Optimist Park is a nice enough park with s basketball court, volleyball court, a children's…read moreplayground, a baseball field and more. It has a pleasant ambiance and was pretty packed with people enjoying this park. I would definitely recommend this park.

Beautiful park with large playground and sports fields and lots of grass. There's even a free…read morelibrary

We came here for a few hours in early January 2026, but you could easily spend a whole day or 2…read more We like many wanted to see the manatees which are usually here between Nov-March. Unfortunately, the boat rides were sold out because we didn't book in advance. We were able to see 5 or 6 of them from their viewing tower. They were pretty far away but they moved around some for us to get a glimpse. We were also greeted by a river otter who hung out near the dock and had a bigger crowd than the prized manatees. After watching these wonderful creatures, we took a little hike on one of their nature trails. We only did about 3 miles out and back, but the trail goes for about 10 miles round trip. There are no cool waterfall or views of the river on the trail, it's just a nice walk through the woods. Afterwards, we went inside the historic hotel to get vanilla cokes from their soda fountain. The soda fountain has sandwiches, ice cream, and other treats along with a gift shop. Also, in the hotel is a white tablecloth fancy restaurant. Next time I come back I will make an entire day of it with the ladyfriend. Take the boat ride, go on a long hike and then have a nice dinner.

Another beautiful and peaceful Florida State Park, I've has the privilege to visit a lot of the…read moreSP's in Florida and I'm always amazed at what they have to offer and like all of them this one has plenty of unique features that makes for a great experience. No matter what got you here you'll always discover something new, besides the beautiful kept grounds, you can take a boat tour of the springs or enjoy a meal in the lodge restaurant and even book an overnight stay inside this park now that's really unique - there is a great gift shop in the lodge that is filled with plenty of souvenirs and books filled with the history of this park and the surrounding area. We spent the morning exploring the park and its extensive trail system, it's such a quiet and peaceful place to relax, enjoy a picnic lunch or just sit on one of the beautiful benches and enjoy a nice cup of coffee. I finally got my lifetime park membership while here that allows me to enjoy all the state parks across Florida at no additional charge which I plan to use as often as possible - we did spend a few minutes interacting with a park ranger who was very friendly and gave us some history of this beautiful park this is definitely a place to return to again and again...

Best beach in all Florida hand down. It was so relaxing being able to snorkel at the Bay Area and…read morethe entire park is beautiful

We had so much fun! It's only $6 per vehicle. We rented kayaks and a SUP. We swam in the bay and…read morethen drove over to the ocean side to enjoy a snow cone.

If this were any other day, I'm sure I'd rate this park higher, but please be aware that this…read morereview is based on my experience from Independence Day. That being said, we went for the holiday celebrations, and well, this was packed more than a can of sardines. We were only there the last hour of the festivities, but it felt like an eternity. Lines, lines everywhere, with lots of disorganization as there were minimal lights and a lot of staff that were directing people to park in places further when there was parking up front. Ugh. Definitely a place to come early for a special day because it's hard to get a decent spot otherwise. The lines, lines everywhere continued everywhere honestly. The food trucks, the finding a good spot, the entering and leaving the park. Sigh. At least the fireworks were pretty. Will have to return on a regular day to see if I can actually enjoy this park rather than just think of all the stress it brought us.

New park discovery of a Tallahasee gem for running and hiking …read more This 255-acre park with 3 1 mile mountain bike trail was named in 1977 after a Leon High coach (1944 to 1946) Thomas Irwin Brown .Tom Brown was also a Babe Ruth League coach for 20 years and a Leon County Commisioner for 14 years. His love of sports was the blueprint for establishing these beautiful and well-kept trails and park. I love to find new places to run and hike while traveling and was surprised at how many baseball, softball fields, and tennis / pickle board courts this park offers. You can hear the peck of woodpeckers on trees and many different types of birds such as cardinals and swallow tailed kite as you hike on their asphalt paths or dirt trails. A nice change from the normal sounds of Houston traffic. Check out this park while in Tally .

