Three Sarasota Parks to See This Summer
Raising kids in Sarasota County for the past 20 years has been made much more fun and affordable thanks to the plethora of parks we have. Weather’s great? Visit a park. Not into the fuss and muss associated with a house party? Book a pavilion at a park. Broke? Hey kids, let’s go to the park. We have visited all of the obvious parks and have traveled into neighborhoods to find cute little parks nestled around homes. Splashpads, playgrounds, soccer fields, concessions or picnic areas, scenery and room to sprawl are park must haves. Occasionally a particular park will check all of the boxes and become prominent in your families’ best outings. I’ve put together a short list of my favorite parks in Sarasota County. It is likely many of you also love these special places. If not, I invite you to check out these three to see.
It’s the Bayfront, Baby
No surprises here. My favorite park in Sarasota must be Bayfront Park and Marina/Island Park. Bayfront Park and Marina / Island Park | Parks & Facilities | Sarasota Parks and Rec (letsplaysarasota.com) Located at 5 Bayfront Drive and situated on Sarasota Bay, this expansive park is full of beautiful, aged oak and banyan trees, flanked by great restaurants, and mega yachts for extra eye candy. Bayfront Park holds some of my fondest memories of when I was lucky enough to first experience it as a young adult. I remember sitting on the grass under a huge oak tree at Bayfront Park one July 4th as fireworks were showered over Sarasota Bay, and it was an incredible evening. I remember thinking it was one of the most beautiful parks I had seen. It was my first of dozens of visits since then. The park became somewhere I met girlfriends to get our steps in and ended up at Marina Jack’s for a nice cocktail. This was the park to take everyone to hang out at O’Leary’s then take pics along the beautiful bay skyline with the sailboats bobbing in the background. The splashpad was the perfect place to meet up with other moms to catch up in a safe space while the kids enjoyed the park. The playground and huge trees provided hours of fun for the little ones while the moms watched on enjoying the benefit of being right on the water. Beautiful sculptures sprinkled throughout the park pay homage to Sarasota’s love of the arts.
Today, Bayfront Park has become a destination that people from all over the world visit. New amenities include the completely new ADA compatible splashpad and playground. It is definitely the place to take visitors, celebrate a special event, or just take a walk and pinch yourself for being so fortunate to live here.
Dogs Love Venice
A morning at the Venice Library followed by a picnic at Woodmere Park was a favorite must do during summers off with the kids. Woodmere Park | Visit Sarasota County Playing basketball and hitting the tennis courts, neither of which we were good at yet was fun to practice two sports was perfect before running around the playground. It seemed like there were always sweet older kids around shooting hoops and willing to teach the kids a trick or two. Tucked back in a wooded area with small pavilions, their charming playground is perfect for keeping track of munchkins on the move. The bonus for parents is the nature-filled surroundings are perfect for spotting all types of birds. Petting a pooch on the way out is a wonderful way for the kids to agree to leave this fun park until the next time. And since there is a 2.5 acre fenced paw park adjacent to the main area, bringing your furry family members to the park is welcomed. This park definitely has a little something for everyone. Located at 3951 Woodmere Park Boulevard, Venice, this park is easy to get to whether taking the Jacaranda Blvd exit from I-75 or coming in from 41. Photo courtesy of Sarasota County Parks and Rec.
Nature is Your Toy
Moving to North Port from Sarasota many years ago, we quickly learned our small new town had a lot of parks to offer. That was so appreciated back in the days of entertaining two toddlers, both under the age of three. We definitely have visited all of North Port’s parks and can vouch for the countless ways they cater to and enhance the community’s enjoyment. But for me, Myakkahatchhee Creek Environmental Park has always been a favorite. Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park – North Port, FL (northportfl.gov) This one is strictly a nature park, you are not going to find a playground here which is part of the reason I love it so much. The kids were forced to use their imagination when we came here. Sticks became light sabers or assisted hiking through trails and rougher terrain. Tossing rocks from the bridge into the mirrored creek below brought discussions of the properties of water and how we could create different ripples with the varied rocks. And getting off of the beaten path, just for a little while, turned our whole family into explorers of a world that was void of electronics and “things” to play with. Campouts, scouting excursions, family hikes, dog walks….we do it all at this park and it will forever be my favorite. Creeks for fishing, horse trails, picnic tables and Florida’s best flora and fauna are on display at this nature park located at 6968 Reistertown Road, North Port. Leave your phones in the car and let the kids discover the fun of nature.
Photo courtesy of Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park Facebook page.