Staying in Jacksonville for spring break doesn’t have to be a bore, especially with all the places you can explore! There are always things to do, places to go, and people to see in the Jacksonville area and beyond. With a little planning, you can have a blast during any spring break staycation — or dare we say, YAY-cation?
READ: Spring Break Camps In & Around Jacksonville
I can honestly say I’m looking forward to spring break this year; something about mixing up our routine and making new memories together.
Younger Kids
Evangel Playground (Westside): Evangel Playground is a great indoor secured play area with a huge slide and coffee and snacks and is very aesthetically pleasing with clean bathrooms. This one reminds me of a modern-day Discovery Zone.
Play Factory and Cafe (Northside): Play Factory and Café is all about children learning through social engagement and using their imaginations! Their play area features a full walk-in market, CedarWorks climbing structure, Montessori Pickler triangle and arch, baby nook, and so much more! The newly added GAME ZONE features multiple TVs with a variety of game systems, an air hockey table, and everyone’s favorite arcade game — PacMan, which is a great way to incorporate the entire family. While the littles are busy in the play area and Mom and Dad are enjoying coffee, older kids ages 7 to 17 can experience the GAME ZONE.
Ready Set Play (St. Augustine): This completely enclosed indoor playground comes complete with a ball bit and very fast slides. Ready Set Play welcomes parents to go in with their kids (especially little ones like my Mason) if you want. They also have an area with smaller foam blocks, a play kitchen, ride-on toys, and other fun toys for kids to play with. Don’t forget socks as everyone needs socks here (they have some available for purchase if you forget).
Sensory Towne (Baymeadows): Sensory Towne is an inclusive sensory gym that provides a variety of sensory-based activities and equipment for babies 6 months and up to 8 years old (this is a loose cut-off age due to the nature of children with special needs). The owner is a mom of a special needs son so naturally, she is passionate about accommodating all children and all abilities. Check them out for open play and attend a class Tuesdays through Fridays. Don’t forget your socks for kids and grownups!
Sprouts Play & Learn (Middleburg): Sprouts Play & Learn has two custom-made playground structures which feature two slides, hiding nooks, short climbing walls, a ball pit, and a wobbly bridge — plus they have three custom-made playhouses including an animal hospital, barn, and a market. BONUS: They also have a HUGE custom-built LEGO table perfect for little hands ready for them to build, create, and use their imagination! For little ones 2 and under, they have a fenced-off area away from the bigger explorers.
Trinity Indoor Playground (Westside): Trinity is an awesome, clean, kid-friendly environment with a coffee shop and space for parents to connect while kids play.
For more fun for littles, be sure to check out We Rock the Spectrum play gym, The Enchanted Cottage play space, and The Little Social play space.
Big Kids
Batt Family Fun Center (Westside): Batt Family Fun Center offers a kid-friendly bowling alley, indoor mini golf, and laser tag.
Surge Adventure Park (Regency): This popular trampoline park is like American Ninja Warrior meets American Gladiator with foam pits. The kids will have a blast and get worn out for sure! There are trampolines for jumping and dodgeball, foam pits for jousting and jumping into off trampolines, a ropes course, rock climbing, and more, plus video games.
Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park (Southside): Urban Air is definitely suitable for big kids. They have a spin zone, virtual reality, ropes, climbing walls, dodgeball, wipeout, battle beam, warrior course, tubes-indoor playground, slam dunk zone, and more.
Vertical Motion (Orange Park): There are lots of things to explore at Vertical Motion like VR, an obstacle course, a climbing wall, and a laser course.
Places Suitable for Little & Big Kids
Adventure Landing (Jacksonville Beach): Adventure Landing is full of fun to explore with a water park, go-kart tracks, miniature golf courses, video game rooms, batting cages, laser tag arenas, and snack bars. Best of all — their water park IS OPEN for spring break, March 12–20!
Altitude Trampoline Park (Jax Beach): Altitude Trampoline Park has a playground for kids under 48 inches, dodgeball, arcade games, a kids’ court for kids under 48 inches, a main court for taller kids, valo jump (VR-type games), and lots of places for parents to relax while keeping an eye on their kids.
Autobahn Indoor Speedway & Events (Southside): Once known for their go-kart racing and arcade, Autobahn now has a table service restaurant and bar! This could be really fun if you planned a day to meet friends with kids and go as a group. Maybe try something new by taking kids aged 13 and up, where they can learn axe throwing and more.
Bowl America (Beach Blvd., Mandarin, Orange Park): Bowl America is great for all ages and also features arcade games, snacks, and drinks.
Bravoz Entertainment Center (Mandarin): Another indoor trampoline park, Bravoz features an open jump trampoline area, climbing walls, Ninja warrior course, arcade, laser/archery tag, mini bowling, and a leap of faith tower obstacle. Food is also available at their cafe.
Flight Adventure Park (Southside): Flight is great for thrill seekers of any age with air-slam basketball, arcade games, trampoline, meltdown attraction, dodgeball, and ninja warrior course — there is a lot to do!
Get Air (Orange Park): Get Air has a separate jumping area called Little Air, foam pits, basketball, slacklines, fidget ladders, and other one-at-a-time obstacles available for their littlest customers. Big jumpers and little jumpers aren’t allowed to jump together to keep all jumpers safe.
Main Event (Southside): There is something for everyone at Main Event with many choices of arcade games, bowling, karaoke, mini-golf, rock climbing, laser tag, billiards, gravity ropes, virtual reality, and more. The menu features family-friendly American favorites perfect for lunch or dinner.
The Edge Rock Gym (Southside): With about 7–12 paths to climb with harnesses that have the auto-belay function and lots of bouldering to explore, The Edge is an ultimate family day for all ages. Audrey and Mason had a blast climbing recently while their grandparents were visiting. Definitely check out Groupon to get a deal!
Top Golf (St. Johns Town Center): A classic, Top Golf is fun for all ages with its family-friendly driving range golf with a kids menu and a nursing mother’s room. I highly suggest making a reservation in advance.
Skate City (Regency): Opened just a year ago, Skate City has arcade games, a bounce house, bumper cars, and a large skating ring (plus two smaller skate floors perfect for little ones). They have roller skates and inline skates available for rent.
Other Spring Break Staycation Ideas
Beat boredom and explore the city of Jacksonville with our Spring Break Scavenger Hunt (with printable)!
Coordinate fun with other school friends who don’t plan on traveling — ferry to Amelia Island to ride bikes, eat lunch, and play mini-golf.
Head to the Avenues Mall to check out the train, indoor playground, vertical bungee jumping area, cotton candy vending machine, and the arcade that’s just off the food court.
Head outdoors and experience our skateboard parks, the best playgrounds in town, campgrounds, and family hiking trails. Wanna go for a swim? We’ve got springs and natural watering holes galore!
READ: 15 Places to Explore the Great Outdoors In & Around Jax
Visit our amazing Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens and see what’s new! Don’t forget to stop by the award-winning Land of the Tiger area.
Embark on a geo-caching adventure (Pokémon Go, Dinosaur Go, or Harry Potter World).
Eat your way around town at our favorite kid-friendly restaurants, family-friendly breweries, and the best brunch spots. Got a sweet tooth? Get your fix with our favorite donuts, ice cream parlors, and pie places.
Take a day trip from Jax! We like Kennedy Space Center (cool museum and impressive playground for big kids), Blue Springs to see the manatees and play in the park, hike Ravine Gardens in Palatka, check out the Gainesville Museum of Natural History (free entry), or visit Depot Park or Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island.
READ: Kid-Friendly Day Trips From Jacksonville
Plan a downtown day and walk around using the Skyway with a stop at Sweet Pete’s for ice cream — they have a nice board game area and a play area for little kids.
Check out Java Game Haus in Mandarin on rainy days or hot days. They offer puzzles, games, light snacks, and coffee, and BONUS, the Hershey’s Ice Cream Store is in the same plaza.
What are your Spring Break plans this year?
I love all of the ideas here, Maya! Great post!