Great area for bird watching!…read more We parked in the free lot, climbed some of the hill, and then crossed the street for a short walk to the water viewing wooden piers. We were able to see some great birds and the water was beautiful. Very peaceful area that we could've easily spent more time in. It was sweltering outside so make sure to bring a sun umbrella, hat, and water.

We visited Celery Fields on a recent Monday morning, with the hope of seeing and photographing…read more sandhill cranes, roseate spoonbills, and other birds. We were partially successful. There are 2 buildings adjacent to the main parking lot at Celery Fields. Each has a purple martin house, and both of these were very active when we were there. One of the buildings houses Audubon Society volunteers who can advise you where to see birds. There's a small garden outside of this building that's worth a visit. The other building, on the opposite side of the parking lot, has rest rooms. There's a crosswalk across Palmer Blvd. near the parking lot, leading to a boardwalk over a marshy area. A recent rain attracted quite a few birds when we were there in mid-March 2026. At the end of the boardwalk there's a gazebo for observing the birds. Another marshy area and gazebo is along Raymond Rd. Parking is available on the grass along the road. There was lots of bird activity. We saw many varieties, including herons, egrets, a caracara, a northern harrier, ibises, wood storks, gallinule, osprey, anhinga, and many others. There are lots of trails near the marshes, in addition to the boardwalks. Celery Fields is a great spot to go hikng and birding. Sunscreen is advisable because most of the areas are not shaded.

Nice place Kids enjoyed burning off the much needed food…read moreintake from Oleary's. Nice layout. Love that shade option. Keep up the great work. Will return when in the area! Respectfully, Bryan Oklahoma City

Nice park with a half a mile walking loop that is close to the marina, lots of nice boats. There's…read morea restaurant located on the premises that I didn't get to try. Enjoyed the swing bench and watching the water while exploring Sarasota. There's a lot of art featured here also. The huge parking lot is three hours max I believe.

Nathan Benderson Park is beautiful, well maintained, and while there are few trees for shade,…read moreoffers great trails for walking, running, or biking. There is also a shaded playground for children, some tables and seating area, restrooms, and good parking. The water and park is also used for international rowing competitions. The trails continue around the lakes over to the Aquarium and UTC Mall. I was there at sunrise for my walking and it was beautiful.

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.

This is a nice preserve at the back of the larger and more forested Oscar Scherer. Set along Honore…read moreAve amidst new decelopments it features a picnic table, crushed shell parking lot that doesn't have much of a sign on the road, and a trail with some offshoots around a body of water. There are cattails. Some wildflowers. 275 isn't far and the apartment complexes are visible and nearby for much of a wildlands experience, but water features, marsh plants, and looking for birds is nice. There's a small canoe launch. Seems to be a trail connecting into Oscar Scherer. I posted a photo of the map as of March 2020. You can take a look at the trail. Nice oasis and I see bicycle riders coming from surrounding area as well as visitors from further afield. Doesn't rank up there with the beaches and wilder preserves and more scenic preserves in the area for me but I enjoyed visit and am glad it's there. Be prepared for some bugs. I got bitten by a horsefly after my hiking buddy took a photo of it on me instead so I coukd tell them what kind of insect it was instead of smashing it..

Love this park even more. Decided to come here at night, and it was a good choice. There are lights…read moreat night so you can walk which was perfect so we can walk our pup. We also went by the lounge chairs closer to the bay. It was so comfy at night to sit here. We fell asleep since it was so relaxing. The park is so cute with whimsical birds as part of the playground. A huge grassy area for walking was nice and comfy too. We brought a snack to eat at the tables and our pup had his dinner too. This was def a great choice! Parking was street parking and it was free.

This is still a developing park set on 53 acres along Sarasota's beautiful waterfront. There is a…read morepromenade, Ibis playground, mango bayou, sunset deck & cultural venues scheduled. Free kayak tours & outdoor movies under the stars are presented here. There are: Bicycle Trails, Canoe Launch, Equipment/Facility Rental, Hiking Trails, Picnic Facilities, a restaurant In the park, clean stocked restrooms and wildlife / bird watching. The conservatory is free, pet & family, friendly and accessible for the handicapped.

A beautiful landscape thanks to a trust fund. The trailhead has a helpful map. Take a photo…read morebefore starting your trek. You have an option for a 3.3 mile loop or a shorter inner loop. I was planning for the larger loop but ended making a haphazard figure eight. The trail has numbered markers. The only problem is the roads often fork, which are not always on the map. Also, I could not find the observation tower because there was no signage. I easily walked five miles, more than I intended. Also, my photo dis not capture that section near 10. Murphy's Law at work. During March, I did not need bug spray but I am glad I brought extra water. The beginning and last half mile offers little shade. Trail section 12-14 is in a wetland area and close to the highway. It was also a bit uneven. A nice array of fauna and wild irises in the wetland area. In order to see the river, you need to take a detour from one of the offshoots. I recommend number six, which also has a picnic table.

Definitely a great hiking or running circuit. Some lovely view spots along the way. Gopher…read moretortoises. Known as gophuses to my lil. There's also a close in wilder narrow river trail for the firdt section. A loop is always a good trail design. This trail includes some nice sandy flatwoods and old wooded.oak sections with lota of air plants.covering the trees. Recommend.

I am so impressed by the Legacy Trail. It crosses major roads with appropriate crosswalks and…read morebridges, there are bathrooms and water and areas to rest, with signs noting all of this and the distance. The trail is wide and beautiful and long enough to spend a day on. Other states should learn from Florida !

The trail starts in old Venice City - at the Historic Venice Train Depot. Plenty of parking…read more There is a short 2-mile trail that goes south and does a loop through town, but you want to go north. The trail is an old train line but it has been paved over. It is Florida flat except for 2 bridges that go over the highways. Both within the first 2 miles. The scenery is actually pretty good for the whole ride. At the halfway mark (almost exactly half way), you can see the original train tracks, with signage to explain. The trail is pretty well marked, with little disks telling you how far you've traveled (or till your back). Pretty nice. The end of the trail is a small park (with parking), but not much there. The whole ride is 10.63 miles (one way) - according to my watch. It looks as though they are working on an additional segment, but when it will be ready - unknown.

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!!