The 840-mile beauty of Jacksonville is packed with fun things to do for the whole family, including splendid nature parks, beautiful beaches, nature-filled waterways, charming public gardens, and interesting galleries and museums.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens
The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is a 126-acre arboretum and public garden established as a unique natural attraction for the community of Jacksonville. Opened in 2008, the gardens feature a variety of attractions, including the Lake Loop, which encircles a two-acre lake surrounded by a variety of trees such as longleaf pine, black cherry, pignut hickory, laurel oak, and live oak. Other amenities include the Jones Creek Trail, which wanders through a range of flora such as bald cypress trees, swamp bay, American hornbeam, and several ferns, and the Ravine Trail, which follows the rim of a deep ravine with a bubbling stream flowing at the bottom. The Live Oak Trail winds through live oaks that are over a century old, and other trails include Lower Ravine, the Upper Ravine, Rosemary Ridge and Scrub, all of which offer plentiful exercise terrain.
1445 Millcoe Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225, Phone: 904-318-4342, Map
Jacksonville Farmers Market
The Jacksonville Farmers Market is the oldest operating outdoor farmers market in Florida and is home to over 200 vendors serving a wide variety of fresh produce, herbs, and vegetables, and handmade arts and crafts.
Established in 1938, the historic market is located a few minutes away from downtown Jacksonville and features several sections with different stalls selling an array of farm-to-table fare, fresh produce, and handcrafted items in open air, festive ambiance. Head to Andy’s Farmers Market Grill for a sumptuous breakfast before shopping, and don’t miss a chance to taste the market’s famous Mayport shrimp. The Jacksonville Farmers Market is open daily from dawn to dusk.
Jacksonville Farmers Market, 1810 W Beaver St, Jacksonville, FL 32209, Phone: 904-354-2821, FB
Tree Hill Nature Center
Situated in Lone Star Road in the center of Jacksonville, the Tree Hill Nature Center is a 50-acre urban wilderness preserve and park that provides a perfect place for visitors to connect with nature. The preserve features several different ecosystems, including hilltop and wetland areas filled with a variety of fauna and flora, mixed hardwood swamps, southern mixed hardwood forests, and freshwater streams.
Other facilities at the Tree Hill Nature Center include an indoor nature center with interactive exhibits, a learning laboratory, nature trails, and wildflower gardens, and wildlife viewing areas. There is also an amphitheater and an outdoor laboratory, and the center is open from Monday through Saturday, year-round.
Tree Hill Nature Center, 7152 Lone Star Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32211, Phone: 904-724-4646
Little Talbot Island State Park
Miles of white, sandy beaches, lush maritime forests, untouched salt marshes, and magical desert-like dunes make Little Talbot Island State Park a pristine haven for relaxation. One of just a few remaining undeveloped barrier islands in the north-easter part of Florida, the island is home to a wealth of naturally-occurring wildlife, such as marsh rabbits, river otters, bobcats and a host of native and migratory birds.
The park offers a variety of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy, including hiking, beachcombing, surfing and fishing, and inviting beachside picnic pavilions are ideal for a day at the beach with the family. There is a campground along the eastern salt marshes of Myrtle Creek, and the island’s shoreline can be explored with rented kayaks or a guided paddle tour.
Little Talbot Island State Park, 12157 Heckscher Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32226, Phone: 904-251-2320
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve
Established in 1988 and known as the area where the waters meet, the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is a national preserve in northeastern Duval County that comprises over 46,000 acres of wetlands, waterways, salt marshes, and coastal dunes. Located in the Fort Caroline National Memorial, the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is managed by the National Park Service and features landscapes that date back 6,000 years and includes historic areas such as Fort Caroline National Memorial and the Kingsley Plantation.
Home to unspoiled coastal wetlands, salt marshes, and hardwood hammocks, the Timucuan Ecological and Historic, Preserve features two visitor’s centers – the Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center at the Fort Caroline National Memorial and the Kingsley Plantation Visitor Contact Station, which boasts a plantation house, kitchen house, slave quarters and an interpretive garden.
