Myakka River State Park
One of Florida’s largest state parks, where you can ride an airboat through wetlands and palm groves to see wild American alligators, with a high canopy walkway.
Myakka River State Park lies about 25 km east of downtown Sarasota and covers about 150 square km. The Myakka River winds through wetlands, prairies and oak-palm forests. The most popular activity is the airboat tour on Upper Myakka Lake, which takes about 45 minutes. You almost always see sunbathing alligators and a variety of wading birds. The park also has a suspended canopy walkway about 30 m high, with an observation tower overlooking the subtropical forest. You can rent bicycles and kayaks, or walk to Deep Hole to watch the alligators that gather there. Vehicle entry costs about USD 6. Notes: the alligators are wild, so keep a safe distance from the water’s edge and do not feed them. Use insect repellent in summer.
Opening hours
08:00 to sunset
Nearby sights
- Celery Fields
- Oscar Scherer State Park
- Historic Spanish Point
- Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA)
- Turtle Beach (Siesta Key)
- Venice Beach (Venice, Florida)
- Siesta Key Beach
- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens