Indoors
varies, starting about $25/person
Electric go karts, VR and video games and axe throwing!
Autobahn karts go up to 50MPH, Jr karting (8-12) up to 25MPH, 2 tracks with hairpin turns. Speed and stat tracking, and of course the finish line! Axe throwing (18+), and video games including virtual reality!
Jacksonville, Philips near Butler
Action and excitement
Age: 8+
1hr 45 min, starting at $64.99/person
Indoor skydiving!
I-Fly is a giant wind tunnel where you can learn to skydive from 3 feet off the ground. There are special suits, helmets, and goggles. There’s a trainer in the tunnel with you. Two “flights” 60 seconds each start at $64.99. (These are done in the same visit, normal airplane freefall is 45 seconds) Everyone gets a turn, then everyone takes their 2nd turn.
Jacksonville, Town Center
260 LB Weight Limit
3 years, 40" tall minimum
30 minutes, starting $35/person
Molten glass working!
Pick your piece and colors, and the knowledgeable and friendly staff at Burnt Glassworks will help you make it a reality! My family did this together and made Christmas ornaments. Every year we remember this experience when we hang them on our trees.
Jacksonville, Philips near University
Interesting and relaxing
age 6+
1.5 hrs, $50/person
Make your own jewelry!
This is not your kids jewelry, these things are complicated! Specialized tools are provided as well as materials and instruction. Twists N Turns Class is currently done online. It looks like she requires a deposit and mails the tools and materials, and the deposit is refunded once the tools are mailed back. Have a look at the pieces you can make yourself. We made the bracelets above before the pandemic in an “in-person” class.
Anywhere
Relaxing
Age: kid friendly
90 minutes, $20/person
The Comedy Zone
Typical shows have 3 comedians who usually appear in increasing order of popularity/success. It’s potluck, but odds are good at least one of them will ticke your funny bone. If you are easily offended, you should do some research on who you will be seeing, otherwise the luck of the draw is part of the fun!
San Jose near I-295
Laughs!
Age: 21+
Age: kid friendly, dog friendly
1 hr, $10/person
Concerts & more under the stars, indoors!
Jacksonville has the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium! This dome shaped overhead projection screen is the focus for Cosmic Concerts where lasers and images are synchronized to the music and projected overhead. Bands include Queen, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd to name a few. They also do educational shows and yoga under the stars.
Downtown, foot of the Main St bridge
Visual and musical experience
Age: kid friendly
1.5 hrs, $25ish/piece
Paint your own pottery!
Color Me Mine, pick your piece, choose your colors and paint it up any way you want. Get creative! Classic, eclectic, stripes, polka dots, whatever speaks to you, express yourself!
Avenues mall
Relaxing creativity
Age: Kid friendly
at your leisure, $30/hour
Topgolf is NOT just for golfers!
Did you know that Topgolf is a combination of golf and DARTS?! The targets are setup and scored like darts. The scoring is automated. Like mini golf, no skill is required to have a good time. I was on the fence about where to list this. I chose Indoors because even though it is outside, it is covered, has fans, music, TVs, and waitstaff, and would be an entertainment option in bad weather as long as its not too windy. Clubs are provided, pricing is per bay, not per person. This is a great way to spend some time together with friends!
Town Center area
Relaxing activity
Kid friendly
1.5 hrs, $24.95, $34.95 (13+)/person
Candy making classes!
Sweet Pete’s can teach you to make your favorite sweet treat, whether is be candy bars, hard candies, gummies or whatever. They also have some surprising and unexpected 21+ offerings.
Downtown, James Weldon Johnson plaza
Fun learning activity
Age: Kid friendly OR 21+
1 hr, $20/person
Selfie World!
This place was a lot more fun than I expected! About 20 different backgrounds inspire creativity and channel your inner photographer. They provide a ring light tripod and will assist you with setting up your phone or camera. Be sure to use the correct camera on your phone on the backgrounds with words so they don’t show up backwards!
San Jose near I-295
Relaxing creativity
Age: Kid friendly
Day pass, $26.50/person
Indoor rock climbing!
This is a unique workout! At The Edge learn rock climbing and get fit in the process! You can do it, give it a try. It looks fun doesn’t it?!
Philips Hwy at Emerson
adventure exercise
Kid friendly
$12/person
Ice skating?! In Jacksonville?!
Yes! At the Community First Igloo you can go ice skating or learn. You can even play ice hockey, who knew?!
Philips Hwy at Emerson
Fun learning activity
Age: Kid friendly
varies
Channel your inner gunslinger!
On Target Sports is an indoor gun range. If you just want to try it out, they rent handguns and even machine guns for shooting in the range! They offer classes and memberships as well.
Orange Park off Wells Rd.
loud action
Age: 12+
varies
Try your luck, test your skills!
At BestBet you can wager on horse racing, dog racing, or try your hand at poker, Texas Hold ’em, Blackjack and more!
3 locations, Regency, Orange Park, and St Augustine
gambling
18+
varies
Old school video games!
At Leaderboard you can relive the good old days of video games. They also have a full food menu and bar.
Orange Park on Wells Rd
video games
Age: Kid friendly
$5/person/day
A plethora of board games!
Java Game Haus probably has any game you might want to play, and probably twice as many that you’ve never heard of. They offer learn to play events as well as meet ups and nights for specific games. They also offer food and beverages including beer and wine!
Old St Augustine Rd near I-295
Relaxing social activity
Age: Kid friendly
starting at $30/person
Try your hand at painting!
Painting With A Twist! They have date night classes, paint your pet classes, birthday parties, and pretty much any other group you want. They also offer virtual classes. The classes are BYOB (the twist!). I liked the pour painting class because it was abstract, no expectations or judgement. It was fun!
San Marco near downtown
relaxing creative activity
Kid friendly
starts at about $45/piece
DIY Signs, Trays and Doormats!
At Board and Brush, you choose your own project. Country casual, seasonal, patio, or poolside there’s a decor option for you! They provide the stencils and directions and you make it yourself! Bring a snack or a bottle of wine and date or a group for a fun time!
San Jose near Racetrack Rd
Relaxing creativity
Age: 16+ unless arranged otherwise
Starting about $45/person
DIY signs, string art, chalkboards, flowers, flags, dog beds and more!
Creative Grain Studio will help you put that personal touch on your project. What’s more personal than something you make with your own two hands.
Hendricks near Atlantic Blvd
Relaxing social activity
Age: 18+, some Kid friendly events
free to look, used books start at $4
Get lost in the Bookmine!
This is not just a book store. It’s a maze. The shelves are 7′ high, maybe 3′ apart, and packed floor to ceiling. The building has been added to over the years, and the layout of rooms, rows and shelves is incomprehensible. It’s 23,000 square feet of literary potential. They buy and sell used books and movies also, as well as renting audiobooks. Every bibliophile should check out Chamblin Bookmine!
Roosevelt and Lake Shore Blvd
interesting shopping experience
Kid friendly
starts at about $25/piece
Paint pottery and fuze glass!
At Doing Dishes, the fun does not involve a sink full of suds! This is about painting your own pottery, how creative can you be?! They also offer fuzed glass, where you piece together colored bits of glass and they put it in the kiln and melt it into a single piece of art. How cool is that?!
San Jose at University
Relaxing creativity
Age: Kid friendly
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