The Celery Fields and Sarasota's Hiking "Mountain"

Located east of I-75 along Palmer Boulevard in Sarasota, the Celery Fields is a 360+ acre site owned by Sarasota County. It serves as the County's primary flood mitigation zone. 

While most of the acreage is relatively flat, it also features Sarasota's only "hiking mountain", a 75-foot-high hill with trails and palm trees. It will give you a good workout and a panoramic view of Sarasota in all directions. 

In the background, you might also hear the distant roars of lions and tigers residing at the nearby Big Cat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary next door.

The Celery Fields were originally wetlands that were drained for agriculture, specifically celery. In the 1990s, after record-setting rains, Sarasota County purchased the land to avoid future flooding of Phillippi Creek downstream. Since then it's developed bike trails, the hiking and observation hill, and provided habitat for many bird species. 

After a vigorous hike or bike ride at the Celery Fields, you can get a good meal and enjoy live music at J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Cafe, on Old Packinghouse Road, just south of Palmer Boulevard, a couple of miles west of the Celery Fields. The cafe's building was originally a celery-packing warehouse for the celery fields nearby.

Sarasota Parks

From little neighborhood parks to beaches--which are actually really big parks--Sarasota County does a beautiful job with creating, maintaining and improving its parks. For a full list, go to: Parks Locations & Amenities

Here are some examples:

Neighborhood parks:

• Payne Park (downtown, east of Rte. 301)
• Arlington Park & Aquatic Center & dog park (east of Tamiami Trail, near Sarasota Memorial Hospital) 
• Urfer Family Park (on Bee Ridge, corner of Honore)
• Vest pocket park at Osprey Avenue & Mietaw, near Hyde Pk Street, in Southside Village)
• Ackerman Park (east of I-75, between Palmer Blvd and Fruitville Rd)

Scenic parks:

• Causeway Park (on the mainland side of the John Ringling Causeway bridge)
• Bird Key Park (at the Bird Key end of the John Ringling Causeway bridge, across from downtown Sarasota)
• Sarasota Bayfront Park (west end of Main Street, on the bayfront, downtown)

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  Sarasota Bayfront Park, looking towards John Ringling Causeway

• Centennial Park (10th Street, just north of downtown, includes boat launch)
• Bay Island Park (on both sides of the Siesta Key (north) Bridge)
• Phillippi Estate Park (Tamiami Trail & Constitution Avenue)
• The Celery Fields (Sarasota's only "mountain", a 100-ft high hill garnished with palm trees, great place for a hike, and lots of bicycle paths nearby; approx. 2 miles east of I-75, off Palmer Blvd)

Dog Parks:

• Arlington Park (east of Tamiami Trail, near Sarasota Memorial Hospital)
• Lakeview Paw Park (east of I-75, north of Proctor Ave)