The top cities between Vero Beach and Myrtle Beach are Orlando, St. Augustine, Savannah, Titusville, Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Cocoa Beach, Saint Augustine Beach, Beaufort, and DeLand. Orlando is the most popular city on the route. It's 2 hours from Vero Beach and 8 hours from Myrtle Beach.
Cocoa Beach, a city in Florida located south of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, serves as an entryway to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. This complex is home to rockets and famous artifacts. The region is renowned for its sandy beach and surfing spots. At the Florida Surf Museum housed within a surf shop, one can learn about the local history of this sport. For those interested in dining and shopping options, Cocoa Beach Pier has various eateries and shops.
2% as popular as Orlando
8 minutes off the main route, 12% of way to Myrtle Beach
Titusville, a charming city in Brevard County, Florida, is nestled along the picturesque Indian River. With a population of nearly 50,000 people, it's known for its proximity to Merritt Island and the renowned Kennedy Space Center. The area also boasts the stunning Canaveral National Seashore. Additionally, Titusville is part of a region that includes Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Rockledge, Viera, Melbourne, Satellite Beach and more.
4% as popular as Orlando
4 minutes off the main route, 15% of way to Myrtle Beach
Need a place to stay?
WhereWhere are you going
When
–
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
When
–
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
Located in the heart of Florida, Orlando boasts over a dozen theme parks, including the world-renowned Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Visitors can enjoy attractions such as Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Along with its theme parks, Orlando is known for its warm weather and beautiful white sandy beaches.
Most popular city on this route
14 minutes off the main route, 18% of way to Myrtle Beach
Daytona Beach, situated on the Atlantic coast of Florida, is famous for Daytona International Speedway - home to the iconic Daytona 500 NASCAR race in February. Visitors can drive on designated areas of the beach with its hard-packed sand, while free summer concerts are held at Daytona Beach Bandshell near the boardwalk's rides and arcades. The city is also home to Daytona Lagoon water park which offers go-karts, laser tag and waterslides. Located about 2.
3% as popular as Orlando
3 minutes off the main route, 21% of way to Myrtle Beach
DeLand, located in Volusia County, Florida, is a charming city with a vibrant restaurant scene despite its small size. The historic streets are adorned with eateries offering a diverse range of cuisines, from farm-to-table delicacies to international flavors. Additionally, the nearby spiritualist community of Cassadaga provides an opportunity for visitors to have their fortunes told by resident mediums and spiritualists. This adds an intriguing aspect to the cultural tapestry of DeLand.
1% as popular as Orlando
11 minutes off the main route, 22% of way to Myrtle Beach
I'll never travel to Myrtle Beach without this trip planner again
St. Augustine Beach is a petite town situated on Anastasia Island, renowned for its extensive beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean. The St. Johns County Ocean Pier presents fishing opportunities and an oceanfront park that features volleyball courts, a playground, and a splash zone for children to enjoy. Ocean Hammock Park functions as a nesting site for sea turtles and offers amenities such as nature trails and picnic areas.
3% as popular as Orlando
4 minutes off the main route, 29% of way to Myrtle Beach
Located on the northeast coast of Florida, St. Augustine is renowned as the oldest city in the United States, having been established in 1565. Its Spanish colonial architecture adds to its charm, and visitors can enjoy Atlantic Ocean beaches such as Crescent Beach or explore Anastasia State Park's protected wildlife sanctuary. One must-see attraction is Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century stone fortress that offers breathtaking views of St. Augustine Inlet.
17% as popular as Orlando
0 minutes off the main route, 30% of way to Myrtle Beach
Jacksonville, the most populous city in Florida, is situated on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida and serves as the seat of Duval County. Known for its vast area, it offers a diverse range of experiences from coastal enclaves to downtown attractions along the St. Johns River. The city's consolidation with Duval County in 1968 expanded its reach, making it the largest city by area in the contiguous United States.
3% as popular as Orlando
9 minutes off the main route, 35% of way to Myrtle Beach
Savannah, a charming coastal city in Georgia, is famous for its well-maintained parks, horse-drawn carriages, and historic architecture. The city's historic district features cobblestone squares and picturesque parks like Forsyth Park with its oak trees draped in Spanish moss. The Gothic-Revival Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist stands at the heart of this area.
16% as popular as Orlando
1 minute off the main route, 58% of way to Myrtle Beach
Beaufort, located on Port Royal Island in South Carolina, is a charming city renowned for its collection of antebellum mansions, particularly in the downtown historic district. One of the most notable landmarks is the John Mark Verdier House Museum, an elegant Federal-style mansion from the early 1800s showcasing period furniture and exhibits detailing local history. Visitors can also enjoy scenic views of the Beaufort River and Woods Memorial Bridge from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.
1% as popular as Orlando
13 minutes off the main route, 63% of way to Myrtle Beach
Best stops along Vero Beach to Myrtle Beach drive
The top stops along the way from Vero Beach to Myrtle Beach (with short detours) are Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Savannah Historic District, and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Other popular stops include Worlds Most Famous Beach Daytona Beach, The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, and Stetson Mansion.
Sebastian Inlet State Park is a great place to go for outdoor activities like surfing and fishing. There are also areas for swimming and wading, making it a relaxing environment perfect for all types of visitors.
If you want a quiet, family friendly place to hang out and swim and site see, this is the place! We were staying in Orlando, FL May 1st '22 - May 6th '22 and wanted to see some clear blue water without all the chaos at the popular beaches. It was a little over an hour and a half drive from Orlando, but it was worth every minute! The water was crisp blue, there was a small inlet where you could swim in and didn't have to worry about crashing waves. There were several piers you could walk in to just embrace the beautiful scenery. To top it off, they had a bar and grille there with awesome food and drinks! My husband and I ordered the fried clams, bacon cheeseburger, and fish & chips. It was all good! You have to go here to appreciate the beauty of this place.
Tina — Google review
The actual “inlet” that everyone wants to go to is on the west side of the road at the parking right before the bridge. Doesn’t seem super obvious from the google maps location. Just park and enjoy the protected waters. Parking is by car and was $8 definitely worth it. You get access to both the beach and the inlet.
Stephen Barron — Google review
Excellent place to spend the day out camp near the water. I haven't ever seen so many sea turtles in one spot in my life. Boat ramp to launch a boat, intercoastal wade fishing is phenomenal. Kayak fishing is amazing, along with pier and jetty fishing. A beautiful lagoon to swim in for the kids and family. Perfect for a day trip.
who thegoofball — Google review
They have a small cove that's great for kids! Its like a sandbar... Many people brought canopies, chairs and floats. It's close to bathrooms (they have changing rooms) and eating. You can also bring coolers. They have a bait shop, an entrance to the beach and fishing off the jetty. Varied and quite enjoyable
Elena Boughey — Google review
Sebastian State Park is amazing. First I have to say is the Park Rangers and staff which there is also volunteer staff, are all helpful, polite, and professional. They really make the Park n Campground extra amazing. From the beach, through the monster mouth inlet, to the Indian River Lagoon, this is where you want to bring your bikini, fishing pole and your camera. What a beautiful State Park, GODS most creative art work. Dog Friendly, just follow park rules and no issues..
Jim Sniper Manns — Google review
Beautiful state park with plenty of areas to explore. The RV camp area sits adjacent to water access making kayaking, fishing, swimming and water activities extremely easy to access. The breeze keeps even the hot days nice and manageable
Back 2 Tha Roots — Google review
We camp here every year for my husband's birthday. The park was well kept and quiet, and the bathrooms were clean. As always, we really enjoyed our stay.
Valarie Latham — Google review
Very nice, well kept, and spacious camp sites! The bathhouse(s) were very well kept and stocked with paper etc. We only stayed one night BUT we will be back to check out all the fun things to do in the area! Bring your fishing gear, boats, etc. We also loved the little fishing museum (free to attend) on site! The very informative video is packed with great info about the areas history! Be sure to watch for the MANY turtles, dolphins and beautiful birds in the park!
Victoria Price Avon ISR — Google review
Such a beautiful spot to stop in and check out. Our beach house provided a great setup so I wouldn't spend the day here..but it's worth a visit for sure. We waded in the inlet, and the kids tried to snorkel, but it wasn't as clear as we hoped. The boardwalk is lovely and easy to access to check out some action. We saw lots of manatee, crabs, different sorts of fish, and gorgeous views.
Lindsay Prose — Google review
Spent a day here with my young children. By far the cleanest beach I’ve been on in Florida. The Atlantic beaches had large waves and cold water, but the north river inlet was zero waves and warmer, shallow water. The bathrooms were clean and all staff were friendly. Saw dolphins, turtles and countless birds.
Lee Kyler — Google review
Great place to visit and spend some time. Walked the peer and watched the folks fishing. Looking into the inlet I saw a couple of large dark shadows, turned out to be a couple of Rays gliding up the inlet. Plenty of people using the small bay but I can imagine it gets busy at the weekend. Nice little cafe serving hot and cold snacks and drinks. Well worth the parking fee.
Vincent Worrall — Google review
It's an older State Park but it's well maintained. We camped in space 60 for two nights in May and the full cost was $51.50 with the senior discount - the base cost was $13 a day but they add on fees for utilities and booking the site in advance. It was reasonably private and very quiet; lots of places to walk and sights to see. Sites are generously sized. Camp hosts were friendly. Winds whipped up in the afternoons which made it impossible to have a fire so we had dinner inside our van both nights. It's free to dump your holding tanks.q
Julie Zalace — Google review
I am glad we decided to drive on A1A Hwy was suggested by a local resident. We stopped and checked out the Sebastian Inlet State Park admmiss is $8. It is very clean and nice camping, swimming, fishing and picnic area. I do suggest a little more shade in the park overall is a great place to visit.
Jojo Wan — Google review
An absolutely beautiful location! Views from many campsites are incredible! It's August and in the 90s but sitting in shade with sea breeze is beautiful. Fishing is good too! Noseeums can be a nuisance but still a great place to get away!
Richard — Google review
Incredible State Park. Great beach access and spots to fish the inlet. Nice museum on the south side. Ample parking and camping spots available.
Anita Simmons — Google review
Nice spot to photograph diving osprey, pelicans, terns, and gulls. We also saw black skimmers, reddish egrets, Wilson's Plovers, and all the usual suspects. But beware the noseeums and sand fleas --- they will eat you alive!
Cindy S — Google review
Stopped to enjoy the park, have lunch and walk our two best friends. Beautiful area. Well stocked Store and the small museum was very informative. Right across the water is the Indian River Lagoon Preserve State Park.
CHAOSNCHECK T — Google review
Relaxing, family-friendly environment. Perfect for fishing, building sandcastles, reading a book, having a picnic, and swimming with wild dolphins. Please respect the animals if you come. No touching!!!
Mariví — Google review
Beautiful state park here. We had a party of 6 in one suv running us $8.00 for entrance. That price covers up to 8 per vehicle. The parking lot here is in a little rough condition. Depending on events going on it may or may not be easy to find a place to park. The views here are wonderful and worth it. There's food here and large clean bathrooms. Showers just off the beach are a large help. It worth going out and spending some time here. Family friendly
Cory Brown — Google review
Very busy but extremely cool State Park. There's so much to do it's crazy. Launch a boat, hike, surf, fish, swim in tide pool, camp, have dinner. The rangers are very nice, wildlife viewing is off the charts. If you hang out by the fish cleaning stations a while you'll see the Pelican's do what they do best - wait around to take fish and scraps. The squirrels seem to have be accustomed to people feeding them however - I had two of them beg me for my chips (an inch away from my foot)
Maureen Kennedy — Google review
Wonderful place! Took all the kids & got to see dolphins while we were swimming. Found crabs in all the rocks. Was able to take a cooler and hang out in the water all day. You can walk all the way to the river waist high. Great for kids!
Arial Shelton — Google review
What a great place to visit. My family packed a lunch and made use of the picnic area on the south side of the inlet. We noticed that this side has some nice campsites. We didn't camp here, but we will consider it on my next visit.
Don't forget to drive over to the north side of the inlet. The boardwalk goes out a distance and you'll see fishermen casting their lines. You can walk around the park, enjoy the beach area or even stop at the restaurant.
Tom Riley — Google review
Love this park, the staff are amazing. The location, fishing, birds, wild life. The water is beautiful. 10 stars!
Gwen Cook — Google review
This park has something for everyone! From fishing to swimming, surfing, and picnicking, the activities are endless. The scenic fishing pier and stunning beaches are just the beginning. We loved having plenty of tables and shaded areas to relax with our family. Plus, the RV areas and ample parking made it easy to spend the whole day here. The $8 entry fee for a car is a steal for all the amenities and natural beauty on offer. We'll be back again and again! 🌴 Highly recommend!"
The Brevard Zoo, a community-built zoo that has been in operation for over 22 years, boasts more than 500 animals and offers unique experiences such as feeding giraffes, zip-lining and a children's water play area. The zoo's landscape features distinct geographical zones showcasing wildlife from Florida, South America, Africa and Australia. Specially designed enclosures and free-flight aviaries blend seamlessly with the undergrowth providing visitors with the feeling of wandering through a wilderness.
We've always enjoy going to the zoo. And, the Brevard Zoo is a great place to visit with family and friends. We were very excited about the giraffe exhibit. The walkway is at just the right height for them to stick their head over the railing and be able to feed them. The children there really loved doing this.
Of course there are lots of other exhibits, the bears were frisky, the alligators were sunning themselves and the monkeys were a hoot, especially the baby.
William Knall — Google review
Great place to spend the day learning about environmental and wildlife conservation. Plenty of locations to hydrate and snack. Food prices were reasonable. Terrific water play area for kids. Staff and volunteers were friendly and informative, especially at the Kangaroo enclosure and Aviary. All the boardwalks were in good repair. Plenty of shaded locations to sit, but suggest wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and comfortable clothes and shoes. Well organized exhibits. Outside food and drinks prohibited. All animals appeared healthy. Wheelchair accessible and large paved parking lot. They also have tram/train and canoe tours, but I didn't participate in those experiences, so I can't review that part of the zoo. Bathrooms were clean. The gift store was neat and organized and had a variety of merchandise at different price points.
Tammy English — Google review
My visit to Brevard Zoo was a solid 5/5 adventure! The excitement of feeding giraffes lettuce and interacting with birds using nectar cups and popsicle sticks with seeds made the day unforgettable. The kangaroo walking exhibit was a unique thrill, reflecting the zoo's commitment to diverse and engaging experiences. What stood out even more was the zookeepers' exceptional knowledge and friendliness. They were always eager to share valuable information, enhancing the overall educational aspect of the visit. Make sure to bring a few quarters to feed the fish, turkeys, deer, etc!!
Joshua Creech — Google review
What a beautiful outdoor setting to create memories with friends and family that never gets old. Shaded paths make it easy to get your "steps" in. Ever evolving exhibits allow up close views of a wide variety of animals, but expect something under construction as they continue to grow and update. There's always an abundance of volunteers to answer questions. Most popular are the giraffe and kangaroo exhibits and bird aviary. The kids can cool off and refresh in the Splash Pad area. Something for almost everyone. It seems most guests plan for a return visit before they even leave. No wonder it's been voted one of the most popular zoos in the country.
MaaRee 2983 — Google review
First and foremost I have to mention the lunch spot Nourish 321; you should definitely plan to have lunch there! We had the club sandwich, which was basically 2 sandwiches with fresh cooked bacon and comes with lots of vegetables and multi-grain bread and chips. We also purchased the fresh brewed ice tea, Banana and naval orange. I was so impressed with the healthiness, quality and deliciousness of the lunch available. We are so used to paying a boat load for food that is sub par at these types of places; this just wasn't the case here. I highly recommend.
Ask for the zoo, it was such a nice experience and they had a nice variety of animals. My favorite animals to see were the giraffes and the cheetahs. You can feed both the giraffes and some of the birds and this is extremely fun. The Birds Landing all over you can make for some hilarious moments.
They will be getting a new lion exhibit soon and we will be back to enjoy that also!
Krystle January Wellness — Google review
An older zoo that needs some maintenance. We went on a Sunday and several of the exhibits didn’t have animals in them. Snake exhibit was tiny. On the positive side, there’s a good bit of shade which helped with the summer Florida heat in July. They had multiple species together which was interesting. Some of the bird cages were open air so they would fly by overhead. Not a bad way to spend 3 hours.
Rachael Smith — Google review
We had a good time. The zoo layout is great. There's a section for the little ones to have fun, get wet, and learn. They have 2 kayak adventures, they Africa one was not available because the water level was low. We did the other. They have an interesting concept that is better than some of the bigger and more popular zoos, and I would say it is worth donating to them.
zermandus — Google review
This is a nice Zoo. It may not be the largest in the area but it is still very good. The volunteer staff were very friendly and helpful. The Zoo has a good sellection of animals that seemed to have plenty of room to roam around and seemed to be well adjusted in their enclosures. This Zoo is a little more for younger children but adults will enjoy it too. There are sections were you can actually walk around with free roaming Kangaroos, Emus and birds. This is a great place to enjoy the Florida flora and fauna from around the World. We had a good time and will be coming back again in the future.
John Haddock — Google review
Love spending time here. It is the most interactive zoo I've ever been to. Giraffe, kangaroo and Cockatoo feedings are just the beginning! And only a couple bucks. Membership is definitely worth it. Not just for kids. Adults will enjoy it too!
Daisey Buckmuse — Google review
One of the best zoos I’ve been to. The giraffe enclosure was just amazing and being able to feed the giraffe, his name was Doc. My daughter & I loved the experience. Lots of animals to look at. Being able to walk around the kangaroo enclosure was interesting as well. Just being able to be close to animals that you don’t see everyday was amazing. The staff and volunteers at the zoo are helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you everyone!
Day Womack — Google review
It started to rain almost immediately after we paid for our admission. This made the trip a lot more enjoyable!!
We got to see the animals doing things they normally do not do. They were standing in formations that we hypothesized as a natural instinct during thunderstorms.
Some animals did not come out of their hidey-holes and for good reason. These were some of the smaller animals that preferred to stay safe from the storm.
Anyways, enjoy some of the short clips I made during my time at the Zoo.
Leave a like, comment, and share my reviews!
Thank you everyone for the 80,000 views!!
👊🏾😎
ashy2knees Expedition — Google review
Really nice zoo for being so small. They do an incredible job at having volunteers around to support them, and the staff is just as quick to help. Lots of animals, and they all seem to be having a good time playing around. They offer some great deals for membership and on. Definitely plan on spending 2.5 to 3 hrs, and thats if you dont have kids and want to visit an extra park for them in the zoo. From splash pad to sand to playground, there is lots to do. Let alone kayaking and climbing the air trail they have.
Justin Broadwater — Google review
Yesterday was Boo at the Zoo, we took my littles to trick or treat at the Zoo. The employees here are so helpful and so pleasant, You can tell they enjoy their jobs. The price to get in is not too bad, but joining the zoo is well worth it. You can come anytime. you can see all the things they do for the community. As a local zoo this is a great place to visit . I am a school bus driver and come to the zoo often. They work with the schools to do Zoo School, where the students spend their day in the zoo doing school work.
Stephanie Jordan — Google review
What an amazing zoo! You feel fully immersed in each of the lands. Got to see some really cool animals and got to feed a giraffe! Definitely a must see if you’re in the area. The train ride is worth the extra fee
Weronika — Google review
It’s a zoo that raises great animals. Every corner is well-detailed. The staff are very enthusiastic. They have designed the animals’ living environment and space in a scientific way. The animals look very relaxed and content. Forced to operate and perform, but the animals seem happy to show themselves to tourists, friendly environment, happy animals.
co co — Google review
We took our kids here while in the area over the Christmas and new years break. This is by far the best zoo we’ve ever been to!! We had so much fun! We loved how you could interact with the animals and really see them. We especially loved the kangaroos, giraffes, and feeding all the birds. Wish we would’ve been able to see the sloth but he was snuggled up and not visible. Even still, we had the best time!! Thank you for such a magical place and caring for these beautiful animal friends.
Krista Davis — Google review
We visited the Brevard Zoo while on vacation in CoCoa Beach Florida It is located Just South of Cocoa off of State Route 95. It is a wonderful zoo with you guessed it... large variety of animal exhibits. We enjoyed feeding and petting the Giraffes and I was in awe with the American Crocodile exhibit. Easy to get around and lots of fun and places to get a bite. The staff was informative and helpful. Be sure to go early as it can get quite busy by the afternoon.
ray weithman — Google review
It is beautiful, and it's still a work in progress. The changes are amazing and well thought out. They considered all the surrounding of each animal as home as possible. I enjoyed all of the park attendants and all the information they had to offer!! My Grandprincesses enjoyed every moment of it. Have to go back and see the Lions!!! The 3 brothers are as majestic as ever!
