Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Located across from City Hall in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. First established as a public square by the City’s founder Isaiah D. Hart around 1857, it is Jacksonville’s oldest park. Known first as City Park and then St. James Park, it was renamed Hemming Park in 1899 to honor Civil War veteran Charles C. Hemming, who donated the park’s Confederate monument (the City’s oldest and tallest) the previous year. At various times the park contained bandstands, fountains, comfort stations, and Tourist and Convention Bureau buildings, along with many beautiful trees. In 1978, the City converted the park into a brick-paved plaza, and completed additional work in 1986 that transformed the area into a single-level, pedestrian-oriented mall. Due to its centralized location, the plaza has long been a part of the downtown experiences for both tourists and local citizens.

The oldest operating skatepark in the country, celebrating over 30 years of the best outdoor skating in Jacksonville Florida. Kona is also a full service Skate Shop providing equipment, footwear, and clothing. Combining superior products with a highly knowledgable staff, the shop is able to provide customers with the information necessary to get the right product every time. Whether you're new to skateboarding or a seasoned pro, the Skate Shop at Kona has what you're looking for.

The Landing hosts more than 350 events each year including Florida/Georgia Weekend Celebrations, the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, New Year’s Eve and Gator Bowl Celebrations, St. Patrick's Day and July 4th. Weekly events include live weekend entertainment in the center courtyard offering a variety of music including classic rock, oldies, contemporary, jazz, and top 40. The Landing also hosts a myriad of events for the community such as charity walks and runs and the Earth Day Ecology Fair. There is always something going on at The Jacksonville Landing, and a complete list of all Landing events can be found in the events section.

A leader in the regional theme park industry. The company owns, operates, and manages Adventure Landing parks in Florida (3), North Carolina (3), Texas (1), and New York (3). A privately held corporation, Adventure Landing maintains corporate offices in Jacksonville Beach, FL. Our Flagship Park, Adventure Landing and Shipwreck Island Water Park in Jacksonville Beach, is the largest Family Entertainment Center in northeast Florida. Offering individual & family fun for all ages, Adventure Landing can accommodate private and semi-private group events hosting thousands of guests. With over 5,000,000 visitors since opening, the Jacksonville Beach Park can proudly claim that Adventure Landing is the “Place to Play” for Florida families and visitors.

Picture yourself stepping into a sprawling 100,000 square foot hub where winter sports and year-round recreation converge under a single massive roof. The facility splits into two distinct zones: one side unfolds across 55,000 square feet brimming with flexible meeting areas, intimate breakout spaces, multiple courts ready for action, fitness zones, and indoor turf fields perfect for winter league play. The other side commands an NHL regulation ice rink where serious skaters find everything they need, and during these colder months, the natural chill outside mirrors the crisp atmosphere you'll find once you lace up. Whether you're coordinating corporate gatherings, hosting tournaments, or looking for a winter workout destination, this all-encompassing venue handles it all without ever sending you back outside.

Water slides that'll make your heart race, a wave pool that churns up genuine 6-foot swells, and an actual snorkeling lagoon where sharks glide past you—all part of Walt Disney World's tropical water escape. Families find their rhythm here with options ranging from adrenaline-pumping slides to shallow splash zones where little ones can navigate their own mini rafts. Winter visits bring a uniquely surreal experience, where you're floating in warm water under Florida skies while the season shifts elsewhere, creating an almost dreamlike contrast. The park's entire personality stems from its origin story: supposedly born from a catastrophic storm that left surfboards tangled in palms and boats scattered across unlikely rooftops, now reimagined as a playful island paradise for guests seeking both thrills and relaxation.

Tucked within Walt Disney World Resort, this sprawling 220-acre athletic hub draws crowds year-round with nearly 200 competitions annually. Nine separate venues spread across the grounds handle everything from wrestling to aerobics, making space for more than 50 different sports. Winter months bring a particularly energetic vibe as the Atlanta Braves settle in for spring training preparation, drawing baseball fans eager to catch the action before the regular season kicks off. Whether you're here to compete, watch, or simply soak in the athletic atmosphere, there's rarely a quiet moment on the grounds.

Walt Disney World Resort is the largest and most visited recreational resort in the world, containing four theme parks, many themed hotels and numerous shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation venues. Owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment of The Walt Disney Company, it is located in Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake, Florida, outside the city limits of Orlando. The property often is abbreviated Walt Disney World, Disney World or WDW.<br> The 25,000 acre (101 km²) property is the world's largest theme park resort, although significant land has been sold off for housing and other developments, including land now occupied by the Disney-built (but not owned) community of Celebration. It once covered approximately 30,000 acres or 47 square miles (120 km²), about the size of San Francisco or Manchester, or twice the size of Manhattan. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org" target="new">Fonte</a>

Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, is full of attractions, adventures and entertainment that reflect Walt Disney's dedication to nature and conservation, and in doing so, the Park leads the way in animal care, education and research. <br> Home to more than 1,700 animals from 250 species and sprawling across 500 acres of lush landscape, Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park is the largest animal-themed park in the world! Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park is divided into 7 areas: Oasis * Discovery Island® area * Camp Minnie-Mickey * Africa * Rafiki's Planet Watch® area * Asia * Dinoland, U.S.A.® area

Step into a complete tropical escape that unfolds in just a single day, no extended trip required. A quick reservation unlocks access to an intimate sanctuary where you'll encounter dolphins and exotic birds in their own secluded habitat, ready to greet you as visitors. Winter offers a particularly refreshing contrast—while the air outside turns crisp, you'll find yourself surrounded by warm waters and lush island atmosphere, creating an especially vivid sense of retreat. Everything you need for the full experience arrives packaged together, turning an ordinary day into something genuinely memorable. Your exploration begins the moment you arrive.

