I went on a free tour of Sally Dark Rides and left feeling like my mind was blown. First of all - I…read morehad no idea this was a huge warehouse in Downtown Jacksonville. Nor did I realize most of the dark rides across the whole world are created and developed here! It was amazing!! Our tour guide led us through the building while showing us all of the stages of creating an epic dark ride. This made me think about amusement parks in a whole different way. The tour was about an hour and was very informative. We asked lots of questions and met people from different departments along the way. Highly recommend booking a free tour and checking this out. It would be great for kids as well!

I need to start b my saying that this part of our trip to Florida was not planned! My 11 yo LOVES…read moreanimatronics, most especially, Five Nights at Freddy's (FNAF). He originally wanted to visit a much smaller place in Orlando, which is a one man operation charging $375. It was a bit too far and too expensive for what it was so I decided to do my own research of places he would love, Sally Corporation became the place. I filled out the reservation form online and was told there were no spots available during our time in Florida. I couldn't take no for an answer. I emailed back explaining how much my son wants to be a Robotics Engineer and that we would wait as long as we needed to snag a spot. We got an email back the next day that two spots opened up!!! We made our way downtown and parked for free in the back. We entered to learn that the tour was also FREE...FREE! This facility is HUGE! They are arguably the largest producer of Dark Ride Amusements in the US and don't just make the robotic aspect of the animatronics, but they handle EVERY aspect of the creation and completion. From make up, costumes, design, voices, all of that! We were thrilled to see they had a...yep...FIVE NIGHTS OF FREDDY'S attraction! If you've ever been to he Ripley's in San Antonio, you will see one of their biggest sellers there, a ginormous T-Rex, that's their baby that sells for $90,000! The tour takes you to each department and you are truly immersed in their production. It is an working operation so you get to see the people behind the scenes at work, which was SO DAMN INSPIRING for my 11 yo who has told me for 4 TM years that this is what he wants to do in life. He got to see what his future could be like, which is absolutely priceless. The staff, facilities, location, displays, animatronics, all were 5 stars! Hands down a MUST when in Jacksonville! Come for a 10 or 11am tour and then take the FREE Skyway (Tram) to Hemming Park and Check our Sweet Peet's. Your kids will have the best day ever!

Good people who work there. They support aquatic life and overall education! Have a diversity of…read moreother reptiles and exposure to good things involving ocean life. Not so much for a cafe but great for kids.

If you haven't visited this location, you are sleeping on a fantastic animal rescue and child…read moreentertainment center. For the longest time I thought they were 'just a fish shop', but then realised they are also a rescue centre with a huge range of animals, from the adorable axolotl's to a giant albino python called Buttercup who is currently my child's favourite thing in the world, koi and turtle ponds, some lovely frogs, and host regular sensory friendly events. This is a wonderful place to introduce your child to a new wide range of creatures they would otherwise not have the opportunity to engage with. They also have an on-site café that apparently serves some of the greatest chicken nuggets in Jacksonville, and a small shop. The staff are knowledgeable and patient, the owner is a gem of a man, the facilities are clean and beautifully decorated, and if you're just here to look, it's a wonderful way to kill an hour. Just drop a little something in the tip box to show your appreciation.

Awesome park that is , if you can make it past the playground. The playground is at the entrance…read more The giant jungle gym no kid can resist, slides! Swings, seesaws and monkey bars. The nicest playground I have seen in the area so far. There is a water fountain, clean bathrooms and the Clarke House Museum. There are volleyball courts , walking trails and a botanical garden. There are multiple pavilions you can rent for parties or sit under to have a picnic lunch. There is only one thing lacking at this beautiful park..parking. The parking lot is extremely small. If you don't get here early, you have to find somewhere down a side street and walk.

Love this place. It's a big park for the kids, lots of activities too. It's just about 20 min drive…read morefrom our house.

Bring/wear socks! If you don't have any, they sell plain ones for $1.50 so no big deal. They have a…read morerestroom inside when you walk in. Sign in, put your shoes in the cubby holes and go into the play area. There are a few bistro tables set up along the wall to set your things and sit while the kids are playing. Stopped in Sunday morning around 11am and there were probably 10 other kids playing. They've got interactive video games on the projector in the ball out which is amazing! Plenty to do here. I didn't see drinks for , so I'd bring water for your little one. The woman at the front was very sweet and gave my son a lollipop and a temporary tattoo when we left. We also got a stamp card that gets you a free play day after so many!

This is a great indoor playground for younger children. It is smaller than some other indoor…read morelocations but the kids have a great time. There is a lot of them to do. They offer birthday parties on Sunday afternoons for 20 kids for around $275 and you can bring in outside food and they decorate to match your theme and create virtual invitations for the party. My kids had and amazing time here!

