Carrying I-295 over the St. John's River in Jacksonville, the Buckman Bridge was named for one of…read morethe people who was critical in helping to establish the Florida state road system. The bridge opened in 1970 and has 8 lanes of traffic. More than three miles long and with 65 feet of clearance, it's flipping awesome for this beltway around Jacksonville and avoiding the downtown traffic on I-95. Very little traffic this afternoon and it was an easy (if sunny) drive. There is no toll to cross this bridge. [Review 14773 overall, 275 of 2021, number 1271 in Florida.]

There is now a toll if you want to use express during the week. Weekends it's usually free. You…read moreneed to get a reloadable transponder. Comes in handy when there are accidents! Unless it's in the express lane. So worth it!!!!

Great place to take pictures of the marina and the Saint Johns River. Conveniently located near the…read moreFresh Market and the Julington Creek Fish Camp. You can also ride your bike or walk because there is a separate area blocked from the road.

Fantastic place to view the Julington Creek Boat Light Parade, the first Saturday of each December!read more

Beautiful location with a boardwalk along the waters edge. Located right next to the mandarin…read morecounty dock. Beautiful location for sunset pictures.

I stopped by Walter Jones Historical Park recently for a peaceful afternoon walk and was pleasantly…read moresurprised by its quiet charm and educational value. Nestled in the Mandarin area, the park offers a glimpse into a long-forgotten way of life through well-preserved historic buildings and informative signage. Even if the museum isn't open, there's still plenty to learn just by walking around. The paved and boardwalk-style paths make it especially accessible for strollers, wheelchairs, or elderly visitors. There are clean restrooms on-site and pavilions that can be reserved, which is great for small family get-togethers or casual outdoor events. It's also right next to a county dock and boat launch--technically not part of the park, but close enough to enjoy the breeze and water views. That said, there's not a ton to "do" here, especially if the museum is closed. There are no hiking trails or playgrounds, so it's better suited for a quiet stroll than a full day out. Because the park is on the smaller side, sound tends to carry--something to keep in mind if you're hoping for solitude during a busy weekend. One small frustration is that it's become a popular spot for photo shoots, and some photographers don't always respect that it's a shared public space. This is a great spot for a short, relaxing visit--especially if you're interested in local history or just want somewhere calm to stroll. Not really a "destination park," but definitely a hidden gem if you're in the area. I'd return, especially if the museum is open next time.

It was a great day on the water with the Amelia River Cruises & Charters company at the helm…read more It was my first time visiting Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach and wanted to get an overlay of the area and the river cruise seemed like the perfect thing to get an overview of the area. And I wasn't wrong! The tour lasted about 90 minutes (and it leaves promptly FYI) and takes you along the shoreline of Amelia Island - past the shrimping boats and past a Civil War era fort - before heading towards Cumberland Island National Seashore. This is where the true fun of the tour was for me. I had no idea really the history of the island and found it fascinating how the Carnegies and Rockefellers and more of the country's elite used this random Georgia seashore as their private escape. The history of both Cumberland and Amelia Islands is incredibly fascinating and the guides for both the Florida and Georgia sides respectively were well informed and personable. Plus - you'll very likely see a ton of great wildlife throughout including dolphins and wild horses and pigs. It's a great way to spend an afternoon in the area and a fabulous introduction to Cumberland Island National Seashore/Park.

Really nice boat Super friendly tour guides…read moreStunning g views of fort an horses on Cumberland Island Wonderful sunset.! Good pricing!

Nikki invited me to a walking tour of Lift E'vry Voice and Sing Park/ Heritage tour at Lavilla. It…read morewas so interesting and we learned so much. Yollie was phenomenal as our tour guide! @explore_jax_core_tours check it out! #ilovejax #duuuval

Today we had the honor of taking the Black History Tour of Jacksonville with Yollie of Explore Jax…read moreCore. This day was an incredible experience and we are already talking about going on another tour with Yollie sometime soon. The tour vehicle was comfortable and the sound system helped us to hear the entire tour. Yollie took us through multiple neighborhoods and we stopped at many sites along the way. We appreciated Yollie's storytelling and the immense wealth of information she has about the city. During the tour we did have some questions about the city since we are newer to the area and Yollie was so incredible giving additional information to us. This was a day we will never forget and I'm so appreciative to Yollie for her time and the information. I highly recommend Explore Jax Core.

