The Adventures of R + B at Lettuce Lake Park

As usual a quick Google search of “Free or cheap things to do near {City, State}” gave us a few ideas of things to check out while we were in Thontosassa, Florida. One of those things was Lettuce Lake Park which is a 240-acre park run by Hillsborough County. We read that the park featured a boardwalk, observation tower, playground, picnic areas, nature trails, and visitor’s center. Sounded like a great place to spend a afternoon on a lovely January day in Florida. We were also hoping to spot a gator or two as it is one of those things that make you feel like you are truly in Florida. As if the warm weather, snow birds, and palm trees don’t make you feel welcome enough!

Upon arrival, we paid the minimal $2/car fee and followed the signs to the boardwalk. There appeared to be plenty of parking and we pulled in a spot near the visitor’s center. The visitor’s center wasn’t anything to write home about, but did have a few pamphlets and displays about the local wildlife. We exited through the back of the visitor’s center and hopped on the boardwalk that lead us along Lettuce Lake on the Hillsborough River to the 3-story observation deck. Just around ever bend we were able to spot some sort of wildlife - lots of birds, lizards, turtles, snakes, armadillo, and G A T O R S ! The boardwalk had wooden handrails and fence to provide a nice barrier between us and the swampy waters & wildlife. We ended up seeing about a half a dozen gators, the highlight being this little dude who was sunbathing right on top of turtle. So cute! 

They did offer canoe rentals on site and there were people kayaking in the lake. Many of the kayakers appeared to be college students from nearby University of South Florida. Not a shabby way to spend the day before or after class. Remind me why neither of us went to college in Florida? 

So much wildlife, so much fun. We spotted more creatures than we could have predicted. If you are looking to walk long distances or a place to walk the dog, the boardwalk should not be your choice. The boardwalk is less than 2 miles and dogs aren’t allowed. However, if you are looking to take a slow, scenic stroll, this is the place for you. What are you waiting for? Get Lettuce Lake Park added to your to-do list.

Here are some of our favorite photos from the day….