My husband grew in the Tampa Bay area. His father was the captain of his own charter fishing boat and his mother is a doctor in the local hospital. I grew up in a small neighborhood near the Seminole River, called Bradenton. We met because my dad also worked in the fishing industry, but my mom was a teacher in the local university. After my husband and I married, we began to look for somewhere to live. We both loved the Bradenton area and we found the perfect home for sale, in Bradenton. We both love fishing, since it is in our blood and Bradenton, Florida is surrounded by both freshwater and saltwater. We thought Bradenton would be the perfect place to live and raise our future children. A long time ago, we discovered DeSoto National Memorial and it has become one of our favorite places to visit. There is an amazing dog walking part at the national landmark. There are beautiful natural views that allow for great photographic opportunities. We often take our dogs for a walk, especially when the weather is cooler and breezy. The natural place to walk our dog is at DeSoto National Memorial. Until we have kids, it can bed a quiet place to have a picnic or just to hike the many trails. I think my favorite time to go to DeSoto National Memorial, is in the fall. It seems the doves gather in this area during the fall. My husband and I bring our binoculars with us and we have fun trying to identify the many species of birds that are native to this area.