You'd never guess this beautiful park is tucked between Tampa and Brandon, right near the highway…read more For just $2, it's an incredible little oasis and a perfect Sunday evening stop. Parking is limited, but it wasn't busy when we visited about an hour before closing. The park features easy walking trails, a 0.3-mile boardwalk, a beautiful botanical garden, and my favorite, the greenhouse. It's amazing how much history and so many rare tropical plants are packed into just 31 acres. You can comfortably see everything in 1 to 2 hours. We spent the last part of our visit chatting with one of the groundskeepers, who was incredibly knowledgeable and clearly passionate about preserving the park's history and keeping everything so well maintained. This hidden gem is absolutely worth a visit.

Such a beautiful place. I would have never thought all that beauty was back there. A really nice…read moreplace to take some photos. And that is what we did. We used this place to take some graduations photos of me. We got some great shots in the different areas they have inside the park. The pergolas. The gazebos. The bridges. They all add a nice background for photos. So many beautiful plants and flowers also. I'm going to take my granddaughter for a walk in there. She will love it too.

This is a nice place for a walk. My family and I enjoy coming here. On our visits, parking has been…read moreavailable.

The brief review I wrote down when I got back to my car was that this trail is Short, Loud, and the…read moreParking is weird. I date to say this trail is more than a mile long but I could be wrong. It's paved the whole way and has a pond running most of the length of it. There are plenty of places to sit if you get tired or watch the birds. Now is it peaceful? Hmm...as many others have mentioned, it's close to a very busy road and all the roads that intersect are also very busy. Even with headphones on, it's still pretty loud. You also have to cross one of the busy streets near the parking area and you really have to be cautious because there is no stoplight and only one of the three directions has a stop sign so two of the streets don't have to yield and may not see you crossing. The parking is also odd. There is a small paved area that stops at the dead-end down by TD Bank and you can park on the shoulders and grass on both sides of the street leading to the dead end. If you don't like parking in the grass you should probably get here during non-peak times as the parking fills up quickly. Honestly, I'd rather walk off-trail in the grass like on a hiking trail as it's not as harsh on my feet but if you're just looking for a short trail to do some running or walk in the evening, then this might be the spot for you.

I think that this is called a Mango Recreation Center now...?…read moreI'm not sure who posted about it being dirty. It looks like it has been fully, and newly remodeled. It's absolutely gorgeous. The best playground I have found in the area: extremely clean, wonderful updated play areas for young children. 'Turf' grass. Super clean. This will definitely be one of our favorite spots.

By far the coolest park in the tampa Bay Area. So many different obstacles for the kids to climb…read moreon. Only reason I am not giving this park a 5 is because there were a couple kids there with realistic Looking Bb Guns. Very unsettling! I am all for 2nd amendment rights, but for kids to be walking around a park with BB guns that look like a Smith Wesson ??!! Dangerous We will be back to this park because it's close to home but was not happy about the guns.

This park is very popular in the Brandon area. It's mostly…read moreshaded by big oak trees with lots to do for the kids. They have a scavenger hunt on one of the play areas to find cute little animals around the playground. On the weekends they usually have a icee truck or ice cream truck to ge the kids a nice cold treat after running around for awhile.

Great park for the kiddos! I really like that they have different play sections available for the…read morevarious ages and sizes of children. There are plenty of different sized slides, jungle gyms, swings, climbing activities and bathrooms. This park can get busy! And get busy and crowded early! There are two large Parking lots available! However, beware!!! There are these large trees and in certain seasons, the nuts/seeds fall and will either possibly hurt you or possibly dent your car! Otherwise, I highly recommend this park!

This park is beautiful! It is one of the most fun parks that I have been to since moving here…read more The trails are all so lovely and picturesque! The views, lakes, springs, trees, and vines are all just so beautiful. You can spend a whole day walking all of these beautiful trails! If you are a photographer looking for a great photo shoot, then this would be the place!

