Wow, this is not the beach, the Riverwalk is something to be seen. There's tons of seating along…read morethe riverwalk. Everything from metal benches facing the water to these really cool cement lounge chairs that are actually comfortable to sit in as well. Along the river walk there are really cool our installations as well as a playground for families. My two favorite things to see while walking on the river walk where the dolphins swimming in the water. Yes actual dolphins in the water that you could see so cool. The other thing which might not be exciting to some people, but I thought it was cool was being able to see a train that goes across the river and the bridge that lifts some of the tracks up so that boats can go by. From the hotel we stayed at we could have walked about 15 minutes to the downtown area where there's some restaurants and shops to go to.

A 2 mile long Riverwalk along the Manatee River. We walked past a skate park, over train tracks,…read moresplash water park, playgrounds, an amphitheater & some art installations. This is an expansion of Rossi Park between the Green and DeSoto bridges. There were clean shady seating & lots of signage about the Riverwalk. There were cameras & we felt very safe.

Really great walking or biking path right along the water. Plenty of places to park and watch the…read moregorgeous Florida sunsets, dip your toes into the water, you could even launch your boat or kayak from here. The biggest perk is dogs are allowed which is pretty hard to find a nice beach area for dogs in this area. Definitely a nice spot to get some exercise in and enjoy the sun with your pups!

This is the first intercoastal you will pass as you go to Anna Maria Island. One can hang out with…read moretheir dog and play fetch here. Sit by the water without walking to far from the car, launch a jet ski or a kayak, or just plain chill. It would be a 100% perfect spot if the traffic from the road wasn't there. It is still a good spot! You Can wade in the water here too, but depending on the time of the year there may be more seaweed. When you face the water, the view is nice and you could be looking at the view of the huge beach side mansions or the nice blue water. There is a bathroom on the causeway that is covered

Happy Tails is now Laurie Crawford Dog Park, I searched for a reason for the rename but nothing…read morepopped up in the moments spent. Being a dog lover, you're probably put off a bit about my less than affectionate feelings towards said parks. Usually it's the Starbuckies sippers who aren't paying attention to their dogs that turn me off, but I'm past that, life is good here in Florida and tricky in NYC as are the dog parks. They're all beaten up and more cuts coming to the parks budget. I envision doggie Disneylands with trail side museums of famous dogs, dog friendly bars (for people), sonic trails and when I make my millions, I just might.. At just over four acres of sandy dirt the property is all fenced in with an area for older dogs and smaller dogs. This is where I incorrectly entered and a nice young family observed big long haired guy with two spikes collard Lion Hunters (Rhodesian Ridgebacks title, they did and do still hunt lions) entering, they flip boogied out and I'm like "where are the dogs - where are the people"? Realizing my foopaa, I exited and reentered rightly. Folks here do watch their dogs and I keep touching on this point because I've seen and broken up a lot of dog fights. One Sunday I wasn't around and I was informed that one dog attacked another and punctured his jugular. My friend Colette the nurse was there and patched the pup up then they took him to the veterinarian and was saved. Dogs can do a little of damage in a very short period of time, so two large breeds can team up and do far worse. Getting back to the park, there's benches and wash stations, dog bowls, pick up bags and nice paved walking areas that egress around parts if you desire to avoid the sand. I'll never be a big fan of dog parks, I keep to myself and keep to my dogs but this park is a good one that I do recommend.

Serving as one of the only true dog parks in Bradenton, I have taken my dog he here quite a bit…read more There are usually a ton if dogs here over the weekend and around 9am during the week. Most owners are okay but there are plenty who don't watch their dog or blame other dogs for doing nothing wrong. There are many different breeds and mixes that you can see here. Anything from Danes to greyhounds and pits and poodles. Old and young alike come here often. Owned and maintained by the county, the grass gets treated for fleas. I love coming here. There is a small dog section and a large dog section, but you are in no way confined to those. I have seen tiny dogs in the big dog section. Will update with pictures. It's the day after the hurricane so it's a hot mess here right now.

A current five that is probably descending into a three which won't make it a four. Why? My retired…read moreLAPD buddy has the inside track on new plans to cut 17th Street Dog Park in half and add T-ball for kiddos that probably won't use it and don't really need to either. I played college baseball and I started out in my backyard hitting balls off a Brooklyn Union Gas cone, by myself with a Louisville Slugger that was bigger than me. I could barely get it off my shoulder but I wanted a professional baseball bat so badly and Santa came thru. This park has lots of grass so the large breeds can really open up and tear arse up and down, left and right and back again. Because you see, with grass they gain traction and dogs are less likely to dig holes which could cause a leg break. But let's destroy the parks of largest the loves that some families have and live to dictate our pleasures by their lives by their noise machines that are far too young to be playing this type of game. Basketball no football no baseball no tennis no golf no volleyball no soccer yes. But annoying parents on these silly boards of the who knows who, the corrupted the selfish just to see little Johnny in a uniform with the helmet fifty times too big that little Johnny can't even see. Awwww, how cuuuuute.. They can point to first base if little Johnny makes contact because little Johnny has no idea which way to run and will likely disobey and run towards third base anyway and I suppose that's good for more laughs whilst I cringe and steam. It's so cute for these follies to play out every weekend for two hours to a nail biting, exciting and riveting zero zero tie -- for the entire season. Two hours a week to take half the park? Nice planning necks.

