowed.
Parking source ↗Accessibility: The historical access observation lists accessible parking/access, but no current continuous route across the beach or remaining sand distance is documented.
Accessibility source ↗Open the county entrance directory ↗
Use the directory to check each entrance’s identity and status. Guide map pins are approximate shoreline locations, not turn-by-turn entrance directions or proof of current opening.
Known for
Gulf sunsets, a compact sandy swimming beach and a picnic/playground park.
Sources & review dates
known for
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Follow the signed park arrival at 10840 Pine Island Drive; county prose retains 10800. The July 6 hours change opens the park at 10 a.m. An April 2, 2026 DOH notice lifted the Pine Island advisory using tests completed March 31; that dated result is not current water clearance.
Rules & facilities
Check before you go
Follow the signed park arrival at 10840 Pine Island Drive; county prose retains 10800. The July 6 hours change opens the park at 10 a.m. An April 2, 2026 DOH notice lifted the Pine Island advisory using tests completed March 31; that dated result is not current water clearance.
Sources & review dates
check before you go
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Admission, payment & passes
Sources & review dates
admission payment passes
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
What to bring & supporting visit details
Plan your visit
A small Gulf beach with a playground, picnic shelters and a concession stand. Its shallow-looking water and changing tide are reasons to check conditions, not a promise of safe swimming. Choose the signed bathing arrival, not the boat-launch lane.
Sources & review dates
plan your visit
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Public or private?
Public access
Who can visit: Open to the general public, including visitors, during permitted hours and subject to posted rules.
Entry route, fees & access boundaries
- Manager / access authority
- Hernando County
- Access basis
- This listing covers a publicly managed beach access or park, not a private guest-only beach.
- Where to enter
- Use the named managed park swimming area and its lawful admission/arrival. Public park access does not open neighboring private shore.
- Fees & reservations
- See the entrance section for parking and entry details and sources.
- Restrictions & exceptions
- Swim only in designated areas, obey health closures, avoid boat ramps/fishing zones, and stop bathing no later than 30 minutes after sunset.
- What this label covers
- Named shoreline and supported arrival only; public access is separate from temporary closure.
Beach ownership, the route across land, public shoreline-use rights and access to facilities are separate questions. Rules vary by state and location. Use the identified public entrance or documented permission; neither a nearby resort nor an admission fee by itself establishes that a beach is private. A mapped beach is not permission to cross private property.
Access policy reviewed 2026-10-05. Not a live closure report or a property-boundary survey.
Allowed & prohibited activities
Alcohol: Alcohol possession/consumption is prohibited on county park property except a specifically authorized special-event permit.
Fires and grills: Cook only at designated grills/fire facilities, extinguish fully and obey burn restrictions. The county lists park barbecue grills; that is not permission for a bonfire on the bathing sand.
Overnight camping: Overnight beach camping permission is not confirmed.
What still needs confirmation
Overnight camping is allowed only in county-designated areas or with written special permission. No designated overnight site at this bathing beach is established.
Shore fishing: Shore fishing rules are not confirmed for this beach.
What still needs confirmation
County rules allow fishing only in designated areas. A lawful fishing segment outside Pine Island’s bathing area is not identified in the current park page; use a signed fishing pier elsewhere until the exact shoreline designation is confirmed.
Sources & review dates
Alcohol · Overnight camping
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Fires and grills
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Shore fishing
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
- Hours
- 10 a.m. to sunset daily, effective July 6, 2026. The older park page still says 8:30 a.m.; the dated county release supplies the updated opening.Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · hours evidence ↗
- Dogs on the beach
- Pets are prohibited on county bathing beaches and in swimming-area water; designated pet areas elsewhere are separate.Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · dogs evidence ↗
- Lifeguards
- Visit Florida describes this beach as unguarded; the current county park page does not publish a staffing schedule. Do not plan on lifeguard coverage.Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · lifeguards evidence ↗
- Restrooms
- The county lists changing rooms, restrooms and showers at Pine Island Park.Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · restrooms showers evidence ↗
- Access & beach rules
- Swim only in designated areas, obey health closures, avoid boat ramps/fishing zones, and stop bathing no later than 30 minutes after sunset.Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · public access rules evidence ↗
- Beach driving
- Vehicles must stay on designated paved/improved park roads and marked parking areas. This does not permit driving on the bathing sand.Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · driving evidence ↗
Conditions & activities Surf, sand, wildlife and suitability
Conditions at the beach
Saved reports below are dated snapshots, not live conditions. JavaScript refreshes them from official sources when available. Source timestamps and tide times identify their time zone.
