I was in Gainesville and visited the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. The gardens were a lot bigger than…read moreI imagined! Lots to see throughout. Various theme gardens. Very peaceful and beautiful. You can definitely get your steps in! Staff was helpful. There is also a little gift shop. Really enjoyed my visit. A great way to spend an afternoon.

Nature is the only thing to give you peace. This place has…read morebeautiful gardens that you can tell are taken care of with lots of love.

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is an absolutely beautiful place. It is two levels with swans,…read moreturtles, koi ponds, squirrels, waterfalls and birds. If you are lucky enough you will get to meet their onsite cats. Watch out for all the spiders that have created their webs throughout the park area though. Don't miss out on the hammocks!

This was a fun walk around a garden that must have seen better days - or today was a dry day. We…read morehad fun, it was an old quarry where the owner envisioned and created a cool upper and lower path around and filled with some water, waterfalls, koi fish, swans, ducks, turtles, and oodles of plants: some unique some local- and even a Japanese stile garden with Tori gate et all. Today we didn't see the center fountain many admired, and sadly the water levels must have been low as the cascades were thin (at best). Nonetheless- we had a good time walking about and spotting an old bonsai tree, some Japanese-style bridges, and even a slithering water snake! How exciting!! In all it was a fun stop that broke our long drive from Tallahassee to Fort Lauderdale, so we had a good time. Entrance fee was a bit steep at $ 12 (for what was offered imho) and there is a veteran/military discounted admission ($6)but make sure you have your DD214 or Retired ID to show or else you will Not qualify. Enjoy!

Wilmot botanical garden is named for Royal James Roy Wilmot who in 1940 was a horticulturist with…read morethe agricultural experiment Station at the University of Florida . Wilmot was an authority on camellias and classier 3,000 known varieties . This is a nice little park to walk around in front of the hospital with plenty of benches to sit and chill with the plants . Parking is not free

Wilmot Botanical Gardens is located in the heart of the University of Florida's College of Medicine…read moreand is named for Royal James "Roy" Wilmot. Wilmot was a horticulturist with the University of Florida's Agricultural Experiment Station during the 1940's. Wilmot was an authority on camellias (he was a "flower child" before the term was embraced by a generation in the 1960's) and classified many of the 3,000 known varieties of the flowering shrub. Wilmot also served on the American Camellia Society, the offices which were once housed on the grounds of the University of Florida. Wilmot passed away in 1950 and Wilmot Botanical Gardens was named in his honor on January 18, 1954. Wilmot Botanical Gardens is a tranquil place and a great place to escape the stress of the hustle and bustle and the grind of modern day life. All in all, this is a great place and one that I would definitely recommend. At one point, Wilmot Botanical Gardens had the largest collection of camellias in the United States of America and the second largest collection of camellias in the world.

Had the chance to visit for a Jacksonville Chamber event, and experiencing the Arboretum at night…read morewas such a unique treat. The staff and volunteers were incredibly welcoming and did a great job hosting. The grounds are beautiful, peaceful, and such a great reminder of what a special outdoor space this is for the community. It was the perfect setting for an evening event and a great way to experience the gardens in a different light. If you haven't been yet, definitely check it out and support this local gem!

We visited on the first night of Glowing Gardens and it was magical. I have never seen the gardens…read moreduring the day, but Seeing them lit up at night decorated for Christmas is nothing short of spectacular. Christmas trees and dragon flies, giant decorations and twinkle lights galore.... Santa is holding court in the center of the gardens, right next to lit up swings and see saws for the kids to run around and play. You can make s'mores over an open fire and there are adult beverages for sale as well!!!

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.

As a runner, we are ALL looking for running options when we travel…read more Typically, I try to find flat asphalt surfaces for training when doing intervals. This was a goldmine find for MANY reasons! First off, UNF has A LOT of asphalt trails around the campus. Second, free parking for early risers. Third, they have an easy access Practice track. So here's the scoop! I arrived on a Wednesday AM after doing some online research on local tracks. I got there at 5:30AM so it was dark. I parked in the adjacent parking lot (Lot 18, looks like a baseball field) and then reviewed my maps to ensure I was walking in the right place. The track has 3 lanes with every 100 meters marked off. The inner field is artificial turf. There were student athletes practicing when I arrived so I was mindful of them and weary to stay out of their way. Take note of this, as track etiquette is to avoid lane one if you're not going at a decent clip. Port a potties off to the side and bleachers here, plus a covered tent. Bring your drink! I loved the workout here and scenery. It got busy at 7AM when I was wrapping up. Hidden gem here! I'll be back if I'm ever in the area again, especially to get longer runs in on the adjacent asphalt trails.

