This park is nice but a few things to keep in consideration…read more One. It isn't a crazy park for scooters now as a scooter rider it is a little annoying. Two. Some stuff is cool while others are lame. Three. There are a lot of snakes like a lot and if you're trying to ride and go with the nice flow of this park a kid coming on a bike or scooter that isn't being looked after bu parents can ruin your time. Four. It's crowded. Would recommend though.

What an interestingly shaped skate bowl. I think the skate…read morepark is very small for a skate park, not as small as the old UF skate park but this park is not as large as a skate park should be. ESPECIALLY the bowl. This park is always crowded because all the skaters are always trying to do tricks and it results in no room for people who aren't regulars to become regulars. The actual park part is cool, full of children which can be weird. This park is okay. Terrifying to those with social anxiety and very intimidating to new skaters. Busy every single day, poor park never gets a break.

It's a quiet walk however beautiful lush fields right next to you. Nice shade with all the trees.read more

This park isn't flashy. It has no boardwalks or nice overlooks and I've heard people call it…read moreboring. But, if you're drawn to wild, quiet places and want a glimpse of what Florida looked like before developments, this preserve is perfect. It's mostly scrub land, one of the most unique and endangered habitats in the state, and I personally love exploring here. Just don't expect a lot of shade on a majority of the trails, it's better to go here in winter or when it's cloudy. It's a great place to walk dogs without dealing with a lot of other people. It's perfect for those wanting some solitude or a quiet trail ride on their horse. Big parking lot so no issues with getting a horse trailer in and out and there is water for horses and a picnic table at the entrance. I've seen tortoises many times as well as snakes and lizards. This park isn't for everyone, but for the nature lovers it is wonderful.

Great little park for advanced or beginners. My son went to the elementary school next door. They…read morebuilt it when he was in kindergarten. He and I have skated it from day one. Even though it seems small it draws the best people:skaters... a great spot to learn a trick. We've seen all types of skaters come thru from the legendary and current pros, to old skaters from the 70s like myself... and most of all, kids just looking to learn to sKate. If you are a beginner, best to go before noon.... after 1pm all the college, high school and middle school heavies take over. It's most crowded 3 hours before sunset. Though it's set up for street ... there is a fun 4' quarter pipe and C Bowl (small 2' half bowl ). If you are an old Skool skater, like I am ... I suggest you evolve and learn to skate some street obstacles ;) plenty of obstacles to help you evolve at this little park... as a person & a skater

Doesn't look like much from the pictures but if you are going to the dock near by this is a faster…read morewalk! I would not consider this a skate park! There's a playground on the other side and it is fenced in! There are tennis courts and on some mornings you can see pickle ballers taking over the courts! This park is wheelchair accessible, I believe there are two paved handicap parking spots! There's a covered pavilion, bathrooms, and no stairs! Popular fishing spot, great sunset spot, great place to see the stars! You can ride bikes here! Closes at 11 pm!

Independence Park was very quiet when my grandson and I visited. There was very little shade and…read morethe play equipment seemed limited. There is an adult workout station with "how to' instructions next to the kids portion of the park. It looked like you could get in a good workout while supervising your children on the playground. There is also a dog park and a skateboarding area. The dog seemed very popular with several owners coming and going during our visit. The skateboarding area looked like it had potential

This little neighborhood park is beautiful. It's usually pretty quiet, too! The dog park is right…read morenext door & there's also a skate park sort of area! Outdoor workout equipment is pretty cool, in my opinion! There's a cute canopy with a couple of tables underneath it, as well, which can be great for some shade on hot days! Unfortunately, you won't find any public restrooms in the area, so plan ahead!

It's a very nice community! Very fun, and it's free. I would…read morerecommend this skate park to anyone who is learning or just in search of a good skatepark.

