Family Itinerary

Three Days in Jacksonville: Family Fun Itinerary

Friday

Begin your afternoon in San Marco, a quaint neighborhood located five minutes south of Downtown Jacksonville. San Marco Square, fashioned after St. Mark's Square in Venice, revolves around a water fountain capped with three enormous bronze lions and a charming gazebo. The streets are lined with fine dining establishments and boutiques specializing in the finest designer clothes, precious artwork and gifts, perfect for people watching while sipping on coffee or smoothies. Stop in Hobby Horse-San Marco which has the latest in children's wear, furniture and games or discover an adventure while perusing through the large collection of antique and specialty books at San Marco Bookstore.

Hang out in the Square for a casual lunch which will please even the pickiest of eaters! Jacksonville-based The Loop Pizza Grill boasts a menu of more than you'd expect. Enjoy a number of different styles of pizzas, unique burger combinations and delicious sandwiches and salads. Make sure you're in the mood for hand-dipped malts or milkshakes, locals love them!

Make sure you leave room for dessert and check out the Peterbrooke Chocolatier Production Center! A permanent fixture in Northeast Florida for the past 24 years, this is Jacksonville's local hotspot for chocolate lovers. Enjoy sampling and indulging yourself with chocolate dipped strawberries, fresh baked cookies and their signature item, chocolate-covered popcorn. With numerous locations throughout Jacksonville, the production center in San Marco offers behind-the-scenes tours to see how their sweet creations come to life!

After sweets, experience a little science and history courtesy of the Museum of Science & History. Located on Jacksonville's Downtown Southbank, this interactive museum, known as MOSH to the locals, features the area's only planetarium and a Northeast Florida history display called Currents of Time. Explore the Atlantic Tails exhibit, an educational and fun experience all about underwater mammal life featuring dolphins, whales and manatees. In the Naturalist Center, guests can witness animal feedings among the live American alligators, gopher tortoises, native snakes and birds which call Northeast Florida home. Then, check out the Science Theater, home to Mad Scientists who will amaze you with science so cool it's almost magic.

From MOSH, catch a ride on the S.S. Marine Taxi for a tour of the beautiful St. Johns River, which runs right through the center of Downtown Jacksonville. End your tour on the Northbank at The Jacksonville Landing, where you will find great dining, excellent shopping and a fabulous view of the river. Special events and live entertainment take place Friday through Sunday on the riverfront main stage surrounding the large water fountain. Children and adults can run through the fountain to play or just cool off after a warm day. Grab dinner at one of the full-service restaurants located there.

Head over to the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville for a little sports action at the ballpark! Located in Downtown's sports complex, Florida Marlins affiliate, the Double-A Jacksonville Suns has produced some of the biggest names in major league baseball. From April through September, fans take pleasure in America's pastime at the Grounds, which were designed with the rich tradition of baseball in mind. Including seating for 11,000 spectators and its brick façade, the Grounds also feature luxury skyboxes and skydecks, a playground and a unique nine-foot high mound for seating at the left field corner known as "the knuckle." Each Friday night at the ballpark is Friday Night Family Fireworks game which ends with a spectacular display of fireworks, win or lose.

Saturday

Get out and soak up the sunshine at Adventure Landing Jacksonville Beach. Bring your bathing suits to this local treasure and take advantage of warm Florida weather year-round at Shipwreck Island Waterpark featuring the Little St. Johns River, the Typhoon Lagoon wave pool and four extreme water slides: the Rage, the Hydro Half-Pipe, the Undertow and the Eye of the Storm. The Shipwreck Island Play Village is the centerpiece attraction for kids of all ages. Multiple slides, water cannons and waterfalls ensure hours of fun. Be sure to check out the go-karts, adventure miniature golf, indoor laser tag, the mega arcade and the batting cages.

After all that adventure, hunger will set in, so head toward the beach and enjoy loads of seafood and beautiful ocean views at tropical-inspired Joe's Crab Shack. This seafood institution offers a variety of shrimp dishes, including Joe's fave, crab-stuffed shrimp, and, of course, as the namesake states, Crabs, Crabs, Crabs with their three signature flavors from which to choose. Salads, sandwiches and pastas are also on the menu.

From there, stick your toes in the sand on Jacksonville's gorgeous beaches or stroll the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville Beach. At 1,300 feet, the new pier features a 20-foot wide wooden deck and is a great spot for kids to watch the fisherman reel in their latest catches! Besides all of the great fishing, the pier also provides a great view of Jacksonville Beach. The pier includes a concessions area, bait shop and restrooms. Spectators can visit the pier for $1, with children six and under admitted free. Hours of operation are 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Travel across the Intracoastal Waterway for dinner at the St. Johns Town Center. The 1.1 million square foot outdoor shopping experience has plenty of stores that the whole family will enjoy including Toys R Us and Swoozies for toys and games, Dick's Sporting Goods for the little sports enthusiast and clothing for kids and teens such as Gap Kids, Abercrombie, American Eagle and Hollister.  Head to Maggiano's Little Italy for an Italian family-style feast.  Your clan will leave stuffed and satisfied.

Sunday

Head north on I-95 to spend the day at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. In addition to the over 2,000 rare and exotic animals housed at the zoo, kids can climb, jump and get wet at the 2.5-acre Kids' Zone featuring a 4,000 square foot Splash Ground and Plaza. Find your way through mazes and discover and create in the Discovery Building or groom and pet the pygmy goats in the Animal Care Area. As part of the Zoo's continued dedication to education, the Kids' Zone focuses on various aspects of the plant and animal kingdoms that also allow for children to learn through play. Kids and adults alike will love the newly opened beautiful Asian Bamboo Gardens. Stay at the zoo for lunch and dine at the Palm Plaza Café, located in the award-winning Range of the Jaguar exhibit, offering a southwestern menu with nachos, burritos, tacos, wraps and salads. The glass windows of the café overlook the jaguars roaming their habitat.

Before leaving the area, spend some time in one of Jacksonville's designated parks. With over 111,000 acres of parks, including the 46,000-acre Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Jacksonville boasts the largest urban park system in the country, taking pride in protecting the natural beauty of the area for all visitors to enjoy. Learn the history of Northeast Florida by stopping by the Kingsley Plantation, the oldest remaining plantation house in Florida. Check out the remarkably preserved slave quarters, barn, plantation house, kitchen house and interpretive garden located on the waterfront. Visitors to the park can hike, bike or kayak throughout an area that is rich in history and nature. The park hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.