Pretty far east of Fort Myers, the Buckingham Trails Preserve is a 572-acre preserve and includes a…read more2.3 mile trail for hiking. I didn't go nearly that far today but I did walk some. The park is mostly pine flatwoods and open scrub with decent visibility and easy walking. There are two sets of looping trails - one is for pedestrian hikers only and the other is for hikers and horse riders. When you're on the horse trail, of course you need to be on the look out for, well, you know. The land in the preserve was formerly used as part of a World War II military training base from 1943 to 1945. It was used for training gun turret operators on Air Force (then the Army Air Force) bombing planes. There is a display at the entrance with brochures. Note that pets are not allowed in the preserve, even leashed. You must remain on the marked trails. [Review 16801 overall - 1525 in Florida - 314 of 2022.]

Buckingham Trails Preserve is one of many tracts of land acquired through the Conservation 20/20…read moreProgram. Parking area and a trail system were developed for hiking and equestrian use. This preserve was part of Buckingham Air Field, which was an Army Airbase used to train aerial gunners that were responsible for operating the 30 and 50 caliber turrets on B-17, B24 and other Bombers during WWII. The Air Field portion, a few miles away, is still operational and currently the home of Lee County Mosquito Control. Prior to air field, this was just swamp land located approximately about 10 miles East of Downtown Fort Myers. We took a Guided History Walk in this preserve. The hiking trail is little over 2 miles and the horseback riding trail is slightly under 5 miles. No stable is nearby so you must bring your own horse(s) for equestrian use! We did not witness any wildlife gopher tortoise, Sandhill Crane and some species of hawk are reported and sighted. The trail still has remnants of trap ranges and ground moving target ranges. An ongoing effort to eliminate invasive plants has made progress significantly with controlled burning. Two historians, Ted Mikita and Jim Zbick from Southwest Florida Military Museum, representative from Conservation 20/20 and Lee County Ranger were very active and conducted an informative and helpful guide. We enjoyed this hike and Thank you to Ted and Jim, Conservation 20/20 and Lee County Parks & Recreation for making this possible!

This was a nice spot to take the dog for a walk. We wanted to try another park but once we got…read morefurther in it was too wet and a little overgrown. Definitely will come back there were spots to look out onto the wetlands and several benches to sit if needed along the way. Some shade but not a lot. We brought water along for the pup so she was good.

It was a very beautiful day today. I was excited to be able to take a walk in this park and it is…read morereally close to our home. The path is made out of crushed shells and easy to walk on. The long winter shadows cast their images along the winding walk. There is a little boardwalk and bridge which actually runs along the swampy area. I expected that to see an alligator baking In the sun. There are benches every so often, so you can stop and take in the beauty of the area. I love the winters here....... A hidden gem in our local community!

Peaceful and quiet this morning with only a few fishermen out on the pier. The park was otherwise…read moreempty and it was nice to sit on the bench and look out at the Caloosahatchee River which was super calm at 7am. Other than some picnic tables and a port-a-potty, there aren't any services here. They do have signs posted that overnight trailer parking is not permitted (but maybe camper parking is?). There was another sign that there's a high bacteria level and wading is not recommended. Enjoy the park and being near the water! [Review 398 of 2025 - 2045 in Florida - 23960 overall]

This park is a small spit of land at the base of the Caloosahatchee Bridge. It lies along the…read moreCaloosahatchee River making it a great spot for fishing but a free salt water fishing license is required. The parking here is also free. Lee County Parks & Recreation took over responsibility of the North Shore Bridge Access from the State of Florida in August of 1987. A pier was added to the park in 2000 which was paid for with proceeds from the three cent bed tax imposed on short-term tourist stays in Lee County. The park is home to the Edison Sailing Center which offers sailing and power boat safety lessons here. Note that although North Shore Park has a beach, swimming is not permitted. Restroom facilities are port a potties. I enjoyed taking a walk on the trail that runs from the parking lot to the base of the bridge. You can get a stunning view of the river, especially at sunset.

It's a nice little adventurous preserve. You can easily spend 90 minutes there…read more The preserve is being enhanced with a boardwalk, paved parking lot and restrooms, etc. This renovation started in the summer of 2025 and it's still ongoing (June 2026). However, access to the old entrance off Del Prado Blvd is still opened with limited parking. https://share.google/sUUdpymsREWL2T24R

Nice trails. Quite from the hustle and bustle. Took wrong turns a couple of time. Could be…read morebetter marked.

A pleasant new park has opened in the town recently! The playground park is linked to Cape Coral's…read morelinear park, offering a charming setting for leisurely strolls with a stroller or rollerblading. I must say, my daughters really like the modern equipment there! As a parent, I am grateful for the shaded tarp area. However, I do wish to suggest an improvement - having a picnic table within the enclosed park would be a great addition for snack time! It was disappointing to find only one bench and no tables during my visit. I hope the city of Cape Coral's parks and recreation department considers this feedback. :)

Extending around two miles along Del Prado Blvd from Kismet to Pine Island, this park is on both…read moresides of the major road with a clear path for walking, skating, biking, running, what have you. The sidewalk is ten feet wide and level. Note that there are a few spots where you will be crossing both minor and major roads. Pedestrians should take extra care at those places because drives won't see you. There are eight fitness stations, bike racks, park benches and the path is lighted. Enjoy! Parking? Not so much. [Review 13263 overall, 581 of 2020.]

Estero Bay Preserve State Park was a Therese-H pick for hiking and bird watching. The label seemed…read moreto imply that we'd be along the water's edge, at some point or another. As it turned out, the paths that went westward toward the bay sort of grew over into a dense, dried-out swamp that was too slow going for our purposes. The way the utility poles end here make it look like a large tract of land was originally planned to be the next phase of a residential area, but the project stopped further east (for now). Backing out of said dense, dried-out swamp, and making a loop, we had a pleasant walk, and took an extension path down to the river and back. The parking area out front is small but well groomed, with a shelter and port-a-potty.

Visited in September and the area was very soggy and overgrown. There's no designated parking…read morelot--you just have to pull off to the side of the road. I didn't end up staying since it was too wet for me, but I'll give it another try at a different time of year.

I just moved to Southwest Florida back in October and still discovering new things to do. This…read moreplace is definitely filled with nature, it's peaceful, and it's only a few miles from my home. There is lots to see, and the history behind the area is extremely interesting. Perfect for a daily walk, by yourself or with family and friends. I will definitely be going back again and again.

Wild Turkey Strand Preserve is right in our backyard with history. These tracts of land acquired…read morethrough Conservation 20/20 started back in 2001 for a total of over 3100 acres. It is located in Lehigh Acres on the West Side of State Road 82 directly adjacent to the Southwest Florida International Airport! It was on my list of local preserve visit for more than 2 years. The land was formerly part of Buckingham Army AirField. An Army training base between 1942-1945 during World War II for the express purpose of training air-to-air combat also known as Flexible Gunnery School. Some structures such as ammo buildings, gun turret foundation still remain on site and preserved. A small western portion of this land is open to public access for hiking, bird watching, photography and interact with nature! This trail has a paved free parking, one restroom and a picnic shelter with four tables. Total parking space is about 24+ and a bus parking space. Portion of trail is ADA-accessible but many sections are wet and submerged in water in a rainy season. It is recommended that you check the weather prior to enter the preserve, wear closed-toe shoe, or hiking booths, hat, sun screen, insect repellent, and water. Sections are paved and sections with boardwalk which give you an elevated view of the preserve as well keep your feet dry during the rainy season. Headgear or hat is a must here, this is open preserve, not many shady spots are available. There was no rain yesterday, so we were able hike the 1.8 miles without encounter any wet grounds. Went in the preserve about 8:00 AM and completed our leisure hike around 9:45 AM with multiple stops viewing the gun turret foundation, ammo building, observation decks. In the North side where the remain of Gunnery training were sighted, you can hear the bird calls but only witness two birds, one Ibis on a swamp and small light brown bird on a tree top. We were not able to identify that bird. The white Ibis flew away as we approaching toward that swamp. In the South side, there are more butterflies, and plants. Sight of blue crab pieces were on ground. All of sudden, what appeared as a hawk flied out marsh and make a smacking sound! We were little disappointed because we did not witness any alligators, rabbits, wild turkeys, deer, snakes, or ducks. Nevertheless, it was a good hike! The preserve is well maintained but I wish they did a better job of provide more boardwalk or paved road and create a lake for the wildlife. That would be an ideal place for running, jogging and hiking!

I had an unforgettable experience on my half day bird tour with Tod. Not only was he very…read moreknowledgeable and professional, he also showed great enthusiasm for the Everglades ecosystem and the wildlife in it. This passion for every creature that we encountered truly made the day even more special. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in birding in the Everglades!

Kayaking the Everglades was so beautiful and serene! And not nearly as buggy as I expected. Our…read moretour guide Tod was very knowledgeable about local flora and fauna, and provided very thoughtful touches like extra bug spray, sunblock, and yummy snacks. Plus he had a great calm, level energy and a good sense of humor, and great stories! We'll join him again next year for another adventure, at a different location.

We rented a canoe and opted for the 5-mile trip, although we arrived later in the day and had to…read moresettle for the 1:30 trip. Despite the timing, it was incredibly peaceful as the sounds of traffic faded away, leaving only the symphony of nature - birds, animals, and plenty of sightings of alligators and turtles.

Awesome time, great prices. Very friendly staff. I would recommend this place to any new kayakers,…read morealmost no current and a nice breeze.

My family was given a short free kayak trip on earth day on the Estero River from College of Life…read more What a wonderful time! The naturalist and her assistant were great guides, very caring, and knowledgeable. They worked well with my kids. We'll book a longer trip with them in the near future for sure.

My daughter and I went on the Full Moon kayak. What a fun experience! The staff was great, very…read moreknowledgeable and friendly . We have lived in the area for 15+ years and learned new things on our trip! The full moon kayak was suitable for all ages; the staff went above and beyond to make sure everyone was comfortable. We will go again. This would be great for out of town visitors as well!