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, 12713 Ft Caroline Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225, Phone: 904-641-7155
The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary
The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is an animal care ranch that provides a safe and loving environment for rescued and endangered big cats. The primary focus of the Ranch is to take care of animals that have been recovered from dire situations, and residents at the ranch include tigers, lions, cougars, leopards, and bobcats.
The park is also home to foxes, and coatimundis, which have been named "honorary cats." The sanctuary can be explored with guided day tours and night-time feeding tours, during which visitors learn about the facilities and the residents of the ranch, and their natural habitats, as well as watch the animals being fed.
The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary, 1860 Starratt Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32226, Phone: 904-757-3603
Stop by Silkies Chicken & Champagne Bar for a great meal.
MOSH! The Museum of Science and History
MOSH! The Museum of Science and History specializes in a variety of outstanding permanent and temporary exhibits that focus on science and local history. Located on the famous Southbank Riverwalk, the museum is one of the city's top attractions. Signature exhibits at the museum include ‘Brain Teasers,’ featuring brain-boosting skills to explore the innermost workings of your mind while traveling exhibits include ‘Dinosaurs Unearthed,’ an interactive exhibition that features life-sized dinosaurs, full-scale skeletons, and fossils from around the globe.
The Museum is also home to the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, one of the largest single-lens digital dome planetariums in the country. Watch live star shows, cosmic concerts, and pre-produced productions at the Alexander Brest Space Science Theater, as well as plays, presentations, and community events.
MOSH! The Museum of Science and History, 1025 Museum Cir, Jacksonville, FL 32207, Phone: 904-396-6674, Map
Museum Of Contemporary Art Jacksonville
The Museum Of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, also known as MOCA Jacksonville, is dedicated to showcasing contemporary and modern art by regional, national and international artists. Located next to City Hall on historical Hemming in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville is funded and operated as a cultural institute of the University of North Florida and one of the most significant contemporary art institutions in the Southeastern United States.
The museum features a collection of more than 800 national and international works spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as a 125-seat theater in which lectures and movies are held, and a family learning center with classrooms for hosting exciting educational programs. The Museum Store @ MOCA sells a unique selection of pottery, glassworks, and handmade jewelry, and Café Nola @ MOCA offers upscale bistro fare for lunch and dinner in a relaxed setting.
Museum Of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, 333 N Laura St, Jacksonville, FL 32202, Phone: 904-366-6911
Amelia Island State Park
Amelia Island State Park is a state park on Amelia Island just seven miles north of Little Talbot Island State Park. A short drive from Jacksonville, the park protects over 200 acres of unspoiled wilderness along the southern tip of Amelia Island and features pristine sandy beaches, lush salt marshes, and coastal maritime forests that harken back to original Florida.
The park offers horseback riding along the Atlantic Coast beach and through the coastal woods with breathtaking views, as well as excellent fishing opportunities. Other activities include beachcombing for shells, bird watching the numerous bird species that call the area home, and guided tours of the island.
State Road A1A, Jacksonville, FL 32226, Phone: 904-251-2320, Map
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is one of Jacksonville’s top attractions, featuring a unique walking safari during which visitors can enjoy the zoo’s 2,000 animals and 1,000 exotic plant species. Located at the mouth of the Trout River, the zoo and gardens offer a real family adventure with a range of outstanding exhibits, such as the award-winning ‘Range of the Jaguar’ to Giraffe Overlook and the beautiful Savanna Blooms garden.
The ‘Land of the Tiger’ features an innovative walk-through trail system for the zoo’s two Sumatran and three Malayan Tigers, while other exhibits include the Africa-focused ‘Plains of East Africa’, which is home to the giants that live on the African plains; ‘Great Apes of the World’, featuring two of the four great apes among other primates; the ‘Australian Outback’, which features kangaroos, cassowaries, and lorikeets; and ‘Wild Florida’, which features animals native to the state of Florida.
370 Zoo Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL 32218, Phone: 904-757-4463, Map