Ulda R Cardona — Google review
Awesome small zoo with lots of big fun! I recently paid for the membership. Makes a perfect, manageable day out (thats doesn't break the bank) for my kids. They also have an adorable water area as well that offers some relief from the hot Florida sun. We notice something new every time we go. Ride the train, the camel is usually front and center....Wont disappoint!
Kaitlin Klair — Google review
This is a nice zoo, we finished everything in about 3 hours! We went when the zoo opened and saw just about all of the animals. We enjoyed the train ride and the kangaroo walk.
Kortney DeMent — Google review
Always a great visit to Brevard Zoo. Today, Frankie, the rino could not find his way back to his pen. The giraffes were late to the feeding. They were so curious as to way Frankie was stuck within a small confine of rocks. He could not figure out how to escape! After the giraffe were let into the feeding pen, he was so agitated he finally foind a way back to his pen.
All the staff workers at the exhibits are so knowledgeable and friendly. We can't wait until the lion exhibit is finished! We bought our tickets online and saved time getting in. Weekdays do not seem aa crowded as the weekends. Parking was easy and close enough to the entrance. We arrived around 10:30am and the animals were still eating. Most animals were out and about. The short train ride was fun and we were able to see the Bongos and Impalas up close.
Rebecca Moniz — Google review
We had a great time today at the zoo! Tons of animals took a few hours to do! Giraffes are so fun to feed bring some cash so you can feed animals such as great day spent with family!
Nicole McGuire — Google review
We had a great time. I would highly recommend the train ride. We had a zebra and bongo walk right up to the train for all of us to see up close
The food was delicious as well.
C H — Google review
What an incredible experience on a rainy Florida day. The zoo was practically empty given the weather and the zoo staff could not have been more accommodating. There were staff or volunteers at nearly every exhibit and they went out of their way to answer questions and provide information. The volunteers went out of their way to inform and educate us, and not just say hello, it really makes the experience so much more worth it. Feeding giraffe, the birds, the rain ride, the kangaroos — all of it was incredible! Buy your tickets in advance to save a few bucks, and definitely visit the gift shop after. All of the add-on experiences are 100% worth it!
The Florida Mall is a shopping destination, welcoming more than 20 million visitors each year. The mall features Dillard's, JCPenney, Macys, American Girl, American Eagle Outfitters, Sears, M&M World, Bare Minerals, Build-A-Bear Workshop and more fashion-forward concepts like Michael Kors. There are also thirty restaurants and cafes available for hungry shoppers.
This place is absolutely HUGE! We had no idea when we came here that it was going to be so big. We walked for 2 miles in the place and I’m pretty sure we still didn’t see everything. They have anything and everything for everybody. If you want it you can find it here. High end to low end. It’s nuts. The entire place is really clean and well maintained. It’s very bright and vibrant. Security was all over the place patrolling so it felt very safe. You should check it out if you have a few hours to see it all!!
Kurtis S — Google review
Why a 4 star review? The music pumped through out the mall is loud and you can not hear yourself think.
Otherwise the bathrooms are clean and the entire facility. Cooled adequately and a superb selection of retail shops.
Plenty of dining options to include, tacos, beer, margaritas, ramen, Chinese, Asian, burgers, vegan, sweet treats, chicken, all kinds of coffees and if you get tired, just get a room at the Florida Hotel.
Jason Olson — Google review
Lovely shopping mall and shop's from the UK it was so clean and tidy staff were so friendly and welcoming and the kids love the food court
Jo Blan — Google review
The Florida Mall in Orlando is a premier shopping destination, offering an extensive variety of stores, dining options, and entertainment venues. The mall is spacious, clean, and well-maintained, making for a pleasant shopping experience. The staff at various stores are friendly, helpful, and attentive to customers' needs. With its diverse range of shops and attractions, The Florida Mall is a must-visit for both locals and tourists.
Brandon — Google review
Excellent and clean mall. The Play Park, M&M World, and the Crayola Experience were wonderful and your kids would love it.
Peter — Google review
Vibrant active mall environment!
Allen Jackson — Google review
If you're looking for the best gowns you might want to go to Dillards at the Florida Mall it is Christmas time and filled with joy and many shoppers many wonderful shops are open and this is the place to go. You better get there quick it is the time. You can also go online and do shopping there. It's a wonderful place at this time of year. The photos I posted share how clean the bathrooms are for there are ladies that clean the bathrooms while you're there super clean. And the beauty is Way Beyond what I am sharing with my photos. There are good prices in many of the stores. Enjoy shopping and happy holidays.
Gerri LaGrange — Google review
Really nice mall! Usually pretty busy as it’s a major shopping center for tourists. It has a lot of good stores too, you can definitely find just about anything you need here.
The Orlando Magic's home arena, Amway Center, is a popular tourist destination with many food vendors. The arena has hosted numerous sports and music events, including the NBAs Orlando Magic. It can seat over 16,000 people and is a favorite venue for concerts.
This building is so nice. Everything was clean and all the staff was so friendly. I mean not one person seemed like they were having a bad day. Everyone was very helpful and happy. I don’t know how you keep all your staff this happy but keep doing what your doing. Bathrooms were very clean and the food was Disney Prices.
Michelle — Google review
Went to see a Magic game and had a wonderful time. Yes the food and drinks were expensive but what place doesn't nowadays. The service was wonderful. Be careful not to bring a large purse as they are not allowed in the arena. Seating was easily accessible. Would definitely love to go there again.
Jorge — Google review
This venue meets the ADA requirements for wheelchair accessibility in many positive ways. The handicap seating section provides great slight lines for events and is fairly easy to access via the elevator system. You do have to go up to get down once you are in there, but that is not out of the ordinary. We had a wonderful time there recently watching hockey games and enjoying our family time. Great venue.
Tamara Demeree — Google review
Went and saw the Magic vs Trailblazers for spring break and it was one the best experiences I’ve ever had. It is way better to see games live. Get you tickets months in advance. Really cool place.
Anthony Traeger — Google review
went to a basketball game. the view is pretty good even from the top levels! Well i was 219 first row and it was pretty good. be aware of the bag/purse size allowance, I was over just for a bit and they sent me back to store in a locker that cost fifteen bucks
margo torres — Google review
The photos shown are from the legend A club box at an Orlando magic game. The club services were as good as it gets at any sporting event anywhere. The view from these seats was amazing as we could see the action at both ends of the floor without any obstructions. The parking deck was incredibly easy to get into and even easier to get out of and be on your way. The signage inside the arena is a bit challenging if you’re not familiar with arenas and stadiums elsewhere. It is a worthwhile experience. I’m looking forward to going again.
Steve Cooper — Google review
Very nice facility. Went here for our first Magic game and parking was good along with the time at the game. There was plenty of food choices and the bathroom lines were reasonable. I took my son and still felt like it was a family friendly place.
nick allo — Google review
Absolutely beautiful premises! Attended the Juan Luis Guerra concert and it was outstanding! Joe and Sarah were super friendly and gave us great tips for future concerts. The facilities are very clean and the staff extremely organized.
Irmarie Govind — Google review
We took the whole family here to watch Orlando magics, we had a great time. Great entertainment throughout the game, easy parking with the parking garage right next door with a link bridge. Super friendly staff, easy ordering system for snacks and beers. We had good seats too. We will definitely be going again when come next year:)
J&F Drainage — Google review
Great place and super new and clean. The rooms that you separate are very nice and the food was very good. The view to the court is nice from the rooms.
Very good experience and the staff was very friendly and helpful at all times. The drinks were cold and on point, nothing was wrong and we had an excellent visit !!
Juanma Santiago — Google review
Watched Orlando Magic play the Portland Trailblazers at the Kia Center. The Security are quite strict about the small pouch size and eventually let us through. Awesome atmosphere and the Staff were helpful when I asked them for information. Food outlets and Merchandise stores scattered around the arena. Cashless payments, Card only
William Lin — Google review
One of my many loves of my life is the Orlando Magic and I have been bleeding the blue for the Orlando Magic since I was five years old. I remember the days of the old arena which was known as the Orlando Arena than the TD Waterhouse Center. I was there for one of the first ever games ever played @ the Amway Center which was a preseason game when the arena open in 2010. Some of the most Magical Moments of my life have happened at the Amway Center since it has open in 2010. It’s one of the best entertainment venues in all the world not just the United States it’s been graced by some of the best acts in the entertainment realm. Where ever you sit with in the Amway Center you will have a great seat to greatness meaning your view of what ever you might be watching is on point from where ever you a sitting. They have great amenities for you to choose from like great food, drinks, and team merchandise. They have an awesome bar that sits @ center court know as Bud Light Baseline Bar
Conveniently located across from concessions, this destination is open to all guests. They have one of the best team stores in all of the NBA and I am not just saying that because I am a die hard fan, they provide world class customer service every where you go @ the Amway Center. Another swanky place that’s located within the legendary walls of the the Amway Center is The Skytop Lounge which my wife and I loved, they have great drinks there and a beautifully stunning view of the Orlando Skyline. The last thing I want to talk about in my opinion is the most amazing part of the Amway Experience other than watching the great Orlando Magic play is The Orlando Magic Hall of Fame which chronicles the history of the Orlando Magic and the history of the greatest players who have ever played for our beloved Orlando Magic. If you ever make your way to The City Beautiful know as Orlando, FL and want a Magical Experience in the world of Art, Music, Comedy, Sports, or any other form of Entertainment you can think of book it @ the World Famous Amway Center. I hope my Magical Review brings you to Our City Beautiful and The Amway Center thank you again for coming on another review adventure with me till next time.
David Linck — Google review
Super comfortable seats. Spacious parking. Friendly staff and security was doing their job perfectly. The vibe and atmosphere pays the admission price by themselves.
The Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics NBA match was tremendously fun and entertaining from tip-off up until the final buzzer. Would recommend to attend any activity, game, concert, etc. with family and friends to make a memorable and unforgettable experience.
Dylan Cedres — Google review
Unforgettable Night of Freestyle Music at Amway Arena!
I attended the Freestyle Explosion Throwback Jam at Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida, and it was an unforgettable concert experience. The lineup of legendary freestyle artists delivered electrifying performances, capturing the essence of the genre. The production values were top-notch, with excellent sound quality and dazzling visuals. The event showcased the unity and nostalgia shared by fans of all ages. The well-organized show kept the energy high throughout, leaving a renewed appreciation for freestyle music. Don't miss the next Freestyle Explosion event for a mesmerizing journey into the hits that defined an era.
Yuliya Mariani — Google review
Arena is easy to navigate. Clear easy to understand signs. The seating is a extra comfortable anywhere your are in the arena along with great views all the way around. Looking forward to both games and events here, nice to have another experience other than the traditional parks.
J.C. Bert — Google review
Great day parking was easy. Had a fun time watching the Solar Bears win against South Carolina. Kids had a great time. Highly recommend going on the school day game they do every year
Eddy Stinson — Google review
Great modern stadium. Easy getting in and out of, the facilities are clean with lots of food and drink stations. Good view from pronounce every seat. Only downside was the game was pretty dull. Magic ran away with it, so wasn’t exactly competitive.
Carlos Uploads — Google review
We attended the Magic vs. Heat game on a Sunday. We sat in row 13 behind the Magic bench and it was the perfect spot.
We walked around to get the free samples and stuff. Got some beer and White Claw. My White Claw was the large can and was about $12.00.
We got parking right next to the arena for $20.00. There was no wait to get in, but we also got there over an hour early.
There is only one smoking section and it isn’t labeled. You have to ask where it is. They stamp your arm so you can come back in. When you come back in, you walk through a metal detector again.
Melissa Eason — Google review
Attending the Orlando Magic game was an incredible experience! The atmosphere was electric, the game was intense, and the entertainment, including the halftime show, was top-notch. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the overall energy of the crowd made it a truly memorable event. I can't wait to go back!
"Watch the amazing halftime show we caught at the Orlando Magic basketball game! From gravity-defying acrobatics to high-flying dunks, it's a must-see!"
Travis — Google review
Great venue for NBA basketball! Impressive, easy to access and great very loud crowd! What an experience! Plenty of parking around the venue and places to eat. Hamburger Mary’s was good! Drinks in venue a bit on the pricey side, we made the mistake of going into the fans shop on arrival, once in you can’t go back outside to enjoy the atmosphere, so plan visit accordingly. Impressed with our visit!
Claire Beeson — Google review
The circus was simply amazing the performance and the dance especially with the fire was breathtaking. This is a very family friendly event to do on the weekend. We all enjoyed it. Greatest show on earth lol maybe but definitely worth it.
Johnny Jon — Google review
My daughter gave me tix for my birthday. Had the best seats so enjoyed the concert even more! Pink was fantastic! It was so touching to see her daughter come out and sing with Pink. The acrobatics of course were still fabulous.
Jean Roberts — Google review
My friend and I went to see Nicki Minaj for the Pink Friday 2 World Tour at this stadium. We sat in Sec 214 Row 15 Seat 25. The seating from that area was steep and it was somewhat hard to see the stage. I wish they would hang TVs near the ceiling area instead of the shirts hung up. Overall, we were seated quickly and it was quick to go through the lines/security. I would recommend buying tickets in advance if you’re wanting a closer seat.
The Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier is an iconic landmark on Florida's Space Coast. Originally built in 1962, it has been restored to its former glory and now stretches 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. This historic pier is a popular tourist destination, offering a variety of amenities such as restaurants, bars, boutiques, and live musical entertainment. It is also known for its excellent surfing conditions and fishing opportunities.
Beautiful spot for a date night! This pier has two restaurants/bars, the staff is very friendly and give fast and excellent service. It’s also kept very clean along with their bathrooms too. My husband and I had a great time!
Caroline Parker — Google review
Perfect for families and friends to hang out catch the views and see some surfing as well. Food is decent but sure it could be better off the pier and cheaper. However you can miss the views especially sunrise
Elisabeth Concepcion — Google review
Westgate Pier is a wonderful experience.
The pier has various restaurants, bars, and gift shops.
Eat and drink overlooking the beach ⛱️ and ocean. Excellent food and drinks at reasonable prices. Nice beach vibes! Play on the sand and ocean and enjoy good food.
I highly recommend Westgate Pier as a vacation destination.
🤗😊😃👍
CHRIS MOSQUERA — Google review
Best day ever! Weather was great! Sat at the bar &grill quickly, waiter got our drinks fast (although we asked for light ice.. still great) , food came quick and tasted awesome! A bit on the pricy side, but for a date with the hubby, it was worth it! We had the crab and shrimp dip. The bowl of clams, and the coconut shrimp. It totaled about 54 before taxes so like I said, not too bad for where we were. I totally recommend!
Michelle Fatnassi — Google review
I prefer to go early morning around sunrise time with my camera. Stopped in the day after hurricane Ian, and the surfers were out full force. Here are some of the pics and they didn't disappoint for a large crowd.
find me on Instagram for more @zech.browning.75
Zech.Browning.75 — Google review
It’s a nice pier to go to. We went during Memorial Day weekend. Fairly busy. Lots of food options on the pier. Restrooms on the pier as well. You can also watch the surfers by the pier. Good views of Kennedy Space Center from the pier Coaches..
mmzombie • — Google review
Those who try to enter the pier after 7pm will be held to wait for an hour before allowed entry. There was a long line. I have no idea why. We had been there earlier in the day with easy entry.
Mary Ann “Mrs. Small” Small — Google review
Very nice pier. Free parking. A few gift shops. A couple of restaurants. First one is in an open area of the pier but covered. A great view of the beach, looking south.
Binder Vegas — Google review
A few dining options and a small gift shop. Parking lot is pay to enter. Food and drinks are reasonable at the restaurant but are often crowded on the weekend and have slower service.
This summer the seaweed on the Florida coast is out of control. The fun of playing in the ocean and on the beach is greatly diminished by the quantity it rough seaweed.
High Alpha RC — Google review
The pier is home to many memories for a lot of locals and visitors alike. Once it was just a pier, unruly and full of fishermen and kids. It has in recent years been "gentrified" into what I might call a "family-fun-food experience."
The food is much improved in 2023, and the Hawaiian ice shop has expanded and is a big draw. There are...hold on, let me count...3 or 4 bars, all under the same management and dependant on weather. The tiki hut at the end, the outside in the wall with tables around, and the one that's been there since the old days, under a roof but open to the elements after the ramp
It's changed a lot over the years, but the changes make it an easy place to relax. Very rarely are there "drunks" making a scene. There are no televisions (mercifully, please never change that) so loud game days happen elsewhere. And a large percentage of the customers are just passing through on their way to a cruise or other Florida fun.
The staff is all well trained and unlike many (many) other local places, they all seem happy to be there. At least they are professional and don't air kitchen/bar complaints and gossip. They know the locals, very many by name. Myself included.
As a person living locally I walk there about three times a week to absorb other people's vacation positivity. I have met many interesting people and had many conversations with people I will never see again, but that's the transient nature of a destination beach town. It's the charm of the Pier.
P.S. I've lost a couple of pairs of glasses to the strong winds out there, so batten down the hatches!
DJ Kinney — Google review
My Husband and I visited Cocoa Beach Pier with our boys during Spring Break 2023 to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary. We had such a good time and the most perfect weather from sunrise to the evening when we finally left. Parking fee was reasonable for the day. It seemed like a magical place because everyone we met there also were happy and enjoying themselves. We will definitely come back. Although we didn’t go to the Tiki bar, because we brought a picnic, we did venture up and around the store to get a higher view. I miss this place already!
Julianne Roybal — Google review
Nice pier with a few places to eat and shop. Kept clean and has nice benches if your not eating or drinking. Plenty of security which is good. 4 stars because it’s more crowded then most places.
Grouper 305 — Google review
Access to the pier is free but you will pay for parking. There are a few restaurants located at the entrance to the pier and along the pier itself. The tables along the pier are first-come first-serve dedicated to the restaurants and there were only a couple of benches where the general public could sit. There is a super cute tiki bar at the very end of the pier.
Tricia Palomino — Google review
I like all the improvements they have made over the years. Fun place for families. Surfing 🏄♂️ 🌊 🏄♀️ the waves.
Excellent restaurants with delicious meals and drinks at reasonable prices.
A must-see on your travel list.
🤗😊
CHRIS MOSQUERA — Google review
This was a beautiful pier. Our issue was that the security guard was extremely rude! To not only us, but we observed him being rude to others too. No Bueno.
Also was frustrated that they closed the bar super early because "nobody was there", in their words. Disappointing. All of the shops were closed too. Would've loved to have spent more time here, but... oh well.
Meagan B — Google review
Cocoa Beach is short drive and a nice getaway from the typical Orlando family vacation. The pier is a nice spot to watch surfers, volleyball or rockets launching from Cape Canaveral. Has some gift shops a couple bars and places to grab some food.
Glenn DiResto — Google review
Pier has a lot to offer, restaurants, gift shops, benches to sit and watch the waves, surf lessons and just great place to take a walk. Enjoy.
Александр М — Google review
We had a fun time at the pier. There’s a few shops and restaurants along with a nice view of the beach.
This was a great tour around the river and wetlands. The captain pointed out lots of examples of the local wildlife including birds, gators and plants/trees. It was educational and a great ride.
Headphones allow you to hear the captains explanations over the noise of the boat and wind.
Holding a gator at the end was a great touch and connected us to the wild gators we saw on the tour.
Art Stanton — Google review
This is a hidden gem. A relaxed, educational and fun time with a cool take off spot. The store has cool swag and a gator picture. It's Florida at it's best. Good people, good time and easy to book.
Daniel Ritchie — Google review
Captain Tony was awesome. We all had a great time. We saw alligators, different birds and even cows. I highly recommend it. You can take your phone and get lots of great pictures.
Jennifer Proudfoot — Google review
The airboat ride was a lot of fun. We were able to see several alligators, including some very big ones. We also saw a lot of different birds including eagles. Captain Sammy was funny, informative and made it an awesome experience. We were a family of 8 which also included teenagers and grandparents and we all really enjoyed it. We also all liked holding the alligator. This was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Amazing experience with an awesome airboat captain. Way better than any 60 second amusement park ride. We saw loads of wildlife and had loads of fun skipping across the water with the wind in our faces. And of course we got to hold a baby alligator at the end. Will definitely be back next time we're in the area!
