This park on the Indian River in Melbourne was named in honor of Claude Edge, a prominent merchant…read morein early years of the city. In the 1920's and 30's he owned a general merchandise store and later a two-story building on Front Street with an upstairs boarding house that overlooks the park. Claude Edge Park has many amenities popular with locals and visitors. There is a public boat ramp. fishing pier with fish cleaning station, gazebo, pavilions, picnic areas, picnic tables, restroom, and access to the Melbourne Causeway Walking and Biking Path. Another interesting find in the park was the first post office site. Melbourne was originally called Crane Creek but it was renamed in honor of its first postmaster, Cornthwaite John Hector who arrived in the area vin 1878. He was from England and had lived in Melbourne, Australia where he left behind his common law wife and five children. He is also credited with organizing the first community band. The name Melbourne was suggested by Mrs. R.W. Goode, a local pioneer, eight years before the town was officially established. If you are lucky, you may spot a bottle nose dolphin or manatee in the Indian River off the shore of Claude Edge Park. The paved walkways in the park are ideal for exercise or walking dogs while the benches and shady spots entice picnics, reading, and people watching The proximity of this park to downtown Melbourne makes it easy to visit nearby cafes, shops, and restaurants. When you are looking to take a break from the hustle and bustle, this park provides a quiet retreat.

Came to go fishing on the small pier but homeless people were sleeping in benches. It's sad looks…read morelike it could be a great spot to relax and fish unfortunately too many homeless people laying around the whole area and on the benches.

Ais Trail Park is a great place for all ages and abilities to hike. This 18 acre parcel was the…read morelast undeveloped property along Turkey Creek in Palm Bay when it was purchased from the Sterner family in order to preserve it in its natural state. The park gives you access to the Ais Trail, a .6 mile loop, natural earth trail. The park and trail are named for the Ais people, a group of Native Americans that lived in eastern Florida. Their territory included coastal areas and islands from Cape Canaveral to the Indian River. The best account we have of these people comes from the journal of Jonathan Dickinson which recorded their appearance, diet, and customs. Dickinson and his party spent several weeks with them when they were shipwrecked in 1696. By 1760 the Ais were extinct as a result of enslavement, war, and disease. I really enjoyed my hike on the Ais Trail that traverses through scrubby flatwoods, sand scrub, hardwood hammock, mangrove shoreline, and a brackish creek ecosystem. Plants you will encounter will include Hickory and Loblolly Bay trees, American Beauty Berry, ferns, hog plums, wild olives, native rosemary, cabbage palms, saw palmettoes, slash and longleaf pines. The trail was mostly shaded and part of it was on a boardwalk where I met several large Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers. If you want a longer hike you can connect from the Ais Trail to Dewar Park via a boardwalk. In addition to the trail, the park also has a fishing pier on Turkey Creek, canoe and kayak launch, pavilion, and restroom. The park is open daily, 7am until sunset.

This is a small primitive park, but a nice walking path. Also a short boardwalk…read more I was told by a frequent visitor that he has seen a few bobcats.

I had an enjoyable visit to Riverwalk Park and Nature Center in Rockledge. This 6.37 acre community…read morepark is now a family friendly, nature centered destination that will inspire a love of the outdoors among its youngest visitors. It wasn't always that way. In 1999 the park was named Hoo-Hoo Park from a fraternal order of lumbermen called Hoo Hoo International that contributed to the building of the park's boardwalk. A Sheriff's Office sting operation arrested 32 men on sex charges. Over 300 people were charged with improper sexual activities during the 10 years the park was open. Brevard County closed the park and worked on rebranding it for the community with a new name, Riverwalk Family Park. They added a nature center and invested $275,000 in park improvements. Today this a destination anyone who loves nature would be happy to visit. I started out in the charming nature center where I met Tommy, Pringles, and Chips, the resident turtles who swam right up to the glass to say hi. The nature center has displays about the animals and plants that live near the Indian River, maps and information on other local nature parks, and it also offers nature programs. On the day I visited they had binoculars for use in the park and free water color painting set up. Behind the nature center is a 915 foot boardwalk that takes you to the Indian River Lagoon. Although it is shorter compared to other nature boardwalks in Brevard County, it is the perfect length for the same children who would enjoy the nature center. In 2016 Riverwalk Park received a $20,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association. They used the money to build a Nature Explore Classroom set between the trees of the nature preserve. The interactive play zones radiate around a central grassy area with an old tree stump as the focal point. Some of the areas are a water play area, plants and play, a deck for tree forts, and musical instruments. The park also has a picnic pavilion, restrooms, and a butterfly garden.

Excellent little boardwalk path. Fun to enjoy when no one else is there…read more I love the unique rock formations by the water, though I was surprised how short the walk is. Wish the boarded path would lead over the ravine and into a nice picnic/play area. I like how some of the plants along the walk are marked. Did not appreciate the cigarette butts by the water. This isn't the park's fault, but all it takes is one negligent person to destroy everything.

Bonsteel Park is a tranquil 2.34-acre beach park located two miles north of the Sebastian Inlet…read more The park is operated by Brevard County which purchased the land to preserve it in a natural state. The park was named in honor of Louis Bronsteel, a prominent figure in Melbourne Beach, Florida, with a long history of involvement in local government and community organizations. Bonsteel Park amenities include free parking, restroom facility, ADA accessible wooden beach crossover, and a boardwalk that goes from the park to the Barrier Island Ecosystem Sanctuary next door. On A1A at the entrance to the park there are hiking trails. Dolphins and sea turtles have been spotted here. This park is popular destination for swimming, surfing, and surf fishing. The Brevard Zoo Sea Turtle Healing Center uses the beach in Bonsteel Park to release rehabilitated sea turtles. Interestingly Spanish coins have been found from Spanish ship wrecks from 1715 and 1733. Treasure hunters with metal detectors can be spotted combing the beach. While I didn't find any treasure I did have a nice visit on the boardwalk and while exploring a few of the hiking trails.

We live in south FL, so we've never been to this beach before. But we decided to make the 2 1/2…read morehour drive to visit with some friends. The husband LOVES to fish, and he had 3 rods set up on the beach. There were tons of fishermen, definitely a popular place to fish. But also a great place for shelling. My husband caught a Pompano, and I roasted it for dinner. So delicious!! Really nice beach, free parking.

Sorry locals, I'm telling your secrets…read more This is where the manatees can be seen on those rare cold days, because, I guess, the canal water is warmer. They look like big rocks and kinda smell. The other park amenities here are geared towards exercise.

Great park, beautiful fountain, nice dock area for seeing wildlife. Tried the kayak launch and dock…read morethis weekend. The kayak slide was too thin for my yak (36") but would work nice for smaller kayaks under 34" wide probably. Walk in launch was very nice. Water level is very low. I won't be using this launch in future as to get to main canal, you have to shimmy through a tunnel under the road, fill with spider webs (clean now that I went through lol). Beautiful park and ball field here.

We stopped here briefly on a visit to Florida with my brother, who likes this beach. The beach is…read morelovely: a long, white sandy expanse. It was pretty empty on this weekday, a few scattered beachgoers; lots of parking (but probably not at peak times). Much of the vegetation had unfortunately been killed by the recent hard freeze, and patience will be required to see if it comes back. A walkway leads to the beach from the parking lot, and a wooden structure at the end overlooks the beach. A great beach for area visitors.

Another fabulous beach along the space coast. This park has roughly 20 free parking spots. It has…read morea station to wash off your body/sandy feet after a wonderful day at the beach. We found a spot with no issues and plenty of space on the beach. These beaches are never crowded! Love love love! Waves, finding fun shells and fun are all you need here.

A decent park during the day. Wells Park, located next to…read morethe Melbourne Auditorium and close to the public library, is a quiet, low-key spot that serves as a simple outdoor escape. It's not flashy or heavily updated--in fact, parts of it feel a bit run down--but it still has a certain charm, especially if you're looking for a peaceful place to walk, sit, or enjoy some time outside during the daylight hours. In the recent past I have seen lots of homeless there and would not feel safe there after dark. They recently posted signs I believe to counteract this problem and on this recent visit I did not see any on the south side of the park. The park features two small lakes that are home to a good number of geese and ducks. The times I have visited recently, they are almost always wandering around or lounging near the water. Kids and adults seem to love feeding them, though they can be a little bold when they're expecting food. In fact several of them came to visit as soon as I parked and stepped out of my car. There are a few picnic tables and shaded areas, though some of the infrastructure--like benches and walkways--could use a refresh. There is a fenced in playground that seemed decent with swings and slides and kids using them. Overall, during the day, Wells Park doesn't have fancy amenities, but it does offer space to stretch your legs, read a book, or enjoy a quiet moment by the water. Its proximity to the library and auditorium makes it a convenient spot for a quick break. It's not a destination park, but if you're in the area, it's a decent place to stop and relax during the day.

Wells Park in Melbourne is named in honor of William Twining Wells and his wife Nora who donated a…read more30 acre tract of land for the park in the 1920's. Mr. and Mrs. Wells were formerly from New Jersey and New York where Mr. Wells owned the Wells Rustless Iron Company. When they came to the Melbourne area Mr. Wells purchased a pineapple plantation on the beach. He built the couples Queen Anne house Green Gables in 1866 on the Indian River as their winter residence for the health of Nora who tended to get pneumonia every year in the harsh northern winters. It was the first home built in the area to have indoor plumbing and an indoor bathroom. On May 18, 2016, the home was added to the U.S. Register of National Historic Places. The Wells were very philanthropic and instrumental in the early foundation of Melbourne. The couple built the first library and donated the land for the building. They built a high school, also donating land and personally paying the teachers' salaries. In 1897 they donated the property for Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Mr. Wells built the roads in Melbourne and brought the Florida East Coast Railway to town. The park is located behind the Melbourne Library. Walking/jogging paths in the park wind around picturesque ponds, one of which had a fountain in the middle of it. Park amenities include a pavilion, picnic areas with tables, and a playground. My favorite part of the park was the birds. It was filled with friendly geese, ducks, ibis, and endangered wood storks. I am especially fond of the adorable Pekin ducks. I absolutely loved seeing the wildlife here. A big thank you to the Wells for having the foresight to preserve this peaceful oasis of nature for the future generations of Melbourne.

Overall, Fred Lee Park is pretty impressive. It has ample parking, a great children's playground,…read morebaseball fields, basketball courts, a couple of pavilions, tennis courts, an open field that looks like it was used maybe for football, and more. The park is very well maintained and again, this park is pretty impressive. Even the garbage cans were empty. Far too often, I see a great park with overflowing trash cans. Here was not the case (at least on the day that I visited). The pavilions are also available to reserve for parties or gatherings. I would definitely recommend a visit to this park. Parks are an integral part of our communities. It is a place where we can gather with our neighbors in recreation and relaxation. Palm Bay, Florida is fortunate to have this particular park for its community. Again, I definitely recommend here and I give it five stars overall as my rating. Go see it for yourself.

We love our time at Fred Lee Park in Palm Bay. Whether you're watching somebody shoot 3-point shots…read moreat the basketball courts, grilling out at one of the covered Pavilions, or just taking a walk with your dog and watching the children play softball is a great time for all ages. There is a covered playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, bathrooms, and two large softball fields all this part needs is a community garden.