Spring Break for Families

Spring has sprung and with it the long-awaited Spring Break, where students and parents alike get to let their hair down and breathe easy for a minute away from work and school.

Spring break is the perfect time to get outside, go to the beach, visit some parks, or enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant with outdoor seating.

Go on a hike as a family at one of Jacksonville’s many parks or pack a lunch and go for a bike ride on the Baldwin Rail Trail.

10 Ideas for Spring Break Fun in Jacksonville

1. Monster Jam

Gear up for Monster Jam at EverBank Stadium. Watch 12000-pound trucks compete in competitions of speed and skill.


2. Museum of Science & History (MOSH)

Visit MOSH and walk through the many exhibits with hands-on activities for kids to engage with while learning. Or sign up for the Spring Break Discovery Camp from March 13th-17th where campers will learn about robotics, how roller coasters work, space, and general engineering skills. Don't forget to checkout the Planet Pioneers: To Mars and Beyond exhibit now through April 23rd.


3. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Enjoy the petting zoo, train, splash zone, playground, and butterfly garden! Visit the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens exhibit, The African Forest, this Spring Break and learn all about the animals that now reside there. Or sign up for the Spring Zoo Camp from March 13-17th where campers will learn about changes in nature, from metamorphosis and life cycles, to unique adaptations of plants and animals.


4. iFly

It’s time to take off at iFly, where indoor skydiving is real flying. Join in on the experience as you fly through state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnels. Save $30 on a weekday 2-flight special.


5. Tree Hill Nature Center

Enjoy time outdoors on one of Tree Hills seven trails through the nature center, visit the animals that take up residence at the center, including the hands-on turtle exhibit at the top of the main office, or watch the goats cross over a bridge built specifically for them to get from one end of the park to the other.


6. Flight Adventure Park

Jump on over to Flight Adventure Park with inflatable bounce houses, trampolines, airslam basketball, ninja warrior courses, an arcade, and dodgeball! Every Thursday night from 4-8 p.m., it’s bogo night!


7. Jacksonville “Hands On” Children’s Museum

At this children’s museum, their mission statement is that they, “encourage discovery through observation, inquiry, creative construction, role-playing, problem-solving and free play. The museum motivates children to develop their cognitive, physical and social skills while enjoying fruitful interaction with their peers and adults.” Allowing kids to learn by doing and discovering things around the museum on their own.


8. South Beach Park and Sunshine Playground

This park has a seasonal splash zone, fitness trail, basketball court, three volleyball courts, and picnic tables perfect for if you want to pack a lunch and make a day of it.


9. Sweet Pete’s

Take a tour of Sweet Pete’s and get up close and personal with the candy making process as you learn about all the ins and outs of what goes on in the candy-making business. One of the many fun things included in the tour is that you are able to create your own chocolate bar by picking out ingredients and writing them down so that later on you can see the process of that candy bar being made in one of their kitchens as the guide talks you through the steps.


10. Wednesday Night Feeding at Catty Shack Ranch

Catty Shack Ranch offers an evening tour, where you’re able to see all the animals and are encouraged to ask your guide questions about their habitats, diets, and habits. After the tour is over they’ll begin feeding all the animals and you’ll get to see the excitement and activity of feeding time as they hand out up to 600 pounds of meat.

For more events, check the event calendar.

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