Beautiful, serene cypress and marshland minutes from the city. Aquifer for the city. 15,000 acres of mixed topography. Home to Snail Kites and so much wildlife. Pristine boardwalks with many shaded and covered areas, water, rocking chairs were a delight in rainy and very hot weather. Thoughfully planned Nature Center with programs for kids and adults. 5⭐️ ADA access. Lauren is a friendly fountain of info about the area's history and ecology. Kayaks available but current drought makes that a challenge. Restrooms on site. Parking on site. Free, donations welcome.

Even though the water level is quite low (March 2026), this is a wonderful park to visit - and for those concerned about getting too close to Nature, there is a boardwalk a foot or two above the water/surface that provides access to the area. While we did not see any alligators this time, we have seen one or two before, primarily close by the boat shed. An excellent visitors' center - with displays, information, plants for sale, brochures - equivalent to a national park in terms of resources.

Grassy Waters is so serene and peaceful. Highly recommend. It’s rarely crowded, which makes the experience even better. The walking path is an elevated wooden boardwalk that’s beautifully maintained, with plenty of spots to pause, sit, and take in the views. A perfect place to unwind and connect with nature.

Loved the kid friendly nature center. The microscope replete with multiples different slides projected onto a screen was a nice touch to get kids excited about science and engaging with nature. The volunteers in the nature center were incredibly knowledgeable. Looking forward to my next visit.

We went for a like over half hour walk in the preserve. The entire walk is a boardwalk. Nicely done with spots along the way to sit in rocking chairs. We saw a water snake along the way. There is also a small nature center. Bathrooms are available in the parking lot. Nice place. It closes early so check the website.