Shadow Bay Park is a rare slice of florida's natural landscape. Formerly known as Lake Cane Marsha Park, Shadow Bay Park is a 111 acre natural area preserve and park tucked into Southwest Orlando. Despite being surrounded by busy roads and urban development, the park protects a rare and biologically rich remnant of Florida's ancient sand pine scrub ecosystem, preserving a small piece of old Florida in the middle of the city. The park straddles an ancient shoreline associated with the Lake Wales Ridge, one of Florida's most important areas for rare and native plants and animals. Its diverse landscape includes rosemary scrub, xeric oak scrub, longleaf pine forest, wetlands, and four ponds, creating a variety of habitats for wildlife. It is one of the last remaining urban scrub habitats in Orange County and provides an important refuge for several rare and endangered native species. Shadow Bay Park is part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, a statewide network of more than 500 wildlife-viewing sites. The northern portion of the park, especially the trails between Lupine Pond and Woodland Pond, offers some of the best birding opportunities. Depending on the season, visitors may spot Blue-headed Vireos, House Wrens, Eastern Phoebes, Yellow-throated Warblers and Indigo Buntings. The ponds attract Limpkins, Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers and Mottled Ducks, while Glossy Ibis and, occasionally, American Bitterns make appearances. Keep an eye on the sky for Ospreys and Cooper's Hawks, both of which nest within the park. I enjoyed exploring the trails throughout the park. A paved walkway and separate unpaved footpaths wind through the landscape. In the sandy trails through the rosemary scrub, you can find rare plants such as scrub lupine and threatened gopher tortoises. During migration season, you may see species such as Magnolia Warblers, Ovenbirds, Eastern Wood-Pewees and Baltimore Orioles pass through the oak area of the park. In addition to wildlife watching, the park offers plenty for active visitors and families. These include basketball and pickleball courts, softball fields, a fitness path, fishing areas around Shadow Bay Pond and a playground. The Lake Cane Tennis Center has been part of the park since 1986, when Orange County partnered with MG Tennis to operate the facility. Over the years, it has grown into a major Central Florida tennis destination and tournament hub. What I appreciate most about Shadow Bay Park is that it preserves an important part of Florida's original landscape while the surrounding communities continued to grow. It is a rare ecological refuge hiding in plain sight. Come for the trails, birding, wildlife, recreation or just for a peaceful escape from the surrounding city. This is a park worth exploring. read more

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I absolutely love this public park. It has an excellent layout, a fantastic location, and is one of the most complete parks in the area. The playground is fun and feels safe for kids. There's also a pier where you can watch turtles and fish, which my children absolutely love every time we visit. If you enjoy being active, there's a scenic trail that's great for walking, running, or biking. The park also features basketball and baseball courts, picnic shelters for BBQs and birthday parties, clean restrooms, and plenty of parking spread throughout the different areas, making it easy to access everything. The real highlight of the park, though, is its tennis complex. Even though I don't personally use it, it's clearly the centerpiece of the park, with more than 10 tennis courts, excellent facilities, kids taking lessons, and tournaments happening regularly. If you're a tennis fan or looking to get into the sport, this is one of the best public places in the area. Overall, it's a fantastic park for families, sports lovers, or anyone looking to spend a relaxing day outdoors. read more

Nice community park that you'll miss if you blink. This is a decent size park with a few lakes and miles of walking/biking trails. The core of the park is a tennis center. There are several courts in good condition, including a pro shop and group pavilion. There are a few other picnic pavilions, clean restrooms, baseball field, and basketball court. There is also a playground and mini exercise area. Although not found designated as MTB on most apps, the park has an easy perimeter trail that is good for off-road/pavement cycling. It can be slightly challenging if only for some sandy stretches here and there, but generally a light workout. There are also some side trails as well as several other paved trails to ride on as well. read more

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The playground was tucked away in the back of the park, but it's a little hidden gem! There are two play sets, one for older and one for the littles. My little is a toddler so the smaller one ended up being perfect for him. The visit was a busy day but there was still plenty of space for everyone to play! read more

Nice trails and paths and if you go on the right ones you might forget you're smack up against a major roadway. Might actually see a bit of wildlife! More than a few times I have crossed paths with tortoises or seen them off moseying around the woods. Only downsides are there's been ongoing construction for quite some time and I feel like there use to be more pathways cleared, but a lot has been overgrown. They're about to make me bring my own weed whacker in there! But aside from that they have plenty of courts and areas for outdoor activities. Playgrounds, gym area, etc! read more

