The sand here is white and like quicksand, so soft. Best time to go is early in the morning or…read moreafter 3pm otherwise impossible to find parking. You can walk through the inlet (in water - if youre under 5'8" youre going to get more than your legs wet) and then over to the beach...if you walk north, its less busy and you feel like youre on your own remote beach. Its not a deep beach so in areas near parking it can get crowded, but if youre up for a walk, its worth it!

We went to Tigertail Beach on Thursday at the suggestion of some friends…read more Be prepared for nearly a half mile walk from the parking lot to the ocean. And if you are walking barefoot, the beach is very shelly, not the white soft sands and some of the other beaches we visited in the area. If I was hunting for seashells, this might be a good beach, but I probably wouldn't come back just for a beach day. Between the long walk and lack of bathroom facilities or food nearby, I would pass.

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

I went to Donna Fiala water park. Minimal areas to swim. There is a section of fountains that are 3…read morefeet. A lane of a pool where you can be at 5 feet. A space of 12 feet for the diving boards, a lower and higher one. Obviously the higher diving board will create a harder impact going into the water. I got water in ears of mine twice off the diving boards. First time fizzled out, second time needed hydrogen peroxide when I got home. The ladder out of pool isn't so easy to climb. I did try both Water slides. The yellow tubed one was super fast. The blue one was open air and slower. You could feel the grooves where sections of slide were put together on your back when going down the slides. Also, you did not dispense into a pool at bottom of slide but stayed in your lane which made for an abrupt landing and not so easy to get up and out! :) kids under the height requirement could handle the blue slide! :)

This water park at Eagle Lakes is a great find! At only $1.50 - $2 for entry, it was an affordable…read moreday of family fun! You can (and in fact, you're encouraged to) bring your own snacks/drinks, but they also have a small concessions area. We packed a cooler of drinks (la croix and some harder bevvies for the adults in our group), sandwiches, and snacks, and headed to this park for the afternoon. There was a large kids pool that was at most 3 1/2 feet deep, with a bunch of squirting machines and a giant wheel that dumps water. My nephews and niece really enjoyed this one, and it was large enough that there was still room to swim around and have fun. There was also a nice ledge along the back side of the pool (away from the attractions) so you can comfortably sit! There was also a large pool (that was much colder!) with lap lanes, an area to hang/swim, and a high and low diving board. There was always a small line for the diving boards, the kids were having so much fun! On top of all that, there are 2 water slides and an infant pool. The pool areas are well-staffed with lifeguards who were on top of keeping an eye on everything, blowing the whistle to get the attention of people, making sure kids were walking not running, and keeping the area safe. There's also a good blend of chairs in the sun and picnic type tables in the shade. We had a blast here and it's a great place for a family fun day!

A great hiking trail to see wildlife. Parking is somewhat limited but no admission charge. Some…read moreparts of the trail are wide open and allow for great views of the Everglades and its inhabitants. I saw a ton of birds and a few gators. Other parts are surrounded by thick mangroves. The tower allows for great views from above.

So beautiful!! Easy walking trail with observation deck along the way. Saw a gator and lots of…read morebirds! No shade really along the trail. Take your binoculars! This was really a lovely treat to find such different terrain, wildlife from Colorado. Would definitely recommend!

This State Park does a good job of dotting the " i's " and crossing the " t's ". There's hiking…read moretrails, camping, fishing, kayaking / canoeing, a pavilion, picnic tables, kiddies playground, and some interesting historical items. Admission is $5.00 per vehicle (maximum of 8 people), or $2.00 per person (pedestrians or bicyclists). I was on my motorcycle so I fell in the top category. I rode to the boat launch area first. This was a nice place to launch a boat or kayak. It was a protected bay like area. There was a floating boat dock nearby where one could fish from. In the same area as the boat launch was the hiking trail. It was closed (the park employee at the entrance had already told me) probably because of Hurricane Ian damages? Also the picnic and playground area was in this area. here. Restrooms are on site too. The next stop I visited while in the park was the historic Bay City Walking Dredge No. 489. This feat of engineering was used in the 1920's to help build the Tamiami Trail through the Florida Everglades. From the information provided, "Built in Bay City Michigan, this walking dredge followed the drilling and blasting rigs, averaging 80 feet per 10 hour shift. Dynamite was used to blast the limestone into small enough chunks for the dredge to lift." The road was completed, finally linking Tampa to Miami in 1928, with the help of this machine. For the mechanical and engineering nerds (like me), you'll want to see and read about this. Ha! I had a good time here and recommend you check this place out. I am going with 4 stars because the hiking trail was closed and the canoe rental cabin where one could also buy drinks was closed. Hopefully these will open in the near future.

I drove in to let my dog out for a pee real quick but I saw you gotta pay for this park so I turned…read moreright around:) I'm not paying for my dogs little walk. But maybe I'll come back one day for a planned visit

Sugden Regional Park in Collier County is a very large park…read more This park is great for all ages. The 60 acre park offers many amenities such as a large lake, a beach area, paddle boats, walking paths and areas for family picnics. There is plenty of parking and public restrooms. Dogs are also permitted.

This park is absolutely gorgeous. I had not checked it out but have been curious because the water…read morein my yard is connected to the lake here and I wanted to see if I go kayaking where I'd come out. Plenty of parking, playground, beaches etc etc

They are redoing the walkway/ the walk isn't open it will be very nice when it's finished!read more

Today we did the extra activity on our list, driving to Shell Island Road and walking the…read moreboardwalk. Rain was threatening, but we took the chance, and we enjoyed it. The walk is a half mile long through several ecosystems. Signs tell you about the areas. The walk is easy, and on a sunny day you'll want sunscreen and a hat. You can walk quickly and get your steps in going around several times. Or you can stroll looking for animals. The boardwalk is well maintained as you can see that boards are being replaced. This is a place you can bring the family, and come anytime during the waking hours. Except for about 25 yards of a sandy trail, the boardwalk is handicapped accessible.

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.