I really wanted to love Lakes Park Children's Garden because honestly... the park itself is…read moreBEAUTIFUL. The location is great, it's gated, and at first glance it feels like the perfect spot to take kids, especially if you're just trying to kill time like we were before a flight. But I'm going to be real, the safety concerns completely changed the experience for me. It gets VERY crowded, and there's a big mix of people coming in and out. There were tons of kids, which is expected, but a lot of them were not supervised and were honestly pretty rough/mean. It didn't feel like a calm, safe environment where you can just let your kids play without constantly hovering. Also... the slides were SO hot. Like, borderline unusable hot. That alone was frustrating. The biggest issue for me though was the bathrooms. They are far from the main play area, and as a mom, there was no way I felt comfortable letting my kids go alone. When I did go, the bathrooms were extremely dirty, and I noticed syringes in a nearby area which was honestly alarming. That completely shifted my level of comfort. It also gave off the vibe that it's a place where people hang out who aren't necessarily there for the park, if that makes sense. I will say again, the park itself is beautiful and has so much potential. But just because it's gated doesn't mean it's actually safe. If you go, just be VERY vigilant, especially if you have more than one child. This is not a "sit back and relax" kind of park in my opinion.

All Children's Park is a brand new playground along the Caloosahatchee River in Centennial Park in…read moredowntown Fort Myers. The full name of the playground is the Lizbeth Benaquisto Inclusive Playground, in honor of the former state senator who pushed the legislation that set aside state funds for the playground."We were very particular there was going to be a playground that was successful for kids with very unique abilities," Benaquisto said at a January 2021 council meeting. "They have never had a safe place to play." The playground has swings, slides, and numerous climbing structures. I love all of the uniquely Florida touches like the puffer fish, manatee, and the Model T car in honor of Henry Ford who had a winter home in the city along with Thomas Edison. This is one of the nicest playgrounds I have ever seen and the kids playing on it we're having a ball. Best of all it is ADA accessible so children of all abilities can enjoy it. The new playground is a fantastic addition to Centennial Park.

We have visited this general area the last three winters and had never stumbled upon this park. We…read morewere not here long but we strolled the perimeter path and checked out the riverside picnic spots. It is a unique set-up with individual parking spots right at the river with a picnic table and grill. The views of the river and over to Fort Myers are really sweet. The park is not huge and doesn't have lots of amenities (there are restrooms) but it is nice location and worth a detour.

What's the point of having this park if it's closed on Sundays? No working parent has free time…read moreduring the weekdays to bring their kiddos.

Beautiful area to set up a picnic. Play area fully gated and perfect for the little ones.read more

I really enjoyed my visit to Horton Park today. Located next to the Midpoint bridge, you're at the…read moreend of a long road through a neighborhood to get here. There is special parking for those using the boat ramp ($10/day) and a pay station. Regular park visitors don't have to worry about that. The park has picnic shelters (some are reservable), a fabulous playground, restrooms and I really enjoyed walking around on their walking path. It was lovely to be near the water and getting fresh air. [Review 13258 overall, 576 of 2020.]

If you like nature you will love this place. Walk along but take it slow and quiet if you want to…read moresee animals. Read the signs with helpful tips to get the best experience. Good amount of shade and places to rest.

25 February 2026…read more Someone had the idea to visit Six Mile Cypress Slough today. Uufff It was a nice walk ... but ... bring your walking shoes, Sunglasses and a hat. A bottle of water would be a nice addition. This place has a trail that you are compelled to remain on throughout the excursion. It is a wooden trail with wooden guardrails to prevent you from straying. It was a pleasant hike, got my steps in , but I thought it would never end. I thought I was trapped in the movie set of "No Way Out" Finally ! At the end of the trail I managed to find the exit and my car. Adios ... don't think I'll be coming back . Ok ok , it wasn't that bad. I'm prone to exaggerate.

This park is very close to where we ate lunch at the newly reopened Sweet Tomatoes, so after we…read moreate, we headed over to check it out. Lakes Park is a 279-acre public park located along Gladiolus Drive, just south of Fort Myers. It is operated by the Lee County Department of Parks and Recreation. The park was named after its main feature: 158 acres of man-made freshwater lakes that were created when the site was occupied by West Coast Rock Co., a rock and limestone quarry, during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1958, a railroad spur was built to serve the mine, running along what is now Six Mile Cypress Parkway. The track bed had previously been used by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad from 1926 to 1952. In 1978, Lee County purchased the abandoned quarry to preserve the land before opening it to the public as a park on April 21, 1984. My first impression was that this has to be one of the nicest parks I have ever visited. It has so much to offer that I could have easily spent the entire day there. If you visit the park, it is important to note that admission is free, but parking is not. It costs $1 per hour, up to a maximum of $5. Once you enter the park, there is so much to do. There are more than 2.5 miles of paved paths running throughout the park. There is an amphitheater, beach volleyball courts, a boat launch, a fishing area, a train-themed playground, picnic shelters, gardens, a wedding gazebo, and a train museum. You can also rent a boat, kayak, or bicycle. Admission to the train museum is $5, and the 15-minute train rides, when operating, cost $5 per adult. The park also offers story-time programs, a farmers market (October through June), and a two-hour bird patrol tour on the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. The park is a stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, a network of more than 500 wildlife viewing sites across the state. On the day I visited, it was blisteringly hot. I recommend visiting during the cooler months. Even so, I was able to walk the boardwalk, where I spotted a variety of birds, and I explored a few of the gardens. The park is so lovely. We have multiple parks on Florida's east coast that offer some of the same features, but here in Fort Myers, you can find it all at Lakes Regional Park.

What a huge and beautiful park. I'm a little jealous we don't have anything like this near us! We…read morelet the kids play on two different playgrounds. There was a splash pad that was closed off due to construction. We saw a community garden, children's garden, and train museum and boardwalk. You can easily spend a few hours here. I think parking was $1/hours or $5 for the day. It's huge here!! I read 279 acres.

a very peaceful and serence place. didnt get to see many manatess during our visit, but that is…read moreokay. the trail there is nice and not too long. parking is paid, and restrooms are available

Well as long as looking at manatees IS NOT a goal, I recommend this place. We spent about 45…read moreminutes here hopeful to catch a glimpse, without success. They have lined the bottom of the viewing area with black plastic and the water looks very murky as a result. We saw a few fish leap out of the water, less than a dozen lizards VC and the top few inches of one alligator. Parking was $2 an hour and easy to pay with a C QR code. The bathrooms were clean and there is a cut gift shop with a nice variety of items. The walking trails were plenty close to nature while still feeling protected from the alligators. They had a few volunteers available to talk to as well.

The star of this park is the covered bocce courts which include lighting, seating and a…read moreprofessional looking area with a large number of courts. I can picture the older Italian guys all here swapping stories and throwing bocce balls up and down. Sadly, the pandemic has much of that shut down so the park is a little quieter these days. Other than bocce, there is a backetball court, picnic shelter with grill and a playground area. The park has a large parking lot with plenty of room. [Review 13257 overall, 575 of 2020.]

Veterans community park is part of the lee county parks and recreation. Located at 55 homestead rd…read more they have lighted tennis courts, a skate park, jogging track and playgrounds. Also have a covered basketball court. Lots of room to get some fun in the sun! The best part is you don't have to spend a dime to enjoy. One of the play areas is made for climbing and is great to let your kids expunge some of their boundless energy. There is a fair set up in the park this week but still lots of room to stretch, run, skate, bike, walk, jog so get out while it is still cool enough to enjoy and be one with nature.

Great for dog walking, personal fitness and family fun. It's also HUGE with the pickleball crowd…read more This is still our favorite park for walking. They've made some upgrades to the lighting along the walk/bike path and they do a good job of keeping it in good repair. There are a couple places that gets covered for small spans with dirt and debris in that low area when it rains heavily, but it's generally cleared away within a reasonable amount of time. The children's playground received a huge upgrade with the largest play area receiving a sun shade overhead. We enjoy seeing all the puppies, dogs and their people while we walk and some evenings, we're able to enjoy great sunsets.

Nice little park near the entrance of the NW Cape Coral community. Hosting an array of ammenities…read moreincluding tennis, jogging paths and shuffle board. A few covered pavilions surround the tranquil lake but no fishing permitted. Today is cool out and the park is slammed with people exercising or playing with their children at the kiddie jungle gym. The paved parking is limited but they recently enhanced it by adding a gravel lot. Gender assigned public bathrooms available.

This small park does not have a playground or any fitness equipment. It does not have a baseball…read morefield and it does not have a tennis court. What it does have is a pretty lake with a fountain, lots of benches, a whole flock of migrating birds and a picnic area. Parking is reasonable but there really aren't many people here other than perhaps Cape Coral City Hall employees on their lunch breaks. [Review 12359 overall, 2145 of 2019.]

A great park to go to, though it is small you have a nice view, it is a great place to go to…read morereflect hence the name, and a pond with ducks who often come by, there is 2 wooden benches and a built in comfortable bench where you have a view of everything.

Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve is located on the right as soon as you cross the Midpoint…read moreMemorial Bridge that connects Fort Myers to Cape Coral. The 365 acre preserve is the second largest open green space in Cape Coral. It was created by the State of Florida when the city of Cape Coral was being developed. The preserve has a 1.2 mile boardwalk that starts off as coastal prairie, a rare habitat in this area that that is a great area for birding. You might encounter eagles, ibis, herons, wading and migratory birds, raccoons and snakes. The closest I came to wildlife was spotting some raccoon footprints on the boardwalk. As I walked along the boardwalk the brackish water of the red and black mangroves let out to the overlook over the Caloosahatchee River. In the distance you can see Thomas Edison's estate, one of the first settlements in the area. Heading back, the boardwalk ends letting you out on a shell path lined by sand live oak, gumbo limbo, and ficus trees before you return to the parking lot. Four Mile Cove also has a small visitors center with map and restrooms. On the south side of the parking lot is a Veterans memorial area with monuments dedicated to the branches of the armed forces. On weekends from November through May there is a kayak rental kiosk. There is also two fishing piers for anglers to try their luck in the Caloosahatchee River. I enjoyed my peaceful walk on the boardwalk. As I walked I pondered how glad I was that the state has the foresight to protect this ecologically significant area. At Four Mile Cove you can enjoy the real Florida like it was when Edison first arrived.

Nice picnic facilities near the kayak rental. Cool fishing pier looks out on the river. Nicely…read moreshaded 1 mile boardwalk loop. Enjoy!