We were excited at first, but as someone else mentioned, make sure you bring bug spray!read more

Terra Ceia Preserve State Park is 2,000 acres of diverse ecosystems including mangrove forests,…read morefreshwater and saltwater wetlands, and uplands communities. There are no facilities so plan ahead to bring bug spray, water and a bag for trash. This preserve is undergoing habitat restoration to return agricultural land to its natural and ecologically diverse condition. It is a great place to take a hike on many of the trails or go birding. You can see native and migrating birds along the trails. Common birds like little blue herons, white ibis found wading along the shore, bald eagle flying and, my favorite, roseate spoonbills wading in the shallows. Fishing is allowed in the saltwater and freshwater mix. Kayaking and canoes are a great way to see the preserve, too. The unimproved boat ramp at Bishop Harbor is the closest place to launch. Though, canoe/kayak launches can be found on Bishop Harbor Road and Stotz Road. I like Terra Ceia and would definitely go back. I like that it is being restored and the wildlife is returning. It's wonderful to have these areas being restored for people and wildlife to enjoy. Check the website before going for updates and more information.

This was our first time here and there is so much more to explore! We drove all the way to the…read morepoint and parked in the lot. There are portable bathrooms there and a lot of small beaches. We walked and stopped and enjoyed the water! We brought the bike and scooter and stroller but didn't get a chance to use them this time although there are plenty of good sidewalks to use! We will be back!

One of my favorite places to visit. From natural trails, tree canopies, various elevation, changes,…read moreand steps to a view of the bay and Sandi beaches. This is a must see if you are an outdoor person and love hiking or you'd like to just explore some of the plant life in history or you wanna launch a kayak or maybe wind sail this is a fantastic park.

Okay... GREAT... maybe is a bit much to say for such a short visit we had, BUT overall it was such…read morea good visit and the staff member who attended to us was completely unforgettable - Jade was friendly, courteous, casual, and super informative. She tried as hard as she could to make sure we spotted Manatees out in the bay... and while we personally never got to see them this was in no way a reflection of he attempts to point us in the right direction twice! She keyed us in on the best times to come in for kayaking, wildlife viewing, swimming, etc. I did not really find the swimming all that enjoyable but that is mainly because of the "Wetlands" feel and all the grass growth in and around the swimming area; but for the pelicans, crabs, pipers, and other creatures we did see (Manatees I WILL see you next time!!!) it is apparent why this growth is so important. Ao, thank you E.G. Simmons Conservation Park, and thank you Jade for being so friendly and kind.

Went here recently, nice little mini beach. Sat for awhile, watched the boats, overhead planes, and…read morepeople. Got my groove on. $2 entrance fee not bad. Plenty of parking. They also have some trails to walk nearby , and a park. Opens up to the bay eith a great view from the beach and lets you get your "chill" on! Very relaxing

This is a wonderful space just off the highway. There are nice sidewalks and a couple of nature…read moretrails to walk and run. There are two separate parking lots to access different sections of the park to start your workout or walk. It's a very cozy and charming place to walk and I will return.

All the kids love this place. There are things to climb on, make yourself dizzy with, and a zip…read moreline swing. A family I babysit for from out of town asked for park recommendations. This was on top of my list of recs. They loved it. The pics I was sent had the baby with pure joy all over her face. This was also my recommendation for the child's summer camp to take the kids. It was great for all the kids, they went three times last summer. 03.02.25

We were visiting the Bradenton area for a week and saw the Palma Sola Botanical Gardens and knew we…read morehad to go! When we travel to different cities with our Rv we try and find local botanical gardens. This garden is so nice and love all the plants and trees they have! The Plumeria section was beautiful and healthy. My wife FaceTimed her mom to show her (she is on a Plumeria group in Jacksonville that grows them and enters them in awards). She even said "wow"! We definitely recommend you visit this garden. Just some advice; wear insect repellent! There was a section in the gardens that was taken over by mosquitoes! I never get bit but today OH MY GOSH I had at least 10 on me and any given time. Once we left that section all was well and no more issues.

Went to a donation based event in the park to see Christmas lights. Great way to see Santa and the…read moreGrinch for a reasonable amount of money (or free). It's been hard to find pictures with Santa for a reasonable amount in the area and now I know to come back here next year! Only thing I struggled with was walking to the entrance after I parked. Bring a flashlight!