Weather observation
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
88°F · Clear
- Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport · 22.4 km from destination reference · nearby reporting station, not a beach sensor.
Observation: 2026-10-05T17:50:00+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T18:08:16.896Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T19:50:00.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
UV forecast
No current-hour UV estimate is shown in this saved page. Use sun protection; the live forecast loads when available.
Daily forecast
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
Saved forecast for this beach’s NWS grid
- 2026-10-05T14:00:00-04:00–2026-10-05T18:00:00-04:00: This Afternoon · 86°F · Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms · wind 5 mph WNW
- 2026-10-05T18:00:00-04:00–2026-10-06T06:00:00-04:00: Tonight · 71°F · Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms · wind 5 mph NE
Source issued/updated: 2026-10-05T10:32:19+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T18:08:16.711Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T22:00:00.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
High & low tides
Saved prediction · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
Bayport. Regional coastal NOAA Bayport tide prediction reference; not on-beach observation, water safety or arrival/boat-route guidance. Predictions, not measured water levels or safe crossing times.
- 2026-10-05 09:05 · High tide
- 2026-10-05 17:35 · Low tide
- 2026-10-06 01:29 · High tide
- 2026-10-06 05:36 · Low tide
- 2026-10-06 10:40 · High tide
- 2026-10-06 18:31 · Low tide
Prediction dates: 2026-10-05–2026-10-06 · station local time.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T18:08:16.345Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-06T18:08:16.345Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
Bayport. Regional coastal NOAA Bayport tide prediction reference; not on-beach observation, water safety or arrival/boat-route guidance. Predictions, not measured water levels or safe crossing times.
NOAA tide station ↗NOAA swim & rip-current forecast
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
Forecast rip-current risk: Low · Coastal Levy, Coastal Citrus, Coastal Hernando and Coastal Pasco (combined NWS forecast area)
- 1 foot or less.
- In the lower 80s.
- Southeast winds around 5 mph, becoming
- Regional Gulf forecast, not an observed flag or bay swimming assessment.
Source issued/updated: 2026-10-05T07:32:00+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T18:08:16.511Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T20:30:00.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
Forecast risk is not the flag flying at this beach. Conditions can vary within the forecast area.
Official local flag & condition status
Flag color: not currently verified
Check the named entrance, posted flags and closures. No dated observed flag connector is connected. Regional forecasts do not establish bay/Gulf swimming safety, lawful landing or current opening.
The Beach Database does not convert weather or a rip-current forecast into a colored flag. Check flags and signs on arrival and ask a lifeguard where available.
Weather warnings & alerts
Saved report · not live. This dated snapshot may be out of date. Check the official source before your visit.
No active NWS area alerts returned at the recorded check. This is not a current all-clear or a beach-closure check.
Source issued/updated: 2026-10-05T18:08:03+00:00.
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T18:08:16.441Z.
Live-use expiration: 2026-10-05T20:08:03.000Z. This static copy never certifies current conditions.
Weather alerts do not confirm swimming safety, lifeguard staffing, water quality or beach closures. No alert does not mean safe water.
Water quality
DOH Hernando lifted the Pine Island advisory on April 2, 2026, based on tests completed March 31 showing acceptable Enterococcus levels. Test completion and publication are distinct; no collection date is supplied. Check current DOH results before swimming, and do not use the separate Rogers notice as Pine evidence.
