Nice well-kept little out-of-the-way city park. has about 16 spots for other RV or tent camping…read more Modern showers and bathroom right on the river with the boat ramp and place to fish, playground for the kids. And it's a steal of a deal only $15 a night. A very nice setting with plenty of shade and no crowds. It also has electric and water hookups.

What a deal this park is. Nearly beach front, clean,cement level sites and cheap. Cant beat florida…read morestate parks!!

My favorite beach ever!! The sand bar is fun to swim to! The waves are really good! It's great to…read morego to with friends! I 1000% recommend!!!!

We came here for a few hours in early January 2026, but you could easily spend a whole day or 2…read more We like many wanted to see the manatees which are usually here between Nov-March. Unfortunately, the boat rides were sold out because we didn't book in advance. We were able to see 5 or 6 of them from their viewing tower. They were pretty far away but they moved around some for us to get a glimpse. We were also greeted by a river otter who hung out near the dock and had a bigger crowd than the prized manatees. After watching these wonderful creatures, we took a little hike on one of their nature trails. We only did about 3 miles out and back, but the trail goes for about 10 miles round trip. There are no cool waterfall or views of the river on the trail, it's just a nice walk through the woods. Afterwards, we went inside the historic hotel to get vanilla cokes from their soda fountain. The soda fountain has sandwiches, ice cream, and other treats along with a gift shop. Also, in the hotel is a white tablecloth fancy restaurant. Next time I come back I will make an entire day of it with the ladyfriend. Take the boat ride, go on a long hike and then have a nice dinner.

Another beautiful and peaceful Florida State Park, I've has the privilege to visit a lot of the…read moreSP's in Florida and I'm always amazed at what they have to offer and like all of them this one has plenty of unique features that makes for a great experience. No matter what got you here you'll always discover something new, besides the beautiful kept grounds, you can take a boat tour of the springs or enjoy a meal in the lodge restaurant and even book an overnight stay inside this park now that's really unique - there is a great gift shop in the lodge that is filled with plenty of souvenirs and books filled with the history of this park and the surrounding area. We spent the morning exploring the park and its extensive trail system, it's such a quiet and peaceful place to relax, enjoy a picnic lunch or just sit on one of the beautiful benches and enjoy a nice cup of coffee. I finally got my lifetime park membership while here that allows me to enjoy all the state parks across Florida at no additional charge which I plan to use as often as possible - we did spend a few minutes interacting with a park ranger who was very friendly and gave us some history of this beautiful park this is definitely a place to return to again and again...

This is a nice park with the water and gazebo, but I couldn't find a playground that they…read moreapparently have. The geese are cool for kids to see but lots of droppings around and has a smell. Could be cleaner. Also saw some homeless folks. All in all it's a good park but could use some work.

This is a place full of memories for me. There is a good Wikipedia article if you want to know the…read morehistory of what was originally Bull Pond and was used to water cows back when this area would have been "out in the country". My memories start in the late '50s when there was an annual Fish-a-thon around the lake. Imagine a bunch of children with cane poles surrounding the lake and trying to catch the biggest fish. Watch out for that hook! Sealey Elementary School (now the Tallahassee Police Department) was right there on 7th Avenue and we walked home around the lake after school. Sometimes we had to alter our route due to the frequent flooding of the lake that occurred and the usual resulting fish kills from the runoff that caused the flooding. Somewhere along the way the City of Tallahassee realized that Lake Ella wasn't much of a lake anymore and did the work necessary to end the flooding and make Lake Ella the stormwater control project it needed to be. There is now a sidewalk all the way around the lake for those that want a brisk walk or a leisurely stroll. Benches along the way are available. There is a gazebo on a spit of land that juts out into the lake. Lots of curbside parking is available. There is an old oak tree with limbs parallel to the ground that many a child (and some adults) have climbed all over. There is a small playground there with that oak. The American Legion Hall is on the edge of the lake. Many a Tallahassean has kicked up their heels to a variety of bands on a Friday or Saturday night there. The former Motor Court is now the Cottages at Lake Ella and several of those stone cottages house businesses that offer food and refreshments. There is a farmers market on Wednesdays. The only negative, for some people, will be the ducks that have made themselves at home. There has been a love-hate relationship with the ducks for as long as I can remember. Some people love to feed them but they can become a pest when their numbers grow.

Great forest to get lost :)…read more Lots of hiking and bicycling trails. The downside is that they are not as organized as Ocala NF and their maps are awful. But once you find your trail, you are good to go!

St. Marks, Florida. Late March, 2025. We were on a road trip, visiting the southeastern corner of…read morethe US. We saw the sign for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and just had to stop. For those unaware, the National Refuge System (System) is an extensive network of lands and waters protected and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, especially for wildlife and its habitat. There are over 560 refuges, stretching from above the Arctic Circle in Alaska to the subtropical waters of the Florida Keys. The St. Marks Refuge was established in 1931 to provide winter habitat for migratory birds, and is one of the oldest refuges in the System. It encompasses about 86 thousand acres, and includes about 43 miles of north Florida's Gulf coast. About 350 thousand visitors come to St. Marks NWS each year to birdwatch, photograph, hike, fish, picnic, hunt, bike, and relax. We only touched the surface of what was available to do at the refuge. *We stopped at the Visitor Center, where you can pick up maps and view displays about Refuge wildlife and habitats. *We drove Lighthouse Road, which is a slow-moving 7-mile road which connects the Visitor Center to the historic St. Marks Lighthouse at the end of the road. (See my separate listing on Yelp). The road is shared by people in cars and on bike who are hopeful to spot migratory birds, monarch butterflies, and even alligators. *We parked at the Lighthouse (which was closed to visitors), walking around the short paths there, and taking photographs of the lighthouse and surrounding waters. Note that this is a fee-area, and entrance fees are required of all Refuge visitors traveling behind the Visitor Center on Lighthouse Road. Passes are accepted. You can also support your national refuge by supporting the Nature Store, where you can buy field guides, postcards, t-shirts, sunscreen, insect repellant, and more.

While attending the annual butterfly fest this year we had to wait for an hour or more then we're…read moretold it was another 7 miles to the actually lighthouse and where they were releasing the butterfly's. The lighthouse was beautiful and wildlife was wonderful. A big thing with this even was it stated very directly in the instructions no Dogs allowed. There were many dogs there some of which were not properly being attended to. One lady brought 5 or 6 small puppies then when a Ranger explained she needed to get them away from the water because the alligators would come out of the water and take them out of her arms she argued with her that she had already taken them but she would not move away from the waters edge.

This lovely park looks out onto the Dickerson Bay that is a part of the Gulf of Mexico. It is on…read morethe water with a pebbly beach. There are some playground sets here including swings and climbing equipment. A half-court basketball court with benches is in excellent condition A structure with a music stage has restrooms. I believe there are seafood festivals hosted here. A walking loop is also available. Adequate parking. Note that the park is not lighted in order to protect the sea turtles. It is only open dawn to dusk. [Review 14659 overall, 159 of 2021, number 1226 in Florida.]

Spankloads of trout and redfish off thier fishing pier.. but if you jig.. the pier is very high off…read morethe water and before youve reeled half your line in the jigs off the bottom and not fishing.. so any other lures are fine.. but baits the way to go here

I have to admit, this is a brutal trail! I spent 5 hours exploring & admiring the beauty! I even…read morelost a dear item, given to me by a family member...if anyone finds a gold wrapped moss agate pendulum, please give it a good home!Look forward to doing it again soon!

I've always loved this trail. It's best walked when the weather is nice because it can get muggy…read more Excellent elevation considering it's still Florida. The last time I went in Jan 2026, I did notice that the markings/blazes to follow the trail were a little on the dull side. They can stand to be redone.

Best beach in all Florida hand down. It was so relaxing being able to snorkel at the Bay Area and…read morethe entire park is beautiful

We had so much fun! It's only $6 per vehicle. We rented kayaks and a SUP. We swam in the bay and…read morethen drove over to the ocean side to enjoy a snow cone.