My hubby kept telling about this great nature trail he has walked when we visited Naples (he'd wake…read moreup early in the hotel and sneak out while I slept).... but I finally got a chance to visit. The park is lovely... I love butterflies and as soon as I stepped out of the car, we saw many of them so I was sure it was going to be a good day. We started off on the asphalt pavement path and eventually ended up on the boardwalks too... the paths are very wide and great views of the forest and water areas. Saw many species of birds including an osprey in his huge nest. Loved the bridge that crossed the Gordon River and the lookout rest area nearby. If I visited in any cooler month and with less bugs, I'd give the park a 5 star but the bugs and the heat were tough.

After multiple failed attempts trying to find truly dog-friendly spots in the area, Gordon River…read moreGreenway was an absolute homerun. Beautiful scenery, peaceful walking paths, and plenty of space to enjoy nature with our pup without feeling restricted or unwelcome. The trails were well maintained, easy to navigate, and offered such a nice mix of greenery, water views, and shaded areas. It ended up completely saving our day after striking out at a few other places nearby. If you're visiting Naples with your dog and looking for a relaxing outdoor spot to walk, explore, and unwind together, this is definitely worth the visit.

Nice but highway noise is heard here! Where's the quiet…read morepark? Why are parks built near loud road noise here?

This park is very clean. It's a really big and beautiful it has a few different playgrounds one…read morehidden a little bit further away for the littleer kids. It has a bunch of different little pavilions with their own grills that you can rent. It has a kayak rack where you can rent to keep your kayak stored there for safe storage. And it has its own boat dock for small boats and a boat dock for actual boats. There's a canal that has salt and non salt water combined. There's a big stage area where you can rent for dancing or shows. There's a decent amount of parking. There's a lot of walking areas which connects to another park as well. This park is absolutely stunning and 100% worth going to.

Florida panthers are a subspecies of mountain lion and the only one to still exist in the eastern…read moreUnited States. They used to roam from Florida to Louisiana throughout the Gulf Coast states and Arkansas. Today they are only found in the southwestern tip of Florida in the Everglades and here in Big Cypress Preserve. They are usually solitary unless mating and eat white-tailed deer, feral hogs, raccoons, birds, and other medium-sized mammals and reptiles. Hunting has decimated their population and they were added to the endangered species list in 1973. Today there are only 120 to 130 panthers left in the wild and with so few left they are also susceptible to disease, genetic disorders, and car accidents. The land that is now the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge was once owned by the Collier family who were the largest land owners in Florida in the 1920's. They used the land for private hunting cattle grazing. In 1989, the US Fish & Wildlife Service purchased 24,300 acres from the Collier family for $10.3 million dollars to create the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, under the authority of the Endangered Species Act for the purpose of protecting the the Florida panther and its habitat. Another 2,000 acres were purchased from the Collier family in 1996 to expand the preserve. It is believed that 12 to 16 panthers currently roam the refuge along with black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, Big Cypress fox squirrels, alligators and wood storks. You can access the hiking trails through the Leslie M. Duncan Memorial Trails in the southwest corner of the preserve by taking the Everglades City exit off of Alligator Alley. The preserve backs I-75. This is one of those places that I have wanted to explore but never had the time. How fast things can change in two weeks. At the gravel parking lot there is a port a potty, a board with trail information and access to two trails, one a third mile and one that is one and a third mile. You are only allowed access to a small portion of the preserve in order to not disturb the panthers. Bring your own water. I read the U,S. Fish and Wildlife Service Service website regarding this trail before attempting it because it seems like it could be dangerous to hang out with panthers. According to them "Panthers are rarely seen on the refuge. I have since learned that panthers are most active at night, during the day the rest. However, if you do see a panther, follow these guidelines: *Keep children within sight and close to you. Pick up small children. *Give the panther space. Give them a way to escape. *Do not run. Stand and face the animal. *Avoid crouching or bending over. *Appear larger. Open your jacket.(it was pushing 90 degrees, I didn't have a jacket) *Throw stones, branches, or whatever you can reach without crouching or turning your back." I chose the one and a third mile trail. You can access it through a gate in a fence from opposite ends of the parking lot. There is one look out area with a bench on the trail which is very narrow on natural ground. The trail is cut out from Big Cypress Preserve and meanders through the refuge through tropical hardwood hammocks, acres of slash pine, and wet prairies. Over 700 species of plants have been recorded here including lobelia, tickseed and prairie milkweed. Rare orchids and bromeliads are also found here. At times the plants and trees were as tall as my head on either side of me as I walked the trail. I didn't come across any panthers and didn't see so much as a footprint. In fact the only creatures I saw were some grasshoppers, bees, and a vulture. The path is in full sun and some shade but I was very hot by the time I got done. If you are looking somewhere off the beaten track to explore than this would be a good choice. The hike is not difficult and you can social distance safely. Although I saw a couple of cars in the parking lot I never encountered anyone on the trail.

Nice little park. It's right off I75 at fl29. The preserve its much larger than your access to it…read more The area you can hike is two trails, one .3 miles and the other 1.3 miles. It's next to big cypress preserve, so expect plenty of muddy parts. In November there were still some blood sucking insects, but the hordes of mosquitoes were gone. The policy of national parks was not lost on Florida Panthers. They left only footprints! I saw two prints and they followed prints by a deer. The prints were clear and probably hours old. There are little lizards everywhere. The flowers were long gone at this time of year.

I love this beach , to swim , relax , collect shells and watch the most amazing sunset . This…read morebeach does not disappoint. Parking is across the street and it could be a challenge to park if you don't find a spot .

Beautiful quiet beach! Absolutely loved it! Better shelling than Sanibel Island, clear clean…read morewater, peaceful and naturally beautiful! Not the warmest people out and about and they can tend to be a bit snooty to outsiders. Public parking is a bit inconvenient too- but overall wonderful and worth it.

Mackle Park was named in honor of Frank E. Mackle Jr. (1916-1993). Mackle was a developer who had…read morepreviously developed Key Biscayne with his brothers. Frank arrived in what was then a primitive Marco Island in 1962 and saw potential in the undeveloped town. He was soon joined in the venture by his brothers, Elliott and Robert. All of the brothers were engineers and were employed by the Deltona Corporation founded by their father. Frank became the President of the Deltona Corporation and led the modernization of Marco Island. Mackle Park is impressive as it has everything that residents and visitors to Marco Island could want in outdoor recreation. The park has a community center with teen center, basketball court, bocce courts, open field area for play, picnic area, shuffleboard courts, a soccer/football field, volleyball court, and splash pad. One of the standout feature of the park is the creative playground that is a hit with kids. It has a pirate ship, castle turrets, and lots of places to climb and engage in imaginative play. My favorite part of the park is the beautifully landscaped walking path that winds around the lake. A sign at the entrance to the trail shows how you can increase the half mile walk around the lake to .9 miles by incorporating walking the perimeter of the fields in the back of the park. It is perfect for a leisurely stroll or a more vigorous jog. The lake is also a great place to bird watch and fish. Mackle Park has something for everyone. It offers a blend of recreational facilities and natural beauty that makes it a must-visit for anyone in the area. Whether you're looking to let the kids play, enjoy a peaceful walk, or partake in community events or a class, Mackle Park offers it all and more.

Frank E. Mackle Park on Marco Island is a park for adults and children of all ages. The park…read moreoffers a large playground for the young kids to enjoy. It is fenced in so it is easy to keep a eye on your kids or grandkids. There are basketball courts, shuffle board areas, soccer fields and more. There is a water area for the younger kid to get wet and cool done. There is a large indoor recreation area with games and events all year round for kids and adults.

This is a serene park park under the bridge at N Collier Ave. It doesn't have its own parking lot…read morebut I found parking at the Marco Lutheran Church next to the park. This park was named in honor of Jane Hittler (September 16,1914 - January 12, 2006). Jane was known as the First Lady of Marco Island for helping to develop the city since 1967. Some of her many accomplishments and awards included renovating the Marco Island Cemetery in 1969, founded the Maro Island Youth Center in 1973, Grandmother and Chairman of YMCA in 1977, Citizen of the Year in 1984, Woman Achiever of Collier County in 1986, National Landscape Award for Beautification of Marco Island received at White House in 1988, Islander of Year in 1992, Dedication of MJ Hittler Park in 1992, and Distinguished Eagle Award, Fundraiser for development of Urgent Care Center, Volunteer in 2001. Jane was a founding member of the Marco Island Historical Society, served for 20 years on the Collier County Beautification Committee, was instrumental in funding the five parks in Marco Island, was the first leader of the Annual Prayer Breakfast, and promoted the creation of the Marco island Museum Building. Jane Hittler's dedication to Marco Island was deep and she was the driving force behind so many of the projects that made the community a better place to live. After opening in 1992, the park was redesigned in 2008 and it reopened on March 25, 2009. One of Hittler Park's best features is the beautiful view of Smokehouse Bay. There are also benches, public art, a community board, and a paved walkway. It is the perfect spot to fish or just relax as I did on a beautiful afternoon. Other than the rather unfortunate name, this park is a gem of tranquility in Marco Island.

Jane Hittler Park is a cute little spot off of Collier Boulevard where you can sit and look out at…read moreSmokehouse Bay. We visited on a recent trip to Marco Island and enjoyed taking some time to relax here. It's a very nice park, but super small. It's doesn't have alot of facilities and there's no parking or easy access if you're driving, but it's nice for a quick visit if you just want to chill out and look at the water.

I went to Donna Fiala water park. Minimal areas to swim. There is a section of fountains that are 3…read morefeet. A lane of a pool where you can be at 5 feet. A space of 12 feet for the diving boards, a lower and higher one. Obviously the higher diving board will create a harder impact going into the water. I got water in ears of mine twice off the diving boards. First time fizzled out, second time needed hydrogen peroxide when I got home. The ladder out of pool isn't so easy to climb. I did try both Water slides. The yellow tubed one was super fast. The blue one was open air and slower. You could feel the grooves where sections of slide were put together on your back when going down the slides. Also, you did not dispense into a pool at bottom of slide but stayed in your lane which made for an abrupt landing and not so easy to get up and out! :) kids under the height requirement could handle the blue slide! :)

This water park at Eagle Lakes is a great find! At only $1.50 - $2 for entry, it was an affordable…read moreday of family fun! You can (and in fact, you're encouraged to) bring your own snacks/drinks, but they also have a small concessions area. We packed a cooler of drinks (la croix and some harder bevvies for the adults in our group), sandwiches, and snacks, and headed to this park for the afternoon. There was a large kids pool that was at most 3 1/2 feet deep, with a bunch of squirting machines and a giant wheel that dumps water. My nephews and niece really enjoyed this one, and it was large enough that there was still room to swim around and have fun. There was also a nice ledge along the back side of the pool (away from the attractions) so you can comfortably sit! There was also a large pool (that was much colder!) with lap lanes, an area to hang/swim, and a high and low diving board. There was always a small line for the diving boards, the kids were having so much fun! On top of all that, there are 2 water slides and an infant pool. The pool areas are well-staffed with lifeguards who were on top of keeping an eye on everything, blowing the whistle to get the attention of people, making sure kids were walking not running, and keeping the area safe. There's also a good blend of chairs in the sun and picnic type tables in the shade. We had a blast here and it's a great place for a family fun day!

Winterberry Park is an athletic park in Marco Island. Park amenities include a baseball/softball…read morefield, concession stand, open field for play, restroom, and a soccer/football field. Locals use the park to kick around a soccer ball, practicing baseball and softball, throw a football, and play cricket. This park is also the home of the Marco Island Senior Softball Players who play on the field year-round. Many of the players retired to Marco Island just for the ability to play senior softball year-round where it has an almost cult-like following from the players, their family members, and friends. I stopped by the park not for a baseball game but to look for eagles. A nest was reported a few years back on a pole in the park but I didn't see any eagles on my visit. Another great spot to try and view eagles nearby is the Marco Island Nature Preserve and Bird Sanctuary.