Places to Visit in Jacksonville Florida

Jacksonville (a.k.a JAX) isn’t just Florida’s largest city but also one of the best places to visit on the east coast with kids since the city boasts a myriad of attractions geared towards families.

Places to Visit in Jacksonville Florida

Besides family attractions, Jacksonville Florida also boasts plenty of cultural attractions such as art galleries, museums and theaters, as well as annual events such as the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and Springing the Blue in April, Jacksonville Film Festival and World of Nations Celebration in May, and Jacksonville Agricultural Fair in November.

Below you'll find a handy list of all the coolest and interesting places to visit in Jacksonville Florida:

Jacksonville Fire Museum

The Jacksonville Fire Museum is one of the top family attractions in Jacksonville FL that is both an educational and fun to visit.

The Fire Museum is located in Midtown and offers interesting guide tours about Jacksonville Fire Brigade, which includes talks about fire safety and a visit to the firemen living quarters. There are also interesting artifacts on display such as early fire trucks, iron lungs, fire extinguishers and more.

Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA)

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville is located opposite Hemming Park, not far from Jacksonville City Hall, and if you’re into art, or would like to check out cool art exhibits, you wouldn't want to miss visiting this attraction.

The MOCA the museum has a variety of art collections such as plein air paintings and eclectic art, as well as regular art events such as the Art Walk event, which happens every month.


NAS Jacksonville

If you’ve never been to a military base, the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville is one of the coolest places to visit in Jacksonville Florida, especially during the annual air show in late October.

NAS Jacksonville hosts an annual air show – The NAS Jax Air Show – where you’ll be able to see the famed US Navy Blue Angels performing daring stunts.

Besides seeing cool stunts and seeing the military aircrafts at the base, you’ll be able to attend a kid's area which has loads of fun activities like rock climbing and bouncy castles.


Museum of Science & History (MOSH)

The Museum of Science & History (pictured) is one of the top attractions in Museum Circle and one of the top places to visit in Jacksonville Florida with the family to enjoy a fun time.

The museum has loads of interactive exhibits such as whales and dinosaurs exhibits, hands on activities and play areas where the little ones can run around. There is also a nice planetarium with cool shows on laser light and the solar system.

Jacksonville Maritime Museum

The Jacksonville Maritime Museum is another top attraction located in Museum Circle where you can spend a couple of hours. The museum has a large collection of scaled to size battle ships, naval airplanes and 18th vessels.

Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum‎

The Karpeles Manuscript Library is definitely one of the top museums to visit in Jacksonville FL, especially if you’re a history buff.

The Karpeles Library is located adjacent Downtown Campus and has the largest world collection of important documents such as the original draft of the Bill of Rights of the United States and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.

Cummer Museum of Art

The Cummer Museum is located a short walk from the American Red Cross and Riverside Arts Market, and it’s another of the places to visit in Jacksonville Florida with the family.

The Cummer Museum has primarily rotating art exhibits featuring renowned artists but what sets this museum apart from the other ones in Jacksonville FL is that it is located on the riverfront so you can enjoy the views,  and also has an interactive play area for kids.

Adventure Landing

Adventure Landing is a popular theme park in Jacksonville FL and one of the best recreational areas in Jacksonville where you can spend a fun day out with family and friends.

Adventure Landing is located in Jacksonville Beach (around 20 minutes drive from the downtown area, and boasts all kinds of fun activities such as a water park, mini-golf, arcade games, laser tag and go Karts.

Jacksonville Entertainment Venues

If you’re wondering about entertainment venues in Jacksonville fL that you can check out during your trip, you’ll be glad to know that JAX boasts a fair amount of venues. They include:

- Times Union Center - where you can catch the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and the Radio City Rockettes.

- Veterans Memorial Arena – where you can catch the Jacksonville Giants playing at home

- Prime Osborn Convention Center – where you can catch special events such as the Children’s Christmas Party and Martin Luther King Jr. anniversary.

- Equestrian Center – where you can catch dog competitions and horse discipline contests.

Kids Kampus

Kids Kampus is located a short walk from Jacksonville Fire Museum, and it is one of the few free attractions in Jacksonville. This place is tailored to kids and the little ones will be able to enjoy fun water slide rides and fun activities such as treasure hunt and egg hunt during the Easter holiday.

Alexander Brest Museum


Alexander Brest Museum is located on Jacksonville University and it’s another great place you can add to your itinerary if you’d like to check out more cool art exhibits. The museum has on display cool Native American artifacts, glass and porcelain works and carved ivory items.


Tree Hill Nature Center

The Tree Hill Nature Center is another of the top family-oriented attractions in Jacksonville FL and a great place where you can spend a pleasant morning out with the kids.

Tree Hill Nature Center is located adjacent Memorial Park and Arlington Plaza, and has various areas such as a butterfly garden and a wildlife section where you can pet cool wildlife like goats and turtles.

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