On January 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into flight, killing all seven…read morecrew members aboard including Christa McAuliffe who was selected for the Teacher in Space Program. This 4.8 acre park in Royal Palm Beach is named in honor of the lives lost in the first fatal accident of an American spacecraft in flight. There is a plaque and stone memorial to the astronauts near the lake. Other park amenities include a small parking lot, fishing dock on the lake where bass is a frequently caught, picnic pavilions with tables, a restroom, a memorial fountain, relaxing bench swings, and my favorite part, an exercise path that winds around the lake. The park is open daily from 7Am until 9 PM for fishing, meditation, exercise, and recreation.

I was so impressed with this park. It's located on the Indian River with stunning views of the…read morewater. There is a fountain for the kids to play in that opened in 2001 and I gather that when it is on there is a $1 entrance fee but no one was around when I visited. Other park amenities include restrooms, art, benches, and a fishing pier. In March of this year a historical marker was placed in the east part of the park relating the history of the three bridges connecting the Vero Beach mainland and beaches. Vero Beach was the first community to have a bridge to Orchid Island when one opened on Labor Day of 1920. The first cars to cross it were Model T's. In 1951 the concrete Merrill P. Barber bridge was opened and replaced by a concrete arch bridge in 1995. The marker in this park is one of twenty two in Indian County. This park also has beautiful art. There are four large mosaic pillars that represent the natural setting of Vero Beach, the ocean, the Indian River Lagoon, the upland hammock, and the wetlands. Each side of the pillar depicts a different time of day and the animals that live in each habitat. Usually water front property is taken up by million dollar mansions. It is so nice to see that Vero Beach preserved this prime piece of property so that everyone can enjoy it. You can come here to take the kids to cool off, fish, picnic, or just drink in the the glorious view of the Indian River.

Amazing pier like a lot better than I expected I came here to have a picnic with my man before…read moregoing to McKee botanical garden and it was so well kept together and very clean. I had a lot of fun walking around . Looks like fishing is available and lots of space for relaxing . Lots of seating too!

We had a great time! We have done airboat rides in the Everglades and they were okay but they were…read morevery short. We went fast for quite along time and saw a ton of alligators. Captain Dave explained many things about the gators, buzzards and eco system to us. My grandkids and my kids along with us had a wonderful time and can't wait to go again. Also, it was an hour ride! Worth the time and the money. Cathy S

This park was off the beaten track for me but it is well worth seeking out. I wasn't sure what to…read moreexpect when I had to to turn down a remote road past a ramshackle trailer. Fortunately the adventure turned out okay. Istokpoga Park is located on the north shore of the 28,000 acre Lake Istokpoga, the fifth largest lake in Florida. It is believed that Istokpoga is from the Seminole language and means a lake where someone was killed in the water. Legend has it that several Seminoles drowned in the lake while attempting to cross it. The lake is only four to six feet deep and it is fed by the Arbuckle and Josephine Creeks. Despite being shallow, the lake can be dangerous for boaters during windstorms when the waves can get high. The lake is well known for fishing. Lake Istokpoga is home to alligators and it attracts many species of birds including the endangered snail kite. It is also home to one of the largest number of Osprey nests in the United States. When I pulled into the park I was greeted by two sandhill cranes. They are a large species of crane but we don't have them as far south as I live. You only start seeing them north of Palm Beach. If you have ever met one of these characters you would know. YouTube is filled with videos of them squawking at their image in peoples windows. They do not care about you and often block the streets at my daughter's UCF campus. I love their don't give a flip attitudes. During my visit to the park I also spotted a limpkin. Istokpoga Park has amenities that include a double boat ramp, covered picnic tables, grills, bathrooms, nature trails, boardwalk, and fishing pier. This is a beautiful park perfect for bird watching, photography, fishing, and picnics.

Had a charter booked but regrettably had to cancel due to going over to Tampa to volunteer for…read morehurricane Milton relief. Really looking forward to the charter with Blue Heron ..... I called them to cancel more than 24 hrs in advance, and they cancelled and refunded promptly. I recommend this company since they are reputable, and look forward to booking them in the future, hopefully sooner than later. Strong recommend.

We booked for 9 people (3 kids 10,7 and 9 months) during spring break. Unfortunately we could not…read moredo the fishing because the waters were way too rough. The people there were incredibly nice and explained the situation and refunded our money to us. While we did not get to experience the trip, I'm grateful they were honest and were not just looking to take our money and allow us on the trip. We look forward to catching a better day for all of us to enjoy the experience!

