A great little park and hidden gem in Jacksonville. We love the small shaded playground, but the boardwalk with tons of turtles, fish and birds is the real attraction. read more

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New boardwalk, peaceful and beautiful place to walk. Safe too! Right by the fire department and library. Great place to take the kids too!! read more

When I visited this park for the first time today, I wanted to cry! Why? Because it's so close to where I live, and I'd never been here before. I saw a photo of the turtle maze in a local magazine, and I was determined to see it for myself. What a lovely spot in Ponte Vedra. That park is small, but a great place to enjoy nature and take a short walk. Three times around the lake equals one mile! There is a small playground, and it's fenced -- a very nice safety feature. I can't wait to go back to this park in the spring and see things in bloom. read more

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We try to look for outdoor activities to do as a family, so I saw there was a nice walkway at this park and drove us to it. There is plenty of parking around the library where the park is located, and shade from the pavilions and trees. There is 7 different sections of the park, including a turtle maze, outdoor amphitheatre, park, boardwalk, and more. There are dirt paths and concrete walkways, so it is easy to walk with a stroller. The lake has plenty of turtles, but make sure not to feed them! It gave us an opportunity to be outdoors and catch some sun. Dogs are also allowed here, and our dog loved walking and smelling everything. read more

Bird Island Park - Boardwalk and pavilion - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

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I highly recommend this charming park, it offers a peaceful atmosphere and great birdwatching opportunities. The walk is not too long, suitable for most visitors. read more

We have been trying to explore parks and trails in the area on a weekly basis to get outside and do something different. Bird Island Park is a cute option although it would be best with smaller kids. It's located behind the PVB library (parking lots are attached but not well marked). The pros: it's clean, well maintained and has a GORGEOUS amphitheater with mosaic risers for story time. There is also a lovely playground with some really unique structures. Lots of turtles and a rookery on "bird island", which is literally a small oasis in the middle of the body of water. Also, note there is a little natural hedge in the shape of a sea turtle. Again, it would be great for little ones. The cons: the park is tiny. To get one mile of walking, one must circle the park three times. I love that there is such a great venue for youngsters in this area, but I don't think we need to visit again. read more

Bird Island Park - Parks Near Me - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

I have been here several times but never on my own time.. So yesterday I was able to wander and snap some images that were just beautiful to me.. In the middle of this summer heat of Florida there were still flowers blooming with all the little insects and beautiful energy that makes a garden a garden.. There was a crew from the Saint John's Park and Recreation inmate crew working through the gardens when I entered.. Which I thought was a wonderful way to pay back society for your wrongdoings.. Bringing Beauty to other people is never a bad thing.. There are boardwalks & gazebos that circles around the beautiful little lake/pond that are perfect to get out of the sun and have a nibble .. There is a sign saying "do not feed wildlife"but when I looked over the railing to snap a few images of what was in the water; the turtle that saw me acted like I was supposed to be feeding them..lol There were so many different types of turtles, it was kind of cool to see them all thriving together.. There was a "do not feed alligators" sign as well.. I saw no alligators but then again I didn't get that close to the water..lol There is also a "no fishing sign" so those huge carp & catfish are off limits.. There are several different types of birds that will catch your eye and some that you have to search for because they blend in with the scenery so beautifully.. I entered the Gardens from the library so you walk around the boardwalk and then on to the path.. There are a few winding paths to take and if you walk all the way around you will end up at the fire department.. I recommend wandering.. It was a beautiful hour I spent just snapping what caught my eye.. I hope the images that I took will show the experience I had while wandering through this beautiful Park/Gardens.. Highly recommend if you just need to lower your blood pressure,take your mind off the rest of the things that are going on in your life..Enjoy read more

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I've seen the signs and FINALLY stopped in after a huge lunch- wanting to explore and walk off some bbq. The pavilions are shade havens, there is a perimeter walkway and then a sea turtle labyrinth- which has no shade, but looked beautiful. I opted to stick to the sides. If you go to the right you quickly find yourself on a boardwalk overlooking a pond. Go out to the covered pavilion on the water and hang out there as the turtles come a swimming! There is a sign that says no feeding- but obviously these little ones are conditioned to be fed! There were over 20 of them swimming straight for us! It was quite a sight! We eventually continued on and found a small learning center with stone stair step benches! Great reading spot. There is also a wonderful artistic turtle hoping for a selfie! And a bunch of bird houses perched on poles. If you continue along the back of the pond you find a little playground and then can hop back on the boardwalk over the waters edge to return to the parking lot. I love that this park is adjacent to the library! If I lived in the area I could easily see myself here a couple times a week! read more

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Hidden behind the Ponte Vedra Beach Library is this little park which my son and I really adore. It's the perfect mix of relaxation and wildlife. Bird Island Park has the natural charm of Castaway Island Preserve, but with a playground, a maze (in the shape of a turtle), and plenty of gazebos with seating and other sitting areas to enjoy your book or a quick little picnic. There's even a little amphitheatre area (storytellng area) with original mosaic art built into it. Speaking of art, there is a sculpture of a turtle and a sculpture of a girl reading a book (which my son hates because some guy on YouTube hinted that it was haunted). True to its name, we saw many different pond and marshwater birds. I'm not great at plants and animals, but we saw a wood stork, a great egret, and a really colorful bird (maybe the green heron?) as well as a scarlet hibiscus. And if you need some refreshments, the library is right there, so you can grab something from the vending machine during open hours. Bird Island Park is a win in our book. =) read more

Small park, big attitude. This cozy park is tucked behind the Ponte Vedra Public Library and is pretty discreet for being extremely close to the highway. The park features whimsical hedge trails and multiple spots to relax and enjoy a book. A short walk on the main path will lead you to a small fenced in playground under a canopy of tall trees. The Turtle Trails Turtle statue featured the same facial expression I wore after exploring the entire park, which took about 15 minutes. I would not suggest taking small children to this park for hours of fun in the sun simply because there is not too much to do. However this park is perfect for a small afternoon stroll and photo opportunities. The 3 star rating is simply because the park lives up to the name. Although the park is bird friendly, the birds on the other hand are not. Enter at your own risk. read more

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If you consider a handful of ducks a reason to visit a park, this is your place. Not an island. Not a bird sanctuary, gardens are nice but is that enough? read more

Enjoyed walking along the park. Nice place to have picnic with family and taking pictures. It's free and something for every age to enjoy.

Cutest little hidden gem! Nestled behind the PVB library. Went here for the first time the other day and I loved it. It's a small park with a big punch. Lots of places to sit in the shade, a little mosaic amphitheater, lake walkway, animal sculptures, info signs for the nature buffs, even has a walking labyrinth. Cute cute cute! read more

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Small peaceful park located directly behind Ponte Vedra Library. There's a boarded lake loop and small children's play area. It's not very secluded, houses and the fire station are visible. Great for some exercise or an outdoor lunch. read more

What a beautiful area! I will admit that it was a bit difficult to find. Something to note---You can access the park by parking at the public library and following the boardwalk. Once we finally got there it was fantastic! The boardwalk and maze were very well maintained. We saw so many different types of turtles and birds. I was a bit concerned we might see an alligator but luckily that didn't happen. There is a small park for children as well. No slide or swings, which was a fleeting disappointment for my two and four year old. However, they had a blast just walking around and pointing out all of the animals. Great morning activity for small children. Saw people of all ages on walks and enjoying the scenery. Not very crowded though, which was nice. read more