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Clean park with plenty of wide open spaces and lots for the kids to do. The playground is fun and has a good variety of things to play on. It's nice and shady for the most part. I do wish there were more swing options. The squirrels here are very aggressive so be warned. If you have any kind of food they have no problem coming right up to you and following you around. We even had one jump on one of the kids with us! read more

Shadow Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I absolutely love this park. Almost don't want to tell you guys about this hidden gem! They have something for everyone. We often go to the playground that's shaded and 2 parts ( 1 side for little ones and other side for bigger kids) and the dads/ guys play basketball. They have tennis courts you can rent out the court and racket and an outdoor gym area, trails, sand volleyball area, They also have pavilions you can rent out as well. Bathroom on property not between the park and basketball courts. Super secluded wouldn't even know this is back there read more

***I would like to preface this review by saying that Shadow Bay is undergoing major construction for an unknown reason, possibly plumbing issues, as of May 30, 2023.*** I honestly love this park and would love to give it 5 stars for all of the time I have spent running the trails. But, unfortunately, major construction is limiting my visits as several sections of the park are blocked off and oddly awful smells are emanating that were not there previously. Prior to this construction, however, Shadow Bay park was amazing. It has a full 1 mile running path with concrete sidewalks and multiple trees lining the path for shade. It has wildlife including wild rabbits, gopher tortoises, and the occasional stray house cat. There is also a large pond for fishing and multiple tennis courts that can be rented out as well as a huge playground. Really, there is not much else to ask for in a park. Only giving it 4 stars due to construction issues!! read more

This is a nice little park tucked away by Metrowest off of Turkey Lake. We met some friends here to check it out and take a walk. It's not huge or the most picturesque, but it's still a decent park with a short, paved walking loop. We went around the loop once. There were some nonpaved paths we noticed and we were going to do a second loop to check out some of those, but it started raining so we will head back another time to check those out. There was also a tennis court that was being used by some other visitors. Part of the trail is near a water treatment facility so you might hit a stretch that smells less than pleasant, but it wasn't a huge deal. Overall, the park is worth a visit to enjoy being outside and getting some steps in. read more

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- 2 Basketball courts - at least 10 tennis courts - playground - paved/dirt trails - softball field - several covered pavilions - cross walks - preserved nature - lots of parking - might be grills? but didn't see in my quick drive by Clean bathrooms (yay!!) Women's side has 3 stalls, a baby changing area and an electric hand dryer. No paper towels. Saw lots of families in every nook and cranny. We came here as a stop on the way to pick someone up so we didn't get to stay long, however next time we come we will stay longer and have lots to do! read more

Shadow Bay Park - Shadow Bay pond, small pier, paved sidewalk, covered benches nearby - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I recently moved to the area and wanted to find a park that had a nice walking trail when I found Shadow Bay. I went around 6:30pm and while the tennis and basketball courts were full the walking trail was empty and peaceful. The trail is about 1.5 miles around. The path is lined with trees and a few lakes and ponds. Overall I really enjoyed the park and it was very clean. read more

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Shadow Bay Park is a nice park in the Metrowest area. While I have been to bigger and more picturesque parks, this park is still enjoyable. I guess that I will give it four stars (). read more

Went today for the first time with my 79 year old mom - who uses a cane. Stopped in the office to ask about a map and park info and the ranger in the office was very kind and helpful. Armed with a map - we took off walking one of the concrete paths which we thought would be easiest for my mom. It was a very nice walk - we took the inner circle and I do wish they'd put a bench or two along the way, my mom really could have used a break in between. It looked like there were quite a few raw paths jutting out along the way but not knowing where they led to, and my mom being afraid of snakes, we opted to stay on the concrete paths. A couple of police officers who were on a training assignment and they said the path they came off of was a difficult walk. I saw on line that they have a walk and talk on Thursdays - once I retire I think I'll check that out. Saw lots of squirrels, a couple cardinals, a turtle and some anoles - that's about it for wildlife this trip. I enjoyed this part - it's 15 minutes from my mom's and I know we'll go back (probably when it cools down some) read more

Shadow Bay Park is a hidden gem here in Orlando. Once you start walking the path of the park there's a lot of amenities. There are tennis courts, a beach volleyball court and plenty of pavilions to have BBQ, birthday parties,and picnics. Walking the path with friend not only helped burn 5000 steps but I saw beautiful lakes filled with turtles. If you want to relax or just exercise, this is the park to be in. read more

Nice tennis facility with at least 15 hard courts and a full pro shop. There are drinks and snacks on site. There are showers and clean bathrooms. read more

Shadow Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

This park starts with a long stretch under tall power lines. There are public basketball hoops. A baseball all field and playground. There are several tennis courts and at least two fishing ponds. We saw a dock and a 1.2 mile walking loop. It isn't the most picturesque park but was well utilized with lotss of people using each of the amenities. There was plenty of parking spaces. The playground had two structures one for kids 2-5 and one for older kids. read more

Shadow Bay Park - Playground - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Nice little neighborhood park in Dr. Phillips. Good place to walk a dog, small playground for children, tennis and basketball courts, and several lakes and walking trails. I like the sand/dirt trail that is across from the park rangers house. It winds through some protected scrub brush, sage, prickley pair cactus plants and I often see rabbits and turtles. If you are in the area and would like to do some walking it is a good free option. read more

Shadow Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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I love this place, so peaceful and serene for walking, much larger park than I expected

Love it. My 3 years old enjoy it as well. It was a raining week so far. The playground is an hidden gem for us who has younger kids and not able to hit all the majors parks read more

Shadow Bay Park - New playgrounds - the one with shed is gone... - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Free parking. Unlike Turkey Lake. High tension power cables jutting through the park. See photo. You do the math. read more

Shadow Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

I WANT to like this park so much, but I just can't after my experience. Long ago, my friend's car was broken into and my purse happened to be on the seat and they stole my purse, had my id, social, $700 cash, and it was in the day. Where was the security? And there was no cameras to capture who did this. It just sucks because it really is a beautiful, relaxing nature park, but unfortunately too many morons there. If decide to go, please keep your valuables in a safe place, don't leave it in the open like I did. read more

This little area has almost everything you could want from a neighborhood park. A playground for kiddos, basketball courts, pavilions for cook outs, small lakes for fishing, running trails, tennis courts, and well-taken-care-of restrooms. There are always people around when I've visited (a few times a week because I live nearby), so I've always felt safe running on the back trail. At the same time, I've never felt like it was to crowded (as someone who mainly uses it for walking/running). There is a 1.5 mile running loop, and the "inner" loop is another .6 miles. Near the basketball courts is a small area with bars and stepping areas to get your fitness on, which is a nice touch. If you live close by, there's no reason not to make this park your go to for a nice walk or just a change in scenery. If you don't live nearby, then there's no need to rush over--it's nothing too special. But for a nice neighborhood park, I think it's completely lovely :) read more

Nice trail to run, pretty safe and quite as well! You can choose to take the dirt road or actual pathway. There's also a tennis court, basketball court and play ground for kids! Very nice place all together. read more

Shadow Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Interesting little area for walking around. They are located near Conroy Rd, pass the Kirkman intersection, about 5-7 minutes down. The nature walk was interesting. I didn't see any animals other than lizards and ants, but there was something in the bushes. They have a little kiddie park and fishing area for guests. The main attraction, however is Tennis. They have a good amount of courts and a Tennis shop on site. I'll be back with a racket and my "A" game. read more

I grew up in this area when this park was still known as Lake Cane. This park has always been a pleasure with plenty of fishing, tennis, and basketball facilities. This park is open from dawn to dusk. read more

Tennis by the Lake! Shadow Bay Park at Lake Cane is basically a public tennis facility with park amenities. The main draw to this place is the 10+ tennis courts as well as the on-site tennis shop. But if you're in the neighborhood, there is more to this place than JUST tennis. The Good: Get your sport on!: In addition to the generous tennis amenities, you've also got basketball courts, a volleyball area, and places where you can do some fishing! Really Big!: This place is huge! I'm pretty sure it's more than a few miles wide, and there is plenty of places to explore and walk around. The Bad: Sharing the park: Because there's such a large tennis facility here, there always seems to be classes or tournaments going on. If you are goin expressly to play tennis, I would call ahead just to see if there will be any courts available during your visit. It's not too bad during the weekdays, but Saturday mornings, this place can get packed! Shadow Bay park is quite expansive, and the tennis facilities are a really great place to swing your racket! Overall 7.8/10= Swing it at Shadow Bay! read more

This is a great place to walk your dogs. There are nice trails with plenty of shade. There are also a couple of ponds for puppies to swim in if they get too hot. I noticed they have tennis courts but I didn't personally try them out. read more

It has two playgrounds for kids one larger than the other. The larger play area has several slides a bridge and a lot of of things to climb on. There is an age limit however parents didn't read the signs, there were a lot of kids on scooters on the playground which I don't think should be allowed as they almost knocked me down. The smaller playground was mainly slides and a couple of baby swings. I didn't like the location of the play areas as there were woods all around. read more