I love it it's an amazing jumping place, it fun and really nice and the trampoline are so fun and…read morecool!

The kids had so much fun! OK so I was just looking for something to do inside because it's so hot…read more Ended up finding what's gonna be a regular activity for us. Decent prices and a clean bathroom was all I wanted but I got that and more lol. Honestly will be back, the staff was awesome!

Cowford Farm is a residence attached to a larger farm. It is located on a residential street, and I…read morealmost missed it because the entrance isn't obvious and I needed to call for help, but they were super friendly and appreciated the 8lbs of apples we brought to feed the animals. The animals were all very sweet and hungry around dinner time! We could easily feed them through the wire fence, and everyone stayed safe that way. We didn't get there on a day with other activities but we would definitely try those next time. We were there around closing time but they graciously let us go in to feed everyone, and were super thankful. For feeding, this will take as long as the food you have to feed lasts, but again, other activities will make it more of a destination stop. We had a fun time watching and feeding as a short stop on our way to return our rental car and head to the airport.

loved and an awesome time. They had friendly animals and loved the horse rides ranges from kids…read moreall ages even adults

This is a fun place for kids (even adults who are still kids at heart and have the energy of a…read morekid!)... Great place to go and let kids jump, run, and play for 90 mins. We went when the weather was 70 degrees, which was perfect because the kids worked up a sweat! The staff was present and available. There was a kid inside the bounce house being reckless and the staff quickly rectified the situation. The place was clean and felt safe. FunBox is located in the Avenues Mall parking lot. They have Porta potties in the area, but you can leave and go to the mall food court restrooms if you prefer. As long as you keep your wristband on, you can come and go as you please. Adults must accompany their kids (no dropping off your kid and leaving), seating is first come first serve, there's a snow cone stand ($6.00) and a free shoe store area. You can bring your own water and snacks in. Nonslip socks are required. You can bring your own or purchase some at FunBox. Music was good and it was a fun time. If your kid likes bounce houses, then they'll love this place. It's HUGE! My picture doesn't do it justice. SN: I read some of the proceeds of Funbox goes to foster care kids. A company doing good things for society is a plus!

Fun place for kids (and adults who still feel like kids!). Great for bouncing, running, and playing…read morefor 90 minutes. Staff was attentive and handled a reckless kid quickly. Place is clean and safe. Located in Avenues Mall parking lot, wristbands allow in-and-out access. Snow cone stand available, nonslip socks required. Music was fun,

I went there for a visit on a night time feeding. It was a neat concept. They have to feed the…read moreanimals anyways, so why not invite people to educate and raise money for the sanctuary. The animals seem well taken care of and happy. The have mostly tigers but also a lion and some smaller cats. They even have two foxes and two bears! This is different than a zoo, because they have these animals as a way to save them. Some of them were from private owners and some were form closed zoos. The workers and volunteers were all happy as well.

You've never been to a place like this before... and at first, I wasn't even sure what to expect…read more The sign outside is nicely done, but when you walk in, the tables and chairs look like they're 50 years old... clean and organized, but the area clearly needs an upgrade. But that's actually the point... every dollar this nonprofit earns goes directly to animal care, facilities, and expansion. Nothing is wasted on appearances. And that mindset defines everything about this place. We signed up for a tour and arrived early to walk around a bit on our own. By chance, we ran into Curt Logiudice, the founder and owner of the sanctuary... a remarkable man who has devoted his life to this mission. Hearing him explain how it started, how it's grown, and his vision for the future was inspiring. Watching him interact with the bear they have was priceless... playful, natural, and full of trust. You couldn't tell who was enjoying it more... Curt or the bear. What they're doing here is truly admirable. Their mission is the rescue of exotic animals from serious and often tragic situations. Once an animal arrives at Catty Shack Ranch, it has a home for life. They do not breed, trade, sell, or buy animals. The sanctuary is home to tigers, a bear, lions, pumas, leopards, lynx, foxes, and coatimundis... all cared for with dignity and respect. The guided tour is absolutely worth it. The staff is knowledgeable, the experience is educational, and you get surprisingly close to the animals while still feeling completely safe. The atmosphere is calm, respectful, and not overcrowded. I noticed families with kids whose eyes were wide with amazement... it's that kind of place. This is privately funded, and even veterinarians volunteer their time to care for animals in need of medical treatment. If you see Curt on the grounds... and you probably will... stop and talk to him. His passion, humility, and genuine love for these animals is unmistakable. Please visit. Please support this place. What they're doing here truly matters. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED