I have recently moved to Jacksonville with my husband and 5 year old daughter and am looking for area parks with nice playground equipment and SHADE. We are currently living in the Southside area. I have looked on the Jacksonville parks and recreation site but it lists so many and doesn't give pictures. Could you please let me know what parks are in the area with shade and are preferrably (but don't have to be) free to the public. Thanks.
Drew Park on Parental Home Road in the 32216 zip code is nicely shaded. It has a big kid play area and a toddler play area.
If you can come out to the beach, Sunshine Park is the best in town. If you take the last exit off JTB just before A1A and go North (I think it is called North Beach Parkway) for about a mile, it will be on your left next to the fire station. It is wonderful!
Good luck!
H.
There's a park on Ribereno in between San Jose Blvd and St Augustine Rd. (north of Bolles and San Jose Episcopal). There's plenty of shade, swings, slides, and monkey bars, and even a creek that runs through it. There are benches, but no picnic tables.
UNF has some good nature trails and picnic areas around its lake. You could probably catch fish with a cane pole there too.
You could also cross reference the park listings with Google maps street view, which was fairly recently added for Jacksonville.
Not sure if you are up for the drive, but Alpine Groves south of Julington Creek on SR13 (San Jose Blvd) is wonderfully shaded! It has smaller equipment for the younger ones as well. It would be a little bit of a drive (maybe 30 minutes??), but you could pack a picnic and make a day of it. There is a nature trail to walk and there is also a view of the river.
It's in St Johns County so you'd have to look at their website to learn more.
I live in Mandarin and it is our favorite park. Good Luck!
--P. M.
Metropolitain Kids Park is right at the edge of downtown. It has a free water park with it.
http://www.coj.net/Departments/Recreation+and+Community+S...
There is a small park by me at Forest Blvd and Beach Blvd (across from the RV place) it is very well shaded.
There is a park (can't remember the name of it) near the Neptune Beach side at 3rd St and Florida Blvd I think.
hi
I also live on the southside. The two on Baymeadows are nice-the regional baymeadows/9a park (it's new) and the rotary park down the street about 1/2 mile also on baymeadows (but no shade).
Losco park off of Losco rd (which is off St. Augustine) is nice. Nice trees for shade. also the park off san marco downtown has lots of shade but no restrooms. it's on the river and quite nice. and alpine groves off racetrack-very shady.
let me know if you want directions or details about more of them.