Very nice spot for an early morning excursion to see if we could find manatees! It was hot hot hot…read more but the hike to the observation tower was short and full of fun things to see!! We found a pond full of birds, two lizards on a bench, fish jumping out of the water and the tower itself is very tall and quite a sight! We had the best time and it is a very nice trail. We saw walkers, runners and bikers so good for all sorts of activities! Plenty of parking, quiet and serene. Get out there early or late in the evenings to avoid the heat bring plenty of water, wear sunscreen and stay on the path and you'll have a great time!

Several easy hiking trails make this a handy place to take a stroll. The terrain isn't very scenic…read morebut there is an observation tower that affords good views of the surrounding area. Unisex restrooms available at the parking lot. Free parking and admission.

Amazing day. We watch Secrets of the Zoo on tv and see them rehabilitate manatees. They bring them…read moreto power plant areas where the warm waters create a great environment for them to thrive. Really cool to see the manatees interact with each other. Some bonding, some rivalries and mostly calm and slow moving. The staff was great. Very helpful with questions. The parking volunteers were really cool and friendly. Go there and take your time to appreciate these great animals.

The moneys been put in the box at the booth, it's five bucks and The Honor System is used - thena…read moreseries of slow winding snake turns up the next half mile past the canoe launch and into the parking lot & picnic area where there's also a little playground set up for screaming kids. Last week we explored to the East, logic dictates we head West because there's more land, more trails and a brisk twenty minutes in, past the equestrian area and I had wished I brought my compass . So I looked to the sun, it was my nearing 9:45AM so I made a quick little sundial and determined my bearings, keeping the rays at my right shoulder, a tall pine in the distance for extra measure. So quickly the terrain can change from soft and slow white sand to fast packed non-silty soil to brown and boggy muddy to green and lush all within a stones throw in any direction. Know this friends - you'll be given no help from signage - only arrows , there are numbers from 15 to 3 - yet, not telling ya anything at all - no maps at the gate, nobody in the booth at the gate - nobody official looking around, so be aware of that if you want to see beyond the next turn. Getting turned around is easier than going straight towards the trails end. I assumed that the 15 I saw, then the 7 I saw then the 3&4 means I'd be on a cylindrical circumnavigation - looping back to the pavement that takes you in and separated the two very different sides of the park. We came up on Dude Lake and here in this primitive shallow shored lake - along with birds, turtles are sounds unique to my ears, movements in the brush that have the dogs diving into and thrashing within - only to pop out from the other side dumbfounded and disappointed. There are things that are unseen underneath - human penetration is virtually impossible without damaging the plants, vines and thick green entanglements. I believe these are small creatures, whatever they are but emit the most beautiful sounds, whatever they are.

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.

Bright as the day is, but a new addition to a new addition to Bradenton! My heart breaks slightly…read morefor the older houses and undeveloped land that used to be here, but progress shines brightly on Bradenton, and this park is a wonderful example of that! There's doggy poo bags, and I'm not sure why, but across the street is another unlabeled park with a smaller playground in the shade and it's absolutely strange. They have astroturf and fake mounds, I cannot fathom why. It's only lacking a hole and some golfers... Either way, untapped park that I've never noticed before!

Great park. The playground is full of places for everyone to climb, slide, run, or kick or throw a…read moreball around. Kids were riding bikes and skating around as well. We enjoyed walking the path around the park. The splash pad will be popular when the weather is warmer. Tonight with it 56° outside, not so much. Did that stop us from grabbing a cold treat from the ice cream truck? Absolutely not. The one down fall I see is the location of the stage. If there is entertainment happening on the stage at or around sunset, there will not be anything to block the sun blinding those on stage but the glasses they could possibly be wearing. 21.03.2025

Loved this park on Saturday!!!!…read more Big shaded pavilion with massive fans. I saw a family setup their own table and was so impressed!!!!! There were 4 picnic tables + tons of room for kiddos to run by the splash pad, and a next-level playground my toddler can't wait to try when it's not blazing hot. Main parking lot is small, but there's overflow close by. Clean bathrooms and the whole place is really well maintained. Bonus: coffee truck up front--bring more food trucks and it's perfection. Highly recommend!