Grew up around this lake, it was the local fishing hole for us kids on a Sunny Summer day, there were no park benches, sidewalks, and the McBride Lions that now adorn the North side of the lake used to sit on what was a large mansion style home on the North side owned by the McBride family, just as you exited the lake back onto Bumby Ave. Not sure if they have torn this old home down, but I think they did after the last living McBride either left the area and sold the property or died off, not really sure which. The home was definitely a focal point from the lake.
My friends owned the house on the Southern side of the lake as you entered Lake Como Circle. It was nice and leisurely back then.
I would visit the lake today, but for a park, they opted not to put in any parking anywhere on the lake, in the days prior to it actually being a "park", as it was now, you could park anyway on the grass around the lake.
As I grew older and started driving a vehicle, we'd park our cars there under the large shade trees and wax our vehicles. Can't do that any more.
And there is absolutely no parking around the park, the only areas you might be able to park at are on a side street in the neighborhood, but last time I was there, even the side streets close to the park had NO PARKING signs on both sides, so unless you live in one of the homes surrounding the lake, or you know someone there where you can park your car in their driveway and walk to the lake{park}, you're pretty much out of luck visiting it.
It was my old stomping grounds and lots of good times there as I grew up, sometimes I'd like to visit the new revamped Lake Como Lake{Park}, but because of the parking situation now, that has taken that away from me.
So that's why I give it 2 stars, if there would have been ample parking or parking still allowed on the grass around the upper perimeter just off the road, or parking on any of the neighborhood side streets{you could when I was growing up there in the 50's-70's!} I'd have given this 5 stars and little better review.
As it is, you'll just have to view it as you drive around the park and not bother to stop, unless you want to hike a very long distance providing you can find a parking place in the adorning neighborhoods that surround Lake Como Lake{Park}.
EDIT: BEWARE, this lake is a BOTTOMLESS LAKE, the bottom is soft silt and is actually fed by the Saint Johns River. Occasionally you will find an alligator or two swimming in the lake, but they've never stayed too long. So if you go out wading in this lake, it's not a good idea. I'm not sure, but I think they've posted NO SWIMMING signs around the lake because of this. So it would be very dangerous to wade or swim in this lake. read more