Home to natural springs, fascinating museums and state parks, North Florida offers an array of kid-friendly activities the entire family can enjoy. In this often overlooked region of Florida, you can spend your day’s soaking up the sunshine on a picturesque beach, riding town water slides and touring outdoor museum exhibits. From butterfly rainforest explorations to zipline adventures through a cypress swamp, here are the best things to do with the kids in North Florida.
Soak up the scenery at Ginnie Springs
Boasting mesmerizing landscapes, Ginnie Springs in High Springs has some of the clearest springs in the state. It’s hard to not be lured in by its natural beauty and abundance of outdoor recreation on offer, as the entire family can get excited about a day of canoeing, tubing and snorkeling. Snorkeling adventures offer a glimpse of colorful schools of fish and turtles, or you can spot the area’s diverse wildlife from a stand-up paddleboard.
Explore the Butterfly Rainforest at Florida Museum of Natural History
Head to Gainesville to see the award-winning Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Kids of all ages will delight in seeing live butterflies from around the world displayed in this interactive exhibit, while the collection of turtles, fish and colorful foliage create a tropical atmosphere. You can also see a fascinating limestone cave, a South Florida Calusa Indian welcoming ceremony and a mammoth and mastodon from the last ice age.
Enjoy the white sand beaches of St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is one of the crown jewels of North Florida, where you can take the kids to enjoy its 9.5 miles of snow-white beach landscapes. Located in Port St. Joe, this untouched natural beauty offers postcard-worthy views where you can spend a sunny afternoon swimming, fishing and picnicking. You can also visit the nearby Wilderness Preserve, take a hike along the bay shore, or set up camp for a night of stargazing.
Meet exotic animals at the Jacksonville Zoo
The Jacksonville Garden and Zoo is a fantastic family-friendly attraction where you can get up close and personal with over 2,000 animals. The 117-acre park is home to jaguars, giraffes and tigers, and you will discover an array of interactive exhibits where you can feed stingrays and admire curious elephants in their natural habitat, then cool off in the on-site Play Park and Splash Ground.
Go swimming at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
Perfect for a day of swimming, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park in Crawfordville boasts 6,000 acres of natural surroundings. You’ll find one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world here, and you can go on one of the popular glass-bottom boat tours. Enjoy its two-story tower where kids do cannonballs off of or lounge on the sunbathing platforms amid the clear, cool spring waters.
See a Blue Angels show at Naval Aviation Museum
The Naval Aviation Museum is a Pensacola-based attraction where you can see over 150 beautifully restored aircraft. It showcases the Naval Aviation’s rich history, highlighting over 4,000 artifacts that relate to the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Experience the museum’s exciting Flight Simulators, watch a movie on the giant screen digital theater or catch the famous Blue Angels show or see them practicing overhead.
MOSH! The Museum of Science and History, Jacksonville
Head to MOSH! The Museum of Science and History with the kids to have a day of exploring science and history exhibits. Kids will enjoy the collection of museum exhibits highlighted here, as there are full-scale skeletons, fossils from around the world and life-size dinosaurs. Learn interesting facts about the human body, while Bryan-Gooding Planetarium is sure to pique the interest of visitors from all age groups with live star shows and cosmic concerts.
Go tubing in Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Located in Fort White, Ichetucknee Springs State Park is great for an outdoor adventure with the entire family. You can spend a day tubing down the crystal clear springs, where six miles of shaded hammocks and wetlands offer a lush canopy of live oak and cypress trees. Swimming, snorkeling and canoeing are also popular throughout its eight major springs, while hiking and wildlife viewing is perfect for adventurous families.
Explore Florida’s history at the Tallahassee Museum
One of the city’s top attractions, the Tallahassee Museum showcases a blend of Florida’s cultural and natural history. Take the entire family on an exploration along the boardwalk to admire the park’s 52 acres of nature trails, see hands-on demonstrations such as quilting and blacksmithing, or fly through the cypress swamp on a zipline adventure. You can also spot bald eagles, alligators and river otters from the elevated platform.
Enjoy animal encounters at Gulf World Marine Park
Located in Panama City, Gulf World Marine Park is the perfect place to meet dolphins, penguins and turtles. There are animal encounters available and a variety of live shows, while a walking trail features beautiful birds. You can also go swimming with dolphins, watch a shark or turtle feeding or go on the Penguin Encounter to learn more about their unique personalities.
Bask in the sunshine at Henderson Beach State Park
Pack your bag for an idyllic beach day in Henderson Beach State Park, as this jewel in Destin features a pristine beach with Appalachian quartz sand. It’s sugar white sand beach lines 6,000 feet of scenic shoreline, where the kids can go swimming in the emerald Gulf of Mexico waters. Rent a bike and cruise the area, pack a picnic, or spend the afternoon exploring the walking trails.
Beat the heat at Shipwreck Island Waterpark
Considered a hotspot for family fun, Shipwreck Island Waterpark in Panama City has been operating for over 30 years. A great place to beat the heat in the Sunshine State, kids of all ages can enjoy its thrilling water slides, where you’ll discover a Tree Top Drop with a 65-foot-tall platform, zipline adventures into a lagoon pool and a lazy river and miniature slide for the little ones.
