One of my favorite perks of living in the Sunshine State is the ease of being able to pack our bags and hit the road for a weekend getaway. Being located in Central Florida, we feel very fortunate to have great diversity in locations and family fun in all directions. One of our favorite spots to hit for a quick getaway is Jacksonville! It’s literally just a two-hour drive north on the interstate, and whether your family enjoys city life activities or the beaches….you can find the best of both worlds in Jax!
A popular place to visit is the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. It’s one of the largest in the region, and if you have a membership to one of our local zoos, you can even get 50% off admission there, as they are all part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Love that!
We headed that way this past weekend and had a blast at the kickoff of their annual Spooktacular event! It’s a family-friendly nighttime event where you can celebrate Halloween alongside some of your favorite animals with music, candy, and cherished holiday stories that decorate the park. We absolutely had the BEST time! You should definitely check it out. It runs now through October 31st on select evenings.
Another fun stop is the local candy shop, Sweet Pete’s. Just walking up to this historic house downtown, which actually is also their candy factory, you will feel like you are stepping into a bit of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory magic! There are three floors of wonder to explore, including a restaurant, ice cream parlor, and of course, the candy shop. This is one of THE largest candy shops in the United States! So fun!
Click HERE for details on how kiddos ages 2-12 can get a FREE cotton candy during their visit during the month of November.
If you follow Orlando Moms Blog, then you may know we are part of the City Moms Blog Network. This is an awesome group of blogs for mamas by mamas across the country. I am super thankful for the village of mamas I have from City Moms, and enjoy connecting on my road trips. I especially LOVE that we have one of our sister sites right here in Jacksonville, so anytime we’re up there, and I’m looking for something fun to do while in town, whether it be a great place to eat or even the best beaches to play at, I can find it all HERE. If you want even more great information, check out Jacksonville Moms Blog frequently or before your next road trip!
Do you and your family enjoy road trips? How about day trips? My little guy gets SO excited for them, and we even call them vacations….because ya know what? They are! I think any trip outside the everyday norm and hustle & bustle is a treat and should be celebrated. We can’t all do fancy or elaborate trips all the time, but road trips….YES! So, pack your bags, families, load up the car, and hit the road! Let’s make some memories! I would love to hear about your trips and ideas in the comments below.
