CASCADES PARK

By  Mike Miller May 7, 2025

Cascades Park is in downtown Tallahassee, Florida and covers 24 acres. It has trails, a waterfall, and an amphitheater.

Families can enjoy the playgrounds and open fields. Visitors come for events or relaxation. 

The park’s land holds deep history. In 1824, it influenced Tallahassee’s selection as Florida’s capital.

A 100-foot cascade, now a man-made waterfall, drew early settlers. The area hosted the 1838 Florida Constitutional Convention, shaping statehood.

By the 1900s, it became a gas plant site, leaving contamination. In the 1960s, a Centennial Field was added for Florida’s statehood celebration. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Pollution led to cleanup in the 2000s. The park opened in 2014 after $30 million in redevelopment. It now honors its past with historical markers. 

Cascades Park is at 1001 S Gadsden St, Tallahassee, FL 32301. It's open daily, sunrise to sunset. Admission is free.

Parking is available on-site or at nearby lots. The Capital City Amphitheater hosts concerts; check visittallahassee.com for schedules.

Trails are suitable for walking or biking. Bring water and sunscreen; shade is limited. Pets are allowed if they’re leashed.

Picnic areas and restrooms are accessible. The park is ADA-compliant. 

• The park’s Smokey Hollow Commemoration honors a historic African American neighborhood displaced in the 1960s.  

• Its interactive water fountain doubles as a splash pad for kids.  

• The 2015 Korean War Memorial, with a full-scale MASH unit replica, draws veterans.  

• Cascades Park generates $13.2 million annually for Leon County’s economy.  

• The site once held a jail where abolitionist Jonathan Walker was branded “SS” for “slave stealer” in 1844.  

• Native American artifacts from 1200–1500 AD were found during construction.  

• The Imagination Fountain syncs water jets to music for evening shows. 

CASCADES PARK WEBSITE

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