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.

Very cute walking trails! Well kept and safe. Bathrooms and playgrounds at the parking area. Would…read morehappily return. Beautiful views.

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.

This is a place full of memories for me. There is a good Wikipedia article if you want to know the…read morehistory of what was originally Bull Pond and was used to water cows back when this area would have been "out in the country". My memories start in the late '50s when there was an annual Fish-a-thon around the lake. Imagine a bunch of children with cane poles surrounding the lake and trying to catch the biggest fish. Watch out for that hook! Sealey Elementary School (now the Tallahassee Police Department) was right there on 7th Avenue and we walked home around the lake after school. Sometimes we had to alter our route due to the frequent flooding of the lake that occurred and the usual resulting fish kills from the runoff that caused the flooding. Somewhere along the way the City of Tallahassee realized that Lake Ella wasn't much of a lake anymore and did the work necessary to end the flooding and make Lake Ella the stormwater control project it needed to be. There is now a sidewalk all the way around the lake for those that want a brisk walk or a leisurely stroll. Benches along the way are available. There is a gazebo on a spit of land that juts out into the lake. Lots of curbside parking is available. There is an old oak tree with limbs parallel to the ground that many a child (and some adults) have climbed all over. There is a small playground there with that oak. The American Legion Hall is on the edge of the lake. Many a Tallahassean has kicked up their heels to a variety of bands on a Friday or Saturday night there. The former Motor Court is now the Cottages at Lake Ella and several of those stone cottages house businesses that offer food and refreshments. There is a farmers market on Wednesdays. The only negative, for some people, will be the ducks that have made themselves at home. There has been a love-hate relationship with the ducks for as long as I can remember. Some people love to feed them but they can become a pest when their numbers grow.

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 .

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.