This is a small natural area in Delray Beach. It is named for Leon M. Weekes who served on the…read moreDelray Beach City Commission from 1970-1978 before becoming mayor of Delray Beach from 1978-1982. He also served on several non profits and was a community leader in Delray Beach for many years. He passed away in 2014. This area has a park with a play ground and a gazebo with a picnic table. There is also a butterfly garden that was added in 2018 and dedicated to Walter Baum a former lifeguard at Pompey Park Pool who passed away. Behind the playground is a paved natural area that loops. The land is scrub pineland which used to prevalent in South Florida before it was paved over for urbanization. It runs along the railroad tracks. The plants back here are native species though I did see a few invasive. Off the pavement are two looping sand trails. Signs say there are gopher turtles here but I didn't see any. What I did see was a small black snake crossing my path and in a hurry to get out of my way. A lot of songbirds make their home here. I had a nice walk here. I don't think you need to make a special trip here but if you are in the area and looking to get some exercise and fresh air this is a nice place to take a stroll. Delray Oaks Natural Area is nearby which is another great place to get out into nature.

I loved my visit to this six acre park in the Colonnade at Glen Oaks neighborhood in Boca Raton…read more The Colonnade was built in two phases in the 1980's and 1990's. This is a highly desirable neighborhood near great schools. It is comprised of approximately 350, single family homes. A lot of the neighborhood parks in Boca have signs that state they are only for neighborhood residents to use. I like that you won't find any such discouraging signs here. There is a sizeable parking lot so even people from outside of the neighborhood can come over to use the park. Park amenities at Boca Tierra Park include a basketball court, outdoor fitness path with stations, outdoor fitness equipment, grills, picnic pavilions with tables, a pickleball court, tennis court, restrooms, volleyball court, and a playground. My favorite part of the park was the exercise path. There were quite of few people walking as well as kids ridding on scooters and bikes the evening I visited. This is a nice than average neighborhood park with beautiful shade and flowering trees and lush landscaping. If you are looking for an even longer exercise path visit Pondhawk Natural Area nearby that has a miles long path that winds around two lakes and for more park amenities the larger Patch Reef Park is just down the street.

American Homes Park is a beautiful neighborhood park located in the American Homes subdivision…read morewithin the Central Boca Raton community of Southwind Lakes. This family friendly neighborhood features a variety of traditional single-family homes that were originally built in the 1970s and 1980s. It is one of the most budget-friendly neighborhoods in Boca Raton. American Homes Park has ample room for play and exercise at 6.10 acres of which 3 acres is lake. Amenities include benches, a .10 mile exercise path, water fountain, outdoor exercise equipment, picnic table and shelter, a playground with play structure for ages 2-5 years, and a play structure for ages 5-12 years. My favorite equipment was the tire swing. The natural beauty of the park adds to its appeal. The park has wonderful trees for shade and the lake attracts a variety of native birds. Parks, walking trails, and recreational spaces offer residents ample opportunities for leisure and socializing.

Golden Fig Park is a lovely 1,5 acre neighborhood park at the edge of the Old Floresta Historic…read moreDistrict. It is actually named the J. Patrick Lynch Golden Fig park after Lynch who was an architect. He did design work at Lynn University and throughout Boca Raton. He loved the outdoors so after his death in 2003 the park was dedicated to him. Park amenities include a walking path, park benches, a small playground, fishing deck, and picnic tables. The park is open from sun up to sun down. Since this is primarily a neighborhood park the parking here is very limited.

Cute little park servicing the surrounding residential community (including the Old Floresta…read moreHistoric District)... it offers no street or off-street parking, so it truly is a neighborhood park. The park is no more than 2 acres of open green space and and has numerous concrete paths meandering throughout. There are a few park benches along the paths too along with a gazebo with a picnic table. The paths do have a wood deck overlooking the El Rio Canal which is nice but limited due to all the thick, dense trees. The other end of the park includes a park with various playground equipment. One thing I've noticed with every visit I have ever made to this park is how well the City of Boca Raton has maintained the park... the grass is always green, the grass always looks recently cut and the edges around the landscaped gardens are detailed well and the bushes and shrubs are taken care of.

The Boca Raton Nature Reserve is a hidden oasis of nature on the corner of Ponderosa Dr. and W…read morePalmetto Park Rd. There is no parking but I found a place to park across the street in the Shoppes at Logger's Run. The reserve features a network of well-maintained mulch trails that wind through a pine flatwoods community, mesic flatwoods, and hydric flatwoods. There is a .6 mile Heart Trail and a .4 mile Frank A. Barbieri, Jr. Nature Trail. Along the trails is the VitaCourse 2000 which includes exercise stations at intervals that use your own body weight for workouts. The trails are easy to navigate, making them suitable for both casual walkers and more avid hikers. Along the way, you'll encounter a variety of native flora and fauna. Plants include South Florida slash pine, cabbage palm, redbay, myrsine, beauty berry, elderberry, swamp fern, wild fee, laurel oak, live oak, and strangler fig. Animals that have been recorded here include pinewood tree frog, Eastern box turtle, gray fox, Eastern gray squirrel, Eastern cottontail rabbit, racoon, pine warbler, red-shouldered hawk, and red-bellied woodpecker. Overall, the Boca Raton Nature Reserve is a delightful destination for anyone seeking a peaceful retreat into nature. Whether you're a nature lover, a family looking for a day out, or simply in need of a break from city life, this reserve offers a tranquil and enriching experience. The trails were deserted when I visited and it felt like I had the reserve to myself. I like how there is a lot of shade over the trails and that the trails aren't too long. If there was parking and water stations, this would be perfect.

This small park is in the West Settlers Historic District in Delray Beach. Originally called the…read moresands for it's sandy soil, it was established in 1894 as the first African American community in Delray Beach. Settlers came from north and west Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina in order to work in the agriculture industry. The neighborhood is located from NW 2nd Ave to NE 6th Ave. Houses are in the frame vernacular style, bungalow, and mission revival styles that were popular in the 1920's. The neighborhood was added to the Local Register of Historic Places in 1997. Originally developed by the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, as a result of the 2002 Downtown Master Plan, the park was named the West Atlantic Plaza before being renamed in August of 2012 in honor of Elizabeth "Libby" Jackson Wesley, a longtime resident and community activist. Born in DeFuniak Springs Florida, Libby moved to Delray Beach where she worked as a substitute teacher before becoming a full-time employee with the Palm Beach County School District, where she had a 37-year career. Mother to four children, Libby Wesley has dedicated her life to her family and volunteer work. Some of the many organizations she worked with include the Delray Beach Rotary Club, the Urban League of Palm Beach County, the NAACP, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. In Delray Beach, In 1978 she was the co-founder of the Roots Cultural Festival, which ran for over twenty years and has now been turned from a one day event into year-round programming and a summer weekend festival celebrating African American culture. Awards Libby Wesley has received include the Old School Square Lifetime Achievement Award; the Service Above Self Award from the Rotary Club of Delray Beach; the JM Family Enterprises African American Achiever's Award; the Sojourner Truth Award; and the Sun Sentinel Publisher's Award. Park amenities include native landscaping, a small outdoor stage, benches, and a bike rack. There are two public art art works in the plaza. Endurance is a steal and mosaic glass installation celebrating the Caribbean pioneers who came to this area to farm and fish. The west side of the park shares a wall with a building on which is painted a red and white mural by David Paul Kay which includes as frog as a nod to Delray Beach's Frog Alley. Frog Alley is a street that had a nickname that has now been recognized officially by the city. Frog Alley is in the West Settlers Historic District and it was settled by Bahamians. When it would rain, the street would flood attracting a chorus of frogs. I discovered Libby Wesley Plaza while grabbing lunch at the Bear Snack Shack next door. This isn't what you would typically think of as a park. It is more of a plaza where the community can gather to celebrate events and performances in the city. For instance a weekly Zumba class is held here. This plot of land also honors the history of the Caribbean pioneers who settled Delray Beach when it was nothing more than a mosquito filled swamp.

This park was dedicated to Pompano Beach pioneer Annie Adderly Gillis on October 29, 2011. Annie…read morewas a Pompano Beach resident for 77 years during which time she was very active in the community through her church and many civic organizations, People in the community are still benefiting today from her contributions. For many years this was a passive park without any amenities. The space became an eyesore on the corner. The Community Redevelopment Agency stepped in and redesigned the park to give it purpose. In November 2022 the park was reopened with new paved walkways, a water fountain, and outdoor exercise equipment. The project cost 1.4 million dollars. Now the park can be used by the community for fitness and events like food truck nights. It is also the site of the annual Light Up MLK holiday event where Annie Adderly Gillis lit the very first tree. This park is just one part of the CRA's efforts to revitalize this part of Pompano Beach. It is already beginning to look better. They are off to a great start beautifying downtown and making it better for the community. The park is finally worthy of Annie's legacy.

This 25 acre preserve is off of 10th street in Deerfield Beach behind the Tivoli apartment complex…read more It has approximately one mile of paved trails running east and west. Most of the sand pines for which this preserve takes it's name were killed during the 2004-2005 hurricanes. This area looks rather neglected with a lot of invasive species strangling the native species. Some of the informational signs are so buried in vines that you can't even read them. However I am a fan of nature in an urban landscape and this area is providing a home for wildlife just feet from !-95. Some of the species of animals that make their home here include the endangered gopher tortoise, cardinals, mockingbirds, red shouldered hawks, burrowing owls, and butterflies. I came across some interesting looking scat on the pathways while I was walking indicating animals were in the area. Plants found here include prickly pear cactus, coco plum, blue mist, and staggerbush. Benches and a picnic pavilion are located along the path. After having visited the wonderful Sullivan Park which is a park Deerfield Beach really cares about I think they can do better by this preserve. Nevertheless life continues to thrive here as the refuge provides a safe oasis for the animals and plants of Deerfield Beach.