"A few weeks back, I explored the possibility of going from Sarasota to the Everglades for just a day, but nixed those plans when I realized the amount of time on the road it would involve. But in my searching I discovered a place closer to home with gators, birds, and a river cruise from which to watch all the wetland life unfold. Myakka River State Park is a wild 375,000 acre reserve with lazy, arched oaks and palm trees sprouting up from fields of tall grasses and wild flowers. The best place to take it all in is high up on the Canopy Walk, a wooden structure at the leaf line with a platform that lets hikers see out to the river bed and over much of the park's acreage. Of course, if you'd prefer biking or horse-riding to hiking, there's a web of trails for both, all of which loop to the main river dock where hourly boats take passengers along the shoreline for prime osprey, heron, and gator viewing."