Only GOD loves you more than your DOG! #ReflectDogs Love &…read moreForgiveness If it had a water feature it would most certainly be a five-star Park! It has a very nice double-gated entry and it has multiple places to sit that are shaded by trees in groupings all over the park. There are a couple nice water stations as well as book bag dispensers and trash cans spaced all throughout the park. There is more than enough room for your dog to get a good run going no matter how big it is. It seems like a pretty mellow and calm crowd! There is a cool little Beach area in the back that has the agility items in it. You can park right outside of the dog park on a nice dirt lot.

Emerson Point is one of those how-is-this-not-more-famous? kind of places. Whether you're into…read morehiking, biking, kayaking, or just soaking up the views, there's always something fun to do. The hiking trails are great, the kayak launches make it easy to get out on the water, and the observation tower is a must--climb to the top for an awesome bird's-eye view, including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge showing off in the distance. There are plenty of picnic spots, plus a pavilion with nearby restrooms (always a win). One of our favorite things is walking out to the Portavant Temple Mound, where helpful signs bring the area's history to life. And if you're looking for photo ops, this place delivers--nature shots, family photos, you name it. We've had ours taken here more than once. No matter if you're exploring, relaxing, or snapping pictures, Emerson Point always has beauty waiting around the corner. There's even a welcome center near the pavilion to get you started. A perfect spot to wander, relax, and fall a little in love with Florida!

This was our first time here and there is so much more to explore! We drove all the way to the…read morepoint and parked in the lot. There are portable bathrooms there and a lot of small beaches. We walked and stopped and enjoyed the water! We brought the bike and scooter and stroller but didn't get a chance to use them this time although there are plenty of good sidewalks to use! We will be back!

Love bird key park. It's on the smaller size but that's what makes it so nice! There's a walkable…read morearea into the water, wide sidewalk, greenery, water fountains, parking lot, and a shaded large picnic table. So perfect for anyone looking to park and walk the bridge or to enjoy the scenery without being overcrowded.

Nice sunset, peaceful and quiet. I would recommend taking in…read morethe sunset here especially for picture taking

Yesterday I went to the dog beach. I also stopped by North Beach for a bit, and the East Beach at…read moreFort De Soto. Being that it's pretty much at the tail end of Snowbird season there wasn't many people here. I liked all three beaches I actually saw zero dogs at the dog beach. Guess it was just bad luck. North Beach had some people spread out. I was only there for about 30 minutes. My favorite was the east beach which had next to nobody and was extremely quiet. Also had the barge which I took a picture of. At least the beaches were relatively clean and you could sit on the sand for a while and hang out. Very calming, peaceful, and serene.

This was our favorite pet friendly beach we went to during our vacation. The waves were less harsh,…read moreso our Border/Aussie had a lot more fun and was more brave while swimming (she is used to lakes and rivers, not big ocean waves). Our Aussie loved making new friends and everyone we encountered at this beach was incredibly friendly. Our dogs even made friends with another tri-color Aussie while we were there. There are lots of shells to find and collect for the humans and the sand is no where near as hot as Brohard Beach in Venice. We didn't have to put our dogs' boots on to protect their paws from the heat, so they got to free roam and have more fun. I think with the location and the calmer waters, this beach gets a lot more fun wildlife sightings- right before we got there a pod of dolphins and a manatee swam by. And while we were out in the water we had a baby sting ray swim past us. Brohard was also a lot busier than Fort Desoto, so it the laid-back atmosphere was nice. Fort Desoto has an enclosed dog park, but I don't think it had separate areas for big/small dogs like Brohard does. (I am not 100% sure on that since we did not use it, but it appeared to only be one large fenced-in area.) Fort Desoto also does not have a designated pet wash station like Brohard does, but we stayed until sunset and let the dogs air dry as best as they could and then rubbed their fur down with towels before they got in the car.

Only GOD loves you more than your DOG! #ReflectDogs Love &…read moreForgiveness Park in the Arlington Park Sarasota parking lot. Then just walk around the left of the building and it takes you right to the front of the dog park . The dog park has more than enough room for your dog to get its run on and has multiple seating areas for you to get your rest on! Nice water facility as well as a nice big concrete pad with plastic pool that looks like it's probably a lot of fun in the summer for your dog! There were a few poop bag dispensers around but they might have benefited from a few more. Nice concrete double-gated entry and well fenced.