Doing some research on Long Boat Key, and this park came up. It was perfect for what I was looking…read morefor. It is a dog friendly park, has inter-coastal water views and is perfect if you are looking for a place to walk and take in nature. Since it has been quite windy this week, even with the nicer weather, the wind is too intense for me at the beach. Plus it's not dog friendly. They have a boardwalk and gravel trails so it's easiest to wear gym shoes. There's a number of trails but some entries were closed. The trail that we took took you on the board walk where there were an abundance of benches along the way as well as garbages and poop bags for your fur baby. It was so clean and organized. There are also signs that say to Pavillion and parking lot. So don't think you will get lost bc that will always take you back. There are picnic tables, bathrooms and a playground a a nice adult swing to swing on as well as the kiddy swings. It was super peaceful, and away from the hustle and bustle of the beaches. Definitely check it out for that ideal quiet chill spot with nature and your family and fur babies!

A few years ago, while on my morning walk from White Sand of Longboat, along Gulf of Mexico Drive,…read moreI took a short detour into this park. At the time, I thought it was a small pocket park and that I had seen the whole thing. It was nice, but unimpressive. Well, during our annual week in Longboat Key, we decided to explore the park a little more. Boy, was I wrong with my first impression! The park's 34 acres wrap around homes, utilities, the firehouse, many municipal buildings and a few retail establishments, with paths weaving through dense mangroves to Sarasota Bay. You can drive in to a parking area, adjacent to a pond, Pavilion and playground. Behind the pavilion is a large, well groomed grassy field. There are cleared dirt and gravel paths and in the wetland, mangrove areas, boardwalks weaving through the trees, over ponds and streams. The scenic overlooks on the bay were comfortable. Benches were in many places along the trails. And to my delight, there were birds everywhere. We spent a delightful couple of hours there and will be back.

Several easy hiking trails make this a handy place to take a stroll. The terrain isn't very scenic…read morebut there is an observation tower that affords good views of the surrounding area. Unisex restrooms available at the parking lot. Free parking and admission.

What an amazing place to spend the day wandering trails, observing nature & the beauty of God's…read morecreation! 10/10 & will be back!

I love Payne Park…read more I do NOT like too many of the people that use it. Recently, the number of unsupervised kids that are riding their bikes, scooters, and electric do dads are inconsiderate with their use of the sidewalks, their total lack of attention to their surroundings and other people. These kids need more adult supervision and parents need to take more time teaching them manners. I also am taking exception to the growing number of pet owners that think THEIR dogs don't need to be properly trained, leashed, or picked up after. The 5 O'Clock group of owners that let their dogs off theie leads and let them just take over a section of the park is non-sense. Read the signs. That is not acceptable. On several occasions, while just walking I have been run up on by dogs showing their teeth. I stop, sayd nice doggy and then move on. But some day, if I do get bit by one of these unruly monsters, their entiled owners will owe me money they haven't even made yet. I would like to see more of a park police presence for a while to get the kids and dog owners back to being decent people. And to the people that are feeding the ducks and squirrels, STOP. Read the signs. You aren't doing the wildlife any favors by feeding them and you aren't doing the other people that use the park any favors either. Payne Park is beautiful; a great place to enjoy the out of doors and the wonderful weather in Sarasota. Kids and Pet owners don't have the right to ruin the experience for everyone else. Oh, and teenagers, we know you are smoking pot there. Move away from the popular walking areas. Your weed smell like skunk butt.

4 stars because the bathrooms are closed currently due to a leak . But other than that this is a…read moresuper cute place to go to and bring your toddler. This park has a variety of activities / slides , tjings to climb oh and there's a skate park on the other side. Plus the trails are nice walking here.

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.

Tony and I walked around Bay Front Park in Sarasota this evening! Free parking and Free to enjoy…read morethe Sea Air, the people in the park, street musicians and there is even a water splash park for the kiddos! We enjoyed seeing the boats in the marina!

I saw a video on IG a few months back that stated this beach would make you feel like you were on a…read moreisland, so I had to check out Bean Point Beach. It was an hour plus drive south from my friends house in Gulfport to Anna Maria Island. Bean Point is the north point of the island. Be cautious if you park in a neighborhood as they will ticket you $75 if your car is touching the road. We find out the hard way:( We walked a few blocks and found a public beach access. When I saw the beach I couldn't believe my eyes. The water was a gorgeous color of blue/green! It was hard to belive this was Florida lol. We walked for a while and I found some pretty shells to take home from my adventure. This part of the beach wasn't too crowded which I loved. A few people were fishing and others were sitting and relaxing. While a few tourists were in the water. Brrrr it was too cold for me. I only let it hit my feet lol. I highly recommend checking out Bean Point Beach so you can see this lovely water and beach for yourself!

This was my very first time at Bean Point, and I swear it felt like I had stepped into a secret…read morepart of Florida that most people drive right past without ever knowing it exists. The moment my feet hit that soft white sand, everything around me slowed down. The air felt lighter. The water looked like it was painted in layers of turquoise and glass. Even the breeze seemed to move with intention, brushing past me in a way that made me feel completely present. I kept walking, almost in a trance, toward the point where the Gulf meets the sky, and for the first time in a long time, my mind wasn't racing. I wasn't thinking about tomorrow or yesterday. I was just there, breathing in a place that felt almost sacred. Then the sun began to set, and the entire sky transformed into something unreal. Pink, lavender, gold, and that deep blue that only shows up at the ocean's edge. Families were laughing softly in the distance, a couple was wrapped in a blanket, and I just stood there taking it all in, feeling this unexpected wave of emotion. It wasn't sadness or joy exactly. It was gratitude. Pure, uncomplicated gratitude that I got to witness a moment like that. Bean Point felt like a gift, handed to me exactly when I needed it. I cherish this place so much. I will be back again and again.

Love bird key park. It's on the smaller size but that's what makes it so nice! There's a walkable…read morearea into the water, wide sidewalk, greenery, water fountains, parking lot, and a shaded large picnic table. So perfect for anyone looking to park and walk the bridge or to enjoy the scenery without being overcrowded.

Nice sunset, peaceful and quiet. I would recommend taking in…read morethe sunset here especially for picture taking

Emerson Point is one of those how-is-this-not-more-famous? kind of places. Whether you're into…read morehiking, biking, kayaking, or just soaking up the views, there's always something fun to do. The hiking trails are great, the kayak launches make it easy to get out on the water, and the observation tower is a must--climb to the top for an awesome bird's-eye view, including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge showing off in the distance. There are plenty of picnic spots, plus a pavilion with nearby restrooms (always a win). One of our favorite things is walking out to the Portavant Temple Mound, where helpful signs bring the area's history to life. And if you're looking for photo ops, this place delivers--nature shots, family photos, you name it. We've had ours taken here more than once. No matter if you're exploring, relaxing, or snapping pictures, Emerson Point always has beauty waiting around the corner. There's even a welcome center near the pavilion to get you started. A perfect spot to wander, relax, and fall a little in love with Florida!

This was our first time here and there is so much more to explore! We drove all the way to the…read morepoint and parked in the lot. There are portable bathrooms there and a lot of small beaches. We walked and stopped and enjoyed the water! We brought the bike and scooter and stroller but didn't get a chance to use them this time although there are plenty of good sidewalks to use! We will be back!

its a lovely place to walk, although it needs better, more clear signage for its mile markers. It…read moreis 3.4 miles around the lake. But you dont know where the starting and ending points are. Shame there isnt more shade around the park. In hot days there is no escape from the sun.

One of our preferred locations to enjoy the thrilling spectacle of these incredible teams…read morecompeting! And of course you can't help but even see the wonders of a cat on a leash! let's GO Lake County rowing

Cute park to walk around, not very big so can walk it a few times if you'd like. If you have kids…read morethey have a playground. Was also nice to see that they have a fitness trail. No hoboes or homeless people when I went here, I would go again.

Very Florida walk. Dog was happy too. Lots of parking and some hidden trails…read more Although you can still hear the traffic noice it will remind you of all the Florida woods from childhood. Check it out

This was a fun activity with just enough walking for an almost two year old. There are several…read moreboardwalks out to the bay, all of which are nice options if you're practicing using your legs. It was breezy on this day but a jacket solved that. I'd recommend wearing shoes that are not open toed; I stepped in mud wearing sandals and it was not pleasant.

Our morning walk took us to this small, idyllic nature reserve. Since it rained at night, it was…read morevery foggy early in the morning, which gave the landscape something mystical. Since it is otherwise very moist in the mangroves, it was therefore even wetter than usual. But this did not stop our walk. What we noticed were the spider threads that hung over the paths and the empty spider webs. And then we saw one! WIKIPEDIA: Gasteracantha cancriformis is a species of spider from the real web spider family (Araneidae), which is native to North and Central America and the Caribbean. The species name "cancriformis" is Latin and means "cancerous". Beautiful!!! And also the "mangrove cancer" that we saw later. During our stay at AMI we went there often in the morning and really enjoyed the nature and tranquility!