Downtown Park has Something for All Ages
Three blocks from Florida’s state capital is a park with something for all ages to enjoy. It's Cascades Park and it's in the heart of Tallahassee.
The L-shaped, 24-acre green space serves a dual purpose for the city. First, it’s a place for recreation in an urban area. Second, it doubles as stormwater relief. It’s designed to specifically handle runoff from major storms.
By the way, the park’s name is connected to Florida history. In the 1800’s, two delegates met in the panhandle to find a central location for the capital. A waterfall near here (long gone) was the chosen place. Hence, the name Cascades.
Water falls quietly over the wall under the Cascades Park sign.
Location:
101 S. Gadsden Streed
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Contact:
(850) 891-3866
Hours:
24 hours, daily
Fees: Free
Website:
Cascades Park
Every area of the park is thoughtfully and beautifully landscaped.
What the Adults Love About Cascades Park
What has developed since the area’s early days now has many features adults love. On one hand, the park is a place to exercise. However, the park offers many places to simply relax, unwind, and even learn a few things.
Cascades Park is quite large and we only saw the middle section. That said, take a look at the short video giving an overview of one small part of the park. It's totally beautiful!
The Paths: Walk, Jog, and Bike
What do adults love about the park? To begin with, Cascades Park has miles—2.3 miles to be exact—of multi-use trails. You can walk, jog, run, or bike over paved paths that weave in, out, and around the park.
For those interested in keeping fit, download the park’s Fitness Trails Map. It shows distances for the Whole Park Trail, the Boca Chuba Pond Trail, and the Smokey Hollow Pond Trail.
The former electric building is now the place to go for fine dining.
Dining at the Park
Housed in a repurposed and restored historic building, you find The Edison Restaurant. It opens late afternoons and evenings for dinner. The Power Plant Café opens for breakfast (8-11), but if you are looking for lunch, pick up a picnic basket from the restaurant.
We hear more is coming in the near future. Watch for a food and drink business to open in the adjacent pavilion
This canopy covered stage is THE place in Tallahassee for outdoor concerts and performances,
The Capital City Amphitheater
Continuing on, from any place in the park, you can see the Capital City Amphitheater. It’s the heart and anchor of Cascades Park. Here, local and regional acts perform both music and drama.
In addition to fixed seats for 1,546, the sprawling lawn easily seats another 1,500. Nearby parking is free.
A performer’s view of the audience from the stage’s deep recess.
Fun Facts About Cascades Park
Cylindrical infinity
cascading fountain
circulates pond water.
24-acre park with
beautifully landscaped
green space.
2.3-miles of trails
for biking, jogging,
and walking.
Colorful signs and sounds of laughter make the Imagination Fountain easy to find.
What the Kids Love at Cascades Park
While Cascades Park has wide-open spaces to play, it has two areas designed specifically with kids in mind. First, kid love the Imagination Fountain, and second, is the Discovery play area. In both places, kids’ imaginations can run wild.
The fountain is enjoyed by all ages, even toddlers.
Water Fun at the Imagination Fountain
Imagination Fountain is where you’ll hear lots of squeals and laughter. The walk-in fountain delights all ages with its 73-jets randomly spraying water into the air.
Parents love watching from the shaded pavilion but they especially love the nearby changing rooms when it’s time to head home.
It’s not just for daytime water play. Be sure to visit after dusk. That’s when you can watch an awesome 7-minute choreographed water-music-light show.
Sign over the walkway gives credit to local businesses involved in creating the play area.
Creating and Playing at Discovery
Natural materials mixed with imagination can create all sorts of fun for active kids.
The Discovery play area uses wood, stone, and metal along with sand, water, and plants to hold youngsters’ attention.
While not part of the original park plan, the “Discovery” play area became a very welcome addition. Your kids will love it!
The play area is a perfect place for kiddos to crawl, climb, jump, and slide.
Korean War Memorial, surrounded by beautiful gardens, allows visitors a place for peaceful reflection.
Florida History Enshrined
A stroll through Cascades Parks not only invigorates the body, it expands the heart and mind. Several places along the pathways, you come across bits of Florida history. Here are a few we noticed:
Korean War Memorial
Through the trees and down a walkway, you find the Korean War Memorial. Designed by Shawn Bliss to honor Floridians who died in the war, each part of the memorial has special meaning.
The upright broken circle frames a “battlefield cross,” (rifle pointed downward with a helmet perched on the stock). It sits atop the demilitarized zone on a map of Korea.
The missing circle section is partially “buried” near the broken circle. Engraved on the broken piece are 580+ names of fallen soldiers.
Helmet atop rifle in the ground is centerpiece of the memorial.
Circling the memorial are rough-hewn stones with embedded markers. The markers, placed in order of occurrence, give the war timeline
The Korean War Memorial is much more than pieces of granite and stone. It tells the story of loss and interrupted lives.
Smokey Hollow Commemoration
Since our visit only covered the park’s middle section, we didn’t make it to the area known as Smokey Hollow. We definitely need a 2nd trip to Cascades Park to see it. But for now, read more about Smokey Hollow HERE.
Lines stretch out in four directions from the marker.
Prime Meridian Marker
Set inside a granite Florida map, you will find the state’s Prime Meridian Marker.
Since 1824, this point served as the reference point for every land survey. It’s embedded in the red brick plaza behind the Amphitheater stage.
In addition to beautiful places to relax, you can find nature at its finest within the busy city.
Truly Something for All Ages
Above all, Cascades Park truly offers something for all ages to do while there. From the youngest to the oldest, individuals and families alike find pleasure in being outdoors.
Whether you are walking a pathway or sitting on a bench, Tally’s crown jewel park will delight you with peaceful, stunning beauty at every turn.
Beautiful flower beds are sprinkled throughout the park.
How Cascades Park Came to Be
- Tallahassee began in the spot where the park now sits. Early pioneers enjoyed pure water flowing from a 30-foot waterfall here.
- Over the years, the historic area changed from neighborhood homes to city buildings as the town grew.
- For more than 50 years, the area was home to a ballpark hosting community and college sports.
- Contamination from coal and tar forced its closure. Frequent flooding and years of neglect caused the area to be an eyesore.
- In 2002, the city and county came together to remediate the site with dual purpose – to control storm water and create a beautiful park for residents.
- The $40 million Cascades Park project opened in 2014.
Check out our "Things to Do" page for other Worthy Detour stops.
Thanks for a beautiful tour and great commentary!
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