# John Chesnut Sr. Park: Lake Tarpon Boardwalks & Wild Deer Watching > Place to go for families in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater area (FL). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Open daily 7:00 AM to sunset; Closed Christmas Day - Dates: Tue, Dec 1 – Sun, Feb 28 - Where: John Chesnut Sr. Park, 2200 E Lake Rd, Palm Harbor, FL 34685 - Ages: All ages; completely flat terrain with paved paths and wooden boardwalks; shaded playgrounds for various age groups - Price: Free admission; Free parking - Schedule: Open daily 7:00 AM to sunset; Closed Christmas Day - Organizer: Pinellas County Parks & Conservation Resources - Official page: https://pinellas.gov/parks/john-chesnut-sr-park/ - Last checked: Wed, Nov 4 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/tampa/activities/john-chesnut-sr-park-lake-tarpon-boardwalks-and-wild-deer-watching--listing-e5612e1c9607a877289cf6f1 ## About Located on the tranquil eastern shore of Lake Tarpon in Palm Harbor, John Chesnut Sr. Park covers 255 acres of pine flatwoods and cypress wetlands. One of the park's most delightful surprises for families is the resident population of wild white-tailed deer; these docile animals graze openly in the grassy clearings near park pavilions, allowing children to observe them respectfully from safe distances. Elevated boardwalk trails wind through dense cypress swamp canopy right to the edge of Lake Tarpon, where alligators, limpkins, and wading herons nest. The park offers three spacious, modern playgrounds with swings and climbing structures, horseshoe pits, softball fields, paved walking paths suited for strollers and training wheels, covered picnic pavilions with grills, and boat ramps. ## Similar picks in Tampa - [Boyd Hill Nature Preserve: Lake Maggiore Boardwalks & Birds of Prey Sanctuary](https://grassyknees.com/tampa/activities/boyd-hill-nature-preserve-lake-maggiore-boardwalks-and-birds-of-prey-s--listing-358e4612e93e2bcfbe4eed9e) — Open Tuesday–Sunday 9:00 AM–6:00 PM; Closed Mondays; Environmental Center open… · Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, St. Petersburg · All ages · With admission · checked Nov 4. 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