I recall the first I visited this museum was in 2017. I had no idea that this museum ever existed…read more This place was recommended to me by my neighbor. My first was awesome and I did get the opportunity to learn a lot about Duval County history. I also love the random painted frogs that are randomly placed outside the adjacent park. Ironically, these are compliments of a local artists who painted them and took the time to randomly place them. They also have a gift shop where a few painted frogs are available for purchase. I managed to purchase one after my visit. If you love learning about history within Duval Cointy, then I highly suggest this type of museum.

11/16/24. The Mandarin Historic Museum was approached by artist Brenda Council to make a bronze…read morestatue of Harriet Beecher Stowe, who had wintered in Mandarin. She wrote Uncle Toms Cabin which was an important anti-slavery book at the time. She would create the clay statues at the Old Post Office in front of people over months. The cost of the "old wax process" then, bronzing, would be thru donations and be around $175k! I never thought our little museum would be able to raise that money but they did and the pre-unveiling was tonight; tomorrow is the public unveiling. The 3 pieces are beautiful; a masterpiece for Duval County! Brenda worked 1,000's of hours creating the treasure.

Our family of six adults had the most relaxing and peaceful time exploring the waters of St…read moreAugustine with Florida Water Tours. Our captain and tour guide were great navigating the waters and explaining the wildlife. We had amazing views and photo ops of the sunset. We saw a few dolphins, but I didn't get any pics. Check this trip out if you are in the area!

We were on the 9:15 pm Nights of Lights evening cruise on 12/23/24 and what a blast that was! It…read morewas really cold outside and we dressed for it! Our tour guide was Mckenzie, who was so much fun and full of interesting information about St Augustine. The rest of the crew were also wonderful! The boat was full but not overcrowded, which was nice. It was cold but we managed by singing to the music and laughing with McKenzie. We saw the entire coastline of St Augustine lit up with all of the Nights of Lights. It was gorgeous! We highly recommend this tour. For those with disabilities or back/knee/foot problems, they have made it easier to enter and exit the boat with a ramp and a low 2 step up. This was the only boat I was able to find that offered this assistance. But be sure to call first to discuss your particular situation. Parking is close and there is a paved pathway to get to and from. We would definitely take this boat tour again.

Book this tour!!!!!! Absolutely amazing and fun tour! We saw dolphins right next to us! Got to…read moreexplore the Matanzas River and have so much fun driving the mini boats. Seeing the fort from the water was really neat! Absolutely recommend!!

Go take the catamaran tour! 2 hours of sights...dolphins, lots of dolphins. We saw many historic…read moresights! We saw our first spoonbill that looked like a flamingo ONLY because of its pink color. We went fast. We went slow. We road the waves! Go take the tour don't hesitate. Best $$$ you will spend in St. August The owner was GREAT! Communication was also really good before trip.

Our Bachelorette group booked the boat with ease. Each tiki boat fits 6 guests, which was perfect…read morefor us. The address brought us right to the marina. We quickly got through signing the waiver, and then WE WERE READY TO PARTY. The boat is BYOB. We brought some drinks and a charcuterie plate on board. The boat already came with a large cooler filled with ice and some waters. We were able to connect to Bluetooth and play our Bachelorette Playlist on board, which really set the vibes. Our route took us out of the marina, around the waterway, right by the fort, and the downtown nightlife. Once the sun went down, the tiki boat had colored lights that turned on. Our group really had a blast, and this was a highlight of our weekend, for sure. I want to give major kudos to our Captain, Jack. He was so great navigating the waters that were a little choppy in a few areas while making us feel safe. He also was such a good sport with our shenanigans and laughed along with us. I highly recommend this biat excursion and Captain Jack!

Booked my first of many sunset tiki cruises with Cruisin Tiki Saint Augustine. You can bring your…read moreown food and alcoholic beverages on the 90 minute excursion, where the Captain will stop along the way to ensure you get the perfect sunset photos with Historic Saint Augustine in the background. The boat is equipped with a sound system, setting the ambiance for a couples/date night or group outting. The tiki sunset cruise is an intimate experience, holding only 6 guests that can be booked by an entire party or individually. Captain Jack did an amazing job bringing the multiple parties together to enjoy a picture perfect evening on the water. $75 per person, not including taxes or tip. ARRIVING THERE: The boat launch was hard to find, as Google maps doesn't take you to the exact location. Allow yourself 30 minutes upon "arrival" so that you can get to the boat launch. We had to stop into multiple local businesses to ask where it was, as the employees who answer the phone do not work on premises and did not know how to guide us past what GPS says. If your GPS takes you to a residential neighborhood, you're in the right spot.