Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville Landing
DESCRIPTION: Opened in 1987 along Jacksonville's riverside promenade, it is the most popular tourist destination of the city; The Landing has a 126,000-square-feet U-shaped pavilion on nine acres fronting the St. Johns River its home to 350 events year-round, a wide variety of waterfront dining options and a cozy inside shopping mall ensure to complete an afternoon or evening of fun; nightclubs  include The Twisted Martini and Miss Ellie’s Bardello; water taxis on the St. Johns River stop in front; designed by the same architectural firm that designed Baltimore Harborplace and Miami Bayside

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Thu 10a-8p, Fri-Sat 10a-9p, Sun Noon-5:30p

ADDRESS: 2 Independent Drive  MAP

PARKING: valet parking cost $10 at the Independent Drive entrance; public garages and surface lots are within 1-2 blocks

PHONE: 904-353-1188

WEBSITE: http://www.jacksonvillelanding.com

Riverwalk Southbank
DESCRIPTION: Friendship Fountain welcomes you to 1 mile of fantastic views from the southbank the St. Johns River, opposite Jacksonville Landing; its an excellent place to jog or stroll at your leisure and the site of many family-oriented events;  a jet-ski vendor resides on the eastern side of the Riverwalk; this may be Jacksonville's 2nd most popular attraction; the most beautiful view of the skyline is from here at night

ADMISSION: Free, but watersports and water taxi vendors charge seperate usage fees

DAYS & HOURS: daily 9a-7p, longer summer hours

ADDRESS: 1000 Museum Drive  MAP

PARKING: garage and paid lots nearby

PHONE: 904-632-5578

WEBSITE: none

Museum of Science & History
DESCRIPTION: Opened in 1969 as the Jacksonville Children's Museum, it named changed and expanded its mission in 1997 to become the Museum of Arts and Sciences; in 1988, it name-changed to the Museum  of Science and History and added 37,500 square feet of space including the Alexander Brest Planetarium; over the years it has expanded and enhanced many of its physical science, astronomy and natural science exhibits, programs and many special events

ADMISSION: Adults $9, Age 55+ $7.50, Active Military $7.50, Ages 3-12 $7; Extreme Science Shows add $1; Planetarium Shows add $1

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 9a-5p, Sat 10a-6p, Sun 1p-6p

ADDRESS: 1025 Museum Circle  MAP

PARKING: free parking in front and back of the museum

PHONE: 904-396-MOSH

WEBSITE: http://www.themosh.org

 

Adventure Landing
DESCRIPTION: Enjoy Adventure Speedway go-karts, an Arcade with over 100 interactive games and ticket redemption games, and let the kids do safe battle through a challenging maze in Laser Tag, and ever-popular unlimited miniature golf

ADMISSION: Laser Tag, Batting Cages, Adventure Golf anf the Flight Simulato; Miniature Golf Season Pass is valid at every Adventure Landing location; save $ by purchasing online

DAYS & HOURS: Sun-Thu 10a-10p, Fri 10a-12p, Sat 9a-12p; Tuesday Family Night (4 people) 6p-10p for unlimited miniature golf and laser tag $20

ADDRESS: 4825 Blanding Blvd  MAP

PARKING: on premises

PHONE: 904-771-2803

WEBSITE: http://www.adventurelanding.com

Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
DESCRIPTION: First opened in 1914 with a single red deer fawn, today it contains over 2000 animals in naturalistic habitats and 1,500 unique plant species, as a member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums; the baby nursery is a sure hit with the kids; attendence is on the upswing at this regional zoo due to redevelopment projects such Birds of the Rift Valley Aviary, Great Apes, an expanded train ride, an elephant and breeding complex, the PepsiCo Foundation Education Campus, and redevelopment of the 11-acre Plains of East Africa; the Gardens include an Asian Bamboo Garden, Garden Path, themed Pocket Gardens, a Komodo Dragon exhibit, and more gardens are planned

ADMISSION: age 13+ $13, age 65+ $11, ages 3-12 $8,  age 3 and under enter free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 9a-5p, Sat-Sun 9a-5p, summer hours longer on weekends

ADDRESS: 8605 Zoo Road  MAP

PARKING: free parking in front and back of the museum

PHONE: 904-757-4463

WEBSITE: http://www.jaxzoo.org

Jacksonville Beach, FL

Adventure Landing
DESCRIPTION: Open year round, the boys and some girls will love the Adventure Speedway go-karts, Wacky Worm Roller Coaster, arcade, laser tag, flight simulator and everyone loves the year-round miniature golf; Shipwreck Island Water Park is seasonal and includes The Undertow, Pirates Play Village, The RageHydro Halfpipe, Eye ofthe Storm, Wave Pool and KIddie Cove; its very popular for brthday parties

ADMISSION: Waterpark $28 for guests 42" and taller, $23 for guests under 42" tall, Free for age 3 and under; seperate prices for Adventure Speedway, Laser Tag, Batting Cages, Adventure Golf anf the Flight Simulato; Miniature Golf Season Pass is valid at every Adventure Landing location; save $ by purchasing online

DAYS & HOURS: Sun-Thu 10a-10p, Fri-Sat 10a-12p

ADDRESS: 1944 Beach Blvd  MAP

PARKING: on premises

PHONE: 904-246-4386

WEBSITE: http://www.adventurelanding.com

St. Augustine, FL

Alligator Farm
DESCRIPTION: An educational attraction that’s fun for young and old; it is home to all 22 species of alligators and crocodiles found throughout the world and includes some of the the largest in captivity

ADMISSION: Ages 12+ $22, Ages 3-11 $11, Age 2 and under enter Free

DAYS & HOURS: daily 9a-5p, Summer hours extend to 6p

ADDRESS: 999 Anastasia Blvd  MAP

PARKING: on premises

PHONE: 904-824-3337

WEBSITE: http://www.alligatorfarm.com

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum
DESCRIPTION: The original watchtower became Florida's first lighthouse in 1824; by 1870, the tower was threatened by shoreline erosion and construction began on the current lighthouse; the new tower was completed in 1874 and the old tower collapsed during a storm in 1880; constructed of Alabama brick and Philadelphia iron, the lighthouse is St. Augustine's oldest surviving brick structure; walk up the stairs to get a bird’s eye view of St. Augustine's  atop the 165-foot tower; in the base lies visitors also enjoy interactive exhibits and shipwreck artifacts; the museum includes a first order Fresnel lens; plan on spending 45 minutes to 1 hour at the lighthouse

ADMISSION: Rates and hours are subject to change, but donations for this historic landmark are always welcome

DAYS & HOURS: daily 9a-6p; last ticket sold at 5:45p; Summer hours stay open one hour longer

ADDRESS: 81 Lighthouse Avenue  MAP

PARKING: on premises

PHONE: 904-829-0745

WEBSITE: http://www.staugustinelighthouse.com

Marineland of Florida
DESCRIPTION: opened in 1938 as the first Oceanarium, this pioneering venue paved the way for increased understanding of marine life worldwide; in addtion to continuing its education mission, the recently upgraded Dolphin Conservation Center invites you to create lasting memories in their 1.3 million gallon series of dolphin habitats; choose from a variety of interactive programs which range from enjoying dolphins up-close to those which glide you snd children from a sloping beach to swim with the dolphins

ADMISSION: Age 13+ $8, Age 12 and under $3.50, age 60+ $6.75; book your reservations in advance

DAYS & HOURS: daily 8:30a-4:30p

ADDRESS: 9600 Ocean Shore Blvd  MAP

PARKING: on premises

PHONE: 904-460-1275 or 888-279-9194

WEBSITE: http://www.marineland.net