  
Cape Coral Recreational Parks
 Yacht
Club Community Park (239)574-0806
5819 Driftwood Parkway - Map
It!
The Yacht Club Community Park is located at the
end of Driftwood Parkway in a neighborhood known as the yacht club
area. It is reached by following Coronado Parkway directly
into Driftwood Parkway. The Yacht Club, as it is called, is
situated on the Caloosahatchee River with two acres of white sandy
beach, picnic areas, a 89-slip marina, 1,000 foot fishing pier,
two boat ramps, two heated swimming pools, lighted tennis courts
& pro shop, racquetball courts, playground equipment and
shuffleboard courts. The yacht Club also provides a variety
of programs for all ages from swimming lessons, fishing clinics,
arthritis water exercise, and gardening seminars to yoga on the
beach, marine biology workshops, summer kids camps and water
aerobics. Both annual and semi-annual memberships are
offered to Cape Coral residents. Another noteworthy activity
is the river cruises that are scheduled weekly and during the
holidays aboard the 51-foot Cookie Cutter.
Four Freedoms Park (239)574-0804, 4818 Tarpon
Court - Map
It!
Four freedoms Park is one of the city's oldest parks, dedicated
in September of 1963. It was named after Norman Rockwell's
series of four paintings depicting freedom from want (showing a
family at dinner), freedom from fear (portraying sleeping
children), freedom of speech (a statesman giving a speech), and
freedom of worship (people praying). Four Freedoms
offers programs for pre-schoolers, toddlers, and youth programs
like Tae Kwon Do, cheerleading, and kids candy making. Adult
programs include fitness instruction, investment classes, cake
decorating and Tai Chi. The park is situated on 3.2 acres
overlooking the Bimini Basin. It is off Cape Coral Parkway
between Coronado Parkway and Santa Barbara Boulevard. It has
a specially designed facility for preschoolers and a fenced-in
area with playground equipment, picnic tables and barbeque grills.
Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve
(239)549-4606, SE 23rd Terrace - Map
It!
Located next to the Midpoint Bridge "Eco Park" has
365 acres of unspoiled wetland and mangrove swamp on the
Caloosahatchee River. The park features a 4,500-foot nature
trail, a 150-foot observation pier, a picnic area, a visitor's
pavilion, restrooms, and the Iwo Jima Memorial Statue. Canoe
and kayak rentals are available from October through May, allowing
peaceful meandering through the wetland ecosystem, a habitat to a
diversity of wildlife and plant species. There are enough
water trails in the preserve to spend an entire day exploring or
you can picnic in one of the covered shelters. The park is
open from dawn to dusk.
Rotary Park Environmental Center (239)549-4606,
5505 Rose Garden Road - Map
It!
Rotary Park is Cape Coral's newest park and is located just
south of El Dorado Parkway along the East Side of Rose Garden
Road. The 197-acre park contains mangrove wetlands and an
upland featuring a native plant garden, shaded patio, paved bike
path, a new dog park called "Wagging Tails", self-guided
nature trail, and an observation tower overlooking four manmade
ponds. The Environmental Center is 4,200 square-feet and
offers a variety of classes, aerobics, pet health care, gardening
and many other diverse horticultural classes. It also has
display areas with air quality monitoring equipment and
aquariums. The center can accommodate up to 80 people and is
available for rent. Rotary Park is open daily from sunrise
to sunset.
BMX Sports Complex, 1410 SW 6th Place - Map
It!
A 20-acre Strausser BMX Sports Complex includes a BMX track,
softball fields, volleyball nets, playground equipment, picnic
area, shelter and restrooms. The facility hosts the BMX
state and national races.
Cape Coral Sports Complex (239)283-7778, 1410
Sports Boulevard - Map
It!
To the locals it is known as the Trafalgar Complex or the
Multi-Sports Complex. It is a 52-acre site and includes 14
ball fields, snack concessions, playground equipment and
restrooms. It hosts numerous statewide championship games
yearly.
Lovers Key State Park(239)463-4588, 8700 Estero
Boulevard, Ft. Myers Beach, FL - Map
It!
Welcome to Lovers Key State Park, the doorway to outdoor
adventures! This 1,616-acre park between Fort Myers and
Naples is comprised of four barrier island-Lovers Key, Inner Key,
Black Island and Long Key. It contains2.5 miles of white
sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and offers a variety of
recreational opportunities including wildlife viewing, fishing,
kayaking, and swimming.
Swim, sunbathe, and experience some of hte best shelling on
southwest Florida's gulf beaches; hike or bike on ewight miles of
island trails. Try the five-mile hiking/biking trail that
follows the inner waterways of Black Island.
Kayaking and canoeing in the 744 acres of waterways fed by the
gulf and bay are favorite pastimes at the park. A boat ramp
located on the bay side of the park allows access to Estero Bay
and the Gulf of Mexico, and a canoe launch is located within the
park.
Visitors may enjoy saltwater fishing throughout the park.
Catches of snook, redfish, trout and tarpon are common. Or
try castnetting for mullet, another popular activity.
Saltwater fishing licenses are required for non-residents.
The concession offers food and drinks, bicycle, canoe and kayak
rentals, bait and fishing supplies, as well as boat and saltwater
fishing tours. Ranger-guided programs are scheduled
regularly December through April. Visitors may participate
in beginning birding, shell crafts, and other activities.
Call in advance for groups.
A tram service is available to the south beach where a gazebo,
restroom, and picnic area are located. The gazebo on the
south beach, where weddings and family gatherings are common, may
be reserved year-round. Contact the park for details and
prices.
Beach dunes and mangrove swamps are the most common natural
communities at Lovers Key State Park. The beach dune
community runs parallel to the Gulf of Mexico. Sea oats,
railroad vine, and dune sunflower inhabit this fragile ecosystem
and are notable in their ability to stabilize the shifting
sands. Shorebirds in abundance make this island a birder's
paradise.
Mangrove swamps dominated by red and black mangroves fringe the
interior shorelines of the islands. The nutrient-rich waters
provide food for fish and birds. The waterways between the
islands are a great place to view wading birds such as Reddish
Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Roseate Spoonbills. Manatees,
dolphins, kingfishers, ibis, pelicans and ducks may also be seen.
In addition, a maritime hammock occurs on the interior of Black
Island. Gumbo limbo and strangler fig shape portions of the
Black Island Trail, where eagles and osprey hunt and are
frequently observed.
In the early 1900s the islands were accessible only by
boat. It was said that only lovers made the effort to get to
this romantic island - thus the name Lovers Key. A road to
the island was built in 1968. Local legend hints that Black
Island got its name from a pirate by the name of Black Augustus
who had been captured by authorities and later escaped, making
this his new home for the remainder of his life.
Fish camps were located on Black Island from the early 1900s
until the late 1950s. Then in the 1960s and 70s the four
barrier islands were slated for development. The
preparations for development were damaging to the islands.
Mangrove swamps were altered to uplands by dredging a canal
through Black Island.
In 1983 the State acquired the island and in 1996 merged with
the adjacent Carl E. Johnson Country Park - all to become Lovers
Key State Park. The state and Lee County shared the cost of
developing the park, creating a partnership. Lee Island
Coast Tourist Development Council and many local citizens and
communities still actively support the park.
The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a
year. The feeding of animals such as alligators, raccoons,
squirrels and seagulls is not permitted. Pets are not
permitted on the beach or in concession areas. Where pets
are allowed, they must be well behaved and kept on a six-foot,
hand-held leash at all times. Please call the park to
inquire about specific pet restrictions. The park offers
many recreational opportunities to visitors with
disabilities. Should you need assistance to enable your full
participation, please contact the park office. An entrance
fee is required.
Home |
Site Map
Century 21 Sunbelt Realty, Inc
725 Cape Coral Pkwy., Cape Coral, Fl. 33914
239-738-1581
Send me an email
|