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From art to history to outdoor fun, discover all the great things to do in this vibrant city in northeastern Florida

Nestled in the northeast corner of Florida, where the St. John's River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Jacksonville has great museums, plenty of outdoor recreation space, and a lively waterfront. Here are FTF's picks for visiting families.

Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
829 Riverside Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32204
904/356-6857
For a glimpse at some older fine art, visit this museum right near the bank of the St. John’s River. The Cummer Museum displays European and American paintings, early Meissen porcelain, and antiquities including Egyptian funerary objects. The awesome, interactive Art Connections area is a great place for kids, with opportunities to make a collage, walk through a painting, listen to a sculpture, and engage in other art awareness-raising activities. Finally, the formal historic gardens surrounding the museum are one of Jacksonville’s many great places to walk, with their rare plants, sculptures, and fountains.

Adventure Landing
1944 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
904/246-4386
This action-packed recreation area offers mini-golf, an Adventure Speedway for go-kart racing, batting cages, and games of laser tag. The Wacky Worm roller coaster is appropriate for kids 42" and taller (or 36" when riding with an adult) for a thrilling ride. Little ones can have their own roller coaster fun on the Frog Hopper or Max Flight. Don't miss the arcade, teddy bear factory, now hosting birthday parties, and the Jacksonville area's only waterpark: Shipwreck Island. This interactive waterpark features a 65-foot tall pirate play village complete with 12 slides, Hydro Half Pipe, the Rage and the new Eye of the Storm, and over 200 nozzles that spray and squirt.

Timucan Ecological and Historic Preserve
12713 Fort Caroline Road
Jacksonville, FL 32226
904/641-7155
All within Jacksonville’s city limits, this 46,000-acre preserve protects one of the last unspoiled wetlands in the area. In the Theodore Roosevelt area, recreation-loving families can have a picnic in a specially designated area, hike through hardwood forests and wetlands, and watch marsh birds from a special observation platform. History buffs will enjoy the preserve as well, since it’s home to both the Fort Caroline National Memorial and Kingsley Plantation. Fort Caroline commemorates the French La Caroline, the first European attempt at colonization in northeastern Florida. Its visitor center provides an introduction to both the colony’s history and the area’s natural environment. Kingsley Plantation was once home, 175 years ago, to cotton-field owner Zepahniahs Kingsley and a large community of slaves. Though the main plantation house is now closed for structural work, visitors can explore the slave quarters, barn, and an interpretive kitchen house and garden. Ranger talks are available once daily, at 2 pm.

Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum
829 North Davis Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
904/632-5555
This popular art-deco era theater and its adjoining museum are hot spots of African-American heritage. They are located in an area that was once referred to as “The Harlem of the South” for its rich arts scene. The theater once jammed to the likes of Ray Charles and now hosts some of Jacksonville’s premier cultural events and receptions. The LaVilla Museum features several permanent exhibits tracing local African-American history from antebellum to the present, through photographs, artifacts, folk art, and special presentations on native musicians James Welden Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson, entitled Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing, illustrating the history of these men through music, images, dialogue, and theatrical lighting. The presentation includes narrations by renowned educators and artists, including actor Ossie Davis.

Jacksonville Maritime Museum
1015 Museum Circle, Unit 2
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
904/398-9011
Entice your kids with visions from Pirates of the Caribbean before visiting the Jacksonville Maritime Museum. There are currently a dozen models on display ranging from the USS Porter Submarine, Chinese Junk, Mayflower, and a 16-foot model of the Saratoga. The museum also houses local artifacts and manuscripts in an effort to preserve Jacksonville's history.