Possibly one of the most well manicured public parks that I have visited. Drove through the park with my wife with the windows down feeling the cold breeze against our faces. Passing the massive kiddie jungle gym, sand volley ball court, basketball court with several bbq grills and covered pavilions. Continued to the rear of the park and found ample parking spaces near the bathroom facilities that included a bicycle repair. We took a walk to the wide lake with posted warnings not to feed or harass the crocodiles which was odd - who is actually doing the harassing or feeding? Near the lake was a war veterans memorial enclave with an honor head stone for correspondent Ernie Pyle. The area included a wooden bench to sit, relax and take in the scenic park views. PARK #86 read more

See all

Great park for families to bring their kids to play. I came here with my hubby to check out their lake and drive thru the park. It's good to know that dogs are permitted on leashes. The lake was so calming but crocodiles lurking so I kept alert. The scent of marijuana was everywhere but at least it smells better than cigarettes. The bathrooms for a park were very clean. read more

See all

Had a lovely morning walk at West lake park. Love how well maintain the park grounds are. Kudos to the amazing and friendly park Rangers. Love that they offer Kayak rentals, and have a boat ramp. There are many pavilions available for you to enjoy. However it's in first come basis. On weekend the park fee is $1.50 per person. read more

See all

This is a gorgeous clean park!! Open daily till 730 restrooms clean I see there was a place where you can rent kayaks!! The water pad is a bonus!! Your child would not wanna go home!! read more

This park is on the way to Hollywood Beach going east on Sheridan St. If you're looking for a place to canoe, paddle board or kayak- West Lake park is a great option! This park is like many of the parks scattered across Broward county with shelters you can rent out for birthdays, a playground for kids, trails to walk or bike around, and even some volleyball courts but the thing that sets it apart is that you can kayak and canoe here! I came here once before for kayaking but came again recently and loved it! It's waterways include mangroves and you get access to a lake that you can cross to their trails. I love it because I'm not an outdoorsy girl by nature but it was super beginner friendly if you've never done this before. It's calm and serene and the staff is super helpful. You can purchase how long you'd like to rent them for (hourly rates) and they have single and double kayaks. It's cheaper than most places and a great activity to do! read more

See all

I like West Lake Park for playing basketball and kayaking. There's also room to walk around a decent sized lake. There's are tennis courts and places to picnic. The kayak launch area leads to mangrove trails in West Lake and you can paddle as far as you'd like. They have rentals or you can launch your own boat or paddle board. read more

I don't know if this is a hidden gem, but it showed up when I was searching for good places for beginner paddleboarders. West Lake might look like a smaller park, but it's chock-full of activities. There are numerous picnic tables and gazebos, a splash park, racquetball/tennis courts, and a kayak/paddleboard/canoe rental with incredible trails to paddle. I just got an inflatable paddleboard and needed a safe place to figure out how to do it. It's incredibly cheap to get into the park ($1.50/person) and it gives you access to all of the facilities. The staff at the rental office and at the water side are incredible!!! They're friendly and very knowledgeable about the services and trails. They were able to provide great tips to first time paddleboard enthusiasts, making sure everything was safe and a lot of fun was had exploring. I highly recommend checking West Lake Park out for whatever you're into. And if you want to paddleboard race... Bring it!!! (I might need a couple months practice though) read more

See all

Thanks to My friend Maisha and her friends zjoanne and Sonja,  I was introduced to thia great park for the water activities or Kayaking and Paddleboarding.   They bring rugged inflatables which is super convenient but the park does rent out their own hard shell flatable kayaks.  Entry fee last Sunday was $3 which surprised me! Parking is a breeze and taking the kayaks and paddleboards to the boat dock is a breeze. What makes this place unique is it has a lagoon where you set off from toward the mangrove white trail wide enough for two way boating traffic.  Kayaking is peaceful, relaxing, energizing especially in the fall that is now upon us.  It was a bit breezy which made things nice. Did I say nice?  The trail takes you to the actual lake which last Sunday a week ago the breeze from the northeast made it a challenge to get into the lake beauce of getting blown backward.  LOL.  Upper body workout time! The lake actually is huge with a bridge north of this spot to paddle under to the other side.  It took awhile with determination and stamina but made it for just a few minutes before both the choppy waters and wind made us literally turn around!  At this point we must have beem paddling 30 minutes already. Other benefits of this kayaking adventure include other trails on the oppositde eastern side of the lake.  We paddled eastward (south of the bridge of course due to the choppy waters lol)  and ended up on the green trail.  The calm er waters were very much welcome meandering about zigging here and zagging there.  Resting and hyrdating when possible.   It almost seemed like an eternity,  we paddled under two small pedestrian bridges where two bicyclists rested above and I waved hello. Eventually we finished the green trail and popped back out to the lake again where this time was more south where we first started.   Now,  at this point you could technically take the southern point and kayak a ways toward Holland Park and intracoastal waterway (just a note).  We had to get back so headed toward the northwest sort of into the wind and it was a good upper body workout again to the west side of the lake back to the white trail.  I sure was happy to once again to have calm (but slightly stinky and murky mangrove brownish water. Back to the docks we go! Ok what meakes this park perfect?  Well after a midmorning and afternoon here it serves as a great jumping point to other activities nearby whether it be on the intracoastal waterway, or the beaches, or breweries or more!  Makes a for a great daycation.  Hands down. read more

See all

After being "social distancing" for months, we decided to do something outdoors. My boyfriend contacted West Lake Park to make sure they were open the weekend of July 4th and after they confirmed we decided to go that Sunday. At 9am on the dot they opened and we called to reserve a Kayak for 2. We go there around 9:20am, signed in, filled in the waiver form and paid $30 for 2 hours for a tandem kayak. They give you a map if you want to follow their route or you can just paddle away aimlessly as long as you come back in time. After that we were asked to stand behind a yellow line with our masks on, until the people in front of us were all set and in the water (they are following distance rules and also ALL staff wears masks). Still with our masks on we were given life vests, our oars and settled in our kayak. Once in the water we were allowed to remove our masks and enjoy the ride. The place is peaceful, and we were lucky to go during a beautiful day, with some breeze here and there which was amazing during the FL hot summer. After two hours we headed back, happy we got to spend time outdoors and still safe from virus. Very grateful this park was open and conscious of the situation we are living in allowing us to enjoy the experience fully. read more

See all

I went for a short walk in this park on a weekday and the trail was a 15-minute walk. During the weekend the fee for entrance is 1.50 per person. I remember the last time I was at this park was for a kid's birthday party and at that time my daughter was 6 years old, this was 21 years ago. They did a lot of changes from what I can remember. I would say this park is great for family time with a definite picnic or canoe time. The amenities are Basketball Biking/Jogging/Walking Path Boat Ramp Fishing Marina Nature Trail Picnic Area Racquetball Shelter & Room Rentals Tennis Volleyball Come check it out. Hours are 8 am to 6 pm read more

Kayak rentals here!! It's not on the Broward County website for some insane reason. Reasonable rental prices, lovely nature kayaking paths in the mangroves with herons perching right next to you. See photo for prices in 2024 read more

See all

West Lake Park is a large, serene park located along Sheridan St. and is open daily from 8am - 7:30pm. The entrance fee is $1.50 per person on weekends and holidays, and free during the week. The park offers so many activities for family fun such as: * Basketball courts * Interpretive/picnic shelters * Water play fountain * Small playground * Fishing pier * Handball courts * Racquetball/tennis courts * Volleyball nets * Canoe & kayak rentals * Vending snack concession You can walk around the park's trail to view the amenities. The park is so quiet that you can hear these big green iguanas crawling through the grass...EEK! I've learned that the park has canoe/kayak tours and classes. You have to register for the programs. Once you've completed the Basic Kayak Class where you learn the required equipment, techniques, paddle strokes, braces, and turning methods necessary to properly handle a canoe and/or kayak; you can then experience either the Moonlight or Sunrise tour on West Lake. The West Lake Paddling Eco-Tour explores the trails of West Lake, learns about its history, and discovers its inhabitants. read more

See all

I stopped at this park (after work) and was amazing. It's perfect to take a walk or to bring the family to enjoy a nice place. Definitely I'm coming back. read more

See all

The kayaking trail was easy to follow and I'm super sore from kayaking for 2 hours. It just feels amazing to be back outdoors and enjoying nature. They sprayed everything down with alcohol between uses read more

West Lake Park - Crocodiles possible when kayaking - Parks Near Me - Hollywood, Florida

Great park for a Pandemic birthday! No reservation needed for the pavilion and clean bathrooms! Great day for volleyball and UNO with your favorite peeps! read more

See all

A peaceful and quiet kayaking spot amongst the mangroves. My husband and I have kayaked from here twice now and each experience was wonderful. The first time, we rented kayaks. You're charged by the hour and while I can't remember the exact price, it was an affordable and seamless process. Kayak, oar, and life vest included. The staff helped us get into the water and then we were on our way! More recently, we had the chance to get out on the water with our friends and their kayaks. It was extremely easy to launch the kayaks ourselves and navigate the various trails. West Lake Park has signs throughout the creeks leading to the lake to provide different scenic routes. We took a trail through the mangroves, across the lake, and into the intracoastal. It's a quiet park with plenty of routes to ensure that everyone can spread out nicely. It's also easy to spot birds, fish, and maybe even a manatee if you're lucky! read more

West Lake Park - West Lake - Parks Near Me - Hollywood, Florida

Nice enough park on Hollywood. My husband and I came for a look around on our way back from Hollywood, during the covid. It looks like a nice park, with water views, and boat and kayak launch. See my pictures for some idea of this park, although we only walked around so we cannot comment on anything else read more

See all

To call West Lake Park a gem is an understatement. This place is such a pleasant nature retreat to escape the pressures of urban life. I love kayaking here. During the week, this place is not busy at all. Even on the weekends it is usually not a problem to rent watercraft at the marina. I went last week Wednesday and me and my friend were the only ones on kayak between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. We took the Red Trail to Anne Kolb Nature Center. The marina workers and the park rangers are super nice. You can see birds, iggy iguanas, flying fish, and crabs here if you keep your eyes peeled; the animals camouflage well. I mostly kayak here but there is also a cool short jogging/walking trail that I have used. read more

See all

Kayak Rentals Canoe Rentals Paddle Board Rentals Basic Classes Moonlight Paddle West Lake Eco Tours Playgrounds Fishing Platforms Picnic Shelters Boat Docking Walking Paths NEW Zumba Classes With Nature All Around all you want to do is enjoy the elements while exploring around their adventurous park! With an assortment of activities to choose from this is a great park that can be enjoyed on many different levels. We decided to explore the Mangroves, Kayak Style! At a reasonable price $14 per Hour/Kayak. They offer 3 different Trails that are dependent of your expertise and experience level. White Trail, Green Trail, and Red Trail are the travel routes you can take while Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, or Canoeing out on the waters. Most of the inlets are consumed of Mangroves, Animals, Insects, and Close Counters! With a leisurely trip you will find a great amount of wildlife and beauty! We explored the White Trail and Green Trail during our trip. With Mangroves all around and a Lake in between, the trails can be completed within an hour dependent on your speed. The staff was friendly, efficient, and not overly worried about the 10 to 15 mins over you go on your route! TIPS- =Be sure to bring your ID for Rentals. =$1.50 Park Entrance Fee Per Person =Dog Friendly =Bring Insect Repellent/ Sunscreen/ Water Proof Bag =Lockers are for Rent for Only $1 plus tax =Life Jackets are Included with Every Rental read more

See all

West Lake Park is a beautiful park in Hollywood with 47,800 feet of water front and 20,600 feet of interior waterways lined in mangroves. This ecological sensitive waterway is the largest mangrove estuary from Miami to West Palm Beach. The park has a north and south entrance from Sheridan Road. Only the south side charges the $1.50 weekend entrance fee. During the early nineteenth century the land that now makes up the park was home to the Seminoles. In July 1840 there was a battle of the Second Seminole War here. It was during that time that the US Government was trying to capture the last of the Seminoles in order to remove them from the area by sending them on the Trail of Tears out to Oklahoma. By the the time the government finished there were only 200 Seminoles left in Florida. During prohibition Whiskey Creek provided passage for the bootleggers to get rum into the country from the Bahamas. In the 1920's Joseph W. Young Jr. dredged the area around the park in order to create the city of Hollywood. In the 1970's more development came to Hollywood and journalist and first woman Hollywood commissioner Anne Kolb fought to preserve the mangroves with the help of environmental groups. Kolb died in 1981 of cancer but the fruits of her labor, West Lake Park opened in 1982. The Ann Kolb nature center opened in the north side of the park in 1996. Today the park offers respite to people looking to escape the urban sprawl for a few hours. There are picnic tables and shelters, a playground, boat dock, fishing piers, walking trails and boardwalks, observation tower, athletic ball courts, and a concession stand in the south end that rents canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boards. On weekdays you can take an environmental boat tour in the north end of the park. This park is home to wildlife including many species of birds such as herons, ibis, egrets, ospreys, and vultures, small mammals such as raccoons, snakes, and alligators. You should take common sense precautions when approaching the waterways. On my visit I saw a lot of iguanas lounging around the park. Anyone who loves nature should come out and see what Anne Kolb and the environmental activists fought to save from development. West Lake Park gives you a glimpse into the way the area used to be before it was developed. read more

See all

This is a nice park with a basketball court, a children's tot lot, bbq grills. The good thing is you can rent daily kayaks at this park to go out into the inlet and mangroves in the Hollywood area. Its something nice and different to do. The park is kept really nice and clean. They also have a path around it you can tide your bike, or just walk for exercise. It's on the water which is really nice. read more

I went to this park to rent a canoe and roam around the mangrove trails. It is $1.50/person to enter the park. The rental area has kayaks and canoes. It is $14 for the first hour to rent a canoe. The staff is super helpful. They provide the ores and life jackets. There are a few trails you can paddle around. It is very peaceful. When you get out on the lake, it does have a current. It was easy to navigate the waterways. Canoeing through the park is a great way to see the beauty of Florida. read more

See all

Just went kayaking and it was fantastic. Only $14 an hour for single, double or sup. beautiful location with great mangroves and no bad smell. Only open Thursday - Sunday. Free parking during week, $1.50 on weekends and holidays. read more

West Lake Park - Parks Near Me - Hollywood, Florida

See all

MOSQUITO NIGHTMARE!!!!!!! I've been coming to this park for a few years and SHAME on Park management for letting the mosquito problem get so horrible.. I was at the park for less than ten minutes on 8/27/22 and I was literally harvested and was sent running back to my vehicle because the mosquitoes were so numerous. I have close to 20 to 30 mosquito bites on my body by being at your park for less than ten minutes. Explains why the park was empty today and attendance continues to decline. Park management please treat for mosquitoes and do your f*ck*ng job and properly manage your park!!! read more

West lake is one of the larger parks in Hollywood. Located over on Sheridan East it is a top spot of mine. My first time here was years ago. I was looking for canoeing for my daughter and I. It was a fantastic day with perfect waters. But of late I come for the courts. I have been over a dozen times in the past months getting a little bit better st basketball. And tennis. And this is the spot for both. There is multiple basketball courts that are all in good condition. I would play any of em. And the tennis courts are in even better condition. In fact you know a public court is in good shape when you have to cross your fingers one is open on the way to the park. The ones here are good enough that we have just waited for one to open it instead of driving to a different park. I would recommend anyone to make the drive to West Park, where ever they are driving from in Broward. From Canoeing to tennis. read more

Nice park. Went this past Sunday for a SUP paddle. Easy entrance, friendly staff & easy use of boat ramp to launch my paddle board. There are a ton of coves/trails to take. Will definitely visit again $1.50 entry on the wknds. Not sure about weekdays. read more

Absolutely awful we were like just leaving and my cousins had a flat tire and we asked ppl to help but they couldn't but one said the security guard comes ever 10 minutes so when he passed by he just ignored us like 3 times so we called our uncle and he fixed it but the workers were very bad. I hoped this influences you and hope one of you talk to the workers well I can't bc it like 8:49 but like se ya. read more

Bottom Line: Serene and beautifully kept up. Great to take kids, go for a run, or a picnic. I came to this scenic spot on a field trip with a troop of over 100 kids. The park easily accommodated the group with covered seating, and enough field area to play a game of flag football. There are two jungle gyms with slides and swings. There are a couple baby swings as well. Even with such a large group the park was quiet and enjoyable. This park is very well maintained and boasts tennis and hand ball courts, there are covered shelters, and paved path for walking or jogging. As its name states, it is directly on a lake, so you can push baby in a swing and look out onto the water. The grass is lush, the trees are selectively dispersed around. The building for the restrooms is in top condition and has a soda machine. There are many more amenities, but this is all we were able to see. Check out their web page. read more

See all

West Lake is an interesting park, with lots of activities, as well as a historical connection. There is evidence to suggest that this land was used in the 19th century by the Seminoles and hosted part of the Second Seminole War. This was also an important bootlegging site during Prohibition when liquor was smuggled from the Bahamas, earning the waterway the name "Whiskey Creek." Now, the three-mile strip of mangrove-occupied lands west of the intercoastal is a park for all to enjoy, while offering many activities. There is a $1.50 per person admission fee to enter. Like most urban parks, there are picnic shelters, and there are also a couple of playgrounds, one of which is a wet playground. There is a paved walking path for cyclists or skaters, two basketball courts, four racquetball courts, two sand volleyball courts, and four tennis courts and even a boat dock. Seems they have everyone covered! The best thing about this park for me is the marina, as they provide canoe and kayak rentals. Rentals are $14 per hour, $24 for two hours, and $30 for four hours. Rentals include boat, paddles, and U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. If you have never kayaked or canoed, I highly recommend it. I have done it twice and have not tired of it. In fact, I want to return! It gives you a unique perspective on the wildlife, so you can see the wildlife at eye level, while getting your heart rate up, and toning your arms and upper back. It's a beautiful and fun way to exercise (this coming from someone who hates gyms). You get to see wading birds, fiddler crabs, and the mangroves. At first, it may be hard to control the watercraft around the zig-zagging bends and the mangroves, but once you get the hang of it, it's smooth sailing, and lots of fun. The water's quite shallow in most parts, so drowning's not really a concern. There are three different trails, some of which are harder to navigate or take longer to navigate. My friend and I finished our trail way ahead of time, even though we spent lots of time in the open waters of the intercoastal just paddling around in the rippling waters. I guess we're semi-pros! It's a shame that there aren't more parks offering a kayaking and canoeing option. Oleta doesn't rent canoes, only kayaks, and the only park I know of in Miami that does is way down south in Homestead...the Everglades. In Palm Beach, there's also the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge for canoe rentals, or you can go to Jupiter and canoe the Loxahatchee River. The watercraft rentals at West Lake are very popular due to their location and their affordability when compared to the rental prices at others parks. You will more than likely wait in line and even then, end up with a wet life jacket. It is advised you arrive as early as possible as there's high demand and the earlier you arrive, the likelier you will be to immediately get a boat and perhaps even a dry life jacket. Hurry up and get to paddling, before summer comes and the heat makes it unbearable to do so. read more

See all

Nice lake side park near anne kolb nature center. The playground has baby swings and big kid swings. The pirate ship playground is in good used shape. You need to call for the water feature to be turned on. We didnot call so i dont know how attentive they are to that. It is an uncover playground but it does have some shady spots and a nice breeze. As we were leaving i noticed an enclosed and covered tot lot. We will check it out nexxt time read more

West Lake Park - Pirate ship playground - Parks Near Me - Hollywood, Florida

See all

This is a great park for kids to come out and run free. Friendly ducks and sun screened playgrounds. Swings as well. No water fountain for kids. Basketball and volleyball and tennis courts. Great for bbq and picnics read more

See all

Good place for exercise. Covered picnic area with barbeque. Small pathway with beautiful view. Very small playground that is fenced in. A kayak and canoeing rental area. Probably could spend an hour here. Long if you plan on using the water for kayaking. read more

See all

I went kayaking last weekend at West Lake Park and my entire experience was great and professional from start to finish. For one, you definitely can't beat the price because it is cheaper to rent kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards here than any of the neighboring parks I've visited. They also don't charge you more if you decide to rent a double rather than a single which is great. Payment is quick, they just ask that one person leave their ID at the front desk until you are finished. The mangroves are beautiful, the water isn't rough at all in fact in several parts it was very calm which made it easy to maneuver the kayak. The routes were easy to navigate around based on the map they give you, and I didn't even need to map I just went with the flow. I decided to rent for two hours and I kayaked through all the trails and still had extra time so I relaxed in the open water. I went on a Saturday afternoon and it didn't get crowded where I had to avoid other people, there was enough space in the water for everyone. Returning the kayak was as simple as renting it, the kayaks were comfortable because they were the ones with padded seating for your back so that made the experience that much more amazing. The life jackets were comfortable and in returning them all they ask of you is that you rinse them off in soapy water that they provide. Overall I definitely give this place 5 stars and I will be back soon! read more

West Lake Park - The brochure with address, prices, and opening hours. - Parks Near Me - Hollywood, Florida

See all

Place was great for kayaking. Carter got me going and gave me a good spot to try some fishing. Caught some Barracuda, snapper, snook, and even a catfish. Would definitely go back again! read more

I went for the second time for kayaking last Wed. morning, and there were no crowds. It's a nice, peaceful paddling trail through mangroves. I didn't see a whole lot of wildlife, except a few birds (including blue heron and ibis) and tree crabs, but still a pleasant time. Staff is friendly and helpful and will give you a map and mark out a trail suggestion if you want. $15/hr for a single kayak and gear, and they're not sticklers with the time if you go a little over. Restroom facility in the same building as rentals. Couple minutes' drive to Ann Kolb Nature Center to finish out the trip with nature walks. read more

Went kayaking and the waters were terrible. The person in the beginning forgot to tell us that the water would be so low that we actually have to walk our kayaks through muddy water instead of actual kayaking. Worst kayaking experience I've ever had in South Florida. I'll be advising everyone I know to not go here read more

Kayaking in the mangroves! This is a state park I think. Only $1.50 per person for entrance. Kayak rental is $14/hour. They have paddle boarding too. Not many people either at 10am on a Saturday. By 12pm it was pretty busy. Cool trails to row through mangroves. Water is gross, do not swim in it. Didn't see much fish, but did see a few birds. read more

Just googled the hours since I was on my way there to jog. It said "Open. Closes at 7:30." So I thought I'd have at least an hour to run. As soon as I got there, at 6:20, the gates were closed. Double checked online and it says "open." Very annoyed. read more

love this park! entrance is very reasonably priced ($1.50 per person) considering most parks you have to pay at least twice as much to enter and they offer about the same amenities. here you can do paddle boarding, canoeing and kayaking at such an awesome price! (especially if you're doing the kayaking/canoeing with two or more people, bc they charge you by boat not person!) it even beats those "groupon/living social" deals you get two hours of any of the services for what you would normally pay for a one hour service WITH a coupon style discount. 1 hour $14, 2 hours $24 and 3 hours $30 - the 3 hour deal is really an unbeatable deal...you just have to be up for 3 hours of any of the above mentioned services, which can be quite tolling in this south Florida sun and heat...but a fantastic time nonetheless. facility is super clean & staff is very friendly and polite. I've used this place twice and plan on returning as much as possible. didn't explore much else there but there is a playground with small sprinkler for kids, volleyball net, bbqs and biking trails. much more to enjoy! hidden gem! read more

See all

I love this park. I come and enjoy myself very often and I just recently tried the kayak rentals for the first time. I wanted to rent a boat and was greeted by a very kind employee who said his name was Nico. He treated me very well and he got me in a boat fast. I hope next time I go to rent a kayak he will be there. I also plan on telling my friends about the kayak rentals. read more