This is a cute park in the Historic College Park District of Lake Worth. It is on the south side of…read morea canal that separates West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. The park was built in 1987 by the South Florida Water Management District which owns it. It has long been a popular place to fish for snook where the water flows through the spillway gates. In 2011 grills, picnic tables, and a path were added to the park. Funds for the project were raised by the neighborhood and from a partnership with the Lake Worth Public Services Department. In 2017 The South Florida Water Management District added a new fence to make it safer to fish. In addition to fishing there is a large lawn that seems popular with people looking to exercise their dogs. The water attracts a lot of birds and lizards make it a nice place to nature watch and take photos.

Fellsmere Reservoir Captain Paul…read more What an amazing trip! Captain Paul had gold mines! Every spot he took us to we caught at and ended up with a few under 50 quality largemouth bass. Almost every bass was hefty with a great fight. Captain Paul was extremely knowledgeable of the body of water and got us to each spot quickly. What a great trip. I've never been to a lake like this and I live in Florida!

Mark was awesome. We took two trips in 1 week. The first was out in the Gulf and the second was on…read moreLake O. The gulf trip was a tough weather day but he found us the big fish and made it a great day. The second was on Lake O. and it was also an awesome day. Mark put us on the fish. He taught us and answered questions all day. Each of us caught our personal best fish and had plenty of them. I have been on many guided trips and Mark is one of the best. I will certainly be looking him up again in the future!!

Great place to walk, lots of shade, many trails, family friendly, fishing, dock, cleaning station,…read morelaunch ramp and playground. Plenty of parking.

I love this park. It's fun to walk in and enjoy the scenery. It's easy to find a space in the early…read moremorning hours. There's a pretty bench/gazebo area, perfect to take a rest and read a book. Sometimes you'll find people kayaking or even see a gator popping up!

Hands down one of my favorite parks in the community! Okeeheelee Park has so much to offer, and…read moreI've been coming here for years. During the COVID lockdown, walking the trails became my favorite pastime. Especially as a pregnant woman looking for peace and fresh air, lol. Years later, those same trails are still a favorite activity for my son and me. More recently, I've taken up disc golf and was excited to find out the group I joined regularly plays at the Okeeheelee course. It's been such a fun and engaging experience! Just yesterday, I attended a picnic at one of the park's pavilions, and it was wonderful. The swings and playground next to the pavilion made it perfect for a family-friendly event. The space provided plenty of seating and shade, so everyone could enjoy themselves without being overwhelmed by the heat. There's still so much of this park I haven't explored yet, and I genuinely look forward to continuing to visit for years to come.

This is a really great family friendly park. Love taking my kids there. Plenty of stuff to do…read moreincluding water activities. We take out kayaks there and explore in the lake. Lovely atmosphere and no gators we have seen anywhere. Lots of harmless wildlife there to see. Excellent for a picnic at a pavilion or just to spend an evening with family.

I have been fishing on the Black Dog for several years now and they always put us on fish. Captain…read moreBill is the best , as are the others who captain this boat. Mates Butch and others are terrific too. Fish are cleaned and bagged for you after trip. They do a morning and afternoon half day trip . Highly recommend these guys.

Had a great time on the afternoon charter, the crew was friendly and very helpful during the entire…read moretrip. We caught approximately 50 (+) of fish. They cleaned our fish and bagged them up. I would definitely recommend Black Dog! I'm looking forward to my next fishing trip! John A.

People who visit Lake Okeechobee for the first time might be surprised to find that you can't…read morereally see it from the road. The Hurricane of 1928 caused the lake's dike to fail, resulting in catastrophic flooding and the loss of life. There are several mass burial sites of hurricane victims in the area. To protect the people who live around the lake, in the 1930's the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began constructing the Herbert Hoover Dike to prevent future flooding disasters. The dike was completed in the 1960s and serves to protect the surrounding communities from lake overflow. Consequently you need to find access roads that take you up to the lake in order to see it. One such favorite scenic spot to see the largest fresh water lake in Florida is in Lake Okeechobee Park. Through the years this park has been known as Jaycee Park, Lock 7, Lakefront Park, and Parrott Avenue Wayside. The park has been officially renamed Clif J. Betts Jr. Lakeside Recreation Area for a county commissioner who helped guide planning for county parks before his death in 2011. The highlight of this park is a 400 foot fishing pier which I enjoyed for the views of the lake and the birds but which is loved by anglers who fish for large mouth bass and speckled perch. Other park amenities include paved parking, picnic tables, and restrooms with potable water. Hikers and cyclists can access to the Florida Trail/Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail on the dike up above the recreation area. To reach it use the entrance road or the paved path behind the restrooms. If you head east you can travel three miles to Taylor Creek and if you head west you can travel four miles to Okee-Tantie.

This is a great place for a walk. It was upsetting to see all the power plants omitting toxins and…read morepoisoning the people of Okeechobee in the background.