Memorial Park

Acres: 5.85 Built by the people of Jacksonville to honor the 1220 Floridians who died during World War I. Memorial Park, one of Jacksonville's crown jewels, was dedicated Christmas Day 1924 on the banks of the St. Johns River. Designed by the renowned Olmsted Bros. landscape architecture firm, Memorial Park stands at the heart of one of Jacksonville's greatest neighborhoods, within walking distance of a flourishing restaurant district and just a few blocks down the street from one of the city's cultural treasures, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, as well as the nearby Riverside Arts Market. When the weather is good, as it often is in Jacksonville, the park is crowded. Fishermen toss their line over the balustrades into the St. Johns River. Walkers, runners and cyclist circle through the park along the broad walkways. The great lawn is covered with people tossing Frisbees, kicking soccer balls, playing games of catch or just picnicking on blankets they set on the ground.