I definitely recommend this place for kids. They have free lessons every Saturday starting at 9am…read more They have boards and safety gear they rent out if you need it. Snacks and drinks available for purchase too. Plenty of seating for parents to watch the kiddos too. Cool socks to buy too. : )

This place has everything for a family to spend some quality time. I took my two sons here to…read moreskateboard when they were young. I've always loved the peacefulness of the pond and the fountain. They have a gazebo to sit in the shade on hot days. Acetone the Gazebo is a hiking trail. This is in a neighborhood off of Emerson. It's easy to miss the turns, so go slow. Pros: great place to spend family time with kids. Great picnic area. Plenty of parking. Love the pond and benches. I have never been inside the community center, so I can't comment on that until the first voting day of the year. Cons: sometimes the older kids out here skating use foul language. It's so disrespectful to others around. I just try to ignore it. Recommend? Yes

Grew up calling this the Emerson skate park. It's been decades since I've been here. They now have…read morea playground, nature trail (sort of), an open field and of course the skate park. We showed up on a Saturday afternoon after picking up some lunch. There's a covered gazebo with two picnic tables. Plenty of park benches throughout the park. After the kids got done eating they went to the playground area for a bit. After my wife and I got done eating we grabbed the skateboard and scooter then headed to the skatepark. The skatepark was basically empty so the kids had all the ramps to themselves for a bit. They said they liked the new skate park in the 5 points area over this one... Go figure. There's also a restroom here. Two of them to be exact. One was being occupied by a homeless person. The one that was open reeked of cigarettes and looks like someone was partly living in there. Pretty gross but functional. The nature trail had a couple homeless folks hanging out in some of the area. There's clothing, pillows and all sorts of trash that's been thrown over the rails and left behind by whomever was camped out there. Such a shame because it's an awesome park being littered and loitered.

Not to be confused with the Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, Larry M. Carroll Memorial…read morePark is a great little versatile park which also includes a skate park, playground, and is on one end of the historic Jacksonville-Baldwin Hiking Trail where the railroad used to run. There are a 2 covered areas and 6 tables for holding parties or just picnicking on the premises. It's right by a community center, as well if you'd like to hold your party or celebration indoors. It's a bit out of the way, so don't get discouraged when your GPS or map leads you into empty roads. You'll get there, and it will be worth it! Note: This was my 200th FTR! Yay!!

A Spohn Ranch-designed concrete skatepark in Daytona Beach, seated between a baseball park, the…read moreriver and ummm . . . the sewer treatment plant. Well, at least it's by the water and I guess where they had land! Because it's Sphon Ranch-designed, we're talking about a generous, $800,000 outdoor skateboarding facility here and what's more, unlike the Sphon Ranch park in Gainesville, this one has night lighting and thus is open to around ten at night. The variety and quality of skate terrain is impressive, there's a decent-sized bowl, handrails, stairs--good stuff all around. The local kids are pretty impressive too, really--you'll meet some skaters here who really rip. Check out TJ Gaskill's video on YouTube to see what I mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FnE8w7jEPk To me, this is a great park but what really makes it is the night lighting and fact you can skate it after dark: it really extends the hours, especially in the summer.

Fantastic park! The bowl is perfect for beginners, there are ramps and satellites for all skill…read morelevels, and it's on the rather gorgeous waterfront.

All the construction is over. There is peace in the park again, whether you are bringing your dogs…read moreto run i the dog park or playing pickle ball in the brand new courts, or just chillin in a hammock and watching the birds flit around. This park is relaxing! You can even grill here and have a picnic while your children play on the playground!

Tom Petty Park is a cool park named for Gainesville, Florida's favorite son. Tom Petty is probably…read morethe most famous person to come out of Gainesville and it is fitting to have a park named after him. The park itself is pretty nice. It offers plenty of parking, has a nice walking path, tennis courts, a baseball field and more. It was a nice place to spend a bit of time on a Tuesday mid to late afternoon. I enjoyed walking the trail and just chilling. There was a decent amount of people in the park and they all seemed to be enjoying Tom Petty Park, as well. Tom Petty was an iconic rock and roller with a string of hits including "Listen to Her Heart," "Running Down a Dream," "American Girl," "Don't Do Me Like That," "Here Comes My Girl,"Free Falling," and more. It is fitting that Gainesville, Florida remembers Tom Petty and honor him with a park.