8/6/23 park is closed:( Two very disappoint toddlers after…read morebeing on the road driving for 2+ hours. This park was nearby where we were staying, so thought it would we a great place to burn off their crazies. What a bummer.

What a deal this park is. Nearly beach front, clean,cement level sites and cheap. Cant beat florida…read morestate parks!!

My favorite beach ever!! The sand bar is fun to swim to! The waves are really good! It's great to…read morego to with friends! I 1000% recommend!!!!

I've always loved this trail. It's best walked when the weather is nice because it can get muggy…read more Excellent elevation considering it's still Florida. The last time I went in Jan 2026, I did notice that the markings/blazes to follow the trail were a little on the dull side. They can stand to be redone.

I have to admit, this is a brutal trail! I spent 5 hours exploring & admiring the beauty! I even…read morelost a dear item, given to me by a family member...if anyone finds a gold wrapped moss agate pendulum, please give it a good home!Look forward to doing it again soon!

One of our favorite springs to visit when we are in the area. Always a great time. There is a…read moreshallow area for the young ones to enjoy the water. A wonderful spot to bring the family. There are a lot of activities you can do in the park from kayaking, swimming, diving board, slide, volleyball. Definitely worth checking out!

This is a Jackson county landmark with beautiful water, clean facilities and great family time…read more It's a must-visit swimming spot if you're a local or just passing through!

An absolute beautiful hidden gem of a beach. Came here as I was traveling down from Tallahassee and…read moreover to Panama City. Decided to take a detour and I am so glad I did. I was able to catch the sunset at this little beach and had the best time enjoying God's beauty by myself. Thankful I came here and the views were surreal.

The beach was cute and quiet. Perfect if you like the privacy. Parking is somewhat limited. No…read morebathrooms. I believe there are 2 different acceses to the beach. It was a chill evening with the family. We'll be back to chill again.

St. Marks, Florida. Late March, 2025. We were on a road trip, visiting the southeastern corner of…read morethe US. We saw the sign for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and just had to stop. For those unaware, the National Refuge System (System) is an extensive network of lands and waters protected and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, especially for wildlife and its habitat. There are over 560 refuges, stretching from above the Arctic Circle in Alaska to the subtropical waters of the Florida Keys. The St. Marks Refuge was established in 1931 to provide winter habitat for migratory birds, and is one of the oldest refuges in the System. It encompasses about 86 thousand acres, and includes about 43 miles of north Florida's Gulf coast. About 350 thousand visitors come to St. Marks NWS each year to birdwatch, photograph, hike, fish, picnic, hunt, bike, and relax. We only touched the surface of what was available to do at the refuge. *We stopped at the Visitor Center, where you can pick up maps and view displays about Refuge wildlife and habitats. *We drove Lighthouse Road, which is a slow-moving 7-mile road which connects the Visitor Center to the historic St. Marks Lighthouse at the end of the road. (See my separate listing on Yelp). The road is shared by people in cars and on bike who are hopeful to spot migratory birds, monarch butterflies, and even alligators. *We parked at the Lighthouse (which was closed to visitors), walking around the short paths there, and taking photographs of the lighthouse and surrounding waters. Note that this is a fee-area, and entrance fees are required of all Refuge visitors traveling behind the Visitor Center on Lighthouse Road. Passes are accepted. You can also support your national refuge by supporting the Nature Store, where you can buy field guides, postcards, t-shirts, sunscreen, insect repellant, and more.

While attending the annual butterfly fest this year we had to wait for an hour or more then we're…read moretold it was another 7 miles to the actually lighthouse and where they were releasing the butterfly's. The lighthouse was beautiful and wildlife was wonderful. A big thing with this even was it stated very directly in the instructions no Dogs allowed. There were many dogs there some of which were not properly being attended to. One lady brought 5 or 6 small puppies then when a Ranger explained she needed to get them away from the water because the alligators would come out of the water and take them out of her arms she argued with her that she had already taken them but she would not move away from the waters edge.