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When I feel like taking my sons out for a picnic, a chance to socialize with other children, and play games, I typically will go to P. Phillips Community Park, on the other side of town. However, if I want to take them for just a nice, relaxing day out to soak in the Florida fauna and flora and go for a nice, peaceful nature walk I come here. Shadow Bay Park is conveniently located at the corner of Turkey Lake and Conroy-Windermere Roads and is actually quite massive. It features several tennis and basketball courts, two playgrounds, and an expansive amount of walking paths, both paved (which I usually take since I have the baby in his stroller) and also dirt trails that go further into the woods. What I love about this park is how peaceful it is. It is massive, with a large amount of walking trails that have signs you will find along the way describing some of the native Florida vegetation that is growing here. It is also a lovely place for bird watching as the vegetation here is relatively mixed, not only are there thick wooded areas, but in the center of the park is a large lake where you will see a number of Florida's gorgeous water birds, waiting patiently for fish. This place is definitely easy on the eyes and very well maintained. What I am not a big fan of about this place is how small the playgrounds are, and crowded they can be at times, so much so that when I take my kids here we hardly ever bother with them and just utilize the walking paths to do some bird watching and exercise. Overall, I am a fan of this park...however, I personally think it is better for nature lovers who want to soak in the wonderful scenery and get some exercise on the walking paths, but the playgrounds can get really crowded as they are pretty small, and the playground areas are pretty much the only things here that seem to be aimed at families with small children. Needless to say, I still love it here. read more

Lovely park. Long mile walkway with stating how many you're at till the end. People are great around me and my dog when we walk. Also, on that, Great place to walk dogs, plenty of trash cans and doogie poo bags around. Just overall wonderful, 'little,' park I call it :) and for me, a peaceful place. read more

A truly quiets, safe, beautiful outdoor nature park. After eating all that food...this was a great next stop...my nephew wants to play!!! Nicely tucked away and will surly come back for more.... read more

Shadow Bay Park - Large and Canopy Cover - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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More than tennis at Shadow Bay Park; dirt and paved trails, w/ an easy access and view of Florida native plants, such as the Callicarpa Americana or Beautyberry. APDL read more

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Huge area and there's plenty to do for everyone. If you enjoy playing tennis, there are more than enough courts to play on and in fact, there is even a Wilson store located between the courts. Basketball and volleyball courts are also available, as well as a baseball diamond. There are many pavilions available and grills so I can imagine myself coming out here for birthday parties, Fourth of July events etc. I spotted one small bathroom but the inside of it had many stalls and was extremely clean. Parking is also very abundant throughout the park. read more

Park is very nice and Big. We came primarily for the playground and my 5 year old really enjoyed it. The playground is nice and Big and I like that it has that cushioned floor and a canopy, which is great to have with this Florida sun. The bathrooms by the playground and very clean and well kept, which is great. We will definitely come back here and I recommend it to any family. We did see several tennis courts, a basketball court and several walking/hiking trails, which is fantastic. read more

Shadow Bay Park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

At Shadow Bay Park, you can find rare and endangered plants and animals. We see animals such as the threatened GOPHER TORTOISE burrowing in the ground, and the park is one of the few and remaining places in the world that has the endangered SCRUB LUPINE plant!!!!! My family loves it here and I recommend it as a great place for all ages to learn about the natural Florida landscape. There are areas with white sand, this is called the scrub habitat. It is where a lot of endangered plants are so when you are in the scrub habitat, make sure to stay on the path; It is a very sensitive (and beautiful) area. read more

Shadow Bay Park - A pristine scrub habitat can be found at the park - Parks Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Mostly used for tennis courts as I played tennis tournaments here. Park had a tennis shop where you can purchase attire and tennis gear. Playgrounds and fishing available. Have not really explored it wholly as I frequent solely for tennis tournaments but ample courts for play. I recall them bringing truckloads of snow here for children to play in around Christmas time but not sure if they still do that. Great beautiful park. read more

Seems really nice if you play tennis. Yet both the paved trails and the natural trails were really underwhelming. Seemed like the city's response for how to use space under some power wires and near some water treatment plants. read more

Great for a quick walk. There are both sandy and paved paths about 1.5mi. The environment is quiet and relaxing. Nice lake for fishing, tennis courts, and fields. read more

Great park period. I love the relaxed atmosphere since not many people seem to know about this gen

We love taking our boys here as its close to where we live. Just be mindful of locking your car since we heard about some breakins and Ive never seen security. If you like playgrounds for your kids, tennis or outdoors, this is a good spot. read more