Was here last week. Totally forgot to catalog my first Catfish! It's crazy how many years i cone…read morehere n never catch one. Always come home with like bluegills n a random tilapia. You can see the catfish all over the lake just swimming by your bait n just testing you lol there's a crap ton of them near the pier but you gotta be careful cuz there's tons of alligators there to. I pulled out a nice size Catfish n then lost my second one to a damn alligator! Im happy the line broke cuz if i had lost my Shakespeare rod to i would've been more pissed! I got lucky n the couple nearby gave their bluegills. Went home happy with 1 catfish n 4 bluegills. Shared tips n bait store locations with a family camping there to. I wish the park entrance dude sold worms. It would be extra money for the park. I kept the catfish for a couple days in my aquarium, but he wouldn't take to it. I fillet his ass with the other fish. Doing fish tacos later. I used night crawlers from bass pro n sprayed them with-garlic sent to amplify the smell. I will try my homemade punch bait next tome. I found something tasty for them. Oh yeah, i caught some ghost shrimps in a cup but let them go. They look like glass at first then they moved around nicely. They are at grass edge, i do not recommend you get close to the edge!! Use a fishing rod n tie a water bottle or cup at the end with bait in it. I use catfish punch. Please don't let your pets get near the edge either. Gattor follow u when you are near water. Keep track of your kids!

This is a nice park that has a boat landing and a civic center on its premises. The park itself is…read morea sprawling landscape that nestles between a channel that connects the boat landing to a larger body of water. A kids play structure is available and a covered picnic area. The parking isn't free. There is a pay meter for boaters to use. I'm unsure if that applies to park users without boats.

Cute little park. We got takeout from the BBQ place and brought it over to eat. Watched the boats…read morecome in. Kids played on the playground. Very nice find.

Nice wide trails that two people can walk side by side. Dog friendly so bring your canine, but…read moredon't forget a leash. Not much shade and very sandy so make sure to bring some water. My favorite part is the pine tree area near the pond. The pine tree needles lay on the ground and when the wind blows the sound is melodic blowing through the pine trees. There is one picnic table to sit on for a picnic, but try and ignore the graffiti. There is an area that's preserved and protected for Burrowing owls. I wish I could have seen one or two, but no luck this time. There is traffic noise and watch for what looks like a homeless individual who had ridden a bike in.

Beautiful preserve. Great for natures walks and photos! Follow me on TikTok: MariaSocialsCoread more

This preserve was a nice surprise. I never knew that a fresh spring lake was in this area and…read moreavailable for a dip. The water looked crystal clear and I'm sure it's the most refreshing during these hot summer months. Gorgeous beach area to kick back and enjoy the fresh air and water. There were a few trails available along a creek and the kids really enjoyed the scenic walks, views and definitely was interested in visiting again to take a dip in the spring. $2 for entry and they take credit cards if someone is available to take payment. If you plan in advance you can purchase tickets on their online website. Camping, fishing, canoeing, kayaking , hiking , swimming , playground and sight seeing. This is place is a hidden gem

This place is closed for good. We just drove there since we move To Tampa and wanted to explore…read moremore but sadly the place looks abandoned and it's closed.

I sweared i wrote an update review about my last visit. O_o im going crazy. Lol just wanted to add…read morea heads up. The last hurricane that beat our nuts off changed the landscape of the park a bit. Theres alot of trees and branches blocking the rivers but no problem. I did noticed that the asphalt is cracked and chunks are missing in some areas. I don't recommend a skateboard or roller blades without gear. It will be fine in some sections and then you'll see the damage show up in some sections. Totally safe for runners and bicycles. I went with my temporary wheel chair n i had a couple sections that i chose to walk it by. If you have like a pro chair with air wheels? You'll be ok. The wooded areas a bit slippery, although theres shade everywhere? This is the wrong season to ho there at the moment. It is freaking hot and humid even in the shade. Please bring a cooler with you. Local shops sell backpack coolers or even a small sling one is enough. There are fountains and bathroom every few miles though so no fear if you are fit or don't have disabilities. Bring a freaking camera theres tons of fish in the river that can be seen from the crystal clear water and you'll even see tortoises just walking around the property. Its totally ok to look at them. The only time i have intervened is when they walk into the parking lot or road and i just pray they don't pee on me. It is illegal to even do that but i rather risk a ticket over a dead turtle. Please me careful driving to either side of the parking lot cuz they even cross the main road and i have stop traffic to move em. I like dashing in this area cuz i can either stop here for nap on cooler days or if im lucky? Stop at ricks meat down the road. Its a local butcher, they also make these massive sandwiches at great price and they tend to have a bbq truck outside too. The parking? Is hella small n its always packed. Parking is self serve, they upgraded from the "hope" system to a booth. As in "i hope people are paying for parking" now its 100% you have to pay n put the ticket on the dashboard or else the tortoises will take your car away. Lol The lid park looked well kept, the first come first serve shelters look good too. They big enough to throw a party. They have their own water faucets and grill. The water access has like a tub, i am presuming its so your dog drinks water from it. I recommend you use a bowl though. Never know who uses those for other things. I also noticed theres more sitting areas. Theres a couple hidden spots that look safe to look closer i would be a bit cautious cuz i was stepping over a dirt bridge n then when i looked at it at another angle i was shocked that it was just roots. O_o like theres a ton of areas that got torn up by the last hurricane that hit us. Gators? Never seen them but its Florida i don't recommend going in the water unless using boat ramp. Boat ramp, when i was there, the water level was way too low and i didn't feel safe to go down the steep ramp. I was too exhausted for my walk i didn't trust i had the energy to climb out. Usually u can see the water from the top all i saw was grass. Sound, near the over pass is loud from cars but cool area for kickass pictures. The rest of the park is windy with nice river sound. Especially in the wooden loop. Its the closest it gets to the river. It is very beautiful how you can see bass and trout just swimming by. Space is tight it has a parking area for chairs and bikes. Plenty of places to sit and two shelters to nap. If you are an audiophile / AMSR sensitive like me? This is the area to just sit n record n let the beautiful sounds take you away. I think i recorded like a solid hour of just stereo ambience. I think i covered everything. Thanks for reading and please stay hydrated!

