In 1994 this 12 acre park in Dania Beach was named in honor of Dania Beach activist Patrick J Meli…read morewho spent the last years of his life maintaining it for the children in this community. Meli was a railroad engineer with Penn Central Railroad, After he retired he was the Griffin Civic Association president for 28 years and put money into improvements like the sports fields and lights. He also helped start a Crime Watch program that operated out of the park. Originally named Griffin Park, this was a Broward County park until the city voted to annex it and the surrounding areas in 1991. Meli passed away at the age of 94 on June 12, 1993. After his death the city renamed the park in honor of his contributions. This park is tucked into a residential neighborhood in Dania Beach. Park amenities include a recreation room with a full kitchen, playground, basketball court, two handball courts, tennis courts, a swimming pool, outdoor exercise equipment, and two baseball fields. While walking around for exercise I saw several other people doing the same. This park is also home to the Precious Paws Pet Park and Memorial Garden. Whether two footed or four, there is something for everyone to enjoy in this clean and well appointed park.

Not an easy park to find in the back of Plantation Acres butting up against STRD 84. Due to the…read morevehicular traffic flowing west on the highway do not expect a quiet time here. I try alot of parks in the area to burn off some calories walking before the summer heat hits hard. This morning it was very cool outside but had to walk along the wet grass through the park since there were no walking paths. Also noticed a small murky canal on the far west side with a posted beware of alligators sign - so no fishing or swimming. Also I would not bring your dogs to this park plus they are prohibited anyways. A small portion of the grass area is burnt but enough fresh green grass to play frisbee. Most of the park is well kept. There is kiddie monkey bars and a few picnic tables but no covered pavilions except for alot of large tree shade. No parking anywhere at the park so good luck with finding a legit spot. No bathrooms here either. Really not a people friendly park, but did burn a few calories walking.

Tara Park is located in the Plantation Acres South neighborhood between Hiatus Road and Flamingo…read moreRoad between the North New River Canal and NW 28th Court. Construction of the neighborhood began in the 1960's and is still ongoing today. Most of the homes are single family one acre lots. Many of the homeowners who live out here own horses. Tara Park also known as Plantation Acres South Park is a large neighborhood park with a lot of trees and open green space. The back of the park borders the Hiatus Greenway so you can see people on horses and bikes as they ride by. Park amenities include swings, a playground with climbing equipment, picnic tables, and benches. It is the perfect spot to fly a kite, exercise, take the lids to play, or have a picnic. There are no restrooms so it is primarily used by neighborhood residents There also is no dedicated parking lot so if you come by car you have to pull off to the side of the road.

Hollywood has five pocket parks along the intracoastal, across from North Beach. Each park is named…read moreafter a different species of sea turtle. Parking is by app for $2 an hour. If you cross the street you can reach the public beach access. Green Park is across the street from the Marine Environmental Education Center where you can learn about sea turtles and how to protect them. This park is named for the green sea turtle, the largest of the hard shelled turtles. They are unique because they are herbivores with a diet consisting of sea grass and algae. Green turtles are found around the world but their numbers have declined as they have been used for their meat and eggs. They have also lost nesting habitat due to coastal development. They are listed as an endangered species. This park is mainly used for picnics and cooking out and fishing. Numerous trees provide shade in the park and you can enjoy a nice breeze from the intracoastal. There are concrete tables and benches with grills throughout the park. There are no restrooms but you can walk to the one next door in Leatherback Park. Feel free to bring fido because this park is dog friendly.

If you want to learn about the history of Pompano Beach this park is a great place to start. The…read morePompano Beach Historical Society maintains a building here but this park contains several historical buildings too. There is the two restored Kester Cottages that were moved to the park in the 1980's, a 1926 firehouse that contains the cities first fire truck, a 1926 American LaFrance and a 1948 American LaFrance, and Pump House No. 1, also from 1926. Other park amenities include tennis courts, a playground, and a shuffleboard court. On September 11, 2019, a 9/11 memorial was dedicated at the park. Founders Park was chosen for the memorial because it contains the cities first fire house and the memorial pays tribute to the 343 first responders killed on 9/11. The Pompano Beach Historical Society launches a lot of events from this park. They hold dinners in their building, operate historical trolley tours that leave from the park, and give tours of the Kester cottages. Besides the historical value, this is a great park to play tennis. It is nice to see Pompano working so hard to embrace their past.

Dania Beach Arts Park is a park located in Dania Beach's historic arts and entertainment district…read moreacross from City Hall. This city park opened in July of 2024 as part of National Parks and Recreation Month. This park offers a place for the city to stage events among public works of art. Art Park was designed to showcase pieces from the Dania Beach public art collection. Serving as a backdrop to the park is the mural Looking Forward by local artist Ernesto Maranje. There is also a kinetic sculpture, Let LOVE Guide Your Way by Lloyd Goradesky and a sculpture of a Jack Russell called Totor by Stéphane Bolongaro. Also in the park is the Dania Beach clock and a fountain. The park is the site of Honor the Legacy, a Community Redevelopment Agency project consisting of markers by artist Gary Moore referencing the history of Dania Beach. Dania Beach traces its roots back to when it was known as Modello and 12 Danish families moved from Chicago to settle here in 1898. In the late 19th century it became a hub for tomato farming and the Florida East Coast Railway when the FEC Railroad Line was laid in the late 1880's. Early immigrants prospered in tomato farming and Dania Beach became known as "The Tomato Capital of the World." The markers were created to pay homage to the places, moments, culture, heritage, leaders, pioneers, and other elements that make up the legacy of Dania Beach. There are seven markers mounted to the solar light pole surrounding the entry to City Hall. I enjoyed stopping to read the signs which filled in the gaps of my Dania Beach knowledge.

What a peaceful, pretty and tranquil spot. A small yet mighty park located right on the water way…read more A wonderful lil spot to pass half an hour and watch the boats glide past.

Abreu Park is named for Francis Luis Abreu (1896-1969), the only Hispanic architect during…read moreFlorida's land boom years in the 1920's. He graduated from Cornell University College of Architecture in 1921 and he was the second registered architect in Ft. Lauderdale when he arrived in 1924 at the age of twenty eight. He was influenced by his Cuban and Spanish heritage. Abreu was best known for designing in the Mediterranean Revival style popularized by Addison Mizner in Palm Beach. His architecture featured barrel tile roofs, twisted columns, antique lanterns, wrought iron gates, towered arch ways, and larger arch windows. His most active years were from 1923 to 1928. He designed homes and public structures including houses on the new River in Rio Vista, houses in Idlewyld, the Riverside Hotel, the Westside Firehouse in Sailboat bend, the St. Anthony School, the Casablanca Cafe, and the Bryan building. After the land boom went bust after the Great Depression ASbreu moved to Georgia where he designed a house for playwright Eugene O'Neill. The park named for Abreu is located in the Rio Vista neighborhood where many of his designs, including one of his most famous creations, the Gypsy Graves house once stood. Some of his structures have been torn down but the park named for him by the Rio Vista Civic Association stands as a reminder of the time when he was the popular architect in Ft. Lauderdale. At only .3 of an acre the park is the size one house lot. It is just an open space park but the view of the New River and surrounding homes is gorgeous. It is the perfect place to sit in one of the Adirondack chairs and watch the water taxi cruise by and remember the grand architecture designed by Abreu in the roaring twenties.

SilverLakes, a beautiful neighborhood in Pembroke Pines was once a desolate strip mining limestone…read morequarry. The rock mining industry had left the marshy landscape pockmarked with massive, deep lakes. When development began, the lakes were blackish brown, the wetlands were stripped away, and the shore land consisted mainly of blasted white rocky hardpan. To restore the balance with nature over half of the community's initial 1200 acres were set aside for natural areas. This included 750 acres of lakes and waterways, 276 acres of replanted wetlands, 30 miles of shoreline, and the creation of 19 mini-parks and 3 large parks. Today this once stripped area is the thriving SilverLakes neighborhood that has been awarded a Waterfowl Habitat Designation by the State of Florida Bureau of Mine Reclamation in 1999. ​The SilverLakes Community Park is a picturesque water front private park for residents. The park has a parking lot, swimming pool, shade covered playground, sand beach, sand volleyball, outdoor fitness equipment, and grill. There is also an outdoor pavilion that residents can reserve for parties. If you want to use the pool you must have a blue tooth fob to open the gate. Silver Lakes Community Park also has a nod to its history in the Community Cove, an area dedicated to acknowledging how a strip mining limestone quarry was turned it into the environmentally friendly Silver Lakes neighborhood. There is a bench and a plaque that says "The area will remind everyone that it is up to us, the residents of SilverLakes, to continue this legacy. We should strive to keep our grounds, parks, and lakes pristine and to preserve the Waterfowl Habitat Designation that was awarded to SilverLakes by the State of Florida Bureau of Mine Reclamation in 1999." Robert Garcia, SilverLakes Master Board President.

Riverland Preserve is a 5 acre park in the Riverland neighborhood which is located in a SW corner…read moreof Fort Lauderdale off Davie Boulevard. The neighborhood is in a beautiful area that has an Old Florida feel with 200 year old oak trees. Many of the homes here were built in the 50's for the returning veterans of WWII who flocked to Florida. Like all Ft. Lauderdale parks Riverland is open every day from 6 AM until 9 PM. The city purchased the land for the park from the Black family in 2017. This land was their private home. Part of the funding to purchase the park came from $750,000 that was put aside by the county when Riverland was annexed into the City of Fort Lauderdale in 2002. When the property was first set for sale it was slated to be divided into subplots for housing development. The neighborhood was concerned about keeping the areas character intact and saving the 400 tropical trees on the property. They petitioned the city to keep the land in its natural state and they agreed to purchase the property and turn it into a park. Riverland is a passive park that still looks like someone's house in the neighborhood. The first time I looked for this park I actually drive by it. The original house still sits on the property along with several outbuildings. Behind the house is the preserve has ancient oak trees, sandal palms, laurel oaks, native wild orchids, slash pine trees, shrubs, banana trees, pink pineapple plants and other native plants. I saw ibis and the trees in this neighborhood are known for being a home to owls. There are no trails but there are benches. This preserve was one of my more interesting Ft. Lauderdale park finds. I love how the neighborhood rallied together to save the ecologically important piece of land. During my visit most of the preserve was flooded due to the heavy rains we recently experienced but I was intrigued by the plants I saw, especially the pink pineapples! and I will be back to explore further next time I am in the area.