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Family Fun in Jacksonville
5 Florida Hot Spots When Traveling with Small Children
By Robert Rousseau
"There are plenty of ways for [children] to get wet, have fun and stay cool – and learn something at the same time," Stiles says. "That's one of the main objectives of doing the design that we did for Play Park: educate as well as entertain."
Be sure to also keep an eye out for their annual Teddy Bear Affair. On this day children bring their own teddy bears to the park (admission for children with a bear is free on that day) and volunteers from Nemours Children's Clinic use medical apparatuses to diagnose and fix teddy bear ailments, like a broken leg. "It's really an opportunity for parents to have their kids learn about going to the doctor and learn not to be afraid to go," Stiles says.
High volume music and kids aren't often seen as a good mix. However, at Joe's in Jacksonville they somehow combine for a worry-free environment where children's loud voices are not heard by other customers. Yet somehow – perhaps because of the umbrellas over several of the tables – your party is able to converse freely.
Joe's is a place where the things you worry about regarding children at restaurants dissipates (crying, needing to stand up for a moment, etc.). And the restaurant has an excellent children's menu, plus the adult food is outstanding as well (try their unique crab cakes and delectable calamari).
Even better, Joe's is located right on Jacksonville Beach and houses a playground outside called Joe's Sand Lot.
When parents bring young children to a beach, thy're hoping to accomplish two things. First, they want their children to have fun. Second, they want to relax in the natural setting (which is, of course, tied to their children having fun).