Great park with paved pathways & a raised boardwalk. Map at location and different map online made…read morenavigating difficult as far as where the raised boardwalk side was. Would've been nice for a sign at entrance to paths. Scens and views were great. Need sign explaining the orange water. No sounds of birds in our 90 minutes there. No gators, no turtles. Guy on cart driving around but not saying hello or checking in. Never found bathrooms. Parking is a reasonable $2. Some beautiful play equipment and an exercise court of assistive equipment for working out. Boardwalk beginning to sound rickety! Hope they check it regularly. Would be nice if a few plants/trees were labeled/classified. Eg. are the purple berries edible?? Love this park.

Haven't been here since i was a dude. Lol almost a decade ago this used to be way simpler n more on…read morethe wild west. Trash everywhere, people hiding in the bushes to hump, Do lines and some time fish. Used to come here with a past Lover to clean the beach or fish. No joke, its all we did. Lol No they have put even more funding into it. I understand why the banned the extra curricular activities. The Manatee sanctuary is literally right there across the water. Also locals don't respect the no wake zones n tourist want to ride the poor Manatees. Its wild as hell the huge foot print left by people n like angry parents. They took away our toys. Im actually glad. Look cleaner, healthier n its now heavy focus on family picnic not making them in the bushes ill stop lol joke aside, they opened up the property for picnics, can play a decent game of throw ball with yo kids. And cleaner trails. I did not see a grill anywhere n i must be blind cuz i cant see the bathrooms either. They added a watch tower in the middle. Keep on mind it is wheelchair accessible, so are the closer picnic areas. Cement goes away at the edge of the beach. Warning: Please bring a cooler, big sun hats, wear proper sun blocking and shoes that wont melt. The sand is paper white! It deflects the sun into you at almost full spectrum, ground gets dangerously hot. The trails are sketchy, bring water n maybe bring a buddy or protection. I did walked them almost all the way through but had to turn back cuz water. Its cute small trail. Gives nicer view of Teco facility n may see manatees. I seen Hares also n randomly snakes. No clue on gators. But it is Florida. Can see Down Town Tampa from Tower also! Ph yeah free parking! Update: yes theres bathroom!s

A lovely little beach for lounging, soaking up sun, and listening to the surf. There are many signs…read morethat discourage any swimming or wading. We were visiting in late January, so we weren't aiming to get into the water anyway, just enjoy the beach biome. This beach is quite close to the manatee viewing center and you're likely to see manatees here too as a result. I spotted a half dozen while here! Fair number of fishers here, as there are pipes to prop your rod in. Nice large parking area to accommodate visitors. Many picnic tables. An awesome (and accessible) viewing structure takes you up around fifty feet so you can look out with a 360 view! Bathrooms with running water available, no gender specified. (Love that!)