We like Davis Park and visited it many times. Usually people enter the park from 612 N. Parsons Ave; if you are walking, jogging or biking than you can use the Mook St entrance too. Davis Park at is situated on 15 acres along the Mead Lake. Tranquility rules at this Hillsborough County Park. Here you can get a great feeling of real Florida. Limited amenities create limited appeal for attendees. Well, a shelter, restrooms, open picnic area, grills in some places, and some play equipment are available. Pack a lunch and a blanket and make it a day of fun for the whole family!

As I said in the beginning, this rustic park has a lake in the middle (do not even think about entering the muddy waters!) and nearby swamp where Florida flora and fauna are abundant. The park offers a great chance to watch wildlife along the lakeshore in the center of the city. First of all, the Davis Park is a bird lover's paradise. Long-legged birds like the Egret or Heron you will see almost immediately upon your arrival. The Egrets sometimes spread their wings, creating shaded areas on the water to attract fish. I saw the Sandhill Cranes several times here. Ducks (Wood Duck, Redhead) are all over the lake. It’s fun to see how they run along the water surface to take flight. And the Gulls are here of course (the Laughing Gulls are most common).

On the dry land my favorite is the Marsh Rabbit. The animal with very small tail and short, broad ears is reddish-brown even in December. My wife’s favorite in the park is the Gopher Tortoise. A colony of Tortoises lives here for years hiding in their burrows when you come too close. They are long-lived animals (40-60 years), so you have enough time to plan your visit.

Beware of snakes, though. First of all, you may have a chance to see a water snake (banded water snake, brown water snake, green water snake). Then there are the black snake and swamp snake and… well, enough. Just watch your step.

The Brandon area has millions of mosquitoes and invisible biting sand flies (known as "no-see-ums"), especially in the lake and marshy areas, but neither insect carries malaria or other diseases. You should keep these pests at bay with a good insect repellent.