Covering 37,000 acres, Myakka River State Park is one of Florida’s biggest and oldest parks.
It includes portions of Sarasota County as well as parts of Manatee County.
It is named after the Myakka River which flows through 58 square miles of a variety of habitats such as hammocks, pinelands, prairies, and wetlands.
There is a boardwalk for viewing wildlife and a canopy walkway above the treetops. In addition to the river there are two lakes: here visitors can canoe, fish, and kayak. There are also hiking trails through the dry prairie section of the park.