Wow, this is not the beach, the Riverwalk is something to be seen. There's tons of seating along…read morethe riverwalk. Everything from metal benches facing the water to these really cool cement lounge chairs that are actually comfortable to sit in as well. Along the river walk there are really cool our installations as well as a playground for families. My two favorite things to see while walking on the river walk where the dolphins swimming in the water. Yes actual dolphins in the water that you could see so cool. The other thing which might not be exciting to some people, but I thought it was cool was being able to see a train that goes across the river and the bridge that lifts some of the tracks up so that boats can go by. From the hotel we stayed at we could have walked about 15 minutes to the downtown area where there's some restaurants and shops to go to.

A 2 mile long Riverwalk along the Manatee River. We walked past a skate park, over train tracks,…read moresplash water park, playgrounds, an amphitheater & some art installations. This is an expansion of Rossi Park between the Green and DeSoto bridges. There were clean shady seating & lots of signage about the Riverwalk. There were cameras & we felt very safe.

This review is only based on the playground. It was fine but pretty average. With the size of the…read morepark, we were expecting the playground to be bigger. My 2.5 year old enjoyed himself, but was bored with the playground parts in about 10 minutes and just wanted to swing. Also, the playground parts are not shaded, so make sure to wear sunscreen.

Pretty beat park. The girls wanted to check it out vs what we have in Oklahoma city. It was less…read morethan a mile from our house. No complaints! Respectfully, Bryan Oklahoma City

Every time we visit Sarasota, we love to turn off the Ringling Bridge and park at Bird Key Park and…read morewalk around looking at the water, the birds, the trees, and the Ringling Bridge. There is a nice paved walkway to the bridge. The tourists and locals love to walk down there and just hang out under the bridge. The views are great!! There are benches along the way to rest. The park is well taken care of and very popular with ealkets and runners and fishermen.. The parking is along the waterfront with a lot of parking spaces. You can walk your dogs as long as you clean up after them. We usually go there in the morning and again in the evening. Beautiful photo ops also.

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.

Nathan Benderson Park is beautiful, well maintained, and while there are few trees for shade,…read moreoffers great trails for walking, running, or biking. There is also a shaded playground for children, some tables and seating area, restrooms, and good parking. The water and park is also used for international rowing competitions. The trails continue around the lakes over to the Aquarium and UTC Mall. I was there at sunrise for my walking and it was beautiful.

Watched July 3rd, 2026 fireworks here at Nathan Benderson Park. We parked by Foxtail Coffee for…read morefree, and walked over. They also had fees to park in parking lots starting at $30, but you still had to walk. The walk wasn't bad at all and luckily the rain finished and it wasn't as hot. We stayed at the part of the park before the bridge. It was a nice set up with a walking trail, grass, a few picnic tables, inside restrooms and a playground. Two or three food trucks. The other side of the park had more stuff along with the VIP area. Liked this side of the park since we could comfortably place our chairs down in the grass and be close enough to the bathrooms. The music was streamed from the other side. I didn't like it because it was orchestra and classical music the whole time. The fireworks were ok and you saw it on the distance not too far. But the music made it sleepy for me. This is just my reminder for next year. At least we had good parking, weather, seats, & clean restrooms. Line for them wasn't too bad.

I saw this park while playing around on Apple Maps, and decided to check it out because we are so…read moreclose! I'm so glad we did. The park is lovely! The outside border of the park is lined with a walking/running path and has multiple stops along the way with a different activity or piece of equipment to workout on. It's a great way to catch some Florida sun, get your sweat on, and burn some calories! When it gets too hot, they have the Spicola Family pool to cool off in, or continue your exercise with some laps, which the pool accommodates as well. The pool is perfect for little ones, with a walk-in to 2.5ft area, that includes 5 splash fountains, a giant, freestanding waterfall, and a water slide for teeny tots, as well as a water slide for the older kids the dumps in the deeper section of the pool. Unfortunately our much loved visit was the last weekend the pool was open, as it is a seasonal location. We can't wait to go back when it re-opens! In the meantime we will go back and enjoy the big playground, and picnic in the one of many picnic tables around the park, some even right on the water! One thing I do want to mention, that I thought was SO BEAUTIFUL, is the playground that is wheelchair accessible. Not just around the outside, but an actual ramp that goes from the sidewalk and through the whole jungle gym allowing a wheelchair bound child to have the same experience, that alone was 5-Star to me! All around great experience, and excellent place for the family!

Nice green space along the waterfront in a very urban setting. It was nice to see so many people…read moreenjoying it. Lots of fisherman, families and even saw a young couple having a picnic date. The facilities look to be pretty well maintained.

This was such a great experience that I wasn't really expecting. This layout a former military…read morebase and a lot of of the cannons are still intact. I just kept walking around this place thinking how cool would be that they maybe need to film a Michael Bay film here or even a zombie movie. I'm not sure if they're old prison cells or just storage but the doors are removed, but you can walk in. They've done a great job as far as keeping the structural integrity in place as well as preserving history. They have a gift shop with some snacks and ice cream in it and I also snagged a really cool hat and T-shirt combo for just 25 bucks. I took a lot of cool pictures and videos and was sending them to my elderly mother and she loved all of it. Great overall experience

Beautiful park but they need to get some major repairs done. It's been two years since the…read morehurricane hit this coast and one pier was not fixed as all the structure and metal railings were completely bent back. Two more of the wooden docks were completely broken and not repaired still. Otherwise it's a lovely beach and very clean and short walk from where you park. You pay to park anywhere on the island and then can move lots.

This park is great for adults and kids offering a skate park and basketball court for the community…read moreand 2 playgrounds for the little to run around its nicely shaded and for a bonus they have a splash pad! This was my second visit and both visits have been wonderful and we always meet super nice people. They do have bathrooms are the recreation center to change after the splash pad and 1 vending machine. Overall I think they take very good care of this park and it's definitely a family friendly fun place to visit.

My baby loves the playground, she doesn't walk yet but she can crawl up the stairs and go down the…read moreslide without getting stuck. I really like coming to this park it's very nice and quiet.

Great park for the little one to run out all his energy. There is plenty of shade from the Florida…read moreheat and even a water mister for the kids to run through. Parking is a bit strange. Maybe, because like the park itself, it is all on side streets or side parking lots that almost feel they are not part of the park.

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.

A gorgeous day in a delightful park! Lots of FREE and open…read moreparking. Free park. Sarasota is the home of Ringling Brothers circus.... so ,of course, there is a charming circus theme in an area of Payne Park. I heard from an art group of this delightful place. So there are some illustrators here today, painters and sketchers. Enjoy the free use of the xylophone!! Soothing island sounds!!!!! Lily pads blooming !!! Shade from the trees. Kids can play and adults can read or relax... or vise versa!! Lots of open space and a cafe inside if you forgot to bring a snack or beverage. Actually the have salad and sandwiches and teas and baked goods. Enjoy the good weather and beautiful grounds.

Sitting here at Payne playground on a beautiful night just listening to all the laughter…read moreAll the children are playing so nicely together it's enjoyable to watch