There are lots of Florida State Parks near Jacksonville where you can explore, hike, picnic, camp, and kids can earn a Junior Ranger Badge.
If you’re looking for a place to camp with the kids, Florida State Parks offer great sites, clean amenities, and tons of fun. Want to do some hiking? There are tons of great trails you can explore. Many of them are kid friendly and are a great way to let kids roam and burn off some steam.
Don’t forget to pick up a Junior Ranger Book during your visit. This program is completely free for kids and can help little ones learn more about the parks.
The newest Florida State Park is Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park. It’s located 20 miles northwest of Gainesville, just under a two hour drive from Jacksonville. While it is the newest Florida State Park, the clear springs have long been a swimming destination for locals as a privately owned park until 2017 […]
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My family has a long list of Florida springs we want to visit. We also have a shortlist of springs we keep returning to because we love them so much. ​Weeki Wachee Springs​ is one of those springs on the shortlist. Since we first made the trip four summers ago we have returned every summer since. Read
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A little over 2 hours from Jacksonville sits Rainbow Springs State Park. The spring head that feeds the Rainbow River is located at the park along with lots of fun for the whole family. Plan to pack a picnic lunch and spend the day at one of our favorite day trips from Jacksonville. Rainbow Springs
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Silver Springs State Park is just under two hours from Jacksonville and is the oldest commercial tourist attraction in Florida​. Stories of their famous glass-bottom boat tours and monkey sightings convinced us to make the trip. Perfect for a summer or winter day trip, we like to visit this park when the temperature dips and
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Located less than a 2 hour drive from Jacksonville is an oasis of springs where families can sit back, relax, and float down a natural lazy river. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend, tubing down Ichetucknee Springs has become a right of passage for many Floridians. This state park offers good old-fashioned fun
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