Mark Schleimer — Google review
Had an airboat tour with Captain Sammy, and what a great experience! She was funny, safe, full of knowledge, and made sure we all had a great time. We saw over 40 gators big & small, tons of wildlife, and a great trip. After we got to hold a baby gator and see some of the other animals they have on site. Money well spent and worth the drive as this was an unforgettable experience. Awesome job Captain Sammy!!
brad l — Google review
We had an amazing adventure with Midway. We had some friends in from out of town who wanted to see alligators. We saw so many gators, as well as beautiful birds and a magnificent landscape of marsh and cypress swamp. Our Captain Tony was so friendly and knowledgeable. We even were able to hold a small gator at the end of the tour. I will definitely use Midway again. Thanks!
Christine Posada — Google review
TLDR: This tour is well worth the money. You will not be disappointed!
My friend and I went on the one hour airboat tour, and we could not have had a more enjoyable time. I have been lucky enough to travel the world and see many areas, but this was by far one of the prettiest places I have ever been. There's so much to look at - gators, manatees, birds, and even cows. The water is so pretty, the trees are cool looking, and the guides are super knowledgeable and passionate about what they're doing. Our guide would stop and get us as close as possible to the gators (without causing them any distress) so we could take pictures. He did this throughout the tour if he saw something really interesting, unique, etc.
As an added bonus, the building where you check in has different types of snakes, a huge pig (who loves belly scratches), birds, and more, which you can see and, depending on the animal, touch. There is also an area with multiple baby gators, and at the end of the tour you get to hold one of them and take a picture.
Haley Gray — Google review
Believe the reviews! We had a trip planned to the Space Coast and decided to try an airboat ride before we headed back to the airport. I scoured local places and read the reviews and was sold on Midway. We had an amazing time - calm but fun, peaceful but exciting! Our captain, Justin, was a great guide, answered tons of questions, and made it a super chill experience. Come for the gators, stay for the pig, birds, cats… Highly recommend!
Fadra Nally — Google review
We had Captain Sami and she was AMAZING!!! My kiddos, although a tad chilly said later it was one of their favorite parts about our vacation. We saw cattle with their calf - gators - gorgeous views and tons of birds. Great experience and completely worth it, holding the baby alligator at the end was cool too.
Victoria Dietz — Google review
We had a great time! Our guide, TONY was the best! Lots to see, gators, cows grazing in the water up to their necks, herons, hawks, eagles, pink birds, black birds! Cypress swamp was beautiful! We were down here for the race but this was truly at the top of the list for the weekend! This needs to be on your to do list.
Shamus Harris — Google review
Absolutely loved this experience. We just moved to Florida and this was a great way to learn more about the state. We got to see so much wildlife, and got to be in nature. Our guide was amazing. She was funny and didn't kill us so I'd say that's a plus. Kind welcoming people with a sense of humor. 10/10 recommend 👌
Kaelyn Hops — Google review
We had THE BEST time at Midway! We spent 5 days in FL doing many excursions and everyone agreed that this was our favorite!! Our captain was fun, kind, and so knowledgeable! She even stopped to take pictures of our groups and answer questions. We saw a ton of gators, cows, and birds! We all loved holding the alligator at the end too! So much fun! Highly recommend!!
Danielle Betti — Google review
We absolutely loved this place. Our schedule changed and we ended up arriving 2 hours early, hoping to get out earlier. They made special accommodations for us and took such good care of us. My kids also loved all the animals while we waited for the ride and our tour guide was amazing. For sure one of the most memorable days of our trip. I’ll come back here every time we visit Orlando. Such a fun experience!
Josh Robbins — Google review
Captain Sammi was the best! She had us out on the water for an hour and 15 minutes. The whole trip she was giving us fact after fact about everything we saw out on the water. We saw a lot of gators and birds, we had a bald eagle fly right over our heads it was incredible. At the end we got the chance to hold a 3 year old alligator it was an amazing experience and I highly recommend to anyone who loves nature.
West Brunswick — Google review
I’ve been many times in the past few years and it’s always amazing. The beauty, wildlife, gators and Captains are the best there is. Thanks Captain Tony and Sammie. We bring all our guests here. Online booking makes it easy.
anne bowman — Google review
Very fun experience. You get to hold the bird and there’s animals like cats and a potbelly pig. The airboat ride is fun and the guide, Tony, was very entertaining and informative. Very relaxing at times and gets fun going up in speed. You get to hold a small alligator at the end!
Sean Green — Google review
Orlando is not just parks. A must if you want a wild but safe experience!! 🐊 🚤☀️
My kids enjoyed it too.
Captain Chris made it an unforgettable experience.
Alejandra Concha — Google review
We came without a reservation but we were able to make it on the next boat with a group of 5. It was about 50$ per person, it may be cheaper to get tickets online ahead of time. Our guide was amazing and knew a lot about the area ! He was fun and we did the last tour of the evening. The views were beautiful and we would do a boat tour again for sure ! To our guide : thank you for the memories !!
Kortney DeMent — Google review
Very pleasant experience. Would recommend. The hour tour is just the right amount of time. We were able to see beautiful wildlife and extraordinary beauty in the cypress marsh. Our Captain was pleasant and informative. We left feeling very happy we took the tour.
carolgilmo — Google review
Airboat Rides at Midway is a great way to see wildlife in the Florida waters. One hour gives you enough time to see gators, cows and birds. The airboat itself is smooth and a fun ride for you and your family. The guide, Captain Justin, was super friendly and knowledgeable. You are given headsets to hear the captain who explains the area and lets you know what to see. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who likes boat rides and wildlife.
Daniel Carro — Google review
It was nice and sunny day
Out boat tour started morning
And we saw many alligators coming out in the sun and other native wildlife during the tour.
It was nice experience
Dhiraj Kharche — Google review
Fantastic experience. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. It wasn't very warm so most of the animals were hiding but it was still a great ride. You can hold one of the parrots and an alligator too.
The amusement park offers a variety of exhibits, shows, and attractions that are sure to please visitors of all ages. Highlights include the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit and the Rocket Garden. There is also a Heroes & Legends exhibit featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame presented by Boeing.
This was our first family visit. We had a wonderful visit, Super educational. Highly recommend as it's so much history and truly something for every age. I wish I had more time to spend as could not manage to experience all the exhibits with kids and family. Everything, the movies are very informative. Shuttle Launch Experience heard it was good which they closed by the time we could get the kids from the bathroom but heard it was very good. Take the bus to the Apollo Center to touch a Moon rock.
Mohammed Aamir — Google review
We absolutely loved this place. Loads to see, do and play with. Very interesting tours and information everywhere. The children loved it, I loved it and the wife loved it. The place is huge, so sadly we couldn’t do or see it all in the time we had, so would require a second trip. If we ever go back to Florida, we will definitely go here again and see the rest. So many great memories. Please go and visit, you won’t be disappointed.
Mark Brown — Google review
We enjoyed the space history and seeing plans and preparations for the future. Saw the new private companies buildings and launch pads. This is the 3rd time I've been here in 10 years and I still want to come back for more. Well worth the price. We took the extended bus tour this time. So glad we did. Should have brought water though.
Vonnie Sheadel — Google review
What an incredible place to visit. There is so much history and shared beautifully. We went on a Sunday in July it wasn't too busy but very hot. When waiting for the bus over to see Apollo, they had fans and misters. They did a great job keeping those buses moving and people transported fairly quickly. Nice day
Melissa Norton — Google review
My children and I (ages 43, 24, 20, and 17) enjoyed this visit so much. Everything was so informational and exciting. We went a little late in the day, and can recommend that you get there as early as possible. Staff was helpful and gave suggestions on which exhibits we had time for and how to get to each one. The bus rides were pleasant and the videos shown were entertaining and informative. We plan to make our next visit start earlier and include two days so that we can see as much as possible.
Christina Tricker — Google review
The Kennedy Space Center was amazing. It is informative, it is cool, and it’s a lot to take in and see in one day. I recommend arriving when the place opens. I arrived one hour after and did not have time for the bus tour.
Nice place to take kids if you have them or go alone/group/couple. Experience is for all ages.
They have a Space Shuttle experience and many other attractions for all to enjoy.
Cynthia Q — Google review
Visiting NASA fulfilled one of my childhood dreams, and after experiencing it, I realized that dreaming about coming here from childhood is truly worthwhile. NASA doesn't just provide information; it offers actual experiences. For instance, instead of just describing the shuttle crew's experiences, they let us actively engage with it. The shuttle descent, for example, can be experienced through intelligently created slides. If you're into science, this is a must-visit place. I'll definitely come again.
Sahan Perera — Google review
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has so much to offer, but the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit stole the show for me. Seeing a space shuttle – one that actually flew missions – is awe-inspiring. The way they've presented Atlantis, tilted and with its cargo bay doors open, makes you appreciate the sheer complexity of these machines.
There are plenty of other cool exhibits (and that simulated launch is also a must!), but if you're fascinated by the shuttle program, make sure to dedicate time to Atlantis. Between the films, displays, and being so close to an actual orbiter, it's an experience that leaves you in awe of human achievement.
Also, spend at least 2 days and also book the explorer tour, it is 2 hours and worth every second!
Edward Wright — Google review
This is an AMAZING place to visit. My kids were super excited about the Planet Play playground and I had a great time playing with them. I can easily say this is the absolute BEST playground I've ever been to (we've been to A LOT!). I mean the place is full with amazing experiences and tons of exciting things to see and learn. One day was not enough for me. I hope we can make our way back someday.
Eve Newsom — Google review
In the four years we’ve visited family , we have avoided the space center due to the cost of admission. We thought we would give it a try to see what it was all about and WOW it exceeded our expectations. Our visit here was our favorite part of our trip this year. There’s so much to do and to see , we actually didn’t get to see it all! Quite frankly , if you have kids, a two day admission might be the way to go! We really enjoyed the way this experience is guided and organized but yet you can do it at your own pace. We took the bus tour and that was a fun excursion! Our favorite exhibit was the Atlantis building ! So much fun. We actually took our 5 month old and he enjoyed it rolling around in a stroller! It’s a great mixture of indoors and outdoors . We will definitely visit again.
Kortney DeMent — Google review
Got off our cruise early and decided to give it a look. We arrived right as the gates opened which would prove to be a phenomenal idea. Received the military discount at the easy to use self checkout kiosk and in we went. Most every attraction we went to we only had a dozen or less people with us. Around lunch it was definitely crowded. Our impromptu visit just happened to be on the anniversary date of the very first shuttle launch which was very cool. Not only that but meeting Steve Swanson was amazing ! When we saw Atlantis presented the way it was I got chills like a little boy. The attractions and history were absolutely amazing. Something that without a shadow of a doubt needs to be brought back into service. Plenty of bathrooms throughout and if you decided to eat there they actually have a great selection to include an amazing salad. Definitely wouldn’t mind visiting again, an overall blast for two grown ups. Lastly every staff member we encountered from the gate guard to the restaurant cashier were amazing, helpful, and polite.
david willis — Google review
Very memorable experience and well worth the $57 ticket price! I thought it was kinda expensive, but after the first attraction I realized why they ask that price. It is much more than just reading plaques and looking at exhibits… there’s so much to do and participate in! Plan on spending the entire day there. Got there at 9am and left at about 4:45pm. We saw almost everything in one day and we were hustling! I can see how the two day pass can be worth it if you are in the area a while. Came on a Sunday in late January and it was fairly crowded. We didn’t wait in lines too long, but on an extremely busy day, there’s no way you could see everything in one day. The park is outdoors as much as it is indoors so dress accordingly to the weather! Parking $10, several food places with fair prices.
Lauren — Google review
Lots of activities! Lots of
information! Lots of walking to do! I was glad as a middle aged individual that we purchased a 2 day pass, so that we could split the activities. You can't see everything in one day! Did about 5 major activities the first day including the bus tour (which is a must do). Lots of food and merchant memorabilia around, impossible to go hungry. Ample parking and rest rooms.
Bernard Aitcheson — Google review
Well worth the money!! Suggest bringing cash for parking cos only 1 booth accepts credit card. The IMAX Asteroid Hunters 3D was incredibly well made and informative. The bus tour culminating at the Apollo/Saturn V exhibit was amazing as well. Atlantis exhibit was great but could’ve done without the 2 mini movies to get in. Overall 10/10!!
Jack Pelon — Google review
One of the best theme-park-meet-museum places I've ever been to. Outstanding quality and quantity of expositions, extremely helpful and engaged staff, great depth of information adequate both for children and adults. There are some amazing simulator rides to be had, and multiple reveal moments that will just floor you. The Saturn V rocket is a sight to behold. A must see in Florida, if not in the entire US!
Szlafroq — Google review
Woah!! We've been huge fans of the space program since we were kids in the early 70's- and nothing, I mean nothing could have prepared us for this experience!!! The amount of hard work, the attention to detail, the history that literally comes to life in real time!!!! The food is wonderful! The staff there are friendly, and have tremendous knowledge that they are eager to share! If you haven't been, book a trip now! If you have been, tell a few friends and go back together! WOW!
Mike P — Google review
Such a great place to visit with family and kids. A lot to learn about space, shuttles and missions. Highly recommend to buy two day admission tickets and register ahead of time for virtual reality experiences. It’s so much fun! Atlantis experience was my favorite by far 👍 make sure you check out the second floor of the gift shop, you can talk to a real astronaut there, get an autograph, take a picture and ask him a question! I’m glad we scheduled this trip on a weekdays! We also got a chance to watch the Falcon9 launch on a second day! Transportation ticket was about $70 extra per person, bus takes you to the spectators place about 3.3 miles away from launch! This is once in a lifetime experience 💯
Zarina Salimova — Google review
A must see place if you are interested and into space exploration. The indoor and outdoor exhibits are top notch and amazing. Plan on spending at least a full day to fully enjoy everything. I was blown away by how well everything was and the size of the exhibits. Great for all ages.
Reuben Reyes — Google review
What a cool place! We have 7 year old twins and could've definitely split this up across a couple of days. We were here all day and started running low on the food we brought and little kids patience. Overall though, everything was great. There was enough to keep the kids and adults entertained.
Brandon Young — Google review
Great place to take students on field trip! I can’t wait to go back in a day that I can explore on my own! The American audacity to explore space is amazing!
The lunch provided on the field trip was amazing. It is such a professionally run operation. The educators were top notch.
John Martinez — Google review
An amazing experience. Great place to take the kids for a day. I recommend doing the explorer tour, well with it. Getting to see all the launch pads and even a couple of bonus things that day. Can spend the entire day here easily. Seeing the Saturn 5 rocket in real life is just incredible
Kyle B. — Google review
Far exceeded my expectations!
I'll start by saying I'm not a huge space nerd or anything (though a general nerd for sure!), and this destination wasn't at the top of my list of places to visit on my Florida trip. I thought the admission price was a bit steep, but I was in the area (and survived the sticker shock of Disney), so decided to go for it.
I went with my wife and 2 and 5 year old daughters. There was so much for all of us to do! The Planet Play, which is basically a giant indoor playground, was amazing. My girls could have just stayed there all day. The exhibits elsewhere were both interactive and informative.
The bus trip to see the Saturn V rocket was absolutely worth it. It just has to be seen to believe how massive it is. The Space Shuttle Atlantis was phenomenal... Actually everything was.
We only got to see a fraction of what there was to see and experience (kids got tired). If I were there by myself, I could have easily spent at least a couple days here. It absolutely exceeded all of my expectations.
Gravel Rider — Google review
Really great place to visit with the family or just adults. There is a lot more to do here than 10 years ago and with minimal wait lines compared to other theme parks. We had a great time and and I would suggest paying extra for the KSC extended bus tour as it stops at a lot of very educational and interesting spots for a once in a lifetime viewing opportunity.
Todd Lewis — Google review
A fantastic learning experience. There are a ton of things to see and do. A crammed full day to try to see as much as possible is doable if you're aware of the times for all the movies and experiences. I snapped a couple photos at the entrance of the attractions and times and flowed from one thing to the next pretty easily and started at 10am. Highly recommend and will always want to come back!
Neal Barham — Google review
Amazing attraction! A must see place for the historical value and the overall value for the history of the human race. The park is well setup, easy to navigate, perfectly managed and organised. I was particularly impressed with the amount of objects of historical importance put in display. You don't want to miss the area dedicated to the Apollo mission . Just a wonderful experience, money well spent. If you can, you should plan the visit over two days as there is a lot to see. Also, make sure not to miss the bus tour!
Simo Calandra — Google review
We had a good time there. With the senior citizen discount it was $70 each plus tax and an extra $10 for parking so it cost over $160 for two of us. Without the discount admission was $75 +tax, and active duty military was $70. They are turning it into a theme park compared to the last time I was there in 1981 which was much different.
I would suggest getting there as early as possible to get to see everything and bring plenty of money.
William McMahon — Google review
This was one of the best experience I've ever had! Just amazed by the exhibition! If you really want to see everything, you'll need more than one day. In one day you can cover pretty everything but without spending much time by reading. It is impressive, huge and amazing! I don't regret any dollars I spent there, and it wasn't cheap. If I'll have opportunity, I'll return
Fillip H — Google review
We had a family trip on December 2023 during Christmas must visit Kennedy Space Center an incredible experience! 🚀✨ It's awesome to see rockets and great work what scientist and astronauts doing and how there journeys are and you can enjoy some food and coffee there. (Even if it was a bit pricey, )
but the overall experience was worth it. Would definitely recommend.!
Sanchita Sen — Google review
My 13 year old son and I visited about a week ago on a Saturday. It took us quite a bit of time to be able to park- so many people on a Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m.! Learn from us and get there earlier. :)
Once we made it past the gates, we absolutely loved our time at the space center. We paid for the Explore Bus Tour. I have no idea what the other bus tour is like but this one was great. The driver made lots of stops so we could get out and take pictures. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and kept us engaged the entire time.
Seeing Saturn V and watching all the presentations/mini-movies are an absolute must! So fascinating and awe-inspiring! I love history and this place was just wonderful! I loved learning about the astronauts and all the men and women that have worked so hard on our space program.
Even if you’re not in love with learning about history, this place is still incredible to see. Oh- and yes, there were a lot of people there but because the visitor center is SO big, it never felt like there were TOO many people. Large crowds were never a big problem for us while there.
Annalee R — Google review
Atlantis was our favorite part, the reveal was amazing and we enjoyed the launch experience. The bus tour was great and very informative. We spent the entire day there and it was enough time for our group. We waited a while to get in but once inside it didn't feel overly crowded and the lines weren't terribly long. One of the employees even showed us a video of himself driving the Mars rover and told us what it was like to do so. This was awesome and put it over the top for our kids.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Watching a live Discovery episode about space travel is the best way to describe it. Don't expect a theme park with intense attractions; instead, it's an educational park where everything is meticulously arranged. The atmosphere is more relaxed than in the big parks, and the staff are a bit friendlier and more helpful. This makes the experience at the KSC a 5-star one. We also had the privilege of witnessing a launch from the grandstands, which was definitely the highlight of the day. We spent 6 hours in the park, including waiting time, so you can easily fill a whole day there.
Steve Graveé — Google review
What a great experience! You can spend the entire day here exploring. There are even training sessions but book way in advance if you want to do those. They offer different tour packages if you're interested in that too. Bus tour is included in the general ticket purchase and well worth taking. Fun surprises throughout the buildings! Must for everyone!
Jennifer Reamer — Google review
My visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was an out-of-this-world experience! I was captivated by the sense of wonder and exploration that permeates every corner of this incredible facility. The Visitor Complex offers a perfect blend of education, entertainment, and inspiration for visitors of all ages. From the awe-inspiring rocket displays to the interactive exhibits showcasing the history and future of space exploration, there's something here to ignite the imagination of every visitor. One of the highlights of my visit was the chance to see real spacecraft up close, including the iconic Saturn V rocket and the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Standing in the shadow of these engineering marvels was a humbling reminder of the incredible achievements of humanity in space exploration.
The educational opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex are second to none. The staff are passionate and knowledgeable, offering insightful commentary and engaging presentations that bring the wonders of space to life in a way that's accessible to visitors of all ages.
I am so disappointed that I could not wait until evening to visit a rocket launch the same evening I was there.
Overall, my visit to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was truly unforgettable. Whether you're a space enthusiast or simply curious about the wonders of the universe, this is a must-visit destination that will leave you inspired and in awe of the endless possibilities of space exploration. It stands the epitome of what mankind can do - to make the impossible possible.
Santhosh Janardhanan — Google review
If you are into space exploration, the space program, or a history buff, this is the place. We came on a week day, but it was still pretty crowded. Lots of spring break families with their kids. You can take a bus tour to the Saturn program museum. Neat to see the rockets, control rooms, and artifacts from this era. Another building has interactive flight simulators. We chose Mars, the red planet. These are short, maybe 20 minutes, and the chairs move and roll with the simulation. There is also an astronauts hall of fame. We spent only 4 hours but you need at least a day to see everything.
Steve Karl — Google review
This was a unique experience for sure. It seems to be more geared towards children than adults but it does have appeal for adults. There is a lot to see and the 2 day pass is far cheaper per day than a 1 day pass. We went for 1 day and was able to get through everything. If you like to read all the plaques and get more involved with the exhibits I'd recommend planning for 2 days as there is a lot to go through. The food line was chaotic and took a long time but the food was good.
Robert Gailie — Google review
Ever since I was little , I have wanted to visit Kennedy Space Center. I was luck to be in the area for school for a few months and finally got the chance. It did not disappoint in one bit. Everything in the park is so interesting, and it all is amazing to take in. While the tickets are a bit pricey (around 90 bucks), it is well worth it and totally understandable from what you actually get. I would advise, bring water and coming early to be able to see everything.
P J — Google review
Amazing. Staff is friendly and accommodating. The exhibits are interesting, interactive, and inspiring. There is so much to do and see. You really need the whole day. I really enjoyed the time here. Also, we greatly appreciate that there were wheelchair rentals for $10 dollars which made all of the exhibits very accessible for my mom. What a great day!!
Becky Lundberg — Google review
Awesome day exploring the space center and we were lucky enough to witness a launch as well. You definitely need all day here to see and experience everything properly. I definitely recommend the simulation of a launch ride. My dad has his mobility scooter and he was treated like a king 😊👍❤️
Lisa McKnight — Google review
Absolutely worth a visit! There's an abundance of learning, activities, and exploration opportunities here. To skip some of the lines, I recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Visiting on a Saturday, we encountered a queue for entry/security. To make the most of your time, prioritize the bus tour upon arrival—it's a fantastic way to beat the rush before the last bus heads out. The Apollo center videos were informative and engaging for all ages. Spotting native wildlife during the bus ride was also a highlight. Food prices were reasonable, and the kids were thrilled with Planet Play—a super cool play space.
Wekiwa Springs State Park is a natural attraction near Orlando, with crystal clear Wekiwa Springs and lush tropical hammocks. You can canoe or kayak the Wekiwa River here with equipment rental available from Central Florida Nature Adventures inside the park.
Nice beautiful state park in Apopka county. The main feature of the park is its spring water pool. Kayaking, canoeing and trails are other features of the park. There is $6 admission fee to the park. Kayaking and canoeing costs $40 for 2 hours and the area is separated from spring pool. The pool is big enough and has clear water. The view around is scenic. People can also picnic around the area near pool. There is restroom available. There is also a small restaurant. The wet to dry trail is beautiful. There is also a 2 mile trail to sand lake which is located at other end of the park. The place is good for all age groups, and the pool also has a section for small kids.
Nareshkumar Acharya — Google review
Great place, clean, rangers are very helpful, kayaks and canoe rentals available or bring your own. Hiking, biking, and equestrian trails are available. Fishing, swimming, snorkeling, lots of wildlife. Campsites clean and well groomed with electric and water, but hard to get into. Come early or you maybe turned away because there is a limit on how many can come in at a time.
Doug — Google review
During summertime the park gets full and there's a car waiting line. There are canoes, stand-up padles, kayak, and bicycles for rent. Since it is a spring, the water is freezing cold, but since the summer is so hot, it's just perfect. We rented a canoe because it did fit 3, and we were lucky to spot 2 alligators, a few turtles, lots of fish, and birds. They have a good structure with bathrooms in two different areas, not so clean, but...
There are also snacks and drinks available for sale.
It's also nice to go for a walk on the boardwalk in a not so hot day.
Leticia Santos — Google review
We rented kayaks. Two hours was the perfect length of time. I was expecting crowds based on what I have read online. We were there on a Tuesday in March and it was not overrun with people. It was actually a peaceful paddle. The spring had people swimming, but not so many that it took away from the experience. Worth the visit.
Prudence Lahti — Google review
Excellent park!
Well-maintained nature, then - almost well-maintained, and then comes wild nature. And it's wonderful!
Several hours passed like minutes.
Canoeing is something special! We did it for the first time and the impressions were the most memorable ... even the Titanic was remembered when they collided in a pair of logs.
Lovely, friendly staff, moderate parking prices. Everything is wonderful, we celebrated my wife's birthday.
Thanks guys!
See you again.
Igor — Google review
This place was awesome and is a must to visit if your on vacation! This is the last thing we did on our vacation in Florida and in my opinion was the most relaxing and enjoyable. I took the boys on a canoe ride and the ladies went to swim in the natural spring. The canoeing was awesome! We saw gators sun bathing, turtles sunbathing, different types of birds foraging, gar fish swimming and other random creatures wandering the park. There was a friendly raccoon that greeted us in the canoe area. Bathrooms were well kept. There are snacks and basic necessities offered for sale in the shop where you also rent the canoes. You could spend hours canoeing, yet we didn’t spend that long. There is also a restaurant you can canoe to through the water ways. They don’t allow maps on the canoes due to potential littering, so have your phone charged if you get lost easy. The natural spring was also a really cool place to swim or sun bathe. Check this place out!
Precision Insulation and Coatings — Google review
It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Wekiwa Springs but it’s natural beauty is still intact. It was a $6 entrance fee for my car. The springs were beautiful and is a great place to swim, snorkel, and float. Their nature center includes some tiny habitats for their snakes, turtles, and gator “Dolly.” A liter pick up station was established and park goers can take a bucket and claw grabber to help maintain this beautiful park. There’s a hiking trail next to the spring and after driving around the property, we soon found the park was a lot larger than we first expected. We saw a tortoise, some deer, and a sign for bears being in the area. A great place to learn, relax, and to enjoy nature!
maryroselol — Google review
Definitely worth a visit.
Rent a canoe (1-3 people) and paddle up the river to see alligators, turtles, vultures, etc and more.
Beautiful place.
The water is at a constant 72 F - great for swimming all year round.
Loads of picnic areas ( there is also a shop, no cafe/restaurant)
Ian Pearce — Google review
Amazing spring with a nice crevasse you can crawl in. Just be careful not to bump your head when you come back up from the water! Kayaking through the river is very fun as well. I could go there every day if I lived closer. It's also a great price to get in so it's well worth checking out.
Zac — Google review
We couldn’t get into Kelly Park on Dec24th, but Wekiwa was nothing less than a great alternative. We made e squirrel friend too. Clear water with canoeing and kayaking. You can have a family picnic too. No rush, no crowd. One of the best Springs in Orlando. A great day spent.!! You would love it.!
Santu Dhua — Google review
$6 admission to a beautiful swimming hole kind volunteers and staff and great kayaking. Food availability with a little convenience store. Park is clean and well maintained.
Ron Kanutski-Comedian — Google review
Absolutely stunning! Coming all the way from Miami, this place feels like paradise on Earth. We spotted alligators, turtles, and the water is incredibly clear. Excellent experience overall. 100% recommended!
Mauricio Castaneda — Google review
This place is one of the gems of Florida I'd say. But before I go deep, I must tell you to arrive early during the weekends, we arrived around 9:30 and there was a line of cars waiting to get in. We got in in approx. 20 minutes.
You pay for the car and you're in. Prices are reasonable. Ample parking was available, so no issues with that.
We headed towards the main area where the springs are. On the way we saw families doing BBQ, music playing and what not. It was pretty nice to see people enjoying and actually happy.
Arriving at the springs area was kind of overwhelming due to large number of people, there's no limit to how many people can be in the park at the same time. Apart from that the place is stunning.
The change rooms and restrooms are available not very far from the springs.
Don't forget to bring a good sun screen cream (SPF 70, I'd say) as it can get very hot.
The springs are crystal clear and very beautiful, the average depth is I guess 4-5' but don't take my word for it, practise caution while swimming. Water is moderately warm.
There is a kayaking area as well for those who love kayaking.
As the day advances, the number of people gets higher and higher, at one point of time, there were at least 500 people in the area surrounding the springs.
Due to heavy crowds and no control over that, I'll reserve my one star. Else this is an amazing place to be with kids and adults alike.
Abhi S — Google review
Very pretty and clean natural spring, super close to the Orlando area. Kids & Adults love it! Only $6 per vehicle (up to 8 people) easy to park and well maintained bathroom area. Lots of animals around (we were able to see a deer, a couple of wild turkeys, an armadillo . Make sure to bring your mask, snorkel and cute lifesavers to enjoy the day.
(Water is 72 °F all year long)
M.S80 — Google review
Just stayed at this park's campground just this past weekend and here's my review...The camp sites are spacious with plenty of shade from the tall trees, no full hookups, only water and electric, but our site was just a few steps away from the restrooms. The restrooms are dated, but they were fairly clean. We stayed at sites 42 and 43, there's about 60 campsites total. The park itself is beautiful; love the tall pine trees and other vegetation. The wildlife here is abundant. You are most likely to see plenty of turtles walking around, squirrels, wild turkeys, deers, and if you're lucky, a bobcat or two. The spring is pretty cool, there's a big open area like a big natural pool and the water pumps out of a deep opening (the spring) around the front of the "pool". The water is cold but refreshing if it's really hot out. The visibility is ok, but not great..there's a lot of algae. The pool itself is not deep..an average of about 4 ft. The river that connects to the spring continues behind the pathway that crosses over the spring and that is where you can pick up kayaks/canoes/paddle boards after renting them at the concession store located by the parking lot. In my opinion, the areas of improvement would be adding more activities, maybe more animal encounters, etc. The entrance to the park is also a BIG issue. If it's a weekend, you have to arrive before the park opens at 8AM, or you may be waiting outside for hours. This can be avoided if you are staying at the campground and drive to the spring parking lot before the park opens (the campground and spring are NOT in walking distance of each other). Overall, we had a nice experience, and I definitely recommend visiting this park at least once.
J C — Google review
HUGE CONTAC WITH THE NATURE!!Very nice place to spend time with family and friends!! GOOD TO RELAX DO Barbecues Camping 🏕 swimming 🏊♀️ kayaking 🛶 .... and more..... Security no alcohol allows. Follow the rules and schedule to have fun!!
Ivelisse Lopez — Google review
One of the many natural springs in Florida. This is a great alternative to the theme parks in Orlando and another activity to check off the list when traveling to Orlando. This is just a short drive from all the major attractions. The clarity of the water is amazing. The temperature is cool year round but once you jump in, it feels good during the hot summer days. They have a canoe and kayak rental spot on site. This is very convenient for those of us that are coming out of state and don't have our own equipment. I had a blast swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking on this park. Be prepared to see a bunch of different wildlife. I was able to see some deer, many kids of fish, birds, and all types of insects. Definitely bring your go pros and snorkeling gear and catch a glimpse of what's below the water. It has a small shop to grab some snacks and rent the equipment . It has a food court but I can't say it was the best. I saw this place on Instagram and I was sold. If you love the outdoors don't pass this place up.
Hector Espinoza — Google review
We went camping here and it was a great experience - quiet, weather was beautiful (October), restrooms were clean, campsite was night. My only minor problem was that there weren’t paths to get to the restroom without cutting through campsites so the people near us kept walking right through the middle of our campsite to go to the restroom. Lesson learned - next time we will get a site on the edge and not in the middle. The walk to the spring was short. You can swim and kayak at the spring but we didn’t come for that. I have kayaked here in the past and it was great - nice calm river and beautiful wildlife. The spring is closed in like a pool to keep wildlife out (like alligators).
Sarah Wray — Google review
Swimming hole is quite beautiful, especially in the summer. The water is clear and so much fun to spend time in. It's not like creek water or anything and there are swimming rocks to sit on, etc. But sometimes it's too packed and there needs to be less crowds for you to really enjoy the spring in its entirety. You could always lay in the sun on the hill around the spring but be warned that the parking lot is a good amount of steps away from the spring. It can get tiring back and forth.
The center also provides an area for kayaking. It is an awesome experience and you can choose to leave the kayaking path anytime.
Charleen Firlus — Google review
Great experience! Parking is $ 6, lots of spots to ensure you can get to the springs. The washrooms/ change rooms are great and easy to access. The springs can be busy therefore plan to go ahead of the afternoon rush. Walking the trails is nice but it’s limited to one trail which is along the road ( some bush/ trees in between) but there are no maps, signs, or displays for distance to Sandy lake. It’s also not paved so beware if you have a stroller.
Victoria Muskoka — Google review
If you want to swim in the spring and have no ice and people around you it's possible but if you like to head out on a hike and have a very quiet and relaxed experience then you have the option, good we'll marked tracks. Kayaks for hire, loads of turtles.
Sara — Google review
Great place for snorkling, we saw fish and turtles. Make sure you check out the spring vent. Nice walking trail. It is a long way down from the parking lot and not a lot of space to spread out. We were there on a weekday in March and it was very busy so plan on arriving early. Bathrooms were dirty.
Andrew Novack — Google review
Really beautiful state park for kayak, canoe or paddleboarding.
There's an area for swimming as well.
It can get busy in the weekend so go early, pack a picnic and enjoy the day.
There is a little downhill walk down to the canoe/kayak launch area but it's not a difficult walk.
Bathrooms are clean too!
Mandy Wong — Google review
I know most people come here for the springs, and they’re undoubtedly awesome. To me, though, the real highlight is the ability to hike through some of the most beautiful sandhill habitat in all of Central FL. The state parks staff should be commended for how well they maintain the park. The best parts of the trails that have recently been burned have gorgeous long leaf pine vistas where all you can see are pines towering over open fields of grass, and you can hear the wind whooshing through their needles. Hiking the trails of this park is better than therapy for your mental health.
Chelsea LeNoble — Google review
I know this park for a long time. Every time that I go back there is a great pleasure. I really love the atmosphere and have a great time all the time. Yesterday we went there. I don't know if they cut workers to the park, not much ranges around or workers , we saw couple rules being broke or if the rules change. Propane tanks being used, hammocks and loud music.
Elza Silva — Google review
Beautiful park. Parking is a short walk to the water. They get you on renting water boards- you rent for 2hrs but are most likely to stop at Wakiwa island and go over time. Still nice! Will likely see gators and birds.
Anastasia Lucignani — Google review
Beautiful place yo spend a day with the family, lots to do. Swimming, canoeing, bird watching, Hiking and much more. Ample parking, $6 entrance. Good bathrooms, clean and organized. Store inside for snacks and stuff! From 8am to sunset 365 days open!
Discover Florida!
Para Un Tiempo Como Este Rosaly Guzman — Google review
Camped for 2 nights, site 38. Spacious, private site with quick access to clean restrooms (shower head missing in women’s shower). Nice in ground fire pit. Walked multiple trails from campsite, with a bit of upkeep needed. Springs beautiful and not terribly crowded for Thanksgiving week. Brought our own kayak and launched from rental site, furthest lot from springs with a bit of a hike to the springs. Signs are present to head either towards Rock springs run or Wekiva Island. Easy kayaking with turtles seen (no gators). Be cautious in evening, drive to campground with many deer. Would come back again except for the difficult drive through Orlando.
The Blue Spring State Park is a cool-water spring on the St. Johns River that is popular for swimming and kayaking. It's located 45 minutes from Orlando and has a constant 72 degrees temperature making it the perfect summer spot. The park also offers campsites or cabins to rent, as well as hiking trails and bird watching opportunities.
Swimming in this spring was amazing experience where the nature is as is!! I wish we could spend more time there and we could possibly see manatees.
Parking was easy, close to the spring.
There is food available, rental tubes as well, and of course restrooms conveniently located.
The boardwalk was amazing and along the river.
sahana varadaraju — Google review
Cool water on a hot summer day! Nothing better! Mother Nature provides her own lazy river. Our family goes at least once a year. We love this place more than any beach. The wildlife is also incredible.
Dawn Marengo — Google review
What a beautiful spot! We also got a break in the weather, the temperature was just right. But most of all...our guide Gina from Adventures in Florida was spectacular! She was the perfect combination of knowledgeable and friendly and funny! Pointed out so much wildlife including a ton of birds, some alligators and a bunch of manatees!
Tom Nielsen — Google review
Very nice state park close to Orlando, about 45 minutes drive to get there. In December we are not able to swim but the beautiful spring kept many manatees, it was great time to see so many of them! Kids love them.
Sherry Yuan — Google review
Gorgeous park! We had a great time tubing and walking around appreciating the scenery and wildlife. We were within 2 feet of a momma manatee and her calf that swam by and stopped to say "hi"! The restroom facilities and gift shop were both well maintained. We enjoyed our day here.
A O (FLChiefsFan79) — Google review
Plenty of things to do for everyone be it swimming, kayaking, hiking, boat trips. We went in mid November when we were unable to go into the water because of the migrating manatees but just to see them in their natural environment was well worth the trip
Amazing place!
Alison Williams — Google review
I love coming here all year round. During the summer you can get in and enjoy the cool crystal clear water, and during the winter you can walk around and enjoy the wild life. There is so many manatees that visit each year, it's really amazing to see. There's also a boat tour that you can take but you have to get tickets in advance. There's a nice playground area for the kids, and there are also cabins for rent. And did I mention that the entrance fee per car is only like $6.
Jezabeth Rivera — Google review
It was beautiful! We saw several manatees. The picture is of a mommy and 3 babies. There's a $6.00 per car fee to enter. There's trails and rentals. There is a campground, store and lovely walkways and viewing areas of the crystal clear springs. Beautiful park.
Connie Nawrocki — Google review
This is an absolutely beautiful park! We went in the beginning of April and it happened to be firefly season. It was absolutely magical. I would recommend it to anybody! We'll be coming back next winter when the manatees are there. Can't wait!
Tara F — Google review
Love it every second. My husband and I rented a kayak for 4h. We were able to spend 2h only as I was not expecting to see so many alligators 😅... the park is amazing and the manatee is so cute. We were able to see one only, but it was great. If you are looking for some time with nature and quietness here is your place to go. Arrive early, and don't forget to do the boat tour at St. John's river, it is breath taken. Will definitely come back for more adventures... be very careful with the gators of course 😅🙈 they can come quite close 😉
Eduarda Dornbusch Pereira — Google review
Wonderful time with friends. Manatees, gators and bird oh my. Beautiful day, went on the boat ride. Best time in a long time. They knew what they were doing. The lady knew her animals and their stories as she picked them out and the gentleman knew his boat to get close to the animals as he could get. Great team. Then we went to the swimming hole and saw more manatees and they had a guide to make sure nothing harmed them. Swimming hole cold but, refreshing.
jane wakefield — Google review
It was awesome! Cold, but that was expected for a spring. The water was pretty and a nice clear sea green color from the algae and spring floor. There were so many fish! Including alligator gars. I got lucky and came when a group of rescued manatees were being monitored to see how they adapt to the habitat. I got to see them up close and it was such an experience! The camping was really fun too. For my first time it was really really nice and tranquil. It felt good to escape civilization for a few. Recommend this park to anyone. Reasonably priced too, imo.
Naomi A. Bigwood — Google review
An absolutely gorgeous river fed from an easily accessible spring. A wonderful opportunity to see much aquatic wildlife, from gar fish to manatees!
The water is crystal clear in most spots, making snorkeling equipment a must. The lazy pace of the spring-fed river is perfect for tubing as well.
There are full amenities at the park including a bathrooms, shelters, and a store.
Rakkety Dash — Google review
It is truly awe inspiring. The amount of wildlife, chiefly manatees but also gators, big ones at that, in close vicinity is really special. The water is so clear that you can easily spot all of the different fish species including gars. The park also offers picnic areas and if my memory serves me right restrooms and vending machines for water and sodas. The boardwalk throughout the park is also a perfect way to get around to the upper ponds and to do some bird watching while exploring the area. I will definitely return.
Thomas T?rling — Google review
Camping review. Love the campsites here. Plenty of woodland coverage feels like all alone. Restrooms clean and hot water for a shower. Easy walk or bike ride to the spring. Lovely 73 degrees water, and two manatees swam by while we were swimming. Excellent bike/hiking trails and deer everywhere.
