Today is a most beautiful day, the day before Christmas Eve. The temperature is just perfect as we…read moresit under a shaded pavilion enjoying our soup from a Perfect Cup. The parking is totally full with boat trailers, skidoos, and people just enjoying the beautiful weather. There is a playground in the middle. The boardwalk is under construction and I can't wait for it to open. There are pelicans, herons snd hawks flying overhead. A man next to us is lighting up one of the grills they have by each pavilion. In this time of mostly bad news, I glad to be able to escape to a beautiful place! Happy Holidays everyone!

Great park to put out your boat. It was easy, not crowded. There is a $10 a day parking charge. The…read moreviews getting out of the park into the water are beautiful. It's a very colorful, artsy town.

Beautiful tranquil park in Cape Coral Florida. Easy parking in the non-paved lot with close…read morewalking to the waterfront dock which leads into the Gulf of Mexico. Drop your kayak into the water or float on a big multi person raft. Many boats coast by every few minutes. Public restrooms and picnic tables on premise. Many single family homes surround the park.

Was driving by and decided to take a walk, then I realized the park has signs for the different…read morekind of birds and sea creatures that can be seen. Pretty park will be back soon.

J.N. Ding Darling is a nice little refuge area to visit in Sanibel. The visitors center is free to…read morevisit and is a good first stop for some small educational exhibits. There were a few activities including learning the basics to draw a duck and doing crayon impressions of wildlife for some take-home artwork. There's even a taxidermy collection. The staff was welcoming and willing to answer any questions. While the visitors center is free, you pay admission to enter the four-mile loop. We were traveling with a veteran, so our car was able to get free admission with their military pass. You can walk or drive. We decided to drive the loop. It's not super scenic, so walking is not really recommend when it's hot. Plus, there's not much to see when it's hot, hot, hot. You can pull over on the side of the road and get out as you please. We saw a few birds and fish, but nothing worthwhile. There is a resident alligator, but in the summer, he is in hiding. Fishing was a popular activity. The website showed some excursions like a tram ride and a boat ride (both at an additional cost), but we just stuck with our own car to explore the loop. I'd say it's worth a quick visit when you want to do something other than beaching. The park is closed on Fridays.

The last time we were here -- more than ten years ago -- there was no tram or drive through. They…read moreonly had dirt trails and as it had rained recently, we walked through some very muddy areas. This time, we decided to take the 4 mile drive. The drive costs $10 per car. You drive quite slowly. And you can stop at any point on the right side of the one way drive. There are scenic overlooks, and canoe launching sites, and places where folks fish. This wild life preserve did not have much of anything to see however! And definitely almost no wildlife. We saw one fish jumping -- a mullet -- and an osprey getting ready to dive down into the water . And one crow and one dove. No turtles or alligators. All we saw was basically trees and bushes and some water. All in all , it was rather a boring and disappointing experience.

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

At dawn we drift where the still reeds sigh, Silver line…read morekissing a blushing sky. Egrets stitch light through the cypress air, Herons pause--like thoughts we share. An alligator glides, old moon on the tide, Ancient eyes watching love pass by. Cast after cast, the world slows its breath-- Hooked not on fish, but the hush of this depth. Hand in hand where the water remembers, We fall in love with the day's soft embers.

We got to see an alligator in the pond swim around. Worth the quick trip just for this!read more

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.

Isolated and great shelling. Beautiful boat ride to the island with great tour guidesread more

Omgosh! This park is pure magic! I camped here and had such a wonderful time! The boat ride over…read morewas so fun and the staff was so entertaining and sweet! The park is beautiful and well maintained! The beach and water are breathtaking and the sunset! Wow! Wow! Wow! One of the most magical and gorgeous experiences of my life! If you are camping you have to take a special boat that transfers the campers! There is a park store you can get firewood from and other goodies! Check the hours because they are not open super late! Otherwise that plan to have a absolutely wonderful time!

Plenty of parking, but no restrooms. Leashed dogs allowed. There's a dog station and a water…read morefountain. The path is about half a mile long--took us around 15 minutes at a relaxed pace. Paved walkways with a few short trails branch off. Educational boards along the path, and there are a few benches and covered picnic tables throughout. The only downside: the flies were extremely annoying.

This nice park has a great little walking trail. There are a number of shady spots and benches…read moreabout if you'd like to make a rest. Eight acres of pine flatwoods and slash pine trees, surrounded by palmetto prairie, salt marsh and mangroves. There are two trails. The Pine Loop is paved and ADA accessible, about one third of a mile long. The other is Holly Way and is a bit less accessible and around a quarter of a mile long. Please use caution and always bring a friend. I didn't see any wildlife today but there's no reason that something could pop out since you've "brought lunch." It's also rather secluded so be on the lookout for two-legged bandits. There are a small number of parking spaces at the entrance and a water fountain. [Review 13270 overall, 588 of 2020.]

It's a nice little adventurous preserve. You can easily spend 90 minutes there…read more The preserve is being enhanced with a boardwalk, paved parking lot and restrooms, etc. This renovation started in the summer of 2025 and it's still ongoing (June 2026). However, access to the old entrance off Del Prado Blvd is still opened with limited parking. https://share.google/sUUdpymsREWL2T24R

Nice trails. Quite from the hustle and bustle. Took wrong turns a couple of time. Could be…read morebetter marked.

This Lighthouse literally weathered the storm during hurricane Ian that ravaged most of Sanibel…read moreIsland and nearby Fort Myers Beach. After it was repaired from the damage, it stands as a symbol to all of us that appreciate the history of Sanibel Island and its importance to the area.

So happy to revisit the Sanibel Island Beach Lighthouse and see the Lighthouse…read more Some of the surrounding areas around the base of the Lighthouse are still restricted due to hurricane Ian damage. The beach is well maintained and there is public parking available.