Love this beach. One of my favorite beaches in Florida. Parking is $10 with the mobile…read moreapplication. The walk to the beach is a bit far and this beach provides complimentary golf cart ride to the beach. The sand feels really soft and so does the beach. This beach also has a restaurant/ bar. This beach does not allow dogs. Overall the experience was amazing and I highly recommend it.

Everytime I want to go to the beach I end up going to this amazing beach. As soon as you get off…read moreyour car to walk to the boardwalk to go to the beach there is a golf cart that takes you to the beach for free. All they ask for a tip. The water was a bit cold but it felt soo good. I did go to the beach January 10 which is not beach season but it felt amazing. This park is always super clean and the water doesn't ever have seaweed floating around. This is one of my favorite beach and I may come next weekend again.

They are redoing the walkway/ the walk isn't open it will be very nice when it's finished!read more

Today we did the extra activity on our list, driving to Shell Island Road and walking the…read moreboardwalk. Rain was threatening, but we took the chance, and we enjoyed it. The walk is a half mile long through several ecosystems. Signs tell you about the areas. The walk is easy, and on a sunny day you'll want sunscreen and a hat. You can walk quickly and get your steps in going around several times. Or you can stroll looking for animals. The boardwalk is well maintained as you can see that boards are being replaced. This is a place you can bring the family, and come anytime during the waking hours. Except for about 25 yards of a sandy trail, the boardwalk is handicapped accessible.

A nice place to walk. Saw no wildlife while we were there, but it was nice to let the kids run…read morearound in a relatively safe environment. No real shade.

This is one of Florida's greatest attractions…read more I don't want to say much because I don't want to spoil your adventure. There is more nature in this location than one can handle. In order to see the largest state park in Florida, it will require at least 2-3 days. There is hiking, biking, and kayaking available. The admission is only $3.00 (self-pay). The visitor center was not open while we were visiting, not sure why. Jane's scenic route is a dirt road and has a 10 mile an hour speed limit. Easy to find, well-marked signs. Beware of gators, keep your eyes open and stay alert. We will have to come back to check out the boardwalk (different location) and the West trail next time.

Cocohatchee means "brown water". This 3.64 acre preserve was acquired by Collier County in 2004…read morebecause it contains a rare riverine oak community along with pine flatwood, oak scrub and wetland dependent plant communities. Collier County has worked to remove the invasive species on the preserve and they replaced them with native plants that were installed along the creek bank. The Preserve provides protection to gopher tortoises, which are a Species of Special Concern in the State of Florida.  The tortoises feed on the prickly pear cactus that grows in the oak scrub and they can burrow ten feet underground. Along the creek, leather ferns and swamp lilies provide an area for the wetland birds to forage. This preserve also buffers the creek that flows down to contribute to the Gordon River and Naples Bay Watershed. Other plants you can find in the preserve include live and laurel oaks, golden aster, tickseed, and butterfly weed. To access the preserve you can park at Veterans Community Park and walk down. Once in the preserve you can take a short hike (10 minutes) that takes you back to the road. The preserve also contains a viewing platform built as an Eagle Scout project and a picnic table. Although the walk is nice enough the most important purpose of this preserve is to protect the plants and animals that call it home. To that end, well done Collier County.

I work with many clients that need exercise. I came to this preserve because there's lots of shade…read moreand just the right amount of walking. Very calm and very little traffic around. Great place to just walk, think, and relax.

A great hiking trail to see wildlife. Parking is somewhat limited but no admission charge. Some…read moreparts of the trail are wide open and allow for great views of the Everglades and its inhabitants. I saw a ton of birds and a few gators. Other parts are surrounded by thick mangroves. The tower allows for great views from above.

So beautiful!! Easy walking trail with observation deck along the way. Saw a gator and lots of…read morebirds! No shade really along the trail. Take your binoculars! This was really a lovely treat to find such different terrain, wildlife from Colorado. Would definitely recommend!

The Corkscrew boardwalk is always a pleasure, even when the animals are hiding! On our most recent…read morevisit the first half of the boardwalk was quiet - some bird calls in the distance but no sightings. The second half was quite different - numerous bird sightings including a barred owl and numerous egrets, an alligator and, for the first time ever, two otters! Every trip is different- sometimes it is just a quiet walk in the woods, sometimes the animals decide to share with us. It isn't a zoo, it is nature so anything can happen.

I do want to say that I love Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and have been going since I was a kid. This…read moretime, I got to bring my kids who are 12 (twins). My caveat is, perhaps, to call the Sanctuary and see how dry it is? When we visited, there was no "swamp" to be seen for much of it, and I've been many times so I knew where the water was supposed to be but because of the drought - nope. This made about 75% of the boardwalk walk very boring for my kids as there really were no animals to see. It was only when you get to the lettuce lake area that we spotted a few alligators. I was not happy that we drove an hour for my kids to not see much and be bored (and frankly, so was I). The Audubon does a fantastic job, the visitor center is wonderful, and the info on the trails is great...but the "no swamp swamp" got to us on this visit.

Enjoyable hike around the swamplands. Interesting sign about the vultures stealing the rubber…read moreseals on cars.

This is one of my favorite places to go and hike. There is no entrance fee and chances are you will…read moresee an alligator.

Nice but highway noise is heard here! Where's the quiet…read morepark? Why are parks built near loud road noise here?

This park is very clean. It's a really big and beautiful it has a few different playgrounds one…read morehidden a little bit further away for the littleer kids. It has a bunch of different little pavilions with their own grills that you can rent. It has a kayak rack where you can rent to keep your kayak stored there for safe storage. And it has its own boat dock for small boats and a boat dock for actual boats. There's a canal that has salt and non salt water combined. There's a big stage area where you can rent for dancing or shows. There's a decent amount of parking. There's a lot of walking areas which connects to another park as well. This park is absolutely stunning and 100% worth going to.

Lovely beach. Ramp access from parking with easy access to beach…read more Limited parking, but easy parking payment with QR code. Handicapped parking near entrances. Trash receptacles at entrances. Very busy on weekends.

Barefoot beach is quite nice. The sand is clean, fine and there is a decent number shells. It…read morewasn't over crowded on a Monday afternoon in March, which was nice. We had an issue with low signals, so it took a ridiculous amount of time to pay for parking. Otherwise, it is always a nice time at Barefoot Beach!

Tigertail Beach is a unique destination and an adventure for visitors to Marco Island, a corner of…read moreFlorida surrounded by the Everglades and mangrove islands. The beach is named after a Seminole leader and what makes it so special is that it is divided by a tidal lagoon. The developed lagoon side is an important bird habitat and it has amenities like a playground and restrooms. To reach the beach side you wade through the lagoon which is about 50 yards and which allows you to reach the waters of the Gulf. If you prefer not to walk through the lagoon you can walk around the lagoon to the south to reach the beach in about 20 minutes. The main part of Tigertail Beach across from the lagoon is Sand Dollar Island or Sand Dollar Spit. The area was an off shore sandbar completely surrounded by water until the winds of Hurricane Wilma and erosion connected it to Marco Island. It is known for its incredible deposits of sand dollars, giving it the name and making it a favorite spot to find sand dollars and shells. Adjacent to the park is Big Marco Pass Critical Wildlife Area managed by the state and it is a resting site for a variety of migratory shorebirds. Tigertail Beach is a birding hot spot during spring and fall migration. It is a part of the Great Florida Birding Trail, one of the longest running programs of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The trail consists of more than 500 wildlife viewing sites across the state. Things to keep in mind, if you are going to to the beach pack what you can carry if you plan on crossing the lagoon. Most people carry their belongings overhead. Parking is ten dollars to park or a Collier County beach pass. if you like a beach adventure and nature, this may be the experience for you.

The sand here is white and like quicksand, so soft. Best time to go is early in the morning or…read moreafter 3pm otherwise impossible to find parking. You can walk through the inlet (in water - if youre under 5'8" youre going to get more than your legs wet) and then over to the beach...if you walk north, its less busy and you feel like youre on your own remote beach. Its not a deep beach so in areas near parking it can get crowded, but if youre up for a walk, its worth it!