Steven — Google review
Had a fabulous time! Rented a canoe through Blue Springs Adventures doing the unguided option and it was worth every penny! Only spent the 6$ for park admission and it was around 34$ for a 4 hr 2 person canoe rental (they also offer kayak rentals). Lots of wild life; birds, turtles, manatees, snakes, and gators! Oh my! 10/10 do recommend and will do again! After we finished our canoe trip we went down to the springs to cool off which was the icing on the top of the cake!
Stephanie Elderkin — Google review
The park was kept clean, the water was great. We were able to swim with the mantees while we were there they swam near the head of the spring. You are not allowed to touch them though, and you have to stay 20 feet away. There’s somebody who stays on a kayak and kind of follows the manatees to make sure people are leaving them alone. And that’s a good thing. It was nice to see some wildlife in the water with us. you can scuba dive here so that was fun to see the scuba divers going down into the hole. The current is very strong coming out of the hole so for younger children it could be difficult. I was able to walk through the old house of the person who used to live there, that was pretty cool. And they have a nice park for the kids, kayaks you can rent, lockers and tubes for rent. Now there’s not a lot of picnic tables so if it’s a crowded day that could be tricky if you’re trying to catch a table… But it’s not bad it’s very pretty lots of open grass to lay a blanket out if you wanna go picnic style. There is a decent amount of bathrooms probably about 8 to 10 stalls. I would definitely recommend !!!
Khloe Loves — Google review
Blue Springs State Park is stunningly beautiful. The crystal clear water, the Manatees swimming, fish galore, turtles sun bathing on logs near the water, all amazing sites. Spanish moss hanging over the water is so pretty. Anyone visiting will not be disappointed. Gift shop, picnic areas, kayak rental.
Rene Killion — Google review
Amazing!! So many manatees! And great trails, lookouts, bathrooms, museum, giftshop, etc. we did wait a while in a car line to get into the park, but it was only $6 per car. Like $2 for pedestrians, and more for bigger vehicles. Didn’t need a lot of time, not a whole day experience. An hour or two to walk the trail and watch the manatees. There’s picnic benches, lawn, and a lunch bar I believe too!
Naomi Elmer — Google review
It is a fantastic place to bring kids and family out for family activities like picnics while enjoying God's beautiful creation. It was ONLY $6 per car at the entrance. They have a gift shop and a Kayak for rent if you like to roll around the lake. Beautiful area! 🥰❤️
Joshua Nguyen — Google review
Marvelous geologic experience of a fresh water spring and boil, easy walk with concession stand and restrooms. Mostly shaded. Fair entry price. Great way to experience natural Florida without having to worry about being in the water with the alligators! We had no wait to enter the park and found convenient parking without a problem. Very nice.
Christopher Field — Google review
Beautiful state park with crystal-clear spring water. We visited this state park twice and both times in the month of December. Hundreds of manatees gather here in the spring from mid of November to March, and it's such an incredible sight.
Keertu Anil — Google review
Exceptionally beautiful spring and spring run. The boardwalk is also an easily accessible path which you have the potential to see so much wildlife from. One of the best places to see manatees as well during the winter. The park staff do a great job with maintaining this park. There’s also a hiking path inside the park accessible from the lower parking lot called pine island trail… east but long and very little shade In Some parts. I love visiting this place and have done so many many times!
Tatiana Rokicki — Google review
My mom and I went here to check out this beautiful Spring. We hiked a little, walked the boardwalk along the spring area and did a 2 hour cruise on the St John's River. It was so peaceful and wasn't very crowded when we went. You can swim, tube, snorkel and dive the area. The water is so clear, but 72 degrees, its a little to cold for me. We saw a few manatee, but during winter time this place gets over 700 manatees coming in. Beautiful place and recommend. Great seeing undeveloped areas.
Brooke Murdock — Google review
I've been to Blue springs quite often through the years yet it is only getting better with time. The rain kept the crowds down so the experience was even better. As you can see from the photos, the turbidity of the water was very good. Crystal clear in most places, so as to be able to see the plethora of wildlife. The source of the spring I found was the best place to enjoy swimming and the clearest water. As you travel downstream you begin to see a tremendous array of fish, birds, turtles, etc.
Definitely was a wonderful day at Blue spring State Park 🏞️.
Gavin Ritzler — Google review
Awesome place to go kayaking and swimming. The kayak rental station hands out the last batch of boats at 3pm and you have to be back at 4pm the latest. The park closed at 7pm that day.
Very clear water in the spring and we could spot some Manatees.
Robert Wachs — Google review
This is such a picturesque spring.
I had an amazing time swimming with the manatees (at a safe distance) and taking in nature’s best.
Tip: When paying for parking online you have to go down the list and select the right location. :) (You might have to pay again at the gate if you select the wrong park.)
Nadia R — Google review
Went with my boyfriend to see the manatees and there were so many there! I know they look like rocks in the water but watching them swim around with their babies was so cool. A really good time, highly recommend.
Annie Chavers — Google review
Very cool place to check out.. unfortunately we didn't see any manatee, but we did see lots of fish and cool birds. Nice little walk and playground for the kids. Will definitely come back.
Andrea Drescher — Google review
One of my favorite places in the world. The amount of joy I get from seeing manatees flock here every year is beyond comprehension. There are always such dedicated and passionate volunteers there fielding questions about the park, manatees, the nature there, and engaging with kids and visitors alike.
I’ll miss not swimming here this year as they undergo construction to help the shore erosion, but, I’m so glad they’re maintaining this space for years to come.
Teketa Shine — Google review
Such a beautiful place! Water is so clear you can see all the fish and there was a huge variety of them. We were there towards the end of the manatee season but were able to see one manatee that had been rescued with a tracker on it. There was a volunteer there that was very helpful and informative and answered all of our questions about manatees. The walking trail is easy with several overlooks of the spring. Restrooms were very nice and clean. This place is a must see!
Andrew Novack — Google review
Went right during prime time. So there was a line up to get in. The rangers kept the line moving quickly. We were lucky to find parking. The main walk is paved and boardwalk with overlooks. The day we went the manatee count was 482. There were a lot you could see from the walkway. Was an amazing sight to see them. The water was clear and kept getting clearer the closer you got to the spring.
Highly recommend visiting!
Restrooms, gift shop, and small snack stands on site along with kayak rentals.
Ashley Gutowski — Google review
Lot of construction, but still super cool. Ton’s of alligator gar, catfish and other miscellaneous fish. Water was super clear. We also saw a momma manatee and her baby, as well as others. Handicap accessible.
Bobby R — Google review
This place is magical. It was so cool to see all the manatees hanging out staying warm. When I went, the count was at 146! Earlier in the week, they had the record for almost 1k!!! This park is beautiful and I wish I would've packed a picnic.
Karle Lyons — Google review
Such a great place to visit to see some manatees. There were almost 300 there on the day we visited so the water activities cancelled but we weren’t planning on doing any anyway. I can imagine it’s very cool to do on a hot summer day. There are also some nice trails and plenty of bathrooms and food options.
Jennifer H — Google review
A lovely park with plenty of activities. If you time your visit right, you can see a lot of manatees and other wildlife. There's also setups for kayaking and diving so you can explore the area a little better (not available during manatee season)
There's a historic house with some educational material available, but it's very focused on a colonial mindset, with little information available regarding the indigenous people who resided here originally.
James Scott — Google review
Blue springs State Park was beautiful. My fiance and I were incredibly happy with the camping site. Lots of shade level ground easy access to water electricity it was great. The only thing that we didn't care for was the fact that the Blue springs was closed this year all year and they don't tell you till you get to the little house to pay. Nothing on the website nothing on the gate as you're coming in. We stayed anyways it was still fun lots of critters squirrels deers possums raccoons. Well go again but maybe we'll wait till the springs are open.
Irene Harwell — Google review
A visit to Blue state Park will not dissapoint. They have regular boat trips, just check that they are running on the day you want. All done on-line. We went early May, so all the manatees had gone. Plenty of fish to see! We saw an American Bald Eagle. Lots of other birds too. Even saw some deer and the prize of the day was an Armadillo! Lovely board walk that offers plenty to see. This walk is wheelchair friendly too. There are restrooms there and a small shop for souvenirs and to buy cold drinks. If visiting for the day just make sure that yiu have enough water and food as it can get very hot!
John Stetson's luxurious estate, the Stetson Mansion, can be toured as part of a living history museum. Constructed in 1886 for the hat manufacturer John B. Stetson, the home once entertained some of Florida's most notable historical figures and can still be seen today through guided tours.
Beautiful mansion, both the outside area and inside. Crazy amount of beautiful Christmas decorations in every room. Probably coming back in the spring to see the inside without all the decorations and to see the 3rd floor (off limit during our tour as the owner was staying there). Not cheap, around $30 per ticket.
Kare Backstrom — Google review
I have taken both the Xmas guided tour and the Historical tour. The Xmas tour is fun for those who enjoy decor. It’s very thought out with a lot of fun items to find. There are always different themes each year. But the best tour in my opinion is the Historical tour which is sadly coming to an end in a couple of weeks.
The Historical tour takes you through the by history of the Stetson family, interesting facts about the home, and a discussion about his work as a hatter. Our most recent tour guide, Jo Ann, did an amazing job taking us from room to room and answering every question that the group had. At the end of the tour we purchased both books to take home and continue learning about the history of such an amazing home.
The only downside of the tour is that you cannot take photos inside, but being that this is a private residence, and is only funded by tours, it is understandably why they ask for privacy.
Koontz Photography — Google review
We took the guided tour and I highly recommend it. Our guide was such a delight. She truly loved the place and gave us so much detail on the planning and history of both the house and the Stetson family. Plus her descriptive narrative was riddled with humor which kept us interested and made the tour more pleasurable. The 10 decorated rooms were amazing. Each room had a different theme from the others and from years past. We were delightfully impressed and I believe will make this tour an annual Christmas tradition.
Judith “Judy” Wheeler Bastin — Google review
A must see! Beautiful house. They still had holiday deco up so I want to see it without all of the decorations to get the real feel of the house and architecture. It was tastefully done though.
Jennifer David — Google review
Lovely restored mansion with some nice Florida history. Go for the unique original architectural features. Plan on going for the spectacular Christmas decor.
Nilufer Kessler — Google review
Visiting the Stetson is always a treat, but especially at Christmas to see JT's talent on display! Beautiful decor highlights the historic home & is a joy. We took the guided tour & were treated to a heartfelt story from JT in the dining room about what Christmas meant to him & his family. Our guide for the rest of the home was knowledgeable & entertaining. Photos aren't allowed inside, but trust me when I say you won't be disappointed!! It's a sight to experience 🎄
joey rogers — Google review
We visited the Stetson Mansion today for the Christmas Spectacular Holiday Home Tour and it was fantastic! Highly recommend the guided tour with JoAnn to learn more about the decorations and a little history about the house. Her infectious personality and storytelling made our visit even more enjoyable.
Each and every room, even the kitchen and bathrooms have a dedicated theme. The attention to detail and the creativity behind each room is truly amazing. I especially loved all the inspirational sayings sprinkled throughout the house. Definitely a must visit and our family will surely make this an annual holiday tradition.
Jennifer Abreu — Google review
Fabulous Christmas decor and a surprise pop-in by JT the owner who does all the decorating. Try to go to the 7:00 p.m. guided tour as it is special. Each room has its own decor starting with angels and cardinals in the Grand Staircase in the entry, Department 56 layered on a tiered tree, Snobabies filling up a bedroom and the kitchen dedicated to military heroes, just to name a few of the rooms. Such a beautiful sight it is still racing through my mind two days later. A must tour in the central Florida area as it is also one of Florida's most historical homes and the first to have electricity installed by Thomas Edison himself.
Kathy Voorhees — Google review
An amazing beautiful home with the most wonderful Christmas decorations anyone could imagine. It’s said that it takes 3 months to decorate the home and the passion and love shows.
The only downside is that there is no photography allowed inside the home.
Bryan Countryman — Google review
My sister and I took our mother as a Christmas present. She absolutely loved it, she had to use her walker to get around. Everyone there was very friendly and helpful getting her though it because we had to take our time to get her through. We would recommend it anytime.
Lisa Bell — Google review
The Proprietor spent 3 months decorating this home in a Christmas theme. Each room was intricately decorated, and we participated in a delightful guided tour. The Proprietor himself even came to visit and gave us some heartwarming background stories about the mansion and some of the decorations. Southern Hospitality at its best--when I had to take a break from walking and standing, the other Proprietor brought me a picture book of the mansion rooms, and I was able to scan the QR code to get my very own audio tour while sitting comfortably on the beautiful front porch. :) Truly a stunning home!
Sally Jecmen — Google review
We did the Christmas Tour! Very much worth it! Beautifully decorated for Christmas! Kim was our awesome tour guide.
Matt Bishop — Google review
We came to the mansion because it was on a haunted house list. When we arrived the house was locked but the gate was open. There was a sign outside that says scan for self-guided tour. We went to the door to see if it was unlocked and it was locked. We walked around the house a bit and found a staff member. Explain to her that we were interested in seeing the inside of the house because it was on a haunted tour list. She was not happy that it was on a haunted house list and did not seem very friendly with us. She didn't explain that the self-guided tour was the Christmas tour and was $35 per adult and $20 for children. We felt that was a bit high. We took some pictures on the outside and when we went to leave she had locked us inside the property by closing the gate up and locking it. The staff member came to the gate to unlock it for us because we were sitting in front of it and there were people outside trying to come in for the tour. I think this property could be ran better than how it is being run.
Follow us for more great reviews ™
Shainey Marcus — Google review
Great tour at Christmas time for sure. Kim was a great host and gave us lots of good info. We would like to back outside the holidays to see more of the super cool house. Thank you for sharing your home, the rooms were decorated one better than the next!
Jamie Randazzo — Google review
Absolutely Amazing tour of this beautifully restored mansion, but to personally see the amount of Christmas creations strategically & thoughtfully placed in each room, nook & cranny was such a treat! It's a highly recommended must visit, & we plan on coming back again to experience the artistic joy w/ our visiting family. Great surprise!
Domingo Clemente — Google review
It's expensive, but we really wanted to go to see the over-the-top Christmas decorations that this place is known for. We signed up online a couple weeks ago and paid then. Yesterday, the day before our visit, we received an email that revealed some things about our visit, set for today. It recommended using restrooms off property before arriving. The mansion's only restroom facility the public could use was a portable outdoor unit out in the parking lot. The other thing the email warned against was arriving more than 20 minutes early. It said parking was limited and the gates would only be opened at certain times. This was not an issue as we were early and parked easily and without hassle. We assembled briefly on the porch and started touring the inside of the mansion. Photos were prohibited inside (also stated in the email). We moved from room to room on the mansion's first and second floors as we listened to the tour's audio on our phones, which were browsed a lnk provided in that email. The audio program was the owner's own narration of the decorating job that he took the past 3 months doing himself. We thought the decorations were spectacular and captured both the Christmas spirit and the Stetson family history. Also there was a nice patriotic salute to servicemen near the end. It was all so well done and made us glad we visited the "mansion that hats built" today.
Joe Graham — Google review
Wow!!!! Came here for the Christmas decorations and got so much more! The mansion by itself is unbelievable, the time and dedication it must take to maintain this beautiful historic home is beyond comprehension! The Christmas decorations what can I say WOW! Each room has a unique style and theme to it. Hard to pick a favorite room or design! We crossed paths with JT the owner and designer of the displays. He is a very talented artist and designer. He took the time to chat with us about his experience in making this come to life! This one of a kind place is very special from the architecture of the house to the Christmas display. I wanted to say thank you for sharing your home and your talents with the public! It was amazing!
Paul Peters — Google review
Absolutely Beautiful Christmas Displays! Amazing historic craftsmanship. And if you get the honor of meeting the owner/creator of this holiday spectacular he is very amicable and a delight to chat with.
Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is a historical brick and granite lighthouse from the 1880s that offers scenic views of inlets and exhibits featuring artifacts. The museum also includes vintage games at Daytona Arcade Museum, knowledgeable staff at the gift shop, well-maintained property, informative exhibits, clean restrooms, and a beautiful 360-view of Florida's waterways after climbing 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse. Admission is reasonable with military discounts available.
This is a well-kept, clean, and beautiful historic site. I loved the historic explanations making the outbuildings and grounds even more meaningful and educational. The lighthouse is such a gem. The climb is worth it, but it’s quite a climb up the 203 steps - it would be hard to bail out mid-way, so be thoughtful about starting. I would not recommend this for young kids or the elderly. The inside is so well preserved. The gift shop also offers a lovely collection of coastal items. Check out the playground nearby.
Julie Sanders — Google review
We venture to discover new places here in Central Fl, so a time ago we saw this lighthouse from far and i wanted to find this place, i have been many times in Daytona Beach but never exploring the area. This place is a well maintained jewel, affordable we paid just$20 and we are 5 members, excellent for family with kids and you can learn more about this enigmatic place..Definitely i loved the experience but be ready to dare to go 203 steps inside the lighthouse..Beautiful site and views my kids have a blast here. 100% Recommended.
Sandy N. — Google review
My family & I have been here twice since living here & both times we have really enjoyed it. The kids love climbing to the top of the lighthouse & the views are exceptionally breathtaking. The history & artifacts are interesting as well. Overall, this is a great place to stroll and look around w/ your family.
Cassandra Stockley — Google review
One of my favorite places on the east coast of Florida. Beautiful lighthouse w historic museum at the base. (Dont miss it, very interesting). The walk up the lighthouse will be rewarded with a marvelous panoramic view of the inlet and ocean. Then enjoy a walk on the beach... My favorite time is at night when the red color of the lighthouse shines as a bright beacon against the backdrop of the ocean waves and salty sea air. Later, take a walk down the jetty which can be absolutely breath-taking when stormy and waves thunder against the rocks.
J D — Google review
The historic lighthouse, standing 175ft tall, has guided ships with steadfast certainty till the present day. There are many well-preserved artifacts and buildings, whispering tales of rich maritime history. Ascending to the top rewards you with mesmerizing panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and sprawling landscapes. A perfect destination for a family outing or a day trip, the friendly staff add to the experience with their informative insights and warm hospitality. The museum ticket window closes at 5 pm, so plan your trip accordingly.
Karan Shah — Google review
Very lovely ladies "manning" the gift shop. They were knowledgeable and helpful with an outstanding sense of humor. The property itself was very well maintained. The exhibits were informative. Clean bathrooms added to the positive experience. Lastly, if you can make it up 203 steps to the top of the lighthouse you will be rewarded with a beautiful 360° view of Florida's finest waterways. Admission was reasonable and military service is honored with a discount. Please consider donating while walking the different "museums". It's definitely for a good cause.
Berlin 1987 — Google review
I love lighthouses. I live in Florida, and I am visiting as many lighthouses as I can. So far, this is one of the best ones, although I like all of them.
The lighthouse is in amazing shape, and the grounds are also in great shape. The lens museum is one of my favorite exhibits, but there are so many different ones in the park.
There are 203 brutal steps up to the top, but it is worth every single step. After the 1st 2 levels, we started resting at each level, catching our breath and letting our leg muscles settle down. Going down is much easier, but the angle of the staircase keeps you going slow.
The employees in the gift shop are very friendly and love to chat and share lighthouse stories and information. Their knowledge of the lighthouse and it's history is amazing. This is both a very enjoyable and historic place to spend a day. I highly recommend it.
For photographers, you get an amazing view from the top of the Atlantic Ocean, two inlets, the surrounding area, and you can even see Cape Canaveral on a clear day.
This entire park is funded by donations only. I hope if you visit and love it as much as I do, you will donate if you are able. A little bit can go a long way.
Hank Lambert — Google review
If you are in the area - the lighthouse is absolutely worth the trip. Pay the money and go to the top for a great view from this operational lighthouse. It's a couple hundred steps but can feel like more if you're in shape. If you have a problems with heights you'll find it to be great therapy. I'm a lighthouse fan and one of my life-long fantasies has been to live in a lighthouse. I've been here many times going back to the late 70's.
Jeffrey Morgan — Google review
This was a cool museum and there is other stuff to do here if you don’t want to climb all the steps to the top of the light house. There is a lot of cool history on the ground level. It’s really simple to find this place from Daytona, you just drive south until you can’t no more. They stop allowing guest at 8pm but shutdown at 9pm which makes this a perfect spot to watch the sunset. There are a lot of steps to the top so if for some reason you are even REMOTELY hesitant about if you can make it, don’t do it. The only was down when at the top is down the stairs again and they are steep. When you are at the top they did a good job of making it where you would have to really try to fall so I personally felt comfortable with my 4-6 year old but I don’t know if I would want to go up to the top with someone younger.
Steve Dickey — Google review
Very nice experience with a lot of history. The walk to the top was rough but the view was well worth it. Would definitely go back. Nice place to just sit and enjoy the quiet, peaceful silence.
Kerri B — Google review
The tour was awesome. The lady at the register was so sweet. We walked up the 205 steps and enjoyed the views. A lot of history. Totally worth it.
Sam M — Google review
I visited back in January and had a nice time there! I arrived a little bit after opening and had bought my ticket the night before on their website.
This is the first lighthouse I climbed! And it made me want to climb as many as I can.
There is so much to learn about on the property. I love history, so I really enjoyed that.
It was quite busy and there is no control on how many are going up the lighthouse, so it was a little loud and crowded.
I wish I would have climb up the lighthouse a second time but it just became a little over stimulating for me. I hope to come back again in the future and arrive earlier in the day.
Lauren — Google review
While climbing the lighthouse is lovely and definitely the highlight, I don't know if I wanted to pay that price (for 2 people it is 13.90) and the tour is self guided. The history was very interesting to read and see, but maybe $5 would be better. They do provide you with a map and their are restrooms available.
Ranita Isaac — Google review
I really enjoyed this visit. 203 steps very hard but the view was so worth it. We had 90° weather so it was challenging. $6.75 to go in, you can also visit the lighthouse quarters, is a museum and so interesting. Plenty of parking and very nice at the gift shop.
Patty Lopez — Google review
$7 per person for the perfect cloudy day activity. The drive to the inlet alone was charming, just wait until you get to the lighthouse! You must enter through the gift shop and purchase a wristband before you reach the campus. Once you are in the campus, you are free to roam. The grounds have several houses turned museums, a building that displays the lighthouse lenses, a tiny nature preserve, a few other misc buildings as well as the lighthouse itself. I highly recommend visiting on a weekday when there may be less traffic. This will allow maximum enjoyment and time taking. You can climb all the way up the lighthouse which is the 3rd tallest active lighthouse in the U.S! There was a lot to learn about the history of the lighthouse and of the native Americans who once occupied the land. All of the staff/volunteers were super friendly. I’m so grateful that I was able to visit while I was in town. This place is a gem to be active and preserved generation after generation.
Madison M — Google review
One of the most memorable places that my family and I went to during our stay. The climb wasn't bad, the view was totally worth it. I bought a beautiful compass at the gift store. It was a great memory to share with my family!
Gavyn Swale — Google review
This place was a pretty cool spot to walk around and explore on site. The price is perfectly fitting for what there is to do. The walk up the Lighthouse was really cool as well. They are not joking around when they say you should be in somewhat good shape to climb to the top, cause it is a lot of stairs. The view at the top though is well worth the sore legs one may get from this trek to the top.
Matt LaMotte — Google review
The walk up is a bit intense and not handicap accessible, but it's beautiful at the top and well worth the hike. The views were lovely and the trek down was much easier. The other buildings on the property were filled with interesting artifacts. In particular, we loved the room with all the old lights. Worth a stop!
Cassie Duffle — Google review
Small little historic outdoor museum and lighthouse.
Lighthouse is almost 200 steps. Very cozy at the top!
Easy parking. No water bottles. Leave at desk.
Kelly Hyer — Google review
Fantastic lighthouse, grounds and museum! It's a climb to the top but well worth the view and it's the tallest lighthouse I've been to. So happy to add another stamp to my lighthouse passport book. We visited in October during the Fall Homeschooling day so it was busy, but there were a lot of employees and volunteers around. Gift shop is pretty big and has a lot to offer. Bathrooms and parking are on site. Visiting during the weekday, we had no problem finding parking in the back lot.
PNW Nikki — Google review
Great experience here! We learned so much about the history and working of the lighthouse from guides all over the place (on the top of the lighthouse and within each of the buildings. I am not sure if this was normal or if it was a special day, but it was fantastic (we went on a Saturday). Very responsibly priced in comparison to other lighthouses and it is the best!
Meaning Builders — Google review
Hands down the best preserved well kept and restored lighthouse we have ever been in. This lighthouse is 175 ft tall and has been fully restored. What Justice nice is the fact the grounds are well preserved with the lighthouse keeper and the two assistant homes in good condition. There are some great displays about the time. How they lived and just looking at the houses along with where they stored everything was very informative. You can go up to the top of this lighthouse but be ready for a good hard walk it will get your exercise for the day done.
Rick Adkins — Google review
The lighthouse museum & gift shop were a great place to capture some history. The lighthouse is open & one can climb to the top to catch an amazing view. The adjacent veteran's memorial park was extra special; a wonderful tribute to the local veterans 💙. One can easily spend an entire day here. It is most enjoyable & a great place for a family outing.
Mary Lando — Google review
If you love American history, this place is a unique part of our history. The museum is comprised of 6 buildings where the Lighthouse keeper and his family lived and worked. Make sure if you are physically capable to go to the top of the Lighthouse. Awesome view!
Mike Bloom — Google review
Easily accessible from the Main Road, about 12 miles from downtown Daytona. It has plenty of free parking including for Handicap accessible Vehicles. The Museum and Grounds were immaculate and the Staff were Friendly and Knowledgeable.
Restrooms are available and clean. There are also multiple drinking fountains.
There is a fee of $7.00 per person to visit which was very fair.
There is plenty to see besides the Lighthouse walk up, which we didn't find difficult as they have landings every so often if you need to rest.
Finally the Gift shop is very nice and has plenty of items.
If you like Lighthouses and History don't pass this up
P Oneliv — Google review
What a great place to visit! The light station and the museum were so interesting and the building with the Fresnel lenses was AMAZING... absolutely spectacular.
Also, the 'Hidden Treasure' restaurant, not too far from the lighthouse, was delicious with fantastic views of the inlet!
The Daytona International Speedway is one of the countrys major racing meccas and is home to the iconic Daytona 500. The track offers various tours that last from half an hour to three hours, with some VIP experiences even offering a lap or two around the track at high speeds. The race itself takes place yearly in February and is known as one of the most exciting races in the world.
What can I say, amazing venue even just for the tour. I say just but the time taken by the staff in the tour and the details provided were amazing.
The museum is great to see too and invokes the spirit of Indy perfectly. Would highly recommend.
Richard Greeves — Google review
I got great seats and the fanzone experience but it wasn't the VIP I truly wanted. Drivers don't sign autographs for kids anymore. That was kinda disappointing. Race was great. Prices not bad at the concessions.
Danielle Weightman — Google review
It was an excellent experience to go to Daytona and be inside the most famous track in the world, we went to the Jeep Beach festival, it is a “crazy pod” the volunteers and everyone who was there were happy, the vibe was spectacular!!! Daytona here I go again
Diana Lesmes — Google review
Posting review late, we visited here on September 17, 2023
Highly recommend coming here, either for a race or to experience the tours! I was a little kid in a candy store, this place is amazing if you're a race fan! I recommend doing the tour, lots of great information that I never knew about!
If you don't do the tour, definitely go visit the museum! They don't just have Daytona cars in there. They have a little bit of everything! Very cool! I wish we would've had more time to see everything in the museum though, we had to catch our tour bus by a certain time. The gift shop has something for everyone, so don't leave without stopping in there. Overall, I'm very happy we came here even though it wasn't race day! We'll be back though!
Stephanie Ellis — Google review
This place is more organized than my local school district, amusement park, and boyscout troop combined. Everyone is so incredibly nice.
Our experience is a memory for a life time.
Debra Benton — Google review
They've really improved the fan experience over the years here. You can't have a bad time at DIS even when the weather isn't optimal. We had the coldest weather for the Rolex 24 and I'm not a cold weather girl but I braved it and had an awesome time with my Mom!
Georgiana Hatcher — Google review
This is the closest racetrack to us. I like to go here for the several car shows they have during the year and for the museum. This is the best time to visit as there is plenty of spaces to park then. If they are having a race make sure you get there early as it will fill up quickly. The museum is real nice and you can see the history of the track there as well as some of the cars that raced on it. This is also the place to buy your souvenirs.
John Haddock — Google review
My grandsons and I took the tour of the Speedway. It was awesome! They are big race fans and enjoyed being able to get on the track. This tour is worth the $25 tickets. It also includes the museum.
Annette — Google review
This experience was awesome. We got the tickets to take our boys to see the museum and take the tour of the track. It was well worth it. Our kids had so much fun, and we were so happy that they enjoyed it. It was a bit pricey, but honestly, it was worth it, especially seeing my kids' faces.
Crystal Baker — Google review
A must for car enthusiast! The tour is awesome!! Our guide was very knowledgeable, got to see most of the track, even had some cars going round the track. Lots of great auto racing history in the museum
Daniel Perez SR — Google review
I loved attending the Rolex 24 race! I've also taken the Speedway tram tour a few times and really enjoyed that experience as well! I don't even know anything about racing.😉 The tours are a little different every time depending on what is happening at the track. Always plan ahead because tours can sell out. I highly recommend any activity at The Daytona International Speedway!
Stacey De — Google review
This racetrack was much bigger than I thought the pictures don’t even give it justice! I was supposed to attend the Daytona 500 this year but because of the rain they had to postpone it till the following Monday so I had to go home. However, even though the Xfinity race and the Daytona 500 race was postponed because of the rain, I still enjoyed my time and got to see race cars up close and got to see how they land in their positions. It was an awesome experience. Will come again when the weather gets better.
PhatGyrlSnoop — Google review
I won a chance to drive my own car on Daytona International Speedway through a loyalty rewards program called Marriott Bonvoy. I drive a Suburban daily, so I did the only sensible thing I could think of, I rented a 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 3LT with every bell and whistle on it Chevy has and had the time of my life! We were supposed to only get four laps each on the track, but a few of us got lucky and got five in! It was something I'll never forget. All of the employees went out of there way to make sure we were all having a great time, top notch from start to finish!
Dereck Kelley — Google review
Went to Daytona 500. What a wild ride. We had 2nd row seats and it was intense. I wanted to experience the most intense experience and we got it. However you will have a better viewing experience from the top rows.
All in all I really enjoyed it.
Once in a lifetime experience don't care to go back. It's far more enjoyable on TV.
But it was an intense and insane experience in reality
Random Someone — Google review
Truly a cool place for all gear heads and car enthusiasts. Enjoyed attending the Turkey Run car show. So much to see, all on the inside of the track. Really cool getting to walk on such a famous track racetrack! Didn't have to pay for parking either.
Kaleb Curl — Google review
One of the best experiences I had on my Florida visit! Most people are not aware that you can actually buy tour tickets that will take them directly on the actual race track (near the start finish line!) which is super cool as you get to experience the track by being actually on it!
Ajit Mali — Google review
First time to a race. It was cool ! I loved the seats we were in it was a great view. Bring your own snacks and drinks its pretty expensive to buy food.
Fun day except for the accident. 😬
Julia Salvucci — Google review
The tour guide was very knowledgeable. He gave many opportunities for pictures to be taken. Staff even assisted everyone with picture taking.We got to see a handful of cars do laps around the track. The facility as a whole is very well kept.The only downside is that I felt a sense of "bait of switch" with the supposed photo that was noted to be included in the tour.Multiple pictures ARE taken,and you have the opportunity to choose whichever you like at the end of the tour.HOWEVER, you get presented with different options of your pictures to PURCHASE 😬. If you don't buy it,they give you a card with a QR code to SCAN and download/upload..🤯 The advertising clearly says that a picture is included..but they didn't specify as to HOW..so fyi..but despite that, I'd return there hands down. Oh and the guide gave helpful advice about attending when actual events are happening! That itself will be helpful for anyone 🥳.
JUSNATURAL. — Google review
The Nascar experience was incredible. If you can really try and pick a package that is longer than 8 minutes. I did the 32 minute package and don't regret a single thing! All the people helping you are professional and friendly. The ladies running the souvenir booth are awesome.
Scott Bennett — Google review
My husband and I took the tour. You get so much more for your money. The people are so nice and helpful to answer all your questions. It is so much to see, and you get your picture taken. They can print it there, and they also give you a card to scan and order it.
Umeka Waters — Google review
We visited for the Magic or Lights. Our family really enjoyed it. It seemed much longer than other displays we have visited which made it a good value for the money. The staff was friendly, and the picture ops very nice. We will definitely be back next year and hope it's a little different each time.
Miranda — Google review
One of America's most iconic sports venues. Attended the 2024 Daytona 500 but spent the day before at the museum and on the midway. My son and I had SO much fun and thoroughly enjoyed race day! But you can go to the museum and to take a tour when there are no races and learn about racing rich history, not just NASCAR. I will be back!
Joe Schilp — Google review
I just happen to be traveling and working in the Daytona Beach area on Bike Week so I decided to shoot across the street from where I was working, to the Daytona Speedway to check out all the vendors and awesome bikes. I commend the event for all of the signage and barricades that they put up. Everything was easy to navigate and there were NO QUESTIONS on where you could and couldn't enter or exit at. It was quite the awesome sight and experience! Everyone I met or spoke to was super cool and approachable. (Yes..even some of the bikers that were a little long in the tooth...they were all awesome people!) Good energy, good vibes, good people, great bikes, great times! Everyone should experience this, even if you don't ride...you'll enjoy it!
Richard Morgan — Google review
Went with friends to take the tour. We had a great tour guide “Dave”. Very knowledgeable. Made the experience worth going. Sold us all on the sport and we will be coming back for a race. Thanks Dave !
Mojo Jojo — Google review
For all the car enthusiast out there this is a once on lifetime experience if you get to go to Daytona 500 even if you’re not a big NASCAR person it’s really cool to see the speed and the culture at this racetrack. The track is beautifully maintained and the grandstand is well built where everything is very visible at the venue is also extremely friendly
Chris V — Google review
Went for the Daytona 500 and will for sure go back. Track is huge. Lost of different levels for different views. Seats were honestly not bad. Free wifi was pretty fast to be honest. Really good connection. Bathrooms were clean. Parking is obviously madness but it’s expected with events of that size. Entrance was super easy. 10/10 in my book.
Kameron Ackermann — Google review
Fantastic experience, fanzone tickets a must, signed start line. Live bands, food amazing. Atmosphere unbelievable. Definitely need ear plugs. Daytona 500 book well in advance. Great day, but be prepared to stay in the area a few days after as they may change the day of race depending on the weather.
Sue Proudfoot — Google review
If you’re a NASCAR fan you need to visit the Daytona Speedway at least once. This place is massive. Don’t sleep on seeing a concert here or catching any race including the Rolex 24 hour of the Daytona 500. If you’re ready for more than take a few laps in a stock car at 150 miles per hour +
Matt Davies Realtor — Google review
4.7
(25247)
•
4.5
(3774)
1801 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA
The beach known as "World's Most Famous Beach" is a popular spot in Daytona Beach for tourists to take photos. With miles of coastline, the area is home to many different attractions and festivals throughout the year.
HOURS: The beach is accessible and free for pedestrians and bicyclists 24 hours a day, depending on tides and weather conditions. Driving and parking on the beach is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset from November 1 through April 30 and from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (out when the tide comes in) from May 1 through October 31.
Parking is $20 a ticket which you can use for the whole day.
PROS: You park 25 feet from the waterfront. Aqua ocean views. Mixed demographic, all ages. Bathwater warm water.
CONS: Absolutely nothing. A must visit!
C NYC — Google review
Been coming here for 40 plus yrs. Still amazed at the size of this beach. It's never crowded, anytime of the day. It's a gradual walk into the water, no drop off. Perfect for kids. Lots of places to stay and eat. The pier is so much fun on a Saturday night.
You can't beat this place!
Alistair Renshaw — Google review
Save your money not worth it.. unless you bring everything there is nothing to do here. The water is nice and the beach is relatively clean but other than that it's not worth it. It's packed and loud, no shade or any attraction, not really any where to get food. and despite the fact that on the website it says there are designated areas where you can take your dogs there are none and you will get kicked off the beach, after they take your money and let you on it
dana Grush — Google review
Miles of old worn-down and poorly-aging condominiums dot the highway. The place needs a major face-lift and more recreational and modernized dining options. Some of the high rises are so close to the waterline, it looks like they are about to fall in. In December, this place is a ghost town.
Travel With Trey — Google review
The ‘Worlds Most Famous Beach Daytona Beach’ sign is nice and all but really the beach is pretty good and totally worth a visit; don’t just snap the sign and leave. Mostly blue water, light sands and great to see everyone social distancing. waves looked fairly gentle, a lot of fishing and a lot of families having good times in the sun. Beach umbrella rentals doing a roaring trade when I was there.
R Churches — Google review
Awesome views with great beaches. Very convenient to drive on beach and park not having to drag coolers, umbrellas, etc.
Dillon Lee — Google review
A beautiful beach ⛱️ it was worth stopping g by and swimming 🏊♂️ in
GASPAR PEREZ — Google review
If you are planning to visit this beach, do not search “Daytona Beach” we got confused as Daytona beach is a city name. You need to search by including “World famous” in it, and it’s for a reason! You can drive in your car around the shore for $20. The beach is very clean and calm. If you have enough time do spend an evening there, you will never get bored of this calmness. We saw all kinds of people having fun, camping, dancing, modeling and making best of their time. There are limited parking outside the entry gate, it’s better to take ticket and drive at the shore. A must go if you are around Orlando
PIYUSH KESHARWANI — Google review
Very clean beach, never crowded and the water is always fun to play in. If you are lucky enough, you can catch dolphins swimming near the shore in the morning.
Mike Bilenki — Google review
Daytona beach really surprised me! I loooved getting to spend time in the water and just relaxing. Very chill and family vibes. The sand is white and the water is clear enough for me. I would definitely go again and visit!
Ronny Sison-Ayala — Google review
Came by to walk the pier and check out the food. The whole beach smells like smoke and garbage. It feels super dirty so you won’t have an appetite. The beach did look like a great spot to play in the sand and had great waves.
Kate Stepherson — Google review
I normally avoid this are of Daytona, it is where the party seen is. Although I went today seeing how last minute we decided to go watch the sunrise so we did and then hung around the beach for a few hours. The beach was dirty the people that go there to party unfortunately do not clean up after themselves! There was a man passed out in the sand as well, clearly from the night before and yes I made sure he was alive and gave him some water and he went back to sleep without a care in the world. Do your part and clean up your trash.
Otherwise it was a great trip. We enjoyed the sunrise and we spent a couple of hours getting some vitamin D. Kudos to the workers on the beach they where out early picking up the trash and emptying bins doing their best to clean it up so BIG THANKS for that. I would advise going further away from the boardwalk for family’s just my opinion but as always we had a great time.
Lilmisskml — Google review
Driving on the beach is a different experience. But other than that, nothing special about the beach. Very congested place. Unclean beach. No easy access to showers or washrooms. People blasting music with loud speakers and smoking everywhere. Can’t even breathe fresh air at the beach due to the cigarette smell. Jacksonville and St.Augustine beaches are so much better. Daytona is an overhyped place.
Naren — Google review
This area (experiencing a high rise construction boom) has become run-down, with little variety in cheesy souvenir shops, T-shirt shops and bars predominant. Everywhere we walked we inhaled the secondhand skunky-stink of pot smoking tourists. Ugh. The beach itself was a mess with trash - tossed cups and food rinds littering the sand. Sidewalks are grimy - City of Daytona Beach, you should be ashamed..! Hire people to rake the beaches and use pressure washers on those sidewalks.! Disgusted by the condition - we will never return here..!
Thea — Google review
4.6
(2253)
•
4.5
(4750)
838 E International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32118, USA
The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is a place where rescued exotic cats, such as tigers, lions, and pumas live in a beautiful and sustainable environment. The ranch can be visited with guided tours day or night, during which visitors learn about the animals and their natural habitats.
What a really cool place to see big cats and other wildlife. To be fair there's not a lot to do other than looking, but it's a good cause that we like so it was fun for us just to look at the tigers and other cats. On Sundays they do enrichment activities which would add a lot more entertainment value. The cost for entry is very inexpensive and supports the cats, if you like cats or your kids do, I highly recommend.
mike johnson — Google review
After seeing many zoos and rescues while visiting Florida, I will have to say Catty Shack was one of the most refreshing and caring. Staff was funny and the big cats seemed to just love them! The big cats seemed to love and want the attention of staff, and the new enclosures they’re adding speak to their love for the cats at their facility. I went to the midday enrichment tour and loved it!
Marie Larson — Google review
We loved this place. The only reason that I'm giving it four stars is because the hours that they are open are the absolute hottest times of the day. So it felt like we were unable to see most of the animals as they were all hiding underneath their enclosures to stay cool. That was extremely disappointing. The staff was kind though. If you have any opportunity, I would go during the winter months so that way you have the opportunity to see the animals out and about.
Afton Lorenz — Google review
Okay so the first thing you should know is that the park is smack dab in the middle of a low-key cute residential area which totally threw us off. When we pulled up we were expecting a backyard zoo because of the location, but man were we were wrong. They said they have 200 acres or developing, right now I'd say it's probably more like 8 acres that they actually have built up. You can tell that they are trying their best to give the tigers a nice life with waterfalls, swimming pools, toys, cabins. There's a lot more than just tigers here, they've got a very cute black bear, a black leopard, and some other small cats. Including their resident kitty cat that roams fearlessly. We went for the feeding experience and it was absolutely worth it. We got so many amazing pictures, and got to see so many beautiful big cats. This is an absolutely excellent place to come with the whole family regardless of age. Don't forget to buy some T-shirts at the gift shop, or a stuffed animal for the kids because that small places like this, every dollar counts towards keeping it running. We're excited to come back in a couple of years and see all of the progress that they have made. (We live very far away)
E'ala Burgess — Google review
Such a fun place to visit! Highly recommend coming for the night feedings. Not only were the animals more active but you also get to speak with volunteers/employees and learn so much more than usual. The shack also has 3 cute house kitties running around that are so sweet too - definitely pet if you see them! Very cool preserve and will be coming back to support in the future.
Kendell — Google review
What a great place! The wonderful staff & volunteers are very knowledgeable, and take lots of time to talk to you. The big cats are very well taken care of and their habitats are clean.
Thank you guys for all you for the critters, looking forward to my return visit. I wish I lived closer so I could volunteer and help you guys!
Denise Byrne — Google review
Such a great local hidden gem! If you're looking for a great way to support animals this place is a must see! Beautiful rescued tigers and other big cats. They're a volunteer based organization and working hard to provide these gorgeous creatures with new comfortable habitats to enjoy! A must see !
Renee K. — Google review
We took our family here as a birthday present to one of our girls. It is worth visiting at least once. Free mosquito spray available. If it has been raining bring footwear for mud and water. I am not sure the night feeding is worth the extra money to all but we were entertained. Think of it as a donation for a good cause. It took us about an hour to walk around and see everything before feeding time.
Cory B. — Google review
Catty shack was BEYOND AMAZING!!!! Not as huge as a zoo but well thought out and a lot of information that definitely makes it worth while! Very clean and well kept! Staff are very knowledgeable, and definitely love their job!!!! Best time to go is when it’s feeding time because let me tell ya hearing a lion eat is amazing! So majestic wouldn’t want to be the food but just amazing to see them! Highly recommend you stopping by and checking them out! Huge thank you to the staff that made me kids day!!!!
Brandon E — Google review
This was an awesome experience! It's better than a zoo. They have beautiful cats,a bear,foxes.,many more..a must visit! Well taken care of animals and beautiful property. The show,feeding the animals was amazing to watch..The caretakers,and owners were nice,friendly and very hands on. If you get a chance,visit...great place..and donate to them..they take very good care of the animals, some were abandoned, displaced..
Cathie — Google review
This place was amazing. I was a little hesitant when we pulled up, it doesn't look like it would be very much from the outside. But they have a lot of big cats it nice enclosures. Things are easy to see (if the cats aren't inside napping) and the people are amazing. The volunteers take time to talk to you about the animals and how they came there. You can tell everyone really loves what they do. Definitely a place to go.
Ryan E Voris — Google review
Went for their 7 PM feeding tonight. All the staff were great and the guy performing the feeding (I'm assuming he was the owner) was very informative and you could tell he loves what he does.
The cats were awesome and it was great seeing them get all excited when it was feeding time.
Overall I'd recommend checking them out. Great place to take the kids.
Nick Carson — Google review
We went to the evening feeding of the animals and it was extremely cool! We loved learning about all the residents and all the love and care they get while living in their new home. You can definitely tell that they are well cared for and loved! I enjoy taking my toddler to help not only learn about nature but gives her a chance to run around outside as well!
Jess Fix — Google review
I brought my family from out of state and we all had the best time. The volunteers are so knowledgeable and friendly and love to help and answer questions. The cats are so well cared for, that you can see for yourself they are happy and content. They don't just hide and sleep like at the zoos. We will come back for sure.
bruce bratcher — Google review
I have lived in Nassau County and Duval County my entire life and have failed to make it here until yesterday. It was a wonderful experience and I will certainly be back. We did the enrichment tour which was really fun as the cats got really excited about the boxes of chicken and were super active. The volunteers were really amazing and told us all about the cats and their personalities/ why the cats are at catty shack. It was a great time.
Sam B — Google review
Amazing place!! Get to be very up close to all the animals and see the workers interact with them. I've only been once but I got to see one of the workers pet the tigers and lions. The tigers were very active and got to hear them roar! They also have accommodation sunscreen and bug spray. Not a lot of walking, when I went it was very muddy but it has recently rained so I'm not too sure how it would be for wheelchairs.
Elijah — Google review
I really don't know why some people have given this sanctuary such low stars, this is a sanctuary not a zoo it isnt for entertainment! And do you think the places they got these animals from where better ...well that's a NO and we should be helpful that these animals have found a forever home :)
The habitats are clean and well kept they are even adding waterfalls/pools to them !
The staff/volunteers were so friendly and so informative !
Please check out their Amazon wish list to help with items they need. They are a 501c and dont reveive government help !
Leslie ZP — Google review
Go on a cooler day and more animals will be out.
We had a great time seeing some exotic animals and walking around the grounds.
The people working are knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions.
Complimentary bug spray and sunscreen at the front.
Info on adopting or sponsoring an animal also at the front.
Sarh Max — Google review
First time here and loved it! The staff and volunteers were friendly and knowledgeable. They have ongoing construction as they are expanding. Also plan to build sticks and bricks to replace some structures that are trailers. Lots of kids. Reasonable price and worth the experience!
Denise F — Google review
This is hands down the coolest place to go. The knowledge that the staff has and the care that you can see that they have for the animals is unreal. I got to see an afternoon snack for the lions which was so cool. I also got to hear the lions roar which was seriously the most amazing things to hear ever. 20/10 recommend this place to go.
Paige Peery — Google review
These cats were well taken care of and they had a relationship with the volunteers they were interacting with. You could hear them chuffing & vocalizing with staff & they got excited when they saw them coming. It was educational and they were building even larger enclosures when we visited. The kids loved it! (Except when the lynx tried to back that thang up to spray my teenaged son for taking pictures too close...which made him drop his phone over the restricted fence line 🤣🤣🤣)
Vanessa Bettinger — Google review
We love this place. First time here. We enjoyed the animals. They are well taken care of. Can't wait to come back next year and see the new homes for them. Very nice place to visit. There is a gentleman there,don't know his name, but he was really nice and informative.
Lora Stew55 — Google review
It's a really cool place! A non profit big cat sanctuary that is a must go if you're in the Jacksonville area. They do great work for these endangered animals and the kids will love it too!
Tybee Island is a small city and barrier island situated near Savannah in Georgia. It is famous for its extensive sandy beaches, including South Beach with its pier and pavilion. The northern part of the island houses Fort Screven, which boasts 19th-century concrete gun batteries and the Tybee Island Light Station and Museum. The light station has been rebuilt several times over the years, while the museum located in Battery Garland focuses on local history.
Forsyth Park is a 30-acre urban public park in Savannah's historic district and is internationally known for its Forsyth Fountain. The park also includes an outdoor theater, cafe, children's playgrounds, tennis courts, soccer fields, and a Confederate memorial.
This park is the home to the most photographed fountain in Savannah.
This is a large park with a sense of peace and deep history.
The sidewalk circles the outer edge of the park and then cuts through towards the fountain.
Lots of people from all.walks of life visits here and simply hang out just to enjoy the energy it emits.
Definitely worth the visit.
Laura Lockhart — Google review
The park was beautiful and a lovely stroll down the center under the canopy of trees.
Playgrounds were available, tennis courts, plenty of grass to place a blanket and relax.
On our Sunday afternoon there were many homeless and at one end of the park they were having an event offering food and water for the homeless. It got a bit rowdy by a few attendees. A bit of yelling, pushing, throwing of water bottles. But the rest of our visit was pleasant.
We walked down the center as well as on the outside parameters to enjoy the architect of the older homes.
Be smart and be aware of your surrounding while visiting.
Rita Clark — Google review
Loved this park! Easy to walk through and had so many cool things to look at! People were friendly and the architecture was just amazing! If you think you don't have time, you do! It really does not take long to walk through, we walked it before we were able to check in to our hotel, maybe 30 min tops! And we saw a lot in that time frame!
Jenika Turnquist — Google review
Such a beautiful park. Complete with its historic fountain and huge open green fields we didn't want to leave. It's a must stop for anyone who takes a trip to the shining jewel of the south, Savannah GA.
John White — Google review
An absolutely beautiful park to visit, relax, exercise, or whatever you decide to do at that time. Trees are spectacular in their beauty, with lovely old homes surrounding the perimeter. There’s even a restaurant (Collins Quarter) available for eating or an outside coffee/drink window to order beverages. Definitely a “must visit” place while in Savannah.
Sherri R. — Google review
Took my son to play on the playground on a Thursday. There are two playgrounds I found out. Some of the equipment is metal so be careful with the sun heating it up during the day. The equipment was in good shape. There are benches to sit at at the playgrounds. We enjoyed walking to the fountain. It was cool to see some local artists selling their artwork or jewelry along the paths. The restrooms are by the restaurant and it was clean when I used it. There is a fun little hidey garden near the smaller playground with roses and benches. The flowers were in bloom and so beautiful. We did get a parking spot by the tennis courts which is free.
Melody Owen — Google review
It is a beautiful historic park in the city's historic district. I love how the town maintains its beauty, especially its well-kept boardwalks and the water fountain in the park's center, which exudes classic elegance. This is an excellent place for locals and tourists to walk, jog, or relax.
Patrick Min — Google review
Great park in Savannah. We got there in the morning and it was fairly crowded. Has historical statues. Has a lovely fountain. Has public restrooms and a restaurant and Leopold's ice cream parlor. The one at Broughton st usually has a long queue, so this might be a better option for you if you don't want to wait that long. People were enjoying themselves in the park and it was well maintained. I had a good time!!!
Deepak KC — Google review
Great park in Savannah. I frequent visit this park due to it’s attraction. This time I visited in the late morning time and found very less people so feel comfortable to have family photograph.
Don’t forget to buy painting or handmade ornaments (as a memory of park visit) sold by street vendors. You are supporting locals by buying some products .
Park is clean and have public restroom. If you are with kids, they can enjoy in kids zone too
Lila Baniya — Google review
Park was absolutely beautiful! An early morning stroll was magical on this beautiful morning. The park was very clean and I loved looking at the fountain and reading all the statue plaques. I love history and this park is full of it. Statues prompted me to immediately go to google and find out more about the people they were erected for. Early morning is great because not a lot of tourists. Most were runners and walkers which lest the fountain wide open for pictures.
Kelly Dale — Google review
This is the one place I wanted to visit on my trip to Savannah and it did not disappoint. Beautiful park! Amazing fountain! It is set up perfectly from the minute you set foot in the park to see the fountain. Trees offer shade everywhere (good thing because we went in July and it was 98), benches for resting were too. It even has a snack bar/restaurant with outdoor seating. I’m not sure if there was indoor since we did not go inside and I have to say the cleanest public park restrooms I have ever seen in my life anywhere….seriously. A park is never complete without playground for kids which it has. It made me wish my Granddaughters were with us, they would of LOVED it! Great place to see, do not skip it and do not forget to take your picture in front of the fountain.
Ina “Michelle” Shaffer — Google review
Had a wonderful morning stroll at Forsyth Park in Savannah, GA. Despite the recent storm, the park remained Lovely! Appreciated the dedicated crew diligently cleaning the sidewalks, enhancing the overall experience. A refreshing and enjoyable outing in January!
Rhonda Fox — Google review
This park is located near downtown Savannah and has very open dog-friendly spaces and fields. Some old monuments are scattered around, which makes for a great Sunday stroll.
We highly recommend checking out the nearby restaurant CQ for a lovely brunch and coffee. (They also have a to-go window that you can walk up to!)
Christopher Estep — Google review
Beautiful Park. I Felt safe there. I didn't see 1 police officer there unfortunately. The take out window staff at the park cafe where not so helpful or friendly. That didn't affect the park overall but next time I will take my money some place else.
Donald Adams — Google review
Park with an area of 10 Acres. Beautiful and well maintained. This park has a beautiful fountain. We enjoyed our time here. There are many vendors selling paintings, souvenirs etc. This park has children's play area. This park has many seats to sit and relax. The park was crowded during our visit as it was saint Patrick's weekend.A must place to visit in Savannah for a cool atmosphere.
Siju Kurian John — Google review
Stunning park that is safe and always well kept. The Farmers Market on Saturdays is great, has tons of food and fresh produce. There are always fun events in the park and Collins Quarter has done a great job with the concessions area. Great to just walk around, it's huge and you'll always find something new. Great to sunbathe and relax as well. The botanical garden is a hidden gem. 2 playgrounds for the kids and at least 2 football fields worth of open grass for sports or exercise. Beautiful full trees provide shade and ombiance.
Nicole Graziani — Google review
This is an amazing park!. It has so much history and the water fountain is phenomenal to watch and enjoy the view. Nice place to come and sit and read a book or have a picnic with your love one's.
Jefe YO Soy — Google review
Very well-maintained beautiful park. Good place for a get-together. Play area and Splash pad are available for kids. I think it's difficult to get a car parking on weekends. The restroom is very clean, but there was a big queue in the ladies rest room.
Vasantharajan Thangaraj — Google review
This has to be one of the most beautiful, peaceful and idyllic places in all of Savannah. The park has lush grass and beautiful walkways lined with ancient trees that are dripping in Spanish moss. Different artists were stationed on one path selling sundries and at the end of the path was a gorgeous fountain. There is a small botanical garden in the park and surrounding the area were rows of gorgeous homes with tall ceilings and wrought iron, long shutters and inviting porches that remind you of the South.
Tiffani Patterson — Google review
Beautiful, serene park. Enjoyed our visit. It is dog friendly. Must see if visiting for the first time. I recommend walking through the park at dusk or early evening. We enjoyed viewing the holiday decorations and historic homes.
J Joyner — Google review
Beautiful park and trees. Public bathrooms. Two playgrounds. Lots of grassy area for sitting and playing. There is a restaurant on site that we did not use. The fountain is gorgeous.
Cindy Minor — Google review
Beautiful! This is a great park with lots of history. It’s a nice place to take your dog for a walk or go on a picnic. It was spread out so it didn’t feel crowded. We parked nearby for free and walked to eat down by the River Front!
Rhonda Gosser — Google review
A must see- nice area, rented scooters and scooted to the fountain from our hotel. The trip there took us through all the squares, and the fountain was really pretty.
Molly Zembko — Google review
This is a great park to stroll if you are visiting Savannah, big trees, fountain, large lawn to play, relax, walk, exercise, it has kids play area, stage etc. There is a restaurant, well maintained park and trails. When we visited, there were people selling their art inside this park on a trail. Restrooms were clean and were pretty busy on weekend. Paid parking around is available, sometimes on a walking distance.
Chanchal — Google review
Love going to Forsyth. Did the 5k walk which was very well organized. The park is great for people watching, enjoying a nice day, walking, events.
Deborah L — Google review
Top notch Park from end to end. Historic monuments pretty much every block for a 12 square block radius. The water fountain is amazing along with the rose garden building you walk in and the aroma of roses just smacks you in the face! I would recommend coming here if you are in the area because it's a nice place to get away from the big city while you're still in the big city.
david floyd — Google review
Went to this place twice. Yesterday it was raining super heavily and found no one
Today morning it was crowded. Nice place to every fortnight/monthly markets here.
They got good stuffs like painting, posters, accessories, eatables, clutches, juices and much more.
Heema Patel — Google review
Lots of open areas to sit. Bring a blanket to layout, no picnic tables to sit at.
The fountain was green. Pretty cool for Saint Patty’s day.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist is a neo-gothic Catholic church with elaborate stained glass windows, and music recitals are often held there. It was almost entirely destroyed by a fire in 1898, but was rebuilt the next year and restored to its former glory.
In the heart of Savannah's historic neighborhood, a really well historic church. Some of the stained glass windows are quite lovely. Beautifully constructed church. The church is well-maintained and has a large seating capacity. In Savannah, there is a spot you should go. This church is both cold and peaceful, making it ideal for prayer. It's free to walk in with a suggested donation of $3. The photographs do not do it justice, and the rush of emotion I felt as I went in was unrivaled.
nitish deshpande — Google review
Stunning architecture in the middle of Historic Savannah. Well-kept grounds and interior pristine. One of the beautiful places to visit that should be added to your list.
M — Google review
The guard at the entrance made me feel right at home; he's such a friendly person. Stepping inside feels like entering another dimension, with so much to explore and observe. It's history at its finest, and the architecture is truly breathtaking.
Janet Negron — Google review
It was hard to capture how beautiful this church is. We just don't have historical places like this on the West Coast, so I was in awe. I grew up Catholic, so it brought back comforting memories. I lit a candle and sat in the wood pew to take in the sights, smells, and the beautiful colors of the stained glass with the sun shining through them. I love how they allow the public to come into the church to look around during times when they aren't having mass.
Tammy Schur — Google review
Historical cathedral with a beautiful stained glass windows and expansive alter. It’s a suggested $3 donation to go in. They offered a free tour where the presenter explained the cathedral’s history and pointed out some interesting features. It took about 20 minutes overall and was very informative. It is an active church so do be mindful about people praying. I would recommend coming here for a first-timer to Savannah and spending half an hour!
Shanelle S — Google review
If you've never experienced such an amazing and heavenly place, then you should come here. It is amazing, and the artwork was breathtaking! Even if you are not Catholic, it is wonderful, and it is totally free they only ask for donations. Also, they still have services there as well! I loved this place, and so did my grandkids they were amazed at the grandeur of the church. Now, you might not want to bring kids who are a bit loud, for it needs to be quiet. It's still a church, after all. But really and truly amazing.
Tenita Wilkins — Google review
This Cathedral is Massive and absolutely STUNNING!! 100% worth the stop! They have visiting hours so that you can actually go inside and tour the area and take photos of all of the beautiful stained glass. Beware though: there is no public restroom.
Honor Warren — Google review
There are no words good enough to describe this experience... a must see to know!! The outside is spectacular, but the inside is miraculous! Your mere presence is altered by the surroundings as you sit in reverence!!!
Michael Venning — Google review
Came here on St Patrick's Day. It is one of the biggest churches is Savannah. The church architecture is so beautiful.
The vibe is peaceful and calming. You'll keep admiring the beautiful glass windows and sculptures here.
Please be respectful while taking photos though.
Bhushan — Google review
This Cathedral is stunning. I was here for Mass on Mother's Day, and I was in awe of everything, the liturgy, the music, the atmosphere. The church was decorated with I don't even know how many dozens of roses, giant roses. The choir sounded celestial. The bishop celebrated the Mass - and delivered a wonderful homily. The windows are stunning, especially the Ascension and Immaculate Conception windows. I am a little perplexed by the lack of wounds visible on Christ's hands, but a gorgeous image. As usual, so many details. I especially liked the "Communion of Saints" images around the ceiling.
Nicholas Petrillo — Google review
Beautiful place. Hard to imagine the hours of work in all of the intricate details throughout. Soaring ceilings, beautiful stained glass and extremely detailed carvings throughout. If there is a red sign out front that says worship in process - not the time to go. Usually between 12:30 - 4:30 on weekdays is ideal to visit.
James Burnham Coldwell Banker Prime Properties — Google review
The cathedral was beautiful! We were there about 20 to 30 min before a service and there was a lady in the back of the church yelling at anyone that wanted to take pictures. I absolutely get it and was respectful and didn't make a peep. Apparently, the cut off walking around the church and taking pictures 30 min before services.... so plan accordingly! I was able to snap a few when she was yelling at others.🙂 It's absolutely worth the trip to see!
Lynne L — Google review
OH MY GOODNESS! This is GORGEOUS! No matter your beliefs, you should check out this BEAUTIFUL cathedral! The architecture is breathtaking and well, just go see for yourself. 💕
I remember thinking it's donation only.
Jessi — Google review
Absolutely Breathtaking.
Eye candy for the soul.
No matter what religion you are, the beauty inside is undeniable, the energy is peaceful and employees are knowledgeable and willing to share.
Definitely take the opportunity to venture inside if they have the doors open.
I've been there 3 times to view and appreciate the outside, but this time was the first time I was able to enter.
It was worth every moment spent there.
It is free, but there is a sign asking for donations.
Laura Lockhart — Google review
The church was beautiful. They asked for a donation but it was not required. To light a candle for a prayer that you had a donation request. I give it a 4 only because in my opinion there is historical importance to the building and some information would have been helpful. Not sure any takes note but the would on Jesus switches sides from one window to the next. Guessing those windows are expensive! It’s all. About the details! Lol
Brian Lee — Google review
Absolutely gorgeous and free although they do take donations. Friendly staff. We went at Christmas and there was a gigantic very detailed nativity scene which was very impressive. I bought a Christmas ornament there with many choices of the stained glass pieces in the church. The organ was specifically made for this church and is a sight to see. Check times before you go because they do shut it down during services.
Kate Martin — Google review
A must see if you’re in this town, a true piece of history. This Cathedral is absolutely massive in size and so beautiful. The stained glass is gorgeous and so detailed. The wood work is stunning with an insane organ. A very unique place to visit.
Aaron Bonewitz — Google review
We always visit this breathtaking cathedral when visiting Savannah. Make it a must-see when you are there! The history and beauty are worth the visit.
Lana Williams — Google review
Always beautiful but extra special at Christmas. The Nativity is impressive! The stained glass, steeples and wood carvings are hypnotizing. Just gorgeous! A must see when visiting Savannah.
Jessica — Google review
Beautiful, beautiful church! I felt like I stepped into a church in Europe! One of the prettiest sights in Savannah!
Atasha Jordan — Google review
Beautiful cathedral that has endured for such a long time. Went to their Christmas service that was very packed . As huge as it was, people still had to stand in the back. I come to this place almost every year to just enjoy the decorations and ceremony. A must see for anyone .
The Savannah Historic District is an area of the city of Savannah that was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. It is one of the largest urban historic districts in the United States, and it contains a wide variety of architecture from the 18th century through to the early 20th century.
We had some time to check out this historic district in Savannah while staying near bye for a conference. The homes here are historic and the architecture is very nice. My favourite part of this historic district was Forsyth Park and the fountain there as well as the Spanish moss trees all over. The park is a nice place to walk around as well as the area as we walked everywhere.
After seeing the homes and Forsyth Park we enjoyed River Street where there’s lots of restaurants and bars to enjoy something to eat and walk along the river where there were vendors selling things. I would definitely come back if ever in the Savannah, Hilton head area again
Donald hood — Google review
I visited the Savannah Historic District last summer and had a wonderful time! It is such a beautiful area with a plethora of options for food, shopping, and entertainment. Many of the roads or paths I encountered were brick or cobblestone, which are beautiful but can pose issue to those who use wheelchairs or a blind person using a cane. Overall though, the brick walkways were very well kept and didn't seem to pose much of a risk at the time of my visit and there was not a lot of cobblestone. The main roads are paved. There is an area by the riverfront that utilizes a fair amount of stairs spread out, so if someone is in a wheelchair there will need to be a bit of a re-route to get to that specific area of the riverfront. It is a very lively and fun area with a lot of music and lights which is very fun, but if you are someone who struggles with sound sensitivity I would suggest bringing earplugs or your choice of aid to help damped that. Overall, a beautiful, must see area in my opinion, and has few inaccessible areas from my point of view in my visit.
Cada Schmidt — Google review
My favorite place to escape on a long weekend. River Street is vibrant and full of arts, music, tons of little shops and bars/restaurants. The Squares in downtown Savannah are beautiful, historic and so green. If you've never been, I recommend a trolley tour to see the highlights. Then go on foot and find the little treasures of shops, art, food and entertainment.
Misty Lane — Google review
Did trolley tours with two different tour companies; two different days (Thursday and Monday) and experienced many different guides and saw wonderful landmarks. If your a tourist visiting Savanah historic district I highly recommend using a trolley tour. There is so much to see and hear about.
Jherie LaCorte — Google review
What a beautiful city steeped with so much history. We took a 90 minute tour with Old Savannah tours (our tour guide was Hampton- he was fantastic). This is a place we definitely need to come back and spend some time in but if you've got 90 minutes to spare, you should make the detour!
Tanya Hutton — Google review
I'm a huge history buff. The wealth of information and history here was worth the visit alone. Everyone must go to Savannah at least once in a lifetime.
Stephanie Wesson — Google review
Good experience to ride the trolley down town and take the tour around the historic area. We also stopped for food at Spankys on the river. It was a great experience and the gift shops were reasonably priced
Danyetta Butler — Google review
We had a great time visiting the historic district. Many beautiful ancient buildings (build in 19th century) with great architecture, good parks, famous restaurants, beautiful tree tunnel, good river walk, museums, greenery and finally Church with beautiful architecture are the specialities of historic district. If you are visiting for one day, we recommend using old Town trolley tours of Savannah. Based on our experience this trolley service runs at good frequency and have hope off and on facility at major tourist attractions. For an extensive tour, a 2 day visit is needed for covering all the places. If you are coming by car, one major problem will be parking availability.
Siju Kurian John — Google review
Great place to spend a beautiful day walking and taking photos.
With dozens of shops and restaurants to keep anyone entertained. Lot
To do lot to see.
Frank Iverson — Google review
Savannah has a great town with lots of interesting history. We enjoy walking around for a couple hours seeing all the amazing homes and parks/plazas.
Tim Salmonson — Google review
First time visitor. Two days is not enough to experience all the district has to offer. Lots of. Museums and Art Galleries. The history and architecture is amazing. Take the trolley to get an idea of where you want to spend more time. The trolley operators can be fun and entertaining.
Alex Buchanan — Google review
Savannah's spirit is delightful. In each square and around every corner there is a unique experience. Take a quick glance at the city plan then just walk and explore N-S along Bull street and E-W on River Street, Broughton, Oglethorpe, .... all the way to Forsyth Park. The city is dotted with attractions ranging from historic jems to contemporary art galleries and inspiring architectural renovations. Savannah offers a first class experiences in all seasons, no need to wait for popular events or festivities. Just stop by for a day or a few and enjoy hospitality in this energetic southern bell.
E Afifi — Google review
Walk the River than take the Old Town Trolly tour ride around once than hop off & on at any stop our tour guide Sam was great! We Ubered to waterfront cheaper than trying to park. If planning and you want to stay waterfront book in advance.
Karen Meehan — Google review
Absolutely gorgeous. Great walking city. Just watch where you walk cobblestones will trip ya!
Brittney Pickering — Google review
Went for a girl's trip & stayed at the Marshall House! It is Gorgeous! We also went on a tour where we learned about the history of this beautiful area & how everything came about! The driver & his crew were very nice & knowledgeable! They made the tour exciting!! In conclusion, I recommend seeing this Beautiful part of GA. Too amazingly gorgeous to miss.
Mandy “Barts Wife” Burroughs — Google review
Such a fun place to explore! Cute squares of greenery and churches and historic houses. We spent a day here and thoroughly enjoyed.
Limia Mohamed Hamza — Google review
Visited savannah for the first time. Two days are not enough to explore the place. It has got a lot of options and it’s really well developed ❤️
Savannah is known for its real life greenery and ghosts but I didn’t found any so far 😂
Love the place
Small sweet and live
Heema Patel — Google review
This was my first visit to historic Savannah. I only stayed two days, but I had a good time. I used a company called Kelly Tours to get an overview of Savannah. They take everyone through a 90-minute tour first. We had an excellent guide. Then you pick where you want to next. For example, you could call and say I'm at stop 9, I would like to go to stop 5. I called them three times. Each time, it took less than 5 minutes for them to get to me. Some stops were about a 10 minute walk, the weather was nice so I walked some. I feel like I saved so much time, and I saw everything that I wanted to see. I didn't get a lot of good pictures because there are lots of trees and greenspace.
Beverly (Beverly) — Google review
Most site seeing places are entry free, on the river Bank side there was a fireworks 🎆 display for good 20-25 minutes ard 10pm it gets included under Destination fees with ur hotel booking.
Navzy Pal — Google review
4.8
(5818)
•
5.0
(14398)
301 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401, USA
Fort Pulaski National Monument is a significant landmark from the Civil War era that offers ranger-led tours, musket and cannon firing displays, and scenic hiking and biking trails along the riverfront. The fort was built in 1829 and played a prominent role during the war, enduring a 30-hour siege under Robert E. Lee's command by Union forces. Visitors can also explore nearby attractions such as Tybee Island Lighthouse or embark on a dolphin tour for more leisurely sightseeing.
This is an incredible fort with a ton to see. It helps if you have a national park pass as they do charge admission here. Once there go to the visitors center and you can see the great exhibits and get some advice from the rangers before heading out. The fort is a great place to explore with different exhibits throughout. After that you can take other trails around the grounds all of which are wonderful. Great place for everyone.
Maxwell Lent — Google review
I go to a lot of these old forts and this one was AWESOME! Starting off, the young lady at the little booth at the entrance was polite, efficient, and cheerful. The parking lot is paved, well laid out, and as close to the fort and visitor's center as could be expected. The restrooms were clean and included a water fountain with a bottle filling feature. They also had bowls nearby for dogs. The visitor's center was small but informative. The moat around the fort was well kept. The water was clear enough to see lots of fish swimming around. The fort itself was also well kept. Both levels had things to see and there were boards posted all over the place giving information about the construction of the fort, uses of various rooms/ areas, historical information as to people who lived and worked there and nearby as well as events that happened there. I love the old brickwork and the arches. There are also some trails on the premises. One leads to an observation point near an old lighthouse. You can't get to it though. Unless you really like lighthouses I wouldn't recommend the 1+ mile(?) walk out there.
Don Doty — Google review
What an impressive structure with defensive engineering well displayed. We have been to a few old forts up the coast and this one is in amazing shape. Plenty of placards and labels explaining each room and each location of the fort. An excellent way to walk off lunch and gather some knowledge about our history. ✌️😎
Aaron Bonewitz — Google review
Fort Pulaski is a great National Monument just outside Savannah. It's deserves half a day of attention and exploration. Try timing your visit to a ranger talk to really appreciate the history and engineering of the fort. The inside of the fort is very open. You're able to explore almost every room including the upper ramparts. Outside the fort is a restroom, visitors center, but the gift shop is inside the fort. There are a few trails outside around the fort near the water front that give the park a little added variety. Spend some time here as it's worth your driving!
Michael Barton — Google review
This is a National Park that I think is worth the visit. There is a lot of colonial and antebellum history in this structure and visitors should really plan for 2 - 3 hours to fully see all the rooms and areas in the fort. It’s a very unique structure with a moat, drawbridge and several underground tunnels and walkways. There are park rangers on site to answer questions and the facility provides a self-guided tour throughout all the rooms. With plenty of displays and placards to read, this is a neat stop and well worth the price of admission.
Jim McNab — Google review
This was an amazing experience a must do for history buffs and tourists. Love the costumes they encourage you to dress up in and do photos. Grandson wanted to be a proper lady and a union soldier. Very fun. The mote and tunnels and the cannons, all of it I loved! Even saw a alligator...can you find it in my photos?
Jherie LaCorte — Google review
Fun for families (but hold on to your toddler’s hand tight if you venture to see the overlooks - no railing). So much history to be learned here! The gift shop is cute and has some refreshing beverages if you visit on a hot day like I did. Be prepared to walk around for at least an hour to really see it all!
Angela Highsmith — Google review
What a great site to see. Administered by the National Park Service, it offers a unique history experience similar to national parks but much more accessible for a quick day trip. The history presented and the historic preservation visible is quite amazing. The NPS does a great job. Parking was easy, facilities were good, displays well maintained and it was just fun to explore the fort and island. If I had had more time, I would have walked on some of the trails especially to get a closer view of the adjacent lighthouse. My husband and kids even had fun here! Definitely plan a visit!
Annie Dowling — Google review
Tons of history here for this National Monument. It costs but if you have any interest in America history, you'll enjoy this place. Try to catch a ranger talk and if you like hiking, there are some neat trails here, too.
Michael Kustermann — Google review
Very cool place. Kinda pricey admission if you don't have a NPS pass, but it's how these places are able to survive, and ultimately it's worth the price. Beautiful grounds and a very well preserved structure, lots of park staff/rangers available for questions etc. Gorgeous views!
R Snyder — Google review
We were able to get a great deal on our admission price. My mother, who is a senior, bought a National Park Pass for $20, which allows 4 adults to come with her for no additional cost. So, we paid $20 for 5 adults to enter, instead of the $10 each, which would have set us back $50.
The fort itself is an incredible opportunity to see an important part of America's history. Be very careful as there is no railing on the top level of the fort. It is a straight drop down, so it probably wouldn't be good for people who have a problem with heights. We really enjoyed our time here and snagged a magnet in the gift shop on the way out.
Be aware also that the only bathroom is by the round brick building as you first come in that serves as their Visitor Center.
Suomirakastaa — Google review
This National Monument had a bit for all to enjoy. A 15min movie gave a great history lesson. We caught the ranger led tour that was informative and guided us through different areas of the fort. The views can be taken in at all angles. Once you’re done exploring the fort take a stroll down to the Cockspur lighthouse. The trial is flat and very easy to navigate.
Kelly Champion-Smith — Google review
We weren't sure what to expected and made a last minute decision to go to Fort Pulaski and it was great. There is great signage for individuals to go at their own pace and see what is available and so much history to try to soak up. The displays and exhibits were tasteful and not overly done. The amount of guns that the fort had was amazing and after walking through I had a much better idea of how the fort worked and some of the issues that had to be dealt with on a regular basis. The employees and volunteers were helpful and happy. We spent about two hours here in the morning and had enough time to drive back to town by noon for the 1pm Riverboat Cruise.
If you aren't sure which fort to visit, I recommend Fort Pulaski. It big, has something for everyone, and was am active location that was surprisingly beat by the Union Army.
Kirsten Barnes — Google review
What an amazing walk through history. Everything is very well kept and tidy. It is magnificent to be able to admire each of the rooms, the hospital, the church, the prison, the kitchens and of course the cannons. Everything about the history of this fort is very well explained on each educational poster. On a day as hot as today, we have found a cool breeze entering between the corridors through the guard windows. There is a trail, a gift shop, very clean restrooms, a small museum, and very friendly staff. Definitely a must visit if you are in this area.
Mariangeles Doctor — Google review
This particular historical site is well preserved and much larger than I thought it would be. And all of the park rangers were a wealth of information. You can easily spend several hours walking the site and reading historical markers.
Walking the magazines, grounds, cannon emplacements of different size, and upper walls is a must.
Veterans have proof of veteran status on your person. This can be ID card, driver's license with veteran status indicated and possibly VA card for park access. Speak with the park rangers about the veterans park access benefits.
Enjoy the site!
Seth Schwartz — Google review
It was so hot and we had our fluffy shih tau with us so we didn't hike the trails. The grounds were nicely mowed and info signs were very interesting. Pets not allowed inside visitor center, FYI. We just took turns. the water bowls provided we're thoughtful. We enjoyed what we saw!
Robin Schmitz — Google review
We had a blast at this place. I was about 3 months pregnant with my daughter then My kids and I went. We loved it. They had so much fun learning about the War and how people lived before them. They also loved the walk out to the small beach they have. We enjoyed seeing where the ships used to come in to drop off goods. I definitely recommend this place. BIG PLUS!! IF YOU ARE A SERVICE MEMBER YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GET IN FOR FREE! (We were there in 2018-2019)
Tierani Wilkinson — Google review
Admission is $10 per person and provides access to the walking trails around the fort in addition to the fort proper. If you want to walk out to see Georgia’s smallest lighthouse, you’ll need to access it from
Fort Pulaski National Monument.
The fort itself is interesting and explains the architecture, structure, and history. There is a recently (2012) erected marker commemorating Confederate soldiers which is the first thing you see when entering the parking lot…
The walk to Cockspur Island Lighthouse’s viewing path is labeled and requires walking behind the fort and then down a dirt path. It’s about 1.5 miles round trip. We saw lots of freighters on our walk.
The gift shop is inside the fort itself, not the visitor center. It’s really well curated, and it has a better, higher quality selection of items than most other NPS stores I’ve visited.
Jordan Freeman — Google review
Came here while on a road trip in the area. We stopped at a few forts, and this one was my favorite. I think it's so cool that there's a moat and a drawbridge that needs to be lowered like one in a castle. It felt like I was in a movie, I loved that! And it's really cool that some of the history here ties in with one of the forts we went to in South Carolina. There's a bunch of cool walking trails too, so there's a lot more to see besides the fort.
Zachary Frieben — Google review
Bit of a line to get in at 9AM but the fort only had a couple of visitors by the time I made it in. Rangers and staff were friendly and helpful. Great views from the top of the fort and interesting history inside of it. Can't wait to go back and visit the lighthouse.
Craig Woodruff — Google review
Really cool Fort to walk around up and downstairs. Various tunnels, rooms, cannons, history. Takes a couple hours to explore casually. There is also a 1.7 mi trail on the outside to go closer to the Cockspur lighthouse. Didn't get to do that trail this trip though.
Lindy W — Google review
Very worthwhile visit. We spent 5 hours there, and still didn't see everything! I definitely recommend bringing water, binoculars, wearing good walking shoes and of course sunscreen and/or a hat. It was busy but not crowded on a weekday. I liked that the admission gives you the ability to come and go for multiple days. We'll probably go back before we leave the area and see the couple of things we missed. The kids were very engaged with the Junior Ranger book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much it helped all of us learn and interact.
The visitor center and fort are accessible. The fort floor is uneven. There are picnic areas by the entrance and by the visitor center. Restrooms are only by the visitor center, so definitely plan ahead if you're going to do the trails.
There are some recorded cannon sounds in the visitor center, and the fort echoes. But it wasn't loud or bothersome for our noise sensitive kids.
I did see several dogs there, and a water bowl outside of the gift store. Again, plan ahead because the dogs are not allowed in the
Angela Shiring — Google review
Very beautiful place to visit. The fort itself is one of the best preserved from that time period and the walk around the grounds was great, especially if the weather is gorgeous.
Dennis Frye — Google review
Great place. Love the fact that they restored some of the cannons instead of just letting them be while they left areas of the fort structure look natural. Good contrast. They have many story boards around the fort explaining different areas.
National Park pass works here.
The picturesque River Street in downtown Savannah, Georgia is famous for its quaint shops, cafes, and bars. The street runs along the banks of the Savannah River and is a popular spot to eat and relax.
Beautiful area to explore in Savannah
Sharon Hughes — Google review
Love e river side. A lot of things to do around. Restaurants, shops, bars, creamery stores…. Don’t miss it 💖
Ingrid Baez — Google review
Lots of stuff activity going on over here.
Thadd F. — Google review
Spooky place at night. Cobblestone makes for tricky walking so be careful. Leave the heels at home boys and girls. Put on a good pair of boots or sneakers. I promise you'll turn an ankle and/or end up barefoot otherwise. Lots of neat old haunted places through this section of Savannah. Must see at night in my opinion. Stay alert though. It's not terribly dangerous but you can easily find yourself trapped if you take the wrong stairs or wander too far by yourself. You can take your car on River St but I wouldn't do it . In fact avoid your car altogether in Savannah if possible. The city itself is razy confusing. And historically speaking I can only imagine the horror River street had experienced for hundreds of years present day for the most part excluded. If those bricks could talk I don't think I could bare to hear their voice. Chilling to think that you actually might just hear River St talking to you if you're walking along at night. In fact I was certain River Street was speaking but then I realized that it was a homeless guy and he was talking to nobody about "needing his damn sunglasses" . So maybe River Street and this man were having a conversation. Not sure, