Kirby Storter Roadside Park gets you up close and personal to the grandeur of Big Cypress Preserve…read more The park is named for Kirby Storter, a member of one of the areas pioneering families. He worked as an electrician and carpenter for Barron Collier and he also worked for the Florida Roads Department where he oversaw the construction of the Tamiami Trail which the park sits on. The parks was created through the efforts of Friends of Big Cypress Preserve. This park is located halfway through Big Cypress Preserve. There are picnic tables and a primitive restroom next to the parking area. From the parking lot you can take a stroll on a half mile boardwalk that takes you from a sawgrass prairie to a cypress swamp before ending at a gator hole. This area provides food and shelter for alligators, birds, reptiles, and mammals. The park is open dawn to dusk and it is a great place to get out and stretch your legs. I didn't see any alligators but I did spot some turtles and birds. Interpretive signs along the way let you know what you are looking at. My favorite boardwalk along Tamiami Trail is the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk but this one is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.

Nice spot to take a break and have some lunch. I was surprise at how active this place is. They…read morehave 4 little pavilions with picnic tables. It was very peaceful as we were sitting there. After we had our lunch, we decided to take a walk on the bridge to see where it took us. A lot of walking and we finally hit a dead end. I was disappointed that the end of the bridge didn't have better scenery. If it wasn't so hot, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I DO NOT recommend the restrooms. My husband tried to go in one but turned around and walked right back out. There are more decent restrooms at the Oasis Visitors Center about 2 miles east of here.

Everything went well. The employees were very nice , friendly and helpful. The manager was polite…read moreand helping everyone with the equipment. Nice ice skating . Great place , amazing experience. Thank you for this great idea . Congratulations to the city of Homestead for this

Enjoyed strolling through this park...seeing multiple generations enjoy the amenities...this…read moreevening the trivia games, karaoke, professional singers/DJs graced the stage..excellent food trucks. Will definitely return.

Mackle Park was named in honor of Frank E. Mackle Jr. (1916-1993). Mackle was a developer who had…read morepreviously developed Key Biscayne with his brothers. Frank arrived in what was then a primitive Marco Island in 1962 and saw potential in the undeveloped town. He was soon joined in the venture by his brothers, Elliott and Robert. All of the brothers were engineers and were employed by the Deltona Corporation founded by their father. Frank became the President of the Deltona Corporation and led the modernization of Marco Island. Mackle Park is impressive as it has everything that residents and visitors to Marco Island could want in outdoor recreation. The park has a community center with teen center, basketball court, bocce courts, open field area for play, picnic area, shuffleboard courts, a soccer/football field, volleyball court, and splash pad. One of the standout feature of the park is the creative playground that is a hit with kids. It has a pirate ship, castle turrets, and lots of places to climb and engage in imaginative play. My favorite part of the park is the beautifully landscaped walking path that winds around the lake. A sign at the entrance to the trail shows how you can increase the half mile walk around the lake to .9 miles by incorporating walking the perimeter of the fields in the back of the park. It is perfect for a leisurely stroll or a more vigorous jog. The lake is also a great place to bird watch and fish. Mackle Park has something for everyone. It offers a blend of recreational facilities and natural beauty that makes it a must-visit for anyone in the area. Whether you're looking to let the kids play, enjoy a peaceful walk, or partake in community events or a class, Mackle Park offers it all and more.

It is a beautiful park. Has many wonderful things to do for all ages. Canine Park has two separate…read moreareas for small dogs and large dogs. Maintenance could be better in Canine but it is still a great area. Many different species of wildlife. Great childrens area. Beautiful Community Center with many activities

One of Collier County's most popular parks is the Veteran's Community Park that is on land that was…read moreformerly known as the Glon Property. Shortly after Marco Island was incorporated the city spent 10 million dollars in the early 2000's to purchase one of the last plots of land in order to save it for public use rather than development. After struggling for many years on how to best move forward with the design of the park, the city finally decided in 2020 to spend 11 million dollars rebuilding the park to incorporate the elements that the community voiced wanting. The city reopened the park in December of 2022 with many improvements that included a multi-generational play area, a state-of-the-art bandshell with concert lawn, a Veterans' Memorial Garden, new restroom facilities, and a large space with new sod and landscaping for the farmer's market. I love the beautiful fountain in the veteran's memorial, the gorgeous landscaping throughout the park, the bench swings, the ping pong tables, and the unique playground equipment. The wide paved paths that wind throughout the park are ideal for exercise and bike riding. With the upgrades to the park Marco Island is now able to host a wide range of programs, events, and activities that are accessible and welcoming to people of all ages all year round. Veterans Park is the site of the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Celebration, the farmers market which is every Wednesday from November through late April, Arts and Craft fairs, and the annual Seafood and Music Festival sponsored by the island's two Rotary Clubs and the Kiwanis Club. Veteran's Community Park is a place where residents and visitors alike can enjoy outdoor activities, spend quality time with family, and reflect on the contributions of veterans. If you're on the island, it's definitely worth a visit.

Marco Island's Veterans Park is a stunning park. The park features swings, a sizable playground, a…read morewalking path alongside the park and river, the Blue Star Memorial, and an amphitheater for events and performances. Spend a couple of hours with your family or children. Public parking is plentiful. There is a farmers market on specific days of the week.

After our visit to Shark Valley Visitor Center in the Everglades we continued our exploration of…read morethe Everglades. Local knowledge directed us to take Loop Road through the Miccosukee tribal lands to reach Big Cypress NP-Oasis Visitor Center. Note: Loop Road is only paved to about the Miccosukee Cultural & Visitor Center. Very interesting one hour route through virtually untouched Everglades with sporadic homesteads. We then arrived at Big Cypress in the afternoon. Staff was very helpful. To my surprise there are still Miccosukee/Seminole men that put on alligator handling shows for tourists. The canal that parallels the visitor (Rt 41 Tamiami Trail) is filled with alligators, fish, turtles, ahingas, egrets & herons. A worthwhile stop when travelling through the Everglades. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA

Would love to come spend more time here. It was relatively spread out, but there's a quaint visitor…read morecenter to help guide you on your way. We visited in November and it was still pretty hot for the season, so definitely recommend water / hats / sunscreen as nothing was super shady.

Winterberry Park is an athletic park in Marco Island. Park amenities include a baseball/softball…read morefield, concession stand, open field for play, restroom, and a soccer/football field. Locals use the park to kick around a soccer ball, practicing baseball and softball, throw a football, and play cricket. This park is also the home of the Marco Island Senior Softball Players who play on the field year-round. Many of the players retired to Marco Island just for the ability to play senior softball year-round where it has an almost cult-like following from the players, their family members, and friends. I stopped by the park not for a baseball game but to look for eagles. A nest was reported a few years back on a pole in the park but I didn't see any eagles on my visit. Another great spot to try and view eagles nearby is the Marco Island Nature Preserve and Bird Sanctuary.

A short .5 mile hike that includes the oldest living Mahogany tree in the US…read more This trail is a bit further off the road, but it has plenty of parking. There's a nice sign at the front that explains a little bit about the trail. The entrance is a boardwalk that passes over an open area and then takes you into a canopy of hardwood trees. Even though it's just a few miles off some of the other trails, the types of plants and experience here are very different. The trees and plants are lush and include many hardwood species. It's also neat to see the different fig trees growing into and over the other types of trees. This spot also has, a few different trees that were toppled in hurricanes so it's need to see the exposed root structure. There were very few people around during my visit so that added to the experience and being able to just sit and observe nature for a few minutes. Overall, a very nice, well-maintained trail that is worth the short detour off the main road.

I'm not a boat owner anymore, but I can appreciate a nice launch site when I see it…read more When my folks lived on Marco Island, they'd walk down to Caxambas Park to enjoy a coffee and watch the action at the launch. You could watch the wildlife (pelicans, seagulls, and the occasional manatee). When we visited them, we'd join the Caxambas adventure, which we enjoyed. Many years later, we did a small vacation to see the "greatest hits" of my folks' past adventures. Sadly, the site was under construction and we couldn't really get the full experience. I can't hold that against them for the repairs - it needed to be done.

It's a longer drive for me get to the southern part of Marco island 41 min by truck/trailer. I've…read moreonly used this facility 2 times it's currently closed the last time I went but many places seem to have been closed temporarily due to hurricane Ian surge wave. So don't expect to buy gas or bait here. Safer yet, call ahead before making the extra trip out. Keep in mind the channels are generally the same but the sandbars come up real quickly even if you are going slow especially on a larger boat. I was lucky enough to back out as soon as the bow glanced sand at slow speed. By the time you touch a sandbar the transom alarm will alert shortly afterwards. I believe mine was set for a 3 foot alert. The trick here to enter caxambas pass is to aim for these building in the picture then slow wake to left side keeping red markers on the starboard side. And hug slight left all the way, unless you have a shallow riding boat. 27/2022

We had 2 great days of fishing with Capt. Rodney. 11 species…read more I am looking forward to my next trip to Chokoloskee and fishing with Capt. Rodney again. A+ person.... along with being a great fishing guide.

Went on the Sunset tour with Capt. Rodney. Could not have had a better time, Dolphins surfing in…read morethe boat's wake, beautiful views of the bird rookeries, and gorgeous sunset views. Capt. Rodney is a sixth generation local, and a true gentleman, very knowledgeable about the local area. We'd do this again in a heartbeat. I plan on going fishing with him next time we are in the Everglades.

This is the type of playground I dreamed about as a kid. Part of a more massive park, the…read moreplayground is huge and includes a big castle, zip lines and something for everyone! Highly suggest you check it out!

Clean, new, expansive with a variety of equipment for all ages. My children had a blast They have…read morea multitude of slides, swings, rock climbing, and more. Best park in Naples!!!