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The Jungle Prada Site History Tour
The Jungle Prada Site History Tour takes place at a unique historic site in west St. Petersburg where 1,000 years of Florida history comes together. This peaceful waterfront location was part of a Tocobaga Indian village for roughly 600 years. The highlight of this tour is one of the best-preserved shell Indian mounds on the gulf coast of Florida. The anchor of one of St. Pete’s most storied neighborhoods, the Jungle Prada Site features a 900′ long shell midden and part of the ancient Tocobaga village plaza.
The Jungle Prada Site is also recognized as the landing place of Spanish conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez on April 15, 1528. Narváez had replaced Ponce de Leon as the governor of Florida, and was meant to settle the land. Instead, seduced by gold, he began an ill-fated expedition north. Narváez himself perished, but four desperate survivors, led by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, completed a miraculous eight-year journey from Florida all the way to the Pacific Ocean! Learn the full story and ask questions on the Jungle Prada Site History Tour.
The Jungle Prada Site has an important role to play in more recent St. Pete history as well. In 1842 a fisherman named John Levique homesteaded the high ground of the Jungle Prada mounds. Six years later, in 1848, a huge hurricane opened a new pass across from John’s cabin. Today we call it John’s Pass! The Jungle Prada building has been a hotel, a shopping mall, and even boasted St. Pete’s hottest nightclub during the 1920s, a speakeasy during Prohibition called “The Gangplank.”
The tour lasts approximately 75 to 90 minutes.
Group sizes are limited, and advance registration is required.
Best of the best winner – 2024
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Ranked #13 “Cultural & Historical Tour” in the United States on TripAdvisor! |
Tour Schedule
Important Information
Tour Schedule
TOURS ARE OFFERED WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
Times vary seasonally – check website calendar for availability.
We are closed on Monday and Tuesday
Reservations are Required
Call or book online today!
Safety Notice
Due to the historic nature of the property, some surfaces are uneven. Please watch your step and use caution. Visitors should be prepared for natural, wooded areas.
Pricing
General Admission – $18
Senior (62+) – $15
Child Admission (2-12) $8
Cancellation Policy
FREE CANCELLATION UNTIL START OF TOUR WHEN BOOKED ON THIS WEBSITE
TICKETS PURCHASED THROUGH THIRD PARTIES ARE SUBJECT TO THEIR CANCELLATION POLICY Usually free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of the tour.Parking Address
1700 Park Street N.
St. Petersburg, Florida 33710
Turn into the parking area for the JP Tavern restaurant, but continue straight towards the water and park in the round parking lot on your left. Look for our banner on the fence and orange traffic cones outside of our gate.
Contact Info
PHONE – (727) 430-2677
EMAIL – discoverfloridatours@gmail.com
Discover Layers of History
Tocobaga Village
The Tocobaga were the people living around Tampa Bay when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. They represent the broader Safety Harbor culture that was dominant in the region. They lived during a time period known nationally as the Mississippian Cultural Era (900AD – 1600AD). The Tocobaga participated in a vast trade network that extended across the eastern half of North America. They built their homes near estuaries, and their villages are characterized by large mounds of earth and shell around a central plaza.
Spanish Conquistador landing site
On April 14, 1528, conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez anchored his four ships outside the mouth of a shallow Florida bay, at the head of which his scouts had observed houses and habitations of native people. Narváez had been appointed the adelantado of Florida in 1526. He and his crew of soldiers, settlers, and priests, came ashore to celebrate Easter, and, following the discovery of small amounts of gold, Narváez set out with 300 men in search of more. Only four of the 300 survived to tell the tale, including Estavanico, the first person of African descent to explore what is now the United States!
The roaring twenties
In 1924, developer Walter P. Fuller built a Mediterranean-style commercial plaza near the Tocobaga mounds, naming it “The Jungle Prado” after Havana’s “Paseo del Prado.” It featured shops, dining, and nightlife for guests of the nearby Jungle Hotel. During Prohibition, the Jungle Prado’s “Gangplank” social club became a local speakeasy after Fuller accepted a shipment of illegal whiskey.
Peacocks
Colorful peacocks have been strutting through the Jungle Prada neighborhood since the 1950s. You can enjoy watching them in our private seaside garden along Boca Ciega Bay.
Peacocks are guaranteed on every tour!
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