This is a nice community park in Venice, Florida. It has a playground for kiddos, a historical…read moremarker, some open space and shade trees. Residential area. Not farm from Venice Library and Blalock Park where there is an arboretum and butterfly garden as well as some sculptures and swings. Walk em? Nice area to enjoy. Downtown Venice is great too and the fountain there and kaleidoscope by it are fun!

Nice and nicely maintained community park. Recently added shades for the kids playground . They…read morepaved a walkway around perimeter and thankfully left most of the shade peaceful trees there - and added some others . Some picnic tables and benches added as well. Couple of doggy bag complimentary stations as well - good spot to walk your four legged pal as well.

Very nice park along the Central downtown Venice and Barcelona Avenue strip. Nice shuffleboard…read morecourt. Tennis courts. Even a wall with lainted on net to hit againdt. Two playground areas for older and younger kiddos. Some cool features and things to explore. The Centennial Park fountain you can run or wlk through is nearby too and beaches. So bring a suit. Fun climbing features. And one of those spinner things you can send your kiddos flying off of.

Watched July 3rd, 2026 fireworks here at Nathan Benderson Park. We parked by Foxtail Coffee for…read morefree, and walked over. They also had fees to park in parking lots starting at $30, but you still had to walk. The walk wasn't bad at all and luckily the rain finished and it wasn't as hot. We stayed at the part of the park before the bridge. It was a nice set up with a walking trail, grass, a few picnic tables, inside restrooms and a playground. Two or three food trucks. The other side of the park had more stuff along with the VIP area. Liked this side of the park since we could comfortably place our chairs down in the grass and be close enough to the bathrooms. The music was streamed from the other side. I didn't like it because it was orchestra and classical music the whole time. The fireworks were ok and you saw it on the distance not too far. But the music made it sleepy for me. This is just my reminder for next year. At least we had good parking, weather, seats, & clean restrooms. Line for them wasn't too bad.

its a lovely place to walk, although it needs better, more clear signage for its mile markers. It…read moreis 3.4 miles around the lake. But you dont know where the starting and ending points are. Shame there isnt more shade around the park. In hot days there is no escape from the sun.

Gilchrist Park has a way of feeling alive even on a cool winter morning. I arrived around 9am on a…read moreSunday expecting a quiet start, but the place was already humming with tennis players, dog walkers, and people easing into the day along the Harborwalk. The breeze off the water made everything feel crisp and unhurried. The public restrooms were open, clean, and very welcome after my morning coffee, which is not something you can take for granted in a waterfront park. Parking is probably tight when there is an event, but on this visit it was easy enough to slip into a spot and enjoy the shoreline without any stress. The view of the bridges was especially lovely, stretching across the wide river with a kind of quiet confidence. From here you really appreciate how much engineering went into building and maintaining them, and how gracefully they connect the two sides of the harbor. The seagulls added their own bit of drama. They were unusually active, circling and calling, and once they noticed I was eating a sandwich they fell into formation behind me like a feathery escort. It was a little unnerving to feel so closely monitored, as if I had wandered into a Hitchcock audition. [Review 1589 of 2025 - 2170 in Florida - 25139 overall]

This 11 acre park is named for Governor Albert Gilchrist, a real estate broker, surveyor, and…read morepolitical leader and one of the founding fathers of the City. Gilchrist grew up in Georgia and came to Punta Gorda as surveyor. Governor Gilchrist first served on the City Council, then in the State Legislature before becoming the 20th Governor of Florida from 1909 to 1913. Upon his death, Governor Gilchrist established a $5,000 endowment to the City for the provision of ice cream to all the children of Punta Gorda on Halloween. This tradition still continues today with the help of community sponsors. The park is located at 400 W. Retta Esplanade in historic Punta Gorda, Gilchrist Park runs along the waterfront between the downtown and Fishermen's Village. In the the park you get a view of Charlotte Harbor. Park amenities include a large pirate themed playground, basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, fishing pier (closed), gazebo, picnic pavilions, and open green space. In the center of the park along the water there is a large statue of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon memorializing when he came ashore as the first European in this area in the 16th century. The statue was donated by the Royal Order of Ponce de Leon Conquistadors,an organization "dedicated to the preservation of the Spanish heritage of Charlotte County and Florida." The statue was dedicated on March 27, 2005. Weddings, craft shows and concerts are some of the events held in the park. Also located within the park is the Bayfront Center operated by the YMCA of Charlotte County. This facility hosts YMCA programs including a sailing center. The YMCA rents this waterfront facility.

It is a great park to take your dog for a walk. Very pretty! I give it a 4.5…read moreI only gave it a 2 because my dog and my friend's dog , got many ticks! Be careful! Not the parks fault , just be careful with your dog.

If your looking for beautiful blue water, breathtaking sunsets and the possibly of seeing dolphins…read moreand/ or manatee, this is it! Interested in the Lemon Bay ecosystem? The best was to learn about the mangrove and its creatures is through a local on the water tour, like a cruise. I highly recommend "Native Charter Company" -- family owned, native to the area, passionate about the Lemon Bay ecosystem, $25.00pp for one hour. They are licensed and take your safety seriously. Search them on Yelp, read my review plus pictures. TIP: wear sunscreen and shoes!!

Beautiful and scenic bike path with plenty of wildlife and well maintained trails. Stopped to watch…read morethe small planes take off and land at Venice airport.

Nice easy trail. Wide, flat with little shade. Plenty of access points and convenient parking. We…read moreentered from Shamrock Park. Bathrooms were clean. Nature Center was closed. No maps of trails available. Maps were posted. Not sure where Circus Bridge is to cross to other-side. We pedaled north to the Legacy Trail. Lots of wildlife along the trail from waterfowl to iguana, gopher tortoise and squirrels.

Morning Adventures at Ashton Park We started our day bright…read moreand early with breakfast at Chick-fil-A, always a hit with the kids! Afterward, they were eager to head over to Ashton Park, one of their favorite spots, especially for the zip line. The park sits right next to the Legacy Bike Trail. We spent a little over an hour enjoying the playground and I have to say, the artificial grass instead of mulch was a big plus! No itchy bits or messy shoes. The playground is well-designed with something for every age: swings, a jungle gym, high slides, and plenty of space to run and climb. A great way to burn energy and start the day on a high note!

Great playground lots of shade. A bit aged in some spots but no hazards. Well maintained grounds…read more Clean restroom. Picnic table. Nice little spot.