Tallahassee served as Florida's First Capitol because it was located midway between St. Augustine…read moreand Pensacola. Lawmakers needed a central location as the journey from east Florida to west Florida was treacherous during the early 1800s. On a mission to find a mutually agreeable location, two sets of explorers met midway at former abandoned Native American settlement known as Anhaica. This became early Tallahassee which means Old Town (Talia+Hasi) in Creek/Seminole. The first Florida Capitol was a log cabin built in 1824. One hundred years later, a temporary replica was built. Another temporary full sized replica was built in 1974 for the sesquicentennial celebration. My dad was on that committee which inspired him to advocate for building a permanent replica for the bicentennial celebration in 2024. It was so interesting to hear about the process of building this most recent First Florida Capitol replica. So many people donated their time and energy. From sifting through historical records, to creating authentic floor plans when few existed, to donations of logs, to getting permits, it was a challenging to bring this project, a dream for my dad, to life. Having grown up in Tallahassee, I have always loved Florida history. It is nice to see a piece of history being brought back to life and to have my family play a role in that legacy. Florida is so different from when my grandparents moved to south Florida a century ago in the 1920s. I am happy to see history preserved while the city and state continue to grow. #2900

One of the best areas in Tallahassee right here! Cascades Park is a beautiful and sprawling park &…read moreleisure area close to downtown that's perfect for a walk, run, family outing or other activities in the fresh air. There are walking paths that loop around and through and must go for several miles. They have a small amphitheater in the middle where I'm sure there are performances and concerts here and there. A big splash pad is on one side, and I know the kiddos love that especially on a warmer day. They have a big playground on the other side, and there are some bathrooms as well just in case. Intertwined are some pond/ creek areas that add to the beauty of this park. It's a super lovely walk around, and my favorite part are the pillars towards one end that tell the history of Tallahassee- racial tensions, civil war and repair and more. It brings more light onto the capitol city and its roots.

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

Beautiful and peaceful. Lots to explore and lovely neighbors to chat with. Lots of ground to cover…read moreand the wildlife is amazing.

I really like the trails here. I came years ago and loved coming back today with the dog for a…read morehike. A lot of bikers so be careful!

Lake Ella Park was such a fun surprise during our stop in Tallahassee!…read more We were driving back to Tampa from Destin and wanted a place to stretch our legs. As lifelong Floridians who had somehow never visited Tallahassee, this was the perfect stop. The park is peaceful, walkable, and surrounded by cute local shops and a coffee café. We loved seeing people enjoying the park, relaxing on benches, and musicians playing nearby. The geese definitely stole the show! There are lots of geese and ducks, so be prepared for... plenty of goose poop. Watching a flock of geese cross the road was an experience all by itself. If you're passing through Tallahassee, Lake Ella Park is a great place to take a break, enjoy a stroll, and support a few local businesses.

This is a nice park with the water and gazebo, but I couldn't find a playground that they…read moreapparently have. The geese are cool for kids to see but lots of droppings around and has a smell. Could be cleaner. Also saw some homeless folks. All in all it's a good park but could use some work.

Beautiful park and gardens to visit while in the Tallahassee area. I loved the beautiful, big oaks…read moreoverlooking the lake. The trails and flow of the park makes you feel like you're entering a secret garden. We visited in the winter when many plants and flowers were not in bloom, but it was still beautiful. I hope to visit again during the spring to see how the park truly comes to life.

Absolutely beautiful grounds with numerous photo ops. We were able to tour the residence as well…read moreand the docent was very sweet and knowledgeable. Would absolutely go there again if I lived nearby!

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 .

This is definitely a park that you will never happen past by chance. Governor's Park is basically…read morean open field surrounded by trees next to railroad tracks. If you have a dog, they would love running around this giant field. I would suggest you check this out if you have a dog or want to play Frisbee with friends or something else that requires an open field.

Beautiful park but a little confusing to find the trail. I crossed the rail road even a big sign…read moresays not to trespass and it's private but then I found it. Parking under the bridge all shade which is great.

We paid a weekend visit here to Dorothy B Oven Park to enjoy an afternoon stroll…read more Tip: There are a good number of beautiful gardens, trails, and boardwalks here; there's even a bridge :-) If was surprising to see how nice this place is, because we had driven right past it several times without noticing or thinking that it was in any way unusual.  I suggest you take the opportunity to pay this place a visit and enjoy it!

Lovely park that is unbelievably lit up during the month of December to walk through and see Xmas…read morelights. Many people were walking through with hot cider or chocolate. We drove through since we were coming from dinner . DEFINITELY WORTH stopping for a quick look .

Recreational park mostly for working out as there's baseball and tennis courts…read more Nice bathrooms that are clean and tons of picnic areas Also swimming pool

Long time, no visit LOL! It has been many, many years since I have set foot into Myers Park. And…read morewow how it has grown up! Picnic pavilions, swimming pool, tennis courts, softball fields and much, much more make up Myers Park. Plenty of shade is provided by the canopy trees throughout the park. A notable mention was the horse shoe throwing area that had horse shoes ready to throw! I actually threw a dead ringer within a couple of throws! The park is relatively large and with what seems to be ample parking. Located in an older residential part of Tallahassee, Myers Park seems to be a great place to throw a BBQ or birthday party or simply to get out and meander around the densely wooded acreage which is very beautiful.

A 13 acre park just south of Betton Road. The park includes baseball/softball fields, soccer…read morefields, tennis courts, a large shaded playground, restrooms, several rose gardens, and plenty of open green space. Beautiful park!

nice park with lots of pace and equipment for kids to play one. They have a few pavilions too, to…read morerent for parties.