Chelsea's Top 3 Jacksonville Favorites

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Even as a Jacksonville native, I never grow tired of the beach, or the beaches area; and as a mom it’s essential to find family friendly places that everyone can enjoy. One of my family’s favorite things to do is head to South Beach and work our way up to Atlantic Beach with a few stops to our favorite places along the way.

  1. Our first stop is South Beach Park and Sunshine Playground. Every parent should be familiar with this park and it’s easy to see why it’s our favorite go-to spot! Not only is Sunshine Playground kid friendly for every age (toddler area included), it is also fully fenced in and secure. Huge bonus because if you’re like me and have multiple children, having gate and locked fence around the whole permitter of the playground sets your mind at ease knowing your children can’t dart out in the middle of the parking lot. Playground aside, South Beach Park also offers a small splash zone where kids can cool off after a long day at play, a skate park, volleyball courts and more!

  2. Beach Hut Café is the perfect spot to stop for lunch. While their burgers are to die for, my kids would argue that their water themed murals were their favorite. The wait is never too long, food is always hot, and the paintings on the walls keep my kids busy playing ‘I Spy’ - it really is a win/win!

  3. After a long day of play and getting full belly’s, we always try to end the day at Whit’s Frozen Custard. While there are many other ice cream shops in the area, I love how Whit’s always changes their menu and gives you something fresh and new. If you’re like me and love all things coffee, be sure to try their Twisted Coffee - loaded with mocha custard + crushed cookies n’ creme, chopped almonds, topped with peanut butter and fudge swirls!

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Erica's Top 3 Jacksonville Favorites

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  1. Dreamette: Growing up, my mom was the director of a preschool in Murray Hill right down the street from Dreamette, and I have so many memories of us walking over there on summer days or stopping by on our drive home. You really can't go wrong with anything you order but my go-to always has been and still is the banana milkshake. It's so good anddddd now I'm craving one.

  2. Sun-Ray Cinema: I always heard people talk about how cool this two screen movie theatre was but until a few years ago I hadn't been for myself. They show new movies, old movies, and even kids movies in the summer. They serve classic movie theatre treats like popcorn, hot dogs and candy but they also offer sandwiches, salads, + desserts! They recently added Sun-Ray Pizza Cave and they just announced this week they're opening a permanent drive-in location which I'm very excited to go to!

  3. The Beaches: We have so many beaches to choose from here in NE Florida. Family friendly, fun, and mostly free - you might have to pay for parking. As a Jacksonville native, I've always loved living near the beach. When I was a kid my parents would take us on a stay-cation in an oceanfront Fernandina Beach condo, we'd spend our weekends on Huguenot aka The Jetties (I loved that we could drive on that beach) and in high school almost every day of spring break and summer were spent on Neptune or Jax Beach. I loved beach days then and I still love them now. PS - don't forget to wear sunscreen!

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