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!

Primarily an art museum with two excellent gardens - English and an Italian. Loved the gardens and…read morearchitecture of Mrs. Cummer' house turned into a museum. Service: All staff were polite and helpful. Food: there is a diner that offers both inside and outside areas for seating. It was a very impressive museum and gardens and I hope to return soon. In our opinion, one of fairly few reasons to visit Jacksonville.

The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens is a really nice museum experience and a stellar garden…read moreexperience. Inside is some really interesting art, a kids area and a cafe to enjoy. Different areas are themed and the kids area is really interactive. We did not try the cafe on this visit but I'm sure we will soon. The real star for me was the gardens outside. It was truly a transformative experience. Just beautiful trees and bushes and plants with the St John's River in the background. I highly recommend you see it. They have free days in the summer but it is also well worth the price of admission.

Family went over memorial weekend. There were quite a few interactive exhibits that didn't work…read more The 3rd floor was closed down and the 2nd floor near the planetarium didn't make sense. You can tell the museum is closing down. The shows in the planetarium were great. They were very educational and entertaining. Other than that my other favorite part was the "Currents of Time." Seeing the evolution of the Jacksonville area. I definitely will check out the new location once it's done.

What a happy celebration day for the museum as they transition to a bigger and modern caliber for…read morethe city. I learned that the museum of science is expanding to a new home and it will take some years for the official move and space. Throughout my travels , looking for staples in the community that offer hands on learning, family friendly spaces, and a budgeted treat truly takes time to explore. Today I walked through showcases filled with history from the Victorian era; some relics were plants and photos from the 1970! I hadn't been inside a planetarium in a few years and you still appreciate the wonder when you hear children awe at the science and story telling in front of their eyes. All the staff were incredible , helping answer and questions they had- a major shout out to Vystar credit union as a volunteer partner making the day impactful for the masses. Go visit your museum- science centers- arts locations as we are continuously evolving in science and expanding our living history. Today was special!

I brought my two kids here for Memorial Day Sunday. There was a good number of families and…read moreeveryone appeared to be having a blast! It is a lively opportunity to share with the kids a piece of my youth and the joy that comes with pinball machines! $10/hour is a reasonable price in this day and age for unlimited play. Come support this local pinball museum!

Really fun rainy day afternoon in Amelia Island. They have about two dozen machines from historic…read more50+ year old machines to new ones. Pricing is all you can play - no quarters needed! Admission is $14/day for adults or $12/day for kids. You can also play for 1 hour for $10 - which is what we did as we got there about an hour before they closed. We felt it was a fair price and a good value. Almost all of the machines were working, which is great (and not the case at some of the places like this I've been.) Both adults and teens had fun. The space is pretty basic. There are a few games in the front room, and about twenty in the back room. There is a bathroom in the far back. We'd go back even if it wasn't raining!

If you're a history lover and in the area, you can't miss the Amelia Island Museum of History -…read morewhich is housed in the old historic jail building. THe museum itself isn't the largest but you'll be very surprised at just how much has gone down on this small island on the edge of the Georgia/Florida state line. If it's any indication of just how tumultuous this area was - 7 distinct flags have flown over the island throughout written history. From natives to pirates to Spaniards and Confederates and everyone in between - there's a lot more to Amelia Island than just million dollar beach homes and waterside dining. Admission is $10 for adults. Make sure that you arrive with enough time to enjoy one of the complimentary docent tours. It's included with your museum admission so to not take advantage is a big missed opportunity. The tour we had lasted over 1 hour and in that time our guide covered essentially most things you would learn from reading the exhibit displays but with added insight. As an added bonus, there is a parking lot attached to the museum and plenty of street parking as well. I'd recommend starting your Amelia Island vacation with a trip to the museum so you can appreciate the historical footsteps you're walking in while on the island.

Worth a stop if you want to learn the history of beautiful Amelia island !…read more The Amelia Island Museum of History offers a well done look at the island's past, from the Timucua Indians to Spanish and French explorers and even pirates. The exhibits are interesting and well presented, with videos and displays that make the history come to life ! There is a docent led tour, which is included with admission. Tours run Monday-Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., and they add great context and storytelling to the exhibits. Fun extras: there's a pressed penny machine for collectors and a passport stamps if you're tracking your travels. There's also a nicely stocked gift shop . Plan to spend at least 30 minutes here, though history lovers could easily stay longer depending on how much reading you want to do. Plenty of parking makes the visit even easier.

Add the Lightner Museum as a stop when visiting St. Augustine! The museum is located in the heart…read moreof the city in what use to be the Alcazar Hotel, a Gilded Age Resort. The building architecture and the gardens are beautiful. There were many collections to peruse, which were housed on 3 levels. It took us about two hours to make our way through, but you could easily spend 3 if you take your time and read everything. The floors all have a front and rear. The best suggestion we were given is to start on the 3rd floor an make our way down. The staff on hand were friendly and readily available to answer any of your questions. You can make a reservation for lunch at the Cafe, which is located on the lower level of what was once a pool.

What a fascinating stop. The exhibits are interesting but just the chance to tour the building is…read moreworth the stop. Fans of the Gilded Age will appreciate the history and the grandeur of the old hotel. We hopped in on the "Swimming Pool" talk and it was very good. Lots of tidbits about the hotels history and usage through the year. Definitely worth the stop!

Had a wonderful time for my first visit to MOCA-Jax!! The exhibits were highly interesting and the…read morepieces displayed really caught my attention and pulled me in. The gentleman at the front desk explained the different floors and how to reach each exhibit which helped me out greatly. The selection and pieces were great and I can't wait to come back again for the next exhibit.

This museum has 3 floors of exhibits. There are at least 3 different artists's works. The entrances…read morecost is $10. The service at the front desk was helpful. Brochures are available to inform you about the location of the collections. There was a nice selection of art work. Very thought-provoking. The museum abuts the Jacksonville Public Library so you could make a day of it.

Absolutely love this place! The yearly membership is such a deal if you need an air conditioned…read moreweekend activity for your kiddos. The programming is phenomenal. We are so lucky to have this place in Gville.

This museum for creativity and invention established in 2018 and located in a corner of Depot Park…read morein Gainesville inspires future inventors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. Open four days a week Thursday to Sunday 10am to 4pm. Admission $15 for adults, 5-17 $10, college students snd seniors $12.50 and under 5 is free. Established and named after Robert Cade, the lead inventor of Gatorade, reflects his view of combining science and art in a manner of purposeful creativity. There are exhibits on inventions and technology that came from University of Florida. The museum caters to people of all ages and young children. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) workshops are available where attendants can meet living inventors. A little gift shop located at the front lobby. Parking is free.

This is a great hour long stop to see some fantastic civil war memorabilia and learn some really…read moreinteresting local lore. The museum is small and it won't take long to go through, but it is well organized and staffed by very friendly volunteers. There is a good sized parking lot behind the museum and the bathrooms were very tidy. There is no admission fee but they do have a donation jar. Please bring a little cash and consider donating if you visit. I bet they have a shoe string budget and can use every dollar received.

Had a wonderful time stopping into the Queen Little town of St. Mary's. While we were here we…read morestopped by the submarine museum and loved it. So much history in one building. I feel like anyone could enjoy this place, but especially those who have been in the Navy. You have to check this place out!

Very accessible, interesting and informative. Well worth the small admission price. Added bonus for…read morepeople with disabilities or the elderly, there is a chairlift to go upstairs.