Roxanne Molskness

A free activity good for anyone wanting to see native wildlife up close in their natural habitat. We saw and photographed alligators and a variety of birds and flowers. Only open on the weekends and holidays. The hours are 7-3 but that just means you need to enter by 3pm but you have until 5pm to be done and exit. It is a one way, 11 mile drive. There are frequent places to pull over and even get out. Porta potties at the pump house. We did see folks biking along the trail. We saw a lot of gators in the water and even spotted one eating a large fish. Lots of egret, heron, common hen and many other species. Well worth the trip. Take your time and really look around.

Great place to come and enjoy some of the natural beauty of Florida. Good value for a family outing, just $6 per car. If you want to rent a kayak it is $35 for a single and $40 for a double. A triple is also $40 but it’s really for two adults and a child. A canoe which can seat 3 rents for $35 so that’s what we opted for and I’m glad we did. No good back support on the double kayaks. Yes, you are canoeing/kayaking in gator waters but it is a cool experience and when I went in January, I just saw one small one and tons of birds including heron, egret and anhinga up close. In April we saw two gators… although it’s the ones you don’t see 😉.

Swimming area is large and bring your snorkeling gear. The water is 72 degrees year round which is actually warmer than you’d think.

The boardwalk trail is a short easy walk thru some dense palm forest area. It’s very rainforesty and fun. We didn’t see much for wildlife when we were walking thru in April. There is a little nature center with some info. I’d say come during the week if you can. Weekends can be extremely busy and cars line up to get in. You’d need to arrive super early to get a spot because they fill up and close when full.

Treasures hunters will be delighted. Good deals and a huge variety! Can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you want. Better experience if you have specific needs. There are additional savings if you get their emails. It’s self serve so you measure, cut and label yourself when buying under 5 yards of a fabric. Be sure to measure your remnants too as they ask at the register.

If you are looking for a nice quiet place to walk, bike or picnic, this is a nice place to do it. Lovely wooded area good for bird watching. We parked on the street and took a trail in to the dam area. Lots of people enjoy fishing around the dam and along the river bank. Small visitor center with info on the river and surrounding area. Indoor bathrooms and outside porta potties available.

Golf is the main attraction here. Short paved trail (.8 mile) leads to a trail around the lake and some neighborhood trails. Open field is nice for walking a dog.