Seems to be a new park / preserve still under construction in 2025. Saw some…read morenice fish. Saw and heard some cool birds. The paths are wide country roads and pretty torn up. Sarasota County doesn't seem to be into trails

The Myakkahatchee Environmental Park is my favorite dog friendly park at North Port…read more Beautiful hiking trails,few esy to follow looping trail,through beautiful jungles and grassy pampas. Some of the paths floods after rain. The Live Long and Prosper Trail runs along the Myakkahatchee creek for 3 miles.Lot to see,from alligators to beautiful birds and unique flora and fuana.For that 3 miles it was always walkable because it is on the creek bank much hire than the water level. The trail supposedly loops around,but I was never able to come back on the return loop because it was flooded-even at December-deep swampie water was blocking port of the trail and we had to turn around. However I seen some markings on the return trail,it looks like the park management is working on it. I wish that trail would go farther up by the Myakkahatchee creek,I would love to explore that area more.The trail ends at a barb wire fance..... There is so much to do at that park,you can walk with your dog,ride a horse,fossil hunt at the creek-when the water is low and clear at winter time.There is picnic area, a huge fild. Restrooms at the parking lot.Few boardwalks. Trails are well marked and maintained pretty well. This park keeps growing,I'm so grateful that is near by.

We recently spent four nights camping at Myakka River State Park while also making day trips to…read moreVenice for some fossilized megalodon tooth scuba diving, and this park was a perfect home base for our adventures. The RV sites are spacious, well-maintained, and thoughtfully laid out. Unlike many campgrounds where you're practically sharing coffee with your neighbors, Myakka provides plenty of room and natural vegetation between sites. It felt private, peaceful, and uncrowded. If you enjoy the outdoors, you'll never run out of things to do here. There are miles of hiking and biking trails, abundant wildlife, and excellent opportunities for photography and birdwatching. For those looking for a little adventure, the canoe rental outpost offers a chance to paddle the Myakka River and lake system while getting up close and personal with about 10 bazillion alligators. (The OG Floridian!) One attraction you absolutely shouldn't miss is the Trail and Observation Tower. The suspension bridge is a fun experience, and the views from the 72-foot tower are spectacular. Looking out across miles of untouched Florida wilderness really gives you an appreciation for how wild and beautiful this state still is. One word of caution: be mindful of the poison ivy. It's everywhere around campsites, trails, and wooded areas. As a native Floridian who should know better, I managed to find it the hard way and am still paying for that mistake. Learn from my suffering and keep an eye on where you're stepping, leaning, and reaching. Whether you're camping, hiking, biking, paddling, or just looking for a peaceful getaway, Myakka River State Park delivers. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and are already "itching" to return. This time without the poison ivy. Pro Tip: Bring your camera, binoculars, comfortable walking shoes, and a healthy respect for Mother Nature. You'll be glad you did!

Beautiful park full of wild Florida great place to see gators and other wildlife and just soak up…read morethe beauty that is Florida

Now the road is closed down after the Hurricane but from Venice you can walk down to this beach and…read moreit's a nice walking and along the way you can definitely find shark teeth and beautiful sea shells. PS: if you come during midday, please be prepared that the sand is extremely hot walking towards the ocean. Especially in the summer!! We came here this past weekend and stayed until sunset it was a beautiful view, and the water was perfect. Probably found about 50 short teeth, sifting, and walking on land. It's a great beach for the kids as long as the water is not too rough.

A friend and I brought the kids here for a beach day in hopes to find some sharks teeth. We showed…read moreup a little later so parking wasn't too difficult. I was warned it would be hard to find parking, but we lucked out. We walked to the part of the beach we wanted then stepped on the sand. In our sandals. The sand was so hot. Not a little hot so just keep moving and you will be fine. It was so hot that two of the kids refused to run across the sand the 15 feet to the water. I was surprised none of us had blisters from the hot sand touching our feet. Somehow we made it to the water and all rejoiced in the cool water soothing our skin. Once we all started feeling better, we walked down to a part of the beach that was not as populated and set up camp. After an hour of swimming, we started looking for sharks teeth. It is harder than it seems. Then again, I wasn't into it as much as the kinds. We did find a dozen or so small teeth which made the kids happy. 03.02.25

15 miles paved bike trail at Charlotte County. Restrooms at…read moreboth end,plus bike pump stations. Very civilized. Has numerous rest areas along the path,with extra parking lots,picnic tables and porter potties too. Well traveled,but still quite,peaceful and nature focused. We seen a raccoon,gopher tortoise,several tropical birds on our 2 hour leisure bike ride. Glad we find this! I'm surprised The Pioneer Trail is not advertised more, but I guess others loss is our gain. We'll be back!

This is, I believe, the first rails to trails established in Florida. It is narrower than most…read morerails to trails and sufficiently accommodates foot, bike and skating traffic. Lots of nature to see along this one way 6.5 miles or roundtrip 13 miles from gopher tortoise, gators, fish and fowl to greenery, bridges and the fresh outdoors. Very flat trail. Leads to Boca Grande Gasparilla Trail and beautiful water views. Plenty of shade, benches, rest rooms, parking and some water at various trailheads.

This beach is SO popular there's always a line to get in to park. The parking lot is very small…read more You can park along the main road but be mindful of where - there are no parking signs all around. We finally made it this weekend. We went early and found a spot - but probably only because it was COLD! Didn't matter. We walked the beach anyway on that cold windy day. It's pretty beach with different shells than you can find down the way at Englewood Beach, Blind Pass Beach or Manasota Key Beach. In our 10 min walk I scooped up a bunch of shells and TONS of sharks teeth. Hoping to make it back on a warm sunny day :)

Stump Pass Beach State Park Manasota Key Florida $3 to get in small parking lot well secluded and…read moreso many shells...well worth it! Definitely do-able again and again!! If I lived here I would come here 3-4 times a week! The water was gorgeous and we saw some dolphins playing in the water! There might have been 40 people spread out here at this beach...so gorgeous w my cousin Shari

We tried to go to Casperson beach, but there was zero parking (10:30 AM). So we headed back to…read moreBrohard Beach, where we did find parking. We have never seen these beaches so slammed. We know now to avoid the beach on Easter Friday! That aside, we did find some shark's teeth, which was nice. The sand is not as pretty as other beaches in SWFL, but the water was pretty. The waves were pretty strong, but people were still in the water. The beach was packed, especially when we left around 2:30. We would return, but still prefer Casperson beach while in Venice.

So glad that Shark Frenzy told us to venture out here to search for shark teeth. We left with about…read more30+ shark teeth over about 5 hours of searching in the waves. SO much fun and we adored the fact that this beachside is dog-friendly which made the beach day that more interesting and fun. Clean area and plenty of parking. There is a drive-up water and restroom station too!

This beautiful nature preserve features a raised boardwalk that winds through the slough, passing…read moreseveral scenic ponds along the way. The atmosphere here was incredibly peaceful, and the slow pace made it the perfect way to start the morning. Along the walk, we spotted plenty of wildlife -- including birds, squirrels, lizards, bunnies, and even an otter playing near the water. The boardwalk trail isn't very long and has multiple benches along the way, making it a relaxing spot to take breaks and soak in the surroundings. There's also plenty of shade, which kept it comfortable despite the Florida humidity. We had brought along bug spray, expecting mosquitos, but it turned out to be unnecessary -- we didn't see any the entire time we were there. It was a calm, refreshing start to the day and a great spot for anyone who enjoys nature, wildlife, or just a peaceful walk.

25 February 2026…read more Someone had the idea to visit Six Mile Cypress Slough today. Uufff It was a nice walk ... but ... bring your walking shoes, Sunglasses and a hat. A bottle of water would be a nice addition. This place has a trail that you are compelled to remain on throughout the excursion. It is a wooden trail with wooden guardrails to prevent you from straying. It was a pleasant hike, got my steps in , but I thought it would never end. I thought I was trapped in the movie set of "No Way Out" Finally ! At the end of the trail I managed to find the exit and my car. Adios ... don't think I'll be coming back . Ok ok , it wasn't that bad. I'm prone to exaggerate.