We wanted to walk on a quiet beach along the drive from St Augustine back up to Jacksonville. We…read morestopped at the North Beach of the Guana River Preserve. There is a parking lot on the west side of the road (the fee is $3.00, and there is a crosswalk over to the beach on the east side). This is the location where Ponce de Leon supposedly first identified Florida as a land mass and not just an island. There were a few people out on the beach, walking or looking for shells. It was a sunny day in January, with temps in the high 50's. I loved that it was not crowded or commercial. There are no services other than a parking lot and two (well-maintained porta potties). It was exactly what I wanted.

Small state park. $3.65 for all day parking access. Trails are available as well as fishing and…read moresome water sports. You can rent paddle boards and the water was super calm for trying your hand at it. Wildlife on trails. Saw an armadillo a few times, lots of lizards, birds, and lots of bugs. Great for bike riding too.

Relaxing and enjoying fun and awesome place to relax for all ages and enjoy for all ages I love it…read moreso much you can take your golf cart drive perfect for all ages so peaceful fun! I love it so much i come down here a lot 24/7 fun I enjoy my self lots of animals! Please bring everyone down here so beautiful fun relaxing peaceful! Seriously have fun with family and friends I love it so much and make you stay hydrated wear sunscreen hats! From Lauren

A hidden entry to this pond with no access by car and no legit area to park my car to then walk in…read moreon foot. Golf carts, bicycles and pedestrian traffic only. Took a nice hand-in-hand walk thru the park with my wife. Beautiful lake (not really a pond) with a winding paved pathway and a docking area for canoes or kayaks. No gators seen but they are surely in the lake.

I've been busy outdoors this year and enjoy finding new trails to check out. I really like Alpine…read moreGroves. It has really cool history to check out. And a fantastic paved trail! There is also a wonderful playground. And a fishing pier! My favorite part though might be the benches right at the water... a perfect spot to sit and watch a sunset. Also if you're big on bird watching, there was a barred owl hanging out as well as a variety of other cool birds! The dog water fountain needs a little bit of a scrub but love that it's available! And six a cute dedication.

This is an adorable park. There is a trail that if you complete it twice, you can complete a 5k. We…read morewent later in the day to avoid any crowds. Just a few people walking dogs and a few bird watchers. This is part of the Floris Birding Trail and we got a glimpse of a Barred Owl! Pretty cool! Take bug spray because you are on a paved path through the woods. There is a small playground as well.

This is such an awesome park!! Our kids absolutely loved it and we would go back in again when we…read moreare in the area!! So much to do and play on! And they have a little splash play area for those hot summer days!

Sunshine Park is the best and safest playground in Jacksonville Beach. It's a modern, fully fenced…read moredestination designed for stress-free play. Just (sometimes) the big kids run wild and it can be dangerous for toddlers or babies. Why it's a favorite: Safe & Clean: Fully enclosed with artificial turf (no mulch or sand). The "Fort": A massive, multi-level wooden-style structure kids love. Inclusive: Separate "Tot Lot" for toddlers and ADA-accessible gear. Bonus: A seasonal splash pad, skate park, and pickleball courts. Verdict: It's the gold standard for a clean, secure, and fun family day. Bring lots of water during the summer!

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

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

Hayden was amazing!! Highly recommend even saw dolphins in kayak tour!! Must do when visitingread more

Carla met us on time and was so professional. She gave us a preinstructional talk with safety info…read more She was so helpful during the tour. She made sure we all got to see everything and that we were enjoying the trip.

Mountain bike trails are cleared back and are being kept clear. Nocatee Preserve has approximately…read more5+ miles of wildlife preserve single track trails and an additional 7 miles of double track in the beautiful wooded preserve. Nocatee is a quiet trail where you might see one or two groups of people and mostly wildlife. You will have the trails to yourself and it is a perfect way to wind down on your bike after a long stressed week of work. Come out and enjoy a day away from the rat race.

The Good: Nocatee Preserve has tremendous potential to be a…read moregreat trail. You can hike, jog, mountain bike, run, horseback ride and so much more. Bird watching and even photographing nature's finest is also great here. Large variety of plants and wildlife. The MTB trails here are mostly singletracks. It's well maintained for the most part. Great trails for beginners and for those looking to get better. The Bad: Nocatee Preserve Trail is situated in a swamp or I guess, wetlands. Some areas are low lying. At around Mile 2 or 3, some areas tend to flood or collect water especially after some hard rain, which makes it not suitable to hike nor bike towards. In light of this, expect lots of insect activities. The Ugly: During the hotter months (especially Summer months)... the bugs here can be downright vicious. Yellow flies, Horse flies, Mosquitos, amongst others, are VERY VICIOUS. There's also Ticks (I call them NocaTICKS); they give me the eebie jeebies. So make sure you bring and use Insect Repelents. As a matter of fact, just go ahead and bathe in insect repellents. And there's some Pretty: I would say the best time to come here in my humble Yelp opinion, would be between Nov - Feb, when the temperatures are nice and cool. Happy Trails to You!!!

Ran here with some friends from their apartment and it has beautiful nature and views. The sky is…read morebeautiful here, especially the sunsets. Would love to explore more of the preserve but I think one of the viewpoints was closed off. Would come back here for a run or walk again with friends!

Nice paved trail the whole time. Peaceful. Not too much scenery but still nice. Pretty clean. 2nd…read moretime here.

Castle Ottis Coastal Hwy,…read moreSt. Augustine, FL 32084 Did you know we have a hidden castle in St Augustine? Castle Otttis is a unique, privately-owned landscape sculpture in Vilano Beach, Florida, built by Rusty Ickes and Ottis Sadler. They wanted to build something unique and different that would go well with the landscape of St Augustine. Since both were religious, they also wanted to built something that would show their appreciation to Jesus. The Castle features rustic stone walls and an interior with elaborate cypress woodwork, serving as a venue for religious weddings and events. Its not open to the Public. It offers tours available only by appointment. So you would have to go to their website and request an tour appointment via email. The story behind it is interesting. Just 2 men who wanted to be in peace with nature.

Just about 10 minutes north outside of historic St. Augustine is a unique castle that sits back…read morefrom the main road among trees and hedges. Sadly, the owner and creator of Castle Otttis, Kendle Icke, passed away in July 2023. However, his son, who lives on the property does conduct tours for small groups of people who have reservations. His tours are very interesting with information on how the castle came to be. Apparently, Mr. Icke had a couple of dreams about a castle in great detail, which he shared with a builder friend of his. The friend encouraged him to build it and agreed to help him. They were able to get donated building materials to work with. Mr. Icke built the castle in the image of old castles in Ireland and dedicated it to his wife. Castle Ottis was built between 1984-1988. The Ickes also had a home on the property to the left of the castle. We took the tour with a small group of people, which worked out very well. There are 3 levels if you count the rooftop, where you will see gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean. This is a castle based on 1000 year old Irish castles. The tour is free but donations will be greatly appreciated. A must see if you are in St. Augustine. It is a magical experience. There are special events held at the castle, like weddings or anniversaries. It is also great for photography opportunities. This is a one of a kind opportunity. Please note that Castle Otttis does not have handicapped accessibility. Parking is available on the property for the guests. You are allowed to take pictures inside the castle.

Great atmosphere and the Best Red fish sandwich I have had. Will go back very soon. Thanksread more

Nice tackle selection but operations suck. Palm Valley…read moreOutdoors )PVO) is the worse Bait Shop in JAX area, in my view. Early morning staff is often late, their hours differ on weekdays but No sign posting hours, They do not post a sign when they are out of bait. Also the Bait quality typically suck. Shrimp Quickly dies off. They need a better system to refresh water & keep it cool. The other day I waited 45 minutes for them to open only to find out they were out of Bait ! I avoid them whenever I can Until they straighten out operational mgmt.