Community Corner
Patch Picks: Picnic Spots
It's the picnic season. Patch has compiled a list of the best picnic spots around.
The warm weather is upon us. For many families, it's a time to dust off the picnic baskets, load them with sandwiches, chips and fruit, and head to the nearest park. Fortunately, for residents living in the Bloomingdale Patch area, there are plenty of places that are perfect for picnicking. Here's our five top picks:
1. Paul Sanders Park, 3319 S. Kings Ave., Brandon--With its massive live oak trees, there is plenty of shade for the picknicker. The abundant picnic tables and nearby play equipment make Pauls Sanders Park a popular place for an outing.
2. Alafia River State Park, 14326 S. County Road 39 -- Some of the most challenging off-road bicycling trails in Florida can be found at Alafia River State Park. Located on what was once a phosphate mining site, the unique topography of the reclaimed land offers some of Florida's most radical elevation changes. Alafia State Park is home to 17 miles of bike trails, ranging from beginner to advanced. Alafia also offers equestrians and hikers the opportunity to explore mixed hardwood forests, pine flatwoods and rolling hills with 20 miles of hiking and horse trails. The south prong of the Alafia River and the lakes scattered throughout the park provide ample opportunities for canoeing and fishing. The 6,260 acre park also offers picnic pavilions, a playground, horseshoe pit and volleyball court.
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3. Lithia Springs Park, 3932 Lithia Springs Road, Lithia -- The 160-acre park, located on the Alafia River, offers varied plant communities, river cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks and high sand hills that provide terrain not often seen in Hillsborough County. The park’s major attraction is the natural spring that provides an excellent swimming experience since the water temperature remains at 72 degrees year around. In addition to swimming, there is a bath house, playground and picnic facilities. Lithia Springs is also a popular camping spot with 40 sites and two shower houses.
4. Aldermans Ford Park, 100 Aldermans Ford Park Drive, Lithia, off State Road 39 -- History abounds at this park. It was one of the first fording spots on the Alafia River and for many years a popular place for political campaigning in Hillsborough County. This scenic park includes the area where the Alafia River branches into its north and south prongs. The Alafia is one of the most popular canoe spots in the state, and the park includes a modern, erosion-free canoe launch. Several picnic areas are connected by a pedestrian/bicycle loop path, and a first-hand view of the abundant plant life is available on a self-guiding nature study via accompanying boardwalk and foot bridges
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5. Edward Medard Park, 6140 Turkey Creek Road -- This park, formerly known as Pleasant Grove, is located on a reservoir operated by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The reservoir is one of the most popular freshwater fishing spots in Hillsborough County, and the improved boat-launching facilities easily handle the flurry of county anglers. Medard also includes camping, picnic areas, equestrian trails, and a fishing pier/ boardwalk that leads to an observation tower on a small island within the reservoir. The park is 1,281 acres.
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