I really wanted to love Lakes Park Children's Garden because honestly... the park itself is…read moreBEAUTIFUL. The location is great, it's gated, and at first glance it feels like the perfect spot to take kids, especially if you're just trying to kill time like we were before a flight. But I'm going to be real, the safety concerns completely changed the experience for me. It gets VERY crowded, and there's a big mix of people coming in and out. There were tons of kids, which is expected, but a lot of them were not supervised and were honestly pretty rough/mean. It didn't feel like a calm, safe environment where you can just let your kids play without constantly hovering. Also... the slides were SO hot. Like, borderline unusable hot. That alone was frustrating. The biggest issue for me though was the bathrooms. They are far from the main play area, and as a mom, there was no way I felt comfortable letting my kids go alone. When I did go, the bathrooms were extremely dirty, and I noticed syringes in a nearby area which was honestly alarming. That completely shifted my level of comfort. It also gave off the vibe that it's a place where people hang out who aren't necessarily there for the park, if that makes sense. I will say again, the park itself is beautiful and has so much potential. But just because it's gated doesn't mean it's actually safe. If you go, just be VERY vigilant, especially if you have more than one child. This is not a "sit back and relax" kind of park in my opinion.

All Children's Park is a brand new playground along the Caloosahatchee River in Centennial Park in…read moredowntown Fort Myers. The full name of the playground is the Lizbeth Benaquisto Inclusive Playground, in honor of the former state senator who pushed the legislation that set aside state funds for the playground."We were very particular there was going to be a playground that was successful for kids with very unique abilities," Benaquisto said at a January 2021 council meeting. "They have never had a safe place to play." The playground has swings, slides, and numerous climbing structures. I love all of the uniquely Florida touches like the puffer fish, manatee, and the Model T car in honor of Henry Ford who had a winter home in the city along with Thomas Edison. This is one of the nicest playgrounds I have ever seen and the kids playing on it we're having a ball. Best of all it is ADA accessible so children of all abilities can enjoy it. The new playground is a fantastic addition to Centennial Park.

Came here to park for free as there was none anywhere else. Close to the Cape Beach Club. This is…read moreright behind the library which is why it is easy to miss. Was glad to find it. Come here to do some field practice if you like or use the recreational area pool.

I've been visiting Ft Myers for 10 years and never knew about this place. I saw a Facebook ad and…read morewhen I went to their page discovered that it was really close to our condo. Due to the Red Tide beach issue, they were giving free admission the week that I was there. I thought that was really fantastic of them to do that! They have a great pool and waterslide. There is also a toddler area. The grounds looked really nice and included well kept sports fields. I saw some signs regarding different events like yoga, Back to School, and obstacle night. We went because we couldn't go to the beach but even if that wasn't the case, this would be a great place to spend a day!

Awesome park with trail around little pond. Bathrooms and picnic area makes for a great lunch spot!…read moreTot park for ages 2-5 and older park for 5-12 year olds. Well maintained with fresh mulch and nicely cut grass. Water fountain water barely bubbles out but we brought our own so it wasn't really an issue. Playgrounds are clean and maintained as well. Made for a great morning adventure with the kids. We came on a Thursday morning with our dogs and we were the only ones in the park. Dogs ran free and had a great time. Pack a lunch. Stay for a while and enjoy the parks.

I was here for a picnic lunch and to check out the playground. While I ate, I watched a few careful…read moreparents keeping an eye on their toddlers as they climbed and played and generally had a great time burning off their excess energy. ​This 40-acre property was donated by Rutenberg Homes https://www.yelp.com/biz/arthur-rutenberg-homes-fort-myers-2 for use as a park and opened to the public in 1977. The park has a baseball/softball field, basketball courts, picnic areas with grills, racquetball courts and tennis courts. There is a concessions area when there are big games going on. Plenty of parking. Plenty of shady spots. It's a great park. [Review 13369 overall, 687 of 2020.]

