Zoos are natural kid-magnets, but Jacksonville’s version takes it a step beyond animal gazing with a splash play park, a wildlife carousel, a Discovery Building with toys and activities, giraffe feeding, a 4-D theater, Butterfly Hollow, and a choo-choo train that loops the entire park and saves wee feet. The park even thoughtfully provides nursing stations.

Five separate loops take visitors into the habitat and wildlife of Florida, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. In South America, you will find one of the zoo’s signature exhibits: the Range of the Jaguar. Around recreated Maya ruins, you can see live jaguars, which just so happen to be the mascot of Jacksonville’s pro football team, so the town is somewhat obsessed.

Hours
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily