We love our famous, sugary sand beaches, but we also love experiencing the great outdoors in all its wild glory. With the Florida heat and humidity still bearable and school almost out, here’s our annual list of 10 favorite public parks or nature preserves in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
These are places to relax and picnic or perhaps hike and kayak. Located both near and far from our biggest cities, these are oases where beautiful scrub jay and regal osprey dot the blue skies, with waters populated by jumping mullet, mellow manatees and, yes, the occasional alligator!
Thanks to the pandemic, we spent a lot more time exploring during the past year. So, you should find more detailed entries as well as a couple of new ones. Covering places in Sarasota, Venice, Osprey, the UTC area, Bradenton and Palmetto, these parks and nature preserves are presented in alphabetical order.
There is no sign on Higel Avenue at the entrance to Roberts Point, one of the more exclusive neighborhoods on the northern part of Siesta Key. But turn onto the eponymous road and you’re soon in a community that combines a superb maritime location, lush tropical Florida vegetation, and a variety of elegant luxury homes.
“It’s a lovely, dead-end enclave,” said Ray Collins, a realtor with Coldwell Banker. “Suddenly you’re surrounded by water on both sides. It’s quite magical.”
The community and adjacent bay are named after Captain Lewis Roberts who settled on the barrier island in the early 1880s with his wife, Ocean Deep Hansen. Then known as Sarasota Key, it was rife with swarms of mosquitoes, snakes, Florida panthers and wild boars.
The masonry theme continues inside the enclave. A protective structure for all the mailboxes just inside the gated entrance consists of two stonework columns supporting a small, gabled roof. Many of the Craftsman-style homes have stone fundaments or facades supporting the covered entryways.
Most of the 38 homes line Fireflag Lane, which runs to the south and dead ends in Pickerel Way. On the other side of that short street sit the six remaining houses facing north. Two large ponds and a wooded greenbelt provide a scenic buffer with the community immediately to the east.
The developer of Fox Trace, David Weekley Homes, based in Houston, Texas, is the largest privately owned home builder in the United States with more than 40 years of experience. It has other projects in Sarasota as well, notably Payne Park Village and The Enclave at Laurel Park.
Positions Available - Marlow Marine Service, Inc.
Author:
Mar 19, 2021
Marlow Yachts are recognized around the world for their ground-breaking engineering and design in building a unique luxury motor yacht offering more quality, performance and innovation than any other in its class and becoming one of the world’s most talked about and sought-after yachts.
Marlow Marine, has been proudly serving boat owners throughout Florida since 1965. For over half a century, we have been a premier source for premium yachts and a vast variety of services. Our experience, knowledge, and superior craftsmanship keep us in high demand. All aspects of a top-quality marine service yard are found on-site at Marlow Marine in a beautiful park-like setting near Tampa Bay.
NewsSportsTicketLifestyleOpinionUSA TODAYObituariesE-EditionLegals
MARKET SNAPSHOT: Snead Island is one of Florida s best-kept secret
The island at the mouth of the Manatee River and south of Terra Ceia Bay has a pristine, old-Florida atmosphere.
Chris Angermann
Snead Island at the mouth of the Manatee River and south of Terra Ceia Bay has a pristine, old-Florida atmosphere. There are only 800 homes or so, surrounded by tropical foliage. Emerson Point Preserve, a 365 acres nature preserve – part mangroves, part Florida coastal jungle occupies nearly half of the island’s area.
A network of shell trails, boardwalks and paved biking paths offers plenty of opportunities to experience Florida plant and wildlife, including turtles, herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills and a wide variety of ducks. An observation tower provides panoramic views of the lush greenery and Terra Ceia Bay.