Parks & Recreation - Parks And Recreation
Yes, we have a wild side. The Tampa Bay area may be part of a major metropolitan region, but deer (no antelope or buffalo, however) still play in our wooded areas, and you can still pitch a tent on either side of Tampa Bay for a real back-to-nature experience.
Or maybe you’re just looking for a place to picnic that has some kid-powered rides like swings and merry-go-rounds (remember those?). We have plenty of parks of all sizes with loads of recreational opportunities in the Tampa Bay area.
Florida has a great state park system with clean facilities—and with many opportunities to experience Florida as it was before facilities, clean or otherwise, were invented. Our state parks in the Tampa Bay area lie along the Hillsborough River in the east and along the Gulf of Mexico in the West—Caladesi Island State Park is accessible only by boat.
We don’t mean to brag, but—oh, why not? In November 2008, American Trails gave Florida its first ever “Best Trails State in America” award for its statewide and state-sponsored greenways and trails system. The Florida Office of Greenways and Trails manages more than 80,000 acres of greenways and over 400 miles of trails in the state (www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt). In this chapter, we’ll tell you about Greenway and Blueway trails here and about the Rails-to-Trials program of which some of our trails are parts.
Both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties make parks a priority. You’ll find camping, BMX bicycle courses, fishing piers, walking trails, disc golf, and other activities in our county parks. You’ll especially want to check into the programs and trails at the Brooker Creek and Weedon Island Environmental and Education Centers in Pinellas County.
You don’t have to be a city resident to use our city-owned parks. Boyd Hill Nature Park in St. Petersburg has a nature center and a pioneer village. Moccasin Lake Park in Clearwater hosts campfire-and-marshmallow programs.
There are loads of recreational centers in the area with summer camps for kids, teen activities and centers, fitness programs for all ages, and more. We can’t list them all, but we’ll give you enough information to get you started.
We’ve divided this chapter into three main sections: state parks, county parks, and city parks and recreation centers. A fourth section at the end tells about beach parks, regardless of in whose jurisdiction they lie.
So lace up your sneakers, fill your water bottle, grab the insect repellant and sunscreen, and let’s explore the Tampa Bay area’s great outdoors!
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 15402 U.S. 301 N.
2. Little Manatee River State Park
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (813) 671-5005
Address: 215 Lightfoot Rd.
Description: Twelve miles of equestrian trails and eight equestrian campsites make Little Manatee River State Park in southeastern Hillsborough County popular with horse owners. There are also hiking trails, fishing spots, and canoeing and kayaking along the river. Canoes are available for rent, and some evenings there is a communal campfire circle.Full-hookup campsites, including two ADA-accessible campsites, are available for RVs, and there are also primitive camping areas for overnight hikers and others wanting a little more solitude. The daily admission fee is $4 per vehicle with up to eight people per vehicle. Camping and other fees apply. Firewood can be purchased for $5 a bundle at the ranger station.
3. Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Park
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: The Southwest Florida Water Management District oversees this 16,000-acre preserve in Hillsborough County northeast of Tampa. SWFWMD manages two recreational sites in the park—the Jefferson and Oakridge Equestrian Areas. These two sites have minimal facilities.Within the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Park are Hillsborough River State Park, Hillsborough River State Canoe Trail, the Old Fort King Trail, and a number of Hillsborough County parks. The primary purpose of the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Park is to store water. Thirteen miles—one-fourth the length—of the Hillsborough River flows through the park.
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1 Causeway Blvd.
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1 Causeway Blvd.
7. Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (813) 635-3500
Address: 10119 Windhorst Rd.
Description: Check the Web site periodically to see what’s listed on the “Calendar of Events.” You’ll find everything from administrative and policy meetings to wine tastings and fun runs. Hillsborough County Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department manages 70,000 acres of parklands with 42 recreation centers located throughout the county. Friends of the County Parks, a not-for-profit citizens’ organization that meets each third Thursday of the month, provides financial and other kinds of support to the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department. Their mascot, Squiggy, attends PRC functions. Keep an eye out for this gigantic and enormously friendly squirrel. Hillsborough PRC provides the following services to residents of Hillsborough County.
8. Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (727) 464-4761
Address: 512 S. Ft. Harrison Ave.
Description: In addition to dealing with such things as air quality, beach erosion, and watershed management, Pinellas County’s Department of Environmental Management also oversees four preserve areas—two with extensive education centers and programs. Pets are not allowed in the preserve areas.
9. Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (727) 464-3347
Address: 631 Chestnut St.
Description: Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department manages 12 green parks, four smaller neighborhood parks, three beach parks—including two that have been named to best-beaches lists—six beach access areas, four boat ramp/marina areas, a golf course, the Pinellas Trail, the Florida Botanical Gardens and Heritage Village and the Pinellas County Extension office. Pinellas County has numerous large lakes and parks surrounding them. Lake Tarpon in the north is so big it has two Pinellas County parks on its shores—A. L. Anderson Park on the west side, and John Chestnut Sr. Park on the east side.
10. Brooker Creek Preserve and Environmental Education Center
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (727) 453-6800
Address: 3940 Keystone Rd.
Description: Brooker Creek Preserve features 8,000 acres of Florida wild lands with miles of hiking trails, ranging from a just-over-half-mile high-and-dry boardwalk to a 4-mile wilderness hike. Check to make sure the trails are open before starting out. Some guided hikes are scheduled. The Environmental Education Center features 22 interactive exhibits, a resource center for research and study, and a gift shop. Workshops and speakers often give presentations. Overnight parking is not allowed—make sure you have finished your hike at least an hour before sundown. The preserve is open from 7 a.m. to an hour before sunset each day.
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 10015 Park Blvd.
12. Mobbly Bayou Preserve
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (813) 749-1261
Address: 423 Lafayette Blvd.
Description: The 396-acre preserve is co-managed by Pinellas County Environmental Department and the City of Oldsmar’s Leisure Services department. Facilities include restrooms and picnic shelter, hiking trails, canoe and kayak launch, fishing pier, and an observation platform. The telephone number given is for the City of Oldsmar.
13. Philippe Park
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (727) 669-1947
Address: 2525 Philippe Parkway
Description: Philippe Park, the oldest of the Pinellas County parks, sits on the upper end of the west side of Old Tampa Bay and is where Odet Philippe (sometimes spelled Odette Phillippe) had his citrus groves. Visitors can climb an Indian mound up a short trail and then walk down the other side on a set of winding stone stairs. The live oaks and other hardwood trees provide lots of shade throughout the park.On the south end of the park is a sheltered beach area. When the tide is out, visitors can walk several hundred feet out into Tampa Bay. A boat launching area, playground, and horseshoe pits are at the north end of the park near the entrance. Check the park calendar for occasional guided hikes.
14. Sawgrass Lake Park
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (727) 217-7256
Description: Sawgrass Lake Park’s 400-plus acres contain one of the largest maple swamps on the Gulf Coast of Florida and comprise one of the top birding sites in Florida. A mile-long boardwalk leads to an observation tower overlooking Sawgrass Lake. A half-mile dirt trail winds through an oak hammock. An Environmental Education Center contains exhibits and displays, and staff members offer field trips and guided nature tours for school students and other visitors. The education center and staff are a cooperative venture of Pinellas County Parks & Recreation Department, the Pinellas County School District, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Restrooms and one picnic shelter are located at near the Environmental Education Center.
15. Shell Key Preserve
City: Tampa Bay, FL
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (727) 453-6900
Description: Shell Key Preserve’s 1,800 acres comprise one of the largest remaining undeveloped barrier island areas in Pinellas County. Shell Key Preserve is accessible only by boat and there are no facilities in this area. A permit is required to camp in the designated area, and campers are required to bring, use, and remove a portable toilet. Read the rules and apply for a permit online, or call the number listed above for more information. The preserve is open 24 hours a day.