Our Garden Club recently had the honor of a special "Foraging Garden Tour" with Rhonda. She was…read moreamazing.. so knowledgeable and it was a wonderful adventure walking through the gardens. Then we all enjoyed lunch with a sampling of some items from the gardens. This is a hidden gem in Jacksonville. They do wonderful things..working with the campus environment. Check their web site for tour times. Proud to have this in our backyard !! Garden Divas

Jacksonville Zoo is probably one of the best zoos I've visited in Florida. Everything is very well…read moreput together, and the amount of activities and animals to see is amazing. There's something for everyone, and you could easily spend several hours exploring. The reptile exhibit is definitely my absolute favorite. The variety of reptiles and the way the exhibit is set up makes it a must-see, especially for fellow reptile lovers. Overall, we had a great experience and will definitely be back!

I really hate leaving this negative review because I genuinely appreciate the role zoos play in…read moreconservation and education. That's why I was so disappointed by this visit. I hadn't been to the Jacksonville Zoo in years, so I was excited to see all the renovations. While the grounds look nicer, it also felt like there were far fewer animals than I remember. I was not able to find a several favorites, including the gorillas, cheetahs, and Florida panthers, and quite a few exhibits felt empty. I know animal collections change over time, but it just didn't feel like there was nearly as much to see. I was also disappointed to hear the koi fish had been transferred to another zoo since they were always one of my favorite stops. For me, the biggest issue was the value. Ticket prices have gone up, but I left feeling like I paid more to see less. The highlight of our visit was the people. The volunteers in the jaguar and rhino areas were incredibly knowledgeable and made those exhibits so much more interesting, and a staff member from a bird enclosure remembered us when we ran into them later in the day at the stingray exhibit. Those interactions honestly saved the experience. I have so many great memories of visiting this zoo growing up, which is probably why this visit was so disappointing. I really hope they continue adding to the animal collection because I'd love to have a reason to come back.

Ordered [2] sets of varying green tea seeds via their website -- specifically Chinese green tea…read moreseeds and Turkish green tea seeds. Upon receiving the shipment, I was not sure of what I got because they weren't labeled. Sent an e-mail requesting to know what I got and if there wERE [2] sets in it. A subsequent reply from the proprietor stated that another set would be sent out because he/she wasn't sure either. Upon receiving that 2nd package, the bubble-wrapped package of seeds STILL wasn't labeled. I don't know what kind of green tea seeds I got, but I do know that I now have [2] sets,I guess... I give up on trying to figure out what type they are. Shipping a bit on the high side -- almost $8 for a padded envelope containing a handful of unlabeled mystery seeds in a bubble-wrapped package. Replies to my e-mailed inquiries are fairly quick. Overall... -meh- ...Wouldn't be surprised if what grew, was some plant out of the Little Shop of Horrors j/k no, but seriously... where's the labels?!

Please stay away from this seller.i ordered 3 sets of 3 plant in may.after i waited 3-4 weeks i…read moreemailed them and asked them what is situtation of my order?they answered after a week and said what is my name to look my order.after my replied i got no respond for a while and they said they couldnt my order status.and i opened dispute on paypal.after all that they said they sent before and they will send again,i wsited another 2 weeks.still nothing.looks like i lost my $28!! STAY AWAY FROM THIS SELLER.

The Alachua Conservation Society runs Prairie Creek Lodge as their headquarters and event center…read more It is located adjacent to Paynes Prairie in a beautiful corner of the county just outside of Gainesville. Tucked inside the lodge is Sandhill Stage - where they host concerts as fundraisers throughout the year. It is a small & intimate room - when we visited, there were about 100 guests - full house! Donations for the shows are suggested and due to the size, you must reserve your seats ahead of time. We came to watch The Krickets - a band of women that originally came together in a benefit concert for a friend (named Cricket). Their sound - sirens of the Spanish moss- perfectly matched the serene Southern setting at Sandhill Stage. Beautiful evening at a real gift to the area.