Neal Preserve image

Neal Preserve

Tourist attraction Nature preserve

Serene, 120-acre wetland habitat with trails, boardwalks & a tower for sunsets & bird watching. People often mention walk, preserve, area,


Address

12301 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34209

Contact

(941) 742-5923

Rating on Google Maps

4.60 (276 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Monday: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Tuesday: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Wednesday: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Thursday: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Friday: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Saturday: 7 AM to 8 PM
  • Sunday: 7 AM to 8 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: walk (10) preserve (7) area (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 3/5 ZRinaldi 2 years ago on Google
    Very short. One outhouse. No water. Interesting trails though for what is there. Picked up some trash people left. No one else was there when i was which was nice. Horrible traffic to get in.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kinga O. 7 months ago on Google
    Beautiful place for a walk and sunset
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 kelly w. 2 years ago on Google
    Nice little walk. Lots of bugs. But it's a nature preserve so it's too be expected.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Natalie T. 2 years ago on Google
    I was so thankful to enjoy an area without lots of crowds (especially when the bridge to and from Anna Maria Island is at a standstill). The pier out to the water was our favorite - definitely spend more time there instead of rushing to the observation tower.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Julianne L. 3 years ago on Google
    This was a great little preserve! It's pretty short, definitely much smaller/shorter to walk than Perico Preserve down the road, but it's nice to do both in the same day, too! I did get to see quite a few birds, and it is neat that they include history along the paths, too. The flat wooden pathways are easy to walk on, as well.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mister J. 3 years ago on Google
    This is a small reserve and relatively overlooked by others (very few people are ever there). There are some burial mounds, historical signs, and observation deck. There is a small parking lot (for about 10 cars), and pavilion. Free admission. Note there are no bathrooms available. We saw wildlife, including great blue Herron, spoon bills, and egrets.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Josh L. 2 years ago on Google
    Great place for a morning hike with my family. Lots of shade and wildlife.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kimberly R. 3 years ago on Google
    Walking only, no bicycles! Really beautiful with lots of birds!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dustin p. 1 year ago on Google
    Great place for a short walk. Especially if you have kids. Tons of bird species, lizards and even a few rabbits. The tower at the back of the preserve was really cool. There is a picnic area here and one rough porta John.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Juan C. 2 years ago on Google
    A small, but well kept trail with informative signage and a beautiful view from the observation tower. Lots of osprey activity here, with both natural and artificial nesting structures.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Sky B. 10 months ago on Google
    Beautiful little preserve with lots of wildlife and interesting history. There are burial mounds that are hundreds of years old which is cool. There is also a 3 story observational tower that gives a pretty good look around the area. The only reason it's not a 5 star for me is that its so small. You can walk the entire preserve in about 10 minutes. Still worth checking out!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Billy M. 1 year ago on Google
    Very beautiful and well maintained. Most of it is wheelchair accessible with boardwalk.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Daniel W. 1 year ago on Google
    Awesome place. Wish more of Florida still like looked like this, but sadly, developers always seem to win out over mother nature. The only drawbacks here were some litter and the noise from Manasota Road.

  • 5/5 Swanny1016 4 years ago on Google
    Nice place. Two raccoons came right up to us - begging for food! That's a first. They ran a few feet when we kicked up some dirt.

  • 5/5 Jeff J. 1 year ago on Google
    A short trail but worth the trip. Looking forward to going back for an early morning walk

  • 5/5 Theresa L. 5 years ago on Google
    Perfect little nature walk for families. My three year son had a blast finding lizards and climbing the tower. Beautiful smooth trail.

  • 5/5 Dave M. 7 months ago on Google
    This is a great preserve with many great areas to view the Bay and the wetlands from. Very enjoyable. You can have the walk be relaxing or as long and hot as you want it to be.

  • 4/5 Deanna S. 7 months ago on Google
    I discovered this park as I was driving through West Bradenton and stopped for a while. There is a very nice, newly built picnic area where I ate lunch and completed some paperwork. There are walking trails, which I did not explore this time, but I saw families and people walking their dogs who seemed to be enjoying themselves. There was road noise as it was on the road, but there were ponds and lots of birds present. If I am in the area again, I will definitely explore the walking trails. With it being migration season, I identified a couple birds uncommon to this area.

  • 5/5 Grace44 D. 2 years ago on Google
    Nice an chilled walk through the preserve. Very enjoying.


Call (941) 742-5923 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Activities
    • ✓️ Hiking
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance

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