Downtown Disney area features more than 70 shopping, entertainment and dining choices. Nestled along the shores of Village Lake, Downtown Disney area is a short boat ride, bus ride or walk along a scenic lakeside path away from Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa in Walt Disney World Resort.

Epcot theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, sprawls across 300 acres—twice the size of Magic Kingdom theme park—and is divided into Future World and World Showcase. <br> Future World is full of sensational attractions—including one of the fastest attractions in all Disney Parks—as well as inspiring entertainment and shows, all of which focus on technological advancements, innovation and wonder. In Future World, ideas become reality. <br> The Epcot theme park icon, Spaceship Earth, looking like a giant golf ball rising high above the horizon, welcomes you as you walk through the Park's main entrance.

Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park, one of 2 Water Parks in Walt Disney World Resort, features one of the world's tallest and fastest free-falling waterslides, as well as slides and rides for the whole family—like a kid-sized, snow-castle fountain play area with scaled-down versions of the more thrilling attractions. <br> The story behind Disney's Blizzard Beach begins with a freak snow storm that blanketed Florida. Within the blink of a snowflake-tipped eye, a ski resort sprang up with slalom courses, toboggan slides and iceberg walkways. Then, just as quickly, the weather shifted back to hot. The whole resort started to melt. What to do? <br> An enterprising alligator saw an opportunity! Clad in a scarf and hat, this Ice Gator slid down the snow-less ski jump, shouting 'Yahoooo!' all the way. With a big splash he landed in a pool of melted snow below the mountain. It was at this moment the slushy, slippery slopes became an exhilarating Water Park with a ski theme.

A theme park that lets visitors "Ride the Movies." The theming in Universal Studio's is targeted at making guests feel like they are in a movie set with rides that are inspired by popular films. The park consists of six themed areas - Hollywood, Production Central, New York, San Francisco / Amity, World Expo and KidZone. Source: Wikipedia.org

Magic Kingdom theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks in Walt Disney World Resort, captures the enchantment of fairy tales with exciting entertainment, classic attractions, backstage tours and beloved Disney Characters.<br> Designed like a wheel with the hub in front of Cinderella Castle, pathways spoke out across the 107 acres of Magic Kingdom theme park and lead to these 7 whimsical lands: Main Street, U.S.A.® area * Adventureland® area * Frontierland® area * Liberty Square * Fantasyland® area * Mickey's Toontown® Fair area * Tomorrowland® area Travel through these lands and see how fantasy becomes reality when you learn how to be a pirate, match wits with funny monsters and conquer mountains. Get swept up in the spectacle of splendid parades and fireworks shows at Magic Kingdom theme park—it's here that dreams come true for children of all ages.

Central Florida’s only upside down attraction. An amusement park for the mind, featuring over 100 interactive exhibits for the entire family to experience.

Disney's BoardWalk contains more than 9,000 square feet of shops, restaurants and nightclubs. It encompasses Crescent Lake and is "a village on the water" near many Disney Resort hotels in Walt Disney World Resort. This quarter-mile entertainment, dining and shopping area is also conveniently close to 2 Disney Theme Parks.

Where else in the world do history and the future, nature and technology, young and old meet for an unforgettable and inspirational journey through space and time? The Kennedy Space Center has hosted millions of guests from around the world for more than 30 years -- telling the story of how the United States built a space program that launched men to the Moon, orbited satellites that have improved our lives, and sent probes into distant space to solve the mysteries of the cosmos.

Step into a corner of Walt Disney World Resort where the magic centers entirely on entertainment spectacle. The park layers together four distinct zones that feel like wandering through actual film sets, complete with neon signs, gleaming chrome fixtures, and art deco details that channel the golden era of 1930s and 1940s Hollywood. You'll catch live performances throughout the day, explore attractions built around behind-the-scenes filmmaking, join backstage tours that reveal how the magic happens, and experience limited-time events tailored exclusively to this park. Winter visits carry a particular charm here, with crisp air making the outdoor streets more comfortable for lingering between shows, and the crowds tend to thin enough that you can actually soak in the atmosphere without constant jostling. Every corner of the grounds echoes classic Hollywood elegance, from the architecture to the carefully designed street layouts that immerse you completely in the world of entertainment.

Over the past 10 years, Daytona 500 Experience, formally known as DAYTONA USA, "The Official Attraction of NASCAR," has been delivering magical motorsports memories to both hard-core race fans and casual observers through hands-on activities, challenging thrills and one-of-a-kind sights.

Twisty, turvey turns, over 1 million gallons of rushing water, exciting speed slides and attentive guards. The basic ingredients for a fun and safe summer await you at Daytona Lagoon.