This park is very close to where we ate lunch at the newly reopened Sweet Tomatoes, so after we…read moreate, we headed over to check it out. Lakes Park is a 279-acre public park located along Gladiolus Drive, just south of Fort Myers. It is operated by the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation. The park was named after its main feature: 158 acres of man-made freshwater lakes that were created when the site was occupied by West Coast Rock Co., a rock and limestone quarry, during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1958, a railroad spur was built to serve the mine, running along what is now Six Mile Cypress Parkway. The track bed had previously been used by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad from 1926 to 1952. In 1978, Lee County purchased the abandoned quarry to preserve the land before opening it to the public as a park on April 21, 1984. My first impression was that this has to be one of the nicest parks I have ever visited. It has so much to offer that I could have easily spent the entire day there. If you visit the park, it is important to note that admission is free, but parking is not. It costs $1 per hour, up to a maximum of $5. Once you enter the park, there is so much to do. There are more than 2.5 miles of paved paths running throughout the park. There is an amphitheater, beach volleyball courts, a boat launch, a fishing area, a train-themed playground, picnic shelters, gardens, a wedding gazebo, and a train museum. You can also rent a boat, kayak, or bicycle. Admission to the train museum is $5, and the 15-minute train rides, when operating, cost $5 per adult. The park also offers story-time programs, a farmers market (October through June), and a two-hour bird patrol tour on the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. The park is a stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, a network of more than 500 wildlife viewing sites across the state. On the day I visited, it was blisteringly hot. I recommend visiting during the cooler months. Even so, I was able to walk the boardwalk, where I spotted a variety of birds, and I explored a few of the gardens. The park is so lovely. We have multiple parks on Florida's east coast that offer some of the same features, but here in Fort Myers, you can find it all at Lakes Regional Park.

What a huge and beautiful park. I'm a little jealous we don't have anything like this near us! We…read morelet the kids play on two different playgrounds. There was a splash pad that was closed off due to construction. We saw a community garden, children's garden, and train museum and boardwalk. You can easily spend a few hours here. I think parking was $1/hours or $5 for the day. It's huge here!! I read 279 acres.

What a fun spot - I came with my 2 year old and it was a beautiful afternoon. He loved exploring…read moreand it's hard to get him to sit still so this was the perfect landscape where I could grab a beer and he could play on the playground (fenced in) or go look at some animals (cows, goats, chickens, ducks) there were also plenty of little games like connect four and checkers to keep up Occupied when we wanted a break from the sun under the canopy. The market inside sells lots of fun spices, sauces, pickles, fish, drinks, toys, t shirts , candy, and fresh produce - truly a little of everything. They also had some delicious coffee at their little coffee stand and when we were leaving I saw the bbq fire up and some people had hotdogs or sausages I'll definitely have to check out the food next time. And yes we will be back!!

If you're looking for outside fun with the family, Southern Fresh Farms is the place to go…read more Specialty breakfast, unique coffees, and locally brewed beers all in one place. If you're an animal lover, you can even buy feeds for cows, goats, donkey and more. Definitely will be making my way back.

Well as long as looking at manatees IS NOT a goal, I recommend this place. We spent about 45…read moreminutes here hopeful to catch a glimpse, without success. They have lined the bottom of the viewing area with black plastic and the water looks very murky as a result. We saw a few fish leap out of the water, less than a dozen lizards VC and the top few inches of one alligator. Parking was $2 an hour and easy to pay with a C QR code. The bathrooms were clean and there is a cut gift shop with a nice variety of items. The walking trails were plenty close to nature while still feeling protected from the alligators. They had a few volunteers available to talk to as well.

quiet, nature-filled spot with walking trails, wildlife viewing, and access to the water. There's a…read moresmall entrance fee along with a nominal parking fee (about $1.50 per hour). The park's trails are short and easy to navigate, winding along shaded paths that take you along the water's edge. While we didn't spot any manatees on this visit, it was still a nice, relaxing stop. Instead, we saw plenty of rabbits, squirrels, and lizards along the way. There's also a small fishing dock where people were casting lines, and if you're looking for something a bit more adventurous, you can rent kayaks at a nearby location within the park. We stayed for about an hour, enjoying the sunshine and slow pace before heading out. It was the perfect low-key outing -- light activity, peaceful surroundings

What a fantastic park the new Centennial Park turned out to be…read more Our kids absolutely love this park and they are always asking to go back. There is something for every age and even adults can enjoy the park with their kids, at least I do lol Even for kids with sensitivity traits also enjoy this park very much. My oldest son has autism and he really likes the net swing. There is a very tall tower and slide but there is also an area for toddlers with shorter slides. The park looks well maintained and it gets pretty busy during the weekend. It used to be free to park but there is a fee now and you have to pay for it using the app so make sure to bring your phone if you decide to drive here.

Absolutely everything about it was amazing! Family owned too which is getting more and more rare!read more

A very nice neighborhood park. My grandkids love the climbing structures and slides. It's nice that…read moreit offers shade, benches, bathrooms and its fenced.

Great venue for Baseball well maintained fan friendly good concessions. Ample parking well litread more

Poor bunnies are manhandled by unsupervised children. This place is nothing like advertised…read more Trash everywhere. Poop everywhere. No hand sanitizer in the pumps. Very small and homemade

When I arrived to the location it was a bunch of no trespassing signs & private property signs,…read moreevery website led us to this location. We called the number and it's for a Tennessee location. Very disappointing this isn't organized better.