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    Colee Hammock Park

    4.5 (32 reviews)

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    Ariel W.

    This is a gorgeous 1.1 acre park on the south fork of the New River. It has lovely trees, benches, tables, and a stunning view of the river and the surrounding mansions that line it. There are only a few parking spots lining the outside of the park but there is a city pay lot a block up the street. On my visit while walking around I discovered a plaque placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution commemorating this park as the sight of the Colee Hammock Massacre. I knew about the event and always thought the location was across the river from the Broward Performing Arts Center. I was floored to find the marker and have my years of misconception corrected. William Cooley was one of the first pioneers of the New River Settlement now known as Ft. Lauderale. He became wealthy with an arrowroot plantation and he traded with Seminole and Creek nations nearby. In 1835 the white settlers killed a Creek chief named Alibama and were acquitted. The Creek blamed Cooley for this injustice and when he was away for business in Key West the Creek entered the plantation on January 6, 1836 and killed Cooley's wife, infant son, son, daughter,and a tutor. The house was set on fire. This started the Second Seminole War because the settlers couldn't distinguish between the Seminoles and the Creeks. The eventual outcome was the Indian Removal Act were the native people were forced out west on the Trail of Tears. The remaining Seminoles fled to the inner swampland where they can still be found today. Cooley fled Ft. Lauderdale but lived in Florida until his death. Upon further research I found that the plaque marking the massacre may have been put in the wrong spot as the event actually took place further up the river closer to Sailboat Bend but residents don't want it moved to the correct spot. This is not the only muddling of history at this spot. Residents were confused at the time of the naming of this park in 1934. They originally wanted to honor the Cooley family but there was some confusion about the name. James Louis Colee was also a resident of the New River Settlement but decades after Cooley. He set up a work camp at the site of this park where he worked on the construction of  the Intracoastal Waterway project. Through the years the names of Cooley and Colee have been mixed up. In 1982 the park was officially named Colee Hammock park to reflect James Lois Colee's work camp not the Cooley massacre. Today the park is used as a spot to take in the waterway, fish, and climb the trees. It can rented for weddings and it is also an ideal place to view the Winterfest Boat Parade. People come early to lay out their chairs and blankets to mark their spot. I found the park to be an ideal place to reflect on the history of Ft. Lauderdale which has grown from a small trading settlement on the river to a world class city. In the span of roughly 100 years from when it was incorporated into a city in 1911, Ft. Lauderdale has changed yet it was managed to hang onto it's charm in part because of places like this park.

    Virginia H.

    Colee Hammock Park is a small park that's ajacent to the river.  There's lots of shade available, and despite its nearness to a busy throughfare, when you visit here you'll feel like the city is a whole world away :-) This park is a good place to come if you want to sit by the water and read, and/or just sit and watch the boats pass by. Most of the time when you're here, you'll probably be almost all by yourself, which is a plus in my book!

    Marqus R.

    This little peaceful park is a nothingness in comparison to the big something for everyone parks, but more than any, it meets with the more classical definition of a peaceful, restful, natural green space. It hasn't any adornments to speak of, just a few benches, a nice lawn with plenty of shade trees. But above all, what it really has that other parks can't even come close to in comparison is a location on a bend of the New River with a stunning views of near unsurpassed beauty. If there is one park that exemplifies "Lovely Laudy," this is it. Bring a lawn chair, a blanket, your packed picnic basket, and enjoy the tranquility.

    Sherry W.

    Pros: Beautiful view of the river benches quiet free parking close to Las Olas shaded Cons: no jungle gym for kids no bathrooms only service animals allowed (some of you might think that is a Pro) This is a great park to visit on a winter afternoon. You watch the yachts go by and the tour boats. You can grab a snack along Las Olas and eat it here.

    Amy S.

    This was a great location to view my first Winterfest Boat Parade! If you are looking for a public location for boat parade viewing this is it... but don't tell everyone! This small park is tucked in the residential area south of Las Olas and with that said, it does not have its own parking lot. The neighboring church has towing signs at the entrance so the search was on for parking. With this event, a walk was in order. On this comfy evening, that was perfect. The word is out on the nitch because it was crowded. We brought chairs and found a great spot to plant them as we awaiting the start. The view of the "mansion" across the water with its private party was pre-parade entertainment. Oh to be one of the "beautiful" people. lol If you want to save the inflated charges for a private viewing loction, this is a great option. See you next year!

    My squirrel buddy!
    Natasha A.

    I've found my park in Ft. Lauderdale. Hallelujah! I am a woman of simple needs. I just want trees, a place for me to lay my blanket so I can enjoy my books, journals and snacks, with some water to gaze upon. This tiny gem of a park satisfies all those needs, and more! Today I got to live out a moment that felt like my favorite scene from Sword in the Stone. Squirrels came up to me! They were so adorable and playful, and considering that they are my totem animal I took it as a sign of welcoming me 'home'. This park is just south of Las Olas but easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. A good amount of benches to sit on spread around the park, and a great deal of green trees to provide some wonderful fresh air and shady breezes. Love!

    Joseph B.

    Came to see the annual Winterfest Boat Parade on the New River. Came early to get a good spot and found out that many people use a trick to hold waterfront spots before anyone else gets there. They place their folding chairs, folding tables and collapsible canopies under a tarp or plastic sheeting covering them with sticks, bricks and debris making it look like the park personnel did it. They then show up right before the boat parade and set-up camp. Their secret is out LOL. Come early and hide your stuff under a tarp, you can get the premium viewing spots that way!

    Juan S.

    Spectacular park with great views in Ft. Lauderdale just off of Las Olas. Very relaxing, lots of shade, not crowded and peaceful. Possibly my favorite park in S. Florida.

    Shana H.

    This is a small park with calm and peaceful energy. When you walk into the park, it's small but you feel like it has its own space. It feels very cozy. I organized some free meditation class at this park while I was staying here and plan to come back every year to provide free meditation class.

    Beautiful day at the park
    ZZ K.

    Lovely, quiet park, beautiful views (you can certainly enjoy dreaming about owning the amazing boats that go by), several benches, nice grassy area. A perfect place to relax and unwind - I would bring a blanket or some chairs.

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    1 month ago

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    5 months ago

    Great little park right on the river. We watched the boat light show from here with great views. Will be back.

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    Beautiful, peaceful park on the intracoastal. Perfect place for a picnic.

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    Review Highlights - Colee Hammock Park

    A few blocks away form Las Olas, you'll find this peaceful swatch of land perched right on the river.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Traveled through the beautifully maintained Victoria Park community full of rental apartments,…read moretownhouses and waterfront homes with a busy plaza along Federal Highway offering an array of retail and eateries. Victoria Park area has a distinctive Key West vibe and spans from Broward Blvd 1/2 mile to NE 6th St just east of Federal Hwy. FYI, certain times of the summer there is horrific flooding due to storms in Victoria Park.

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    I was looking for a park that would be open late to take a quiet evening walk with my dog and came…read moreacross this suggestion. There's plenty of activities here ranging from sports, recreational gatherings, dog walking, nature stroll and more so I decided to scope it out. While the dog park itself is small, the park is large enough for you to venture outside of the enclosed dog area and take your pup for a stroll. There was plenty of lighting and people were still around yet it wasn't excessively loud which is exactly what I was looking for. They did seem to have some interesting playgrounds that with a few that seemed rather futuristic. It's not the easiest to get around because the signs are kinda dim and there's no large map at the entrance but it's not large enough to get fully lost in. We got to scope out the full moon and take a brisk walk before continuing our night. Not a bad option at all. I do like when parks are open late with the safety of police presence.

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    Colee Hammock Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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