Sources & review dates
water quality
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Crowd meter
A compact bathing area within a larger park. Current occupancy, parking availability and crowd levels are not measured by this guide.
Sources & review dates
crowds
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Sand & sandcastles
The county/FDEP identify a sandy Gulf beach at Pine Island; mud, tidal exposure and shoreline condition can change.
Sources & review dates
sand shoreline
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Surfing profile
Sheltered Nature Coast water rather than a verified named surf break; no site-specific surfing permission or break assessment is established.
Sources & review dates
surf
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Beachcombing
The current park evidence does not establish reliable shelling yields or a collecting zone. Leave living organisms and protected material; do not plan this visit around a shell guarantee.
No location-specific documented shark-tooth yield or collecting permission is established for this bathing shore. A Nature Coast location alone is not evidence.
Sources & review dates
shelling · shark teeth
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Snorkeling & scuba diving
No verified scenic snorkeling route, measured visibility or safe entry is established at this bathing area. Hernando Beach Charters advertises separate offshore snorkeling outings; those do not qualify this shoreline.
No current casual shore-dive entry is verified for this bathing beach. Hernando Beach Scuba partners with Hernando Beach Charters for offshore trips requiring at least Open Water certification; offshore reef/boat excursions are separate from this park.
Sources & review dates
snorkeling
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
scuba
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Shore & sky wildlife
The county lists birdwatching here; the wider Nature Coast aquatic preserve supports seagrass, mangroves, oyster reefs and associated wildlife. These regional habitats do not guarantee a sighting at this swimming beach.
Sources & review dates
wildlife
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
History & interesting facts
The managing authority identifies this named county park and its recreation purpose. No unsupported founding date, historical beach boundary or founder story is added.
Sources & review dates
history
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
A closer look
Photos of this beach and its surroundings. Select a photo to view it larger. These are recorded views, not live conditions.
View larger ↗Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · Richard Elzey · CC BY 2.0 · archival photograph; captured 2012-03-05
Taken: 2012-03-05Windy day at the beach · Richard Elzey · CC BY 2.0
Resized/cropped for display; original colors retained. Adaptations retain the stated license.
View larger ↗Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · Richard Elzey · CC BY 2.0 · archival photograph; captured 2012-03-05
Taken: 2012-03-05Nice Evening! · Richard Elzey · CC BY 2.0
Resized/cropped for display; original colors retained. Adaptations retain the stated license.
Food, stays & rentals
EXTEND YOUR BEACH DAY
Food & drink nearby
Local dining recommendations
Local dining recommendations: the county lists an on-site concession, without naming its current operator. Bayport Inn at 4835 Cortez Boulevard is a separate nearby road stop after the beach.
Sources & review dates
dining
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Accommodations by the beach
Hampton Inn Spring Hill at 1344 Commercial Way lists breakfast and an outdoor pool. It is a mainland road-transfer base, not beachfront lodging or permission to cross private shore.
Sources & review dates
accommodations
Source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Activities & rentals
No separately verified coastal option is assigned for this category. Use the site-specific managing-authority information.
Sources & review dates
commercial activities rentals
Source ↗ · Additional source ↗ · reviewed 2026-10-05
Sources & review date
Guide desk research reviewed 2026-10-05; this is not a field-by-field current verification or an on-site inspection. Official facts, dated agency evidence and editorial assessments retain their own scope. Unknowns and conflicts remain open. Methodology · Rating explanations · Correction history
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park managing authority ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · hours evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · dogs evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · lifeguards evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · restrooms showers evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · public access rules evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · driving evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · parking entry evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · accessibility evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · sand shoreline evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · surf evidence ↗
- Pine Island Beach / Alfred McKethan Park · water quality evidence ↗
Photo: Windy day at the beach by Richard Elzey · CC BY 2.0. Cropped for display; adaptations retain this license.
Visitor experiences
Original, moderated reviews and photographs. Visit dates and entrances provide context; visitor ratings and reports do not replace official facts or current conditions.
Read approved visitor experiences here when available.