We went yesterday while it was raining. We compared it to our normal stop in Texas, where we would take our kiddo to play. This park hands-down beats that one. We got to walk on the dock and saw soft turtles we also saw a terrapin and a fish a few actually. My kiddo did not want to leave and was so excited to be there and out and playing. I for one was really excited to share that section of my childhood that I vividly remember with my kiddo. The first of many amazing memories to be made read more

Nice, quiet scenery. Small parking lot and people are constantly exiting/parking the wrong way.

My first experience with Mandarin park was a friend's Let's Flamingo party. What a beautiful park! My friend reserved the pavilion beside the boat dock. This was a perfect location for the day's festivities! She had been there for hours decorating.........flamingo style. Debbie also hired Captain Jack to give us sailboat rides on the St Johns River. What an amazing experience. I also took a kayak ride. It was my first time for both of these nautical experiences. My friend said I was a natural at kayaking. I can't wait to try it again;) There was also a huge playground nearby and a newer clubhouse type building with restrooms. There was a little water on the floor but other than that the restrooms were clean. After dark I walked to the end of the dock and sat on a bench and enjoyed the breeze blowing through my hair. Mandarin park is now one of my top picks for Jacksonville parks. It has everything your looking for in a park, a playground, reservable pavilions and a boat dock. Check them out! read more

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In this time of Covid I looked for a perfect spot to have a small celebration for some of my closest friends in appreciation of them being in my life. This was the winner. It was close to a beautiful dock over looking a nice marina. The water views were exceptional and activity on the river was boasting..They offer 3 covered pavillion areas to reserve. One has 4 tables and alot of open ground for kids or games and the other is single tabled but next to the playground. The one I choose was single tabled but more private surrounded by trees and next to the dock. FYI.. No electric and the light didn't work after dark. The bath house is newer and seemed pretty clean in the 4 trips I was there.The playground was great..grandson approved. If you have water toys its a perfect landing site. I now have great memories made here and will share it a place to go... read more

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Mandarin Park is a great park in the Mandarin section of Jacksonville. It has a nice nature trail, some great water views, a playground for the kids, and cats, lots of cats. There must have been a hundred of them. One cool thing when I pulled in was to see about a dozen of them and a few racoons all hanging out in the early morning. It is not something you see every day. A friend mentioned a concern that the racoons might be rabid, that you don't see them out when the sun is up, but it was early morning and if there was a concern about the racoons being rabid, I thought that they would not be able to mingle peacefully with a bunch of cats. Not that I am an animal expert, but that was just my logic. Plus, as far as I know, racoons are opportunists and there are people who take it upon themselves to feed the felines. I enjoyed my time here in this park. If you find yourself, do yourself a favor and come on by. read more

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The park itself is great and has a lot of potential! There's a huge playground for kids, recently updated bathroom building with large porch and nature posters detailing wildlife and plant life that can be seen in the area. Lots of boat ramp parking for the small boat ramp which sits on Julington Creek. There is a nature trail that is quite narrow that runs through the woods and around the pond (new signs say beware of gators!). Lots of secluded benches throughout to take a rest and a nice long pier to walk out on with lovely views of the bay, creek, and adjacent marina. The people I've encountered while walking my dog have not been exceptionally friendly, a strange change of pace for what I've experienced in other parks and areas of the city. The big problem here is the cats, and the people that feed them. The park is literally crawling with them. It's disgusting and disheartening. I'd like to think the people responsible for feeding them are also trapping and fixing them so they do not procreate, but given the number it doesn't seem to be the case. There were many more there today since my last visit about a year ago. The piles of cat food and Tupperware littering the trails and around the main bathroom building and playground also draw out raccoons who enjoy eating the cat food. It doesn't seem sanitary nor safe. I wish the park manager would put a swift end to this. read more

Mandarin Park - Julington Creek Marina - Parks Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

This is one of my most of favorite parks in Jacksonville. My kids really like the playground and we like the dock where we can enjoy seeing turtles and sunsets. I really like this park . read more

Mandarin Park - My kids really enjoy sunsets - Parks Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I absolutely love this park. There are two area for the kids. A toddler park and one designed for slightly bigger kids. There are bathrooms right next to the play area and plenty of benches for the parents to grab a seat while the little ones play. In addition to all the awesomeness for the ninos- there is also a dock and a boat slip as well as plenty of parking. This is an exceptional park. I was a little upset that the bathrooms had no changing tables in a park clearly designed for small children - but it wouldn't have been an issue if there wasn't - code brown involve. read more

Mandarin Park - Parks Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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I usually bike to this park about 2 times a week and really love the place. there is a lot of older growth with older trees. There is a playground with three Pavilions that have picnic benches. There's a boating unloading dock along with a regular doc that Fishers end up using quite a lot. Overall this is a really nice place for anyone to relax and/ or bring a family. the only negative is that I would say the facilities could use a little bit of an upgrade overall but it's not that bad. read more

Mandarin Park - 7am at the dock - Parks Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

What a wonderful park! Lots to do here for children of all ages. They have many pavilions that you can reserve for parties, lots of great walking trails/paths, tennis courts, play equipment for kidS to romp on and a great boat ramp for heading out on the St Johns River. Good place for a picnic or to drop a line off of dock for fishing. Check it out, you'll love it! read more

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I love parks, being outside and water! This park has trails, pavilions you reserve, playground, nature center and boat launch. I was at this park for a party/picnic with friends. Debbie planned a fun, adventurous day complete with a feast! She reserved a pavilion close to waterfront and had kayaks and a small sailboat available for guest to take out on the river. It was a windy, but gorgeous day. The pavilions are small and only fit one picnic table. The playground looked to be huge and there were plenty of kids out there playing. The nature center is huge, include bathrooms with motion sensor lights- which go off while you do your business- just a heads up. The boat launch was busy too- be careful in that area with all the vehicles dropping and picking up boats. There were a few spots with caution tape- one near the bathroom was for an underground wasp nest- again pay attention to the areas taped off. All in all- it's a beautiful park on the Julington Creek and has plenty to do! read more

This is an amazing park to relax and enjoy the beautiful river! Has a picnic area and playground for the kids.

This is an older, heavily wooded park with not a lot of open grassy area. But the bathrooms are clean; there is a boat launch, tennis courts, covered pavilion and playground. The biggest draw for me at this park is the nature trails are abundant and being so close to the St Johns River, are full of wildlife! Also, the fishing off the pier is a lot of fun using a balloon for a bobber as there is large Gar in this area. When these huge fish snatch a minnow, 'Wow!' watch that balloon speed across the water like a jet ski! Notes: -Park is open from 5am to 10pm -You must make reservations to use Pavilion area -Free entry to Park -Boat launch parking is really minimal -Tennis courts are hard to see as they are tucked away on the right hand side by the park entrance. read more

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My husband and I enjoy the trails out here. Easy boat ramp access, good parking and fun playground area make for fun access for all ages. Bathrooms are pretty clean. Aside from the excess of feral cats, the nature trails are lovely. read more

I've been trying to change my running scenery lately, so I had this place bookmarked as a spot to visit. I didn't realize how big this park was, but it has tennis courts, a boat ramp, playground, educational center, and a few trails. There was plenty of room for parking, and many people were walking dogs or running as well. There were lots of trees providing shade, and plenty of parking for trucks with boat trailers. I also noticed people setting up for picnics at the pavilions, which have to be reserved in advance. The best part was free admission! read more

Home of Mandarin Tai' Chi. Park has a pond with alligators in it. Many birds including vultures, crows, wrens, etc. in the oak trees. Bathroom area is clean. The playgrounds are tightly supervised by parents. Dock is handicap accessible. There is a good concrete boat ramp and extra large boat & trailer parking adjacent. Many locals have been magnet fishing off the ramps and docks so they are clean of nails, lures, and other metals. Nice breeze from the water. Park is often used for home schooling activities so covered tables may be unavailable. Great for dog walking but many feral cats live in the park and are fed by neighbors. Very well behaved groups. I have never heard loud music as found in some of the other parks as I have been here over 100 times. read more

Beautiful spot to spend a day. There are covered pavilions, play area, bathrooms, tennis courts, and a boat ramp. Lots of nature trails and as it sits right on the river, you have fishing from the bank or dock. If you're a walker or hiker, there are nice trails as well, just bring the bug spray as this is Florida! read more

Great park for the kids. The best part about the park is the shade. The trees surrounding the park provide shade for the entire play area. There are also 3 pavilions with BBQs and a dock that goes out into the river. You must rent the pavilions. I took a picture of the number. The park also has restrooms and drinking fountains. read more

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My friend's son had his birthday party here the other weekend. This is a cute little park. It seems much smaller than Huffman Park, but it features a roofed deck with bathrooms, nature trails, boating docks and pier, in addition to the little playground and covered picnic areas. I did not see any soccer fields here either, although the site lists tennis courts (which I did not see in the area where we were). read more

The St. John's river is an absolute sight to see if you manage to go in a sunny day. It's beautiful to take your children there, dates, family events, and if you just like some one on one relaxing time. You'll see a variety of different activities from children playing on the playground, people walking the trails with their animals, and people getting their sailboats, jet skis, and boats on and off the deck. There's a lot of trees to help with shade so it's not to hot during those summer days. I went sailing along the St. John's river during the afternoon and it was wonderful with perfect wind speed and everything read more

Mandarin Park - Not to hot or to cloudy, just right - Parks Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

The first time my husband and I went to Mandarin Park was kind of by accident. We just happened to see the small sign and decided to check it out and we were happy we did. This park has all the normal things you'd expect--playground, grill, picnic areas, even a small pond--but the best part is the nature trails and the pier on the St. Johns River. We had such a great time exploring the trails and watching the boats from the pier at the boat launch. Whether you are looking for some party/picnic fun or just a relaxing outdoor afternoon, check out Mandarin Park. Do watch out for mosquitos during the summer [where in Duval county is that NOT true--if you know of a place, please tell me] but other than that, you'd have to work hard to find a nicer spot in the area. read more

My wife and I enjoy walking the trails together and occasionally meeting new people. It's a very relaxing place to sit and enjoy nature or go out on the docks and watch the sunset. Bathrooms are clean, except after a big rain storm. The water tends to pool up. Lots of cats, but I don't mind. They are cute. read more

Since it was such a beautiful day out, I figured I would take the GlamBaby out to enjoy the weather. I was also hopeful that she would play extremely hard and be exhausted when we got home. This park is so nice! The play area was wonderful and catered to kids of all ages. She's only 16 months old and there was plenty for her to do. There is a lovely view of the river and a seating area for possible picnics. And for those parents/GlamParents who do not like there babies playing in lots of sand (unless on the beach), this would be the place to come. The landscape is pretty much made of nice green grass and mulch. I'll be back for sure. read more

The view of the river from here is very pretty. It's nice to run through but small. The playground for kids is big and clean. Never used the boat ramp but it looks big enough and has ample parking. Has cute trails through the woods. Good for photographers The bathrooms (at least the women's) is disgusting. Not only dirty every time I've been there but also needs totally gutted and redone. I think this is to be expected at a Duval county park. The ones in St. John's Co are kept up much better. read more

Great place to spend the day. Beautiful views and fun family time. They have picnic areas and bathrooms available as well.

This is an older park in Mandarin. I really like the wooded trails but bring bug spray. They have a nice little play area and swings big enough for grown kids (me!) This is a great place to launch a boat or jet skis. Last time we were here, we tried to fish in the pond. All we caught was disgusting seaweed like algae. The pond could certainly use some maintenance as there is tons of trash floating around. Other than that, I think the park is pretty well maintained and an enjoyable place to hang out. read more

One of the best parks in Jax. On the river, with a ramp and dock. large facilities, open spaces and lots of play equipment. Good trails, too! read more