West Villages Improvement District: 10 Great Parks and Preserves in Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice

Herald Tribune, August 23, 2018

There are many beautiful places in Sarasota and Manatee counties beyond the beaches. While Sarasota and Manatee counties' most famous attractions are the beaches, we also have alluring parks
and preserves. Let's revisit 10 of our favorites, presented in alphabetical order.

Bradenton Riverwalk
452 Third Ave. W., Bradenton;941-621-6471 realizebradeton.com

Cool off in the interactive splash fountain, have fun in the state-of-the-art skate park, play some beach volleyball, observed nature in the tidal discovery zone, use the fishing pier or bring your boat to the 20-slip day dock. The 1.5 mile-long-park along the Manatee River in downtown Bradenton also offers plenty of shaded benches and water fountains designed for humans and dogs.

Celery Fields
6893 Palmer Blvd, Sarasota;941-861-5000;scgov.net

Officially named "Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility", the more than 360-acre area owned by Sarasota County and used to collect storm water is home to the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. A first-rate spot for viewing numerous bird species, the park also offers unpaved trails and boardwalks for hiking and jogging.

Deer Prairie Creek Preserve
10201 South Tamiami Trail, Venice;941-861-5000;sc.gov.net

This giant swath of countryside along the Myakka River has more than 70 miles of hiking trails, which are unpaved but accessible for most visitors. While walking the trails through the 6,439-acre preserve, look for gopher tortoises, alligators, river otters, wild turkeys, swallow-tailed kites, Florida scrub-jays and an assortment of wading birds among the numerous flowering plants.

Emerson Point Preserve
5801 17th St W, Palmetto;941-721-6885;mymanatee.org

At the tip of Snead Island in western Palmetto, Emerson Point hugs the mouth of the Manatee River where it meets lower Tampa Bay, allowing visitors to explore shady trails through a tropical setting rich in history. The preserve is where you'll find the Portavant Temple Mound, southwest Florida's largest native American temple mound. You'll also want to visit the observation tower.

Jelks Preserve
2300 N River Road, Venice;941-861-5000;sc.gov.net

This preserve borders the Myakka River with eight miles of trails, including the 3.3-mile outer loop trail. While exploring, look for diverse hammocks, pine flatwoods and seasonal wetlands. You can also observe gopher tortoises, swallowtail butterflies and swallow-tailed kites plus an assortment of songbirds and wildflowers.

Phillippi Estate Park
5500 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota;941-861-5000;scgov.net

Nestled south of downtown Sarasota and east of Siesta Key, Phillippi Estate Park on the shores of Phillippi Creek offers 60 acres filled with environmental and historic attractions such as the Edson Keith Mansion, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Paths lead from the mansion to a playground and dock overlooking the creek. There's also a short trail that heads into the woods along Little Sarasota Bay.

Myakka River State Park
13208 State Road 72, 941-361-6511;floridastateparks.org

This massive nature preserve east of Sarasota draws both locals and tourists from around the world. The many things to do include cycling, renting a cabin or tent camping with the canopy walk providing one of the best views in the area, while taking a nature tour by boat of Upper Myakka Lake is pretty awesome, too. There's also Deep Hole, home to dozens of huge alligators.

Oscar Scherer State Park
1843 South Tamiami Trail, Osprey;941-483-5956;floridastateparks.org

There are 12 miles of trail through the pines and palmettos of Oscar Scherer State Park including the popular and wheelchair-accessible Lester Finley Nature Trail that follows South Creek near the entrance to the Osprey park. For those who prefer paddling to walking, canoeing is another fun option.

Robinson Preserve
1704 99th St., NW, Bradenton;941-742-5923;mymanatee.org

Located in northwestern Bradenton with multiple entrances, the 682-acre preserve of mangrove, tidal marsh, and former agricultural lands features a 1.55-mile rubberized pedestrian-only trail (jog it twice and you've done a 5K), kayak launches, trails, restrooms, picnic areas, an observation tower overlooking Tampa Bay as well as The Mosaic Center for Nature, Exploration, Science and Technology (NEST).

Rothenbach Park
8650 Bee Ridge Road;Sarasota;941-861-5000;scgov.net

This park is best known for its 2.75 mile bike loop that circles a 90-foot capped landfill mound, a path that winds through palmettos and oaks dripping with Spanish moss. There are also two playground areas with safe equipment that sits on top of a soft mulch surface so children can run and jump with reduced risk of injury. The park has a pavilion, too, that includes restrooms, picnic tables and grills.

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate

REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964