I've lived on this beautiful little lake for years as my condo community has quite a bit of…read morefrontage. I know it very well so let's get started. Size & Location- Most folks think it's a small to medium lake at about 280 acres. It has a maximum depth of about 15 feet. The water is usually very clear and has no tannin. What a surprise! It's on Lake Damon Drive Which is immediately off US Route 27. You turn off Route 27 and you are pointing directly at the boat ramp less than fifty yards away! It's a good thing there is a sharp turn in the road, or your car could experience the boat ramp which I definitely do not recommend! This is the only public boat ramp on the lake. Shoreline- The shore is about one half developed. The remainder is still pretty wild. There is no public swimming here! Fishing- This is the primary activity at this lake. Bass and panfish are where it's at. Trophy bass have been taken here. Recreational Boating- Other than fishing, very little. A couple of my neighbors have pontoon boats which they take out from time to time. A few of my neighbors also have fishing boats. Exploring the undeveloped shore by kayak or canoe is popular for some. There is one jet ski which is rarely seen. Facilities- Bathrooms = nope. Ditto purchasing snacks or drinks. Do both elsewhere. Pro Tip- The closest restaurant is Market 27, two minutes away and it's excellent! You can also purchase drinks & snacks here. Check Yelp! Wildlife- It tends to congregate near the undeveloped shore and is most easily seen by boat. However, there have been lots of exceptions in the developed areas. Lots and lots of gators. Please don't feed them and especially don't feed them little dogs! The little pups really hate that so keep them on a leash and away from the water. One "Chomp" and it's over! Most of the time they don't even yip! An abundance of birds and snakes. Watch out for water moccasins! Lots of turtles. I love to see racoons, especially babies! Fox are pretty common. At least one family of otters lives here, and it is a true treat to see them! Black bears have been seen but it's rare. As you can tell this is not Orlando! Highlands County is an agricultural county and represents Central Florida that's not Disneyfied! I love living here. Let's go for four stars!

I was in town for my Mom's 85th BD and the kids wanted to go swimming, so we stopped by and checked…read moreit out. It was July 4th and the weather was hot and humid, of course. I didn't swim myself but just people watching while the kids swam. They had a good time and I saw some people fishing off the pier but didn't see them catch anything. The park was nice although it could use some more shaded benches.

The Melbourne Beach Pier is steeped in history. Located in Ryckman Park, the pier was built between…read more1888 and 1889 by the Indian River and Atlantic Railway Company. It was constructed from wood planks and pilings as was common in the late 1800's. The pier is the oldest known example of such piers on the Indian River. After the pier was built it served as a crucial transportation link moving tourists, residents, freight, and mail between the mainland and the barrier island. A railroad was laid from the ferry landing on the dock and across the barrier island 7/10 of a mile to the ocean beach. This provided access to the Atlantic Ocean by a pushcart and later by a motorized car. A ferry service was operated by the Beaujean family between 1889 and 1923. The railroad provided access to the island and excursion boats from the mainland communities brought winter tourists to dock at the pier. The community's first post office was located at the east end of the pier and provided the daily mail service in 1894. The building of the toll bridge between Melbourne and Indialantic in 1921 ended the pier's importance for island access. On April 12, 1984, the pier was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. In 1985 a restoration project supported by local citizens and state programs helped to preserve this iconic Melbourne Beach structure. Today the pier offers a panoramic view of the Indian River and is ideal for fishing, relaxation, and sunset strolls. I enjoyed my walk back in time down this historic pier, and best of all unlike many piers there is no charge to enjoy it.

Located in a really beautiful community, really clean, sunrise and sunset are beautiful and Ocean…read moreAvenue is right at opposite end of the street to surf or just go to the beach. Parking is free all around until 8:00 AM, but plenty of spaces and pay stations where you can pay with card. If you're taking a kid or anyone fishing for the first time and you want to GUARANTEE a bite, go to Black Dog Bait and Tackle like 5 minutes away, get one or two dozen live shrimp with a bubbler bucket and cast off any corner of this pier. I will say that the only thing that bit was catfish NONSTOP. They put up a fun fight and they come in all sizes and they rarely swallow the hook, but once you catch a couple, I suggest going to the beach or finishing up your bait at Geiger Point at Kiwani's Park. You'll have a better shot of catching some little snappers and drums (which you can't keep any size in this area). Super beautiful spot though for a kid's first time out.

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!

Castaway Point Park is a small park sitting on a peninsula between the Indian River Lagoon and the…read moremouth of Turkey Creek. While it may not be as big as some of the other area parks it has been recently renovated and the location makes this a standout spot for water based recreational activities. This park was also a favorite spot of the Native Americans and early settlers who once lived here. Recent improvements to the park include hardening of the shoreline with rocks, new north observation pier, a new boardwalk connecting the north and south pier, and new decking for the south observation pier. Other park amenities include a concrete walkway, fishing piers with fish cleaning stations, benches, pavilions which can be rented, picnic tables, grills, kayak/canoe launch, and restrooms. This park has one of the only natural beaches on the Indian River Lagoon. Many people visit this park to fish from the piers and beach. I loved it for the stunning river view and the diverse bird life it attracts. I saw anhinga, great blue herons, and egrets. If you are lucky you may even spot a manatee or dolphin. I recommend coming here for an amazing sunset view.

Oh god the amount of dead fish washed up on the beach is horrendous. There is glass in the sand out…read morein the water, I cut both feet. It also seems to be a homeless hangout.

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.

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

We went to check out the water park today. And we had a blast…read more It was great for all ages- toddler, preschoolers, and adults. Only thing that disappointed a bit was the strawberry smoothie- because it looked nothing like the picture. Just like a regular juice nice and cold so at least it tasted fine. Restrooms can use a renovation but we're ok. Nice shaded areas and plenty of good lifeguards on site

Nice park with a lot of options for kids. Depending on when you go, there might not be enough space…read morefor all the kids. There could also be bugs bothering you, but probably worst around love bug seasons. There is enough parking, space for picnics near the water whether on the grass or on a table. Overall it's a really nice park to visit so long as it isn't too busy.

Cute shop/store. The people are super friendly and welcoming. The airboat tour was great. Perfect…read morelength of time and lots to see out there! Would do it again!

While in the area visiting relatives we took an airboat tour, what an amazing adventure!! JC was a…read morehoot! He even found us a big boy crock! Definitely recommend visiting, you won't be disappointed!!

South Lake Howard Nature Park is the perfect place to enjoy a walk. The 17.6 acre area was…read moreoriginally developed to treat stormwater. Stormwater parks help the environment by capturing and retaining stormwater runoff which prevents flooding in the surrounding areas. It cleanses and stores stormwater to recharge the aquifer. The pond plants removes pollutants from the water leaving it clean. Left untreated stormwater leads to algal blooms, muck deposits, fish kills, and other environmental problems. These ponds also attract a variety of wildlife including Florida's beautiful wading birds, alligators and turtles while providing a recreation area for the public. The South Lake Howard Nature Park opened in 2001 and contains stormwater ponds and infrastructure to help clean and filter the stormwater water from the sucrose's and neighborhoods before it enters Lake Howard. At the entrance to the park is a parking lot, picnic pavilions with tables, and restrooms. The first part of the trail into the park is a 1,000 foot boardwalk that takes you over the water. Further into the park are three paved loops measuring a quarter mile, half mile, and mile. At one point you have to cross over 21st West. The paved pathways make it easy for people of all exercise abilities to enjoy the park. As wonderful as the park is, there is even more to come. The city purchased an adjoining property which was the former home of WSIR Radio. They plan on adding more trails, boardwalks, kayak launch, play area, disc golf, an outdoor classroom and other amenities. Keep an eye out for the exciting new developments at South Lake Howard Nature Park.

This park is located in Celebration by the downtown area and overall, is a pleasant park that fits…read morein this community nicely. The park has tennis courts, a basketball court, a walking path, a community pool and more. It is extremely appealing visually and really is a nice place to escape the stress of the dauly grind. I would definitely recommend here

If you want to be in the heart of Celebration, look no further than Celebration Lakeside Park…read more Located in downtown Celebration on the shores of Lake Rianhard, the lake is named after Richard "Dick" Rianhard, a beloved local resident who pioneered several of Celebration's organizations including a fishing program for children. he is remembered for being a cheerful neighbor who left a lasting impact on the community. Designed by The Walt Disney Company in the 1990s, the park serves as Celebration's main recreational hub. Amenities include a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, and playgrounds. Many of these facilities require a resident key and are reserved for Celebration residents who pay community fees. Visitors, however, are welcome to enjoy the rocking chairs, picnic tables, umbrellas, and the scenic wooden boardwalk that circles the lake. Keep an eye out for the park's resident alligator, which is occasionally spotted along the shoreline. Just steps away, you'll find downtown Celebration's charming shops and a variety of restaurants. The park also hosts numerous festivals and community events throughout the year, including Independence Day celebrations, Founders Day, the Embrace of Celebration Music Festival, Battle of the Food Trucks, Once Upon a Magic Market, the Celebration Farmers Market, holiday parades, and seasonal runs. It also serves as the starting point for town-wide 5K races and the staging area for the community's Veterans Day Parade. During my visit, I enjoyed strolling along the lakeside boardwalk and taking in the peaceful scenery. Unfortunately, the lawn had been recently fertilized with what smelled like horse manure, and the odor was overwhelming. The strong smell made it impossible to linger and I cut my visit short, which was disappointing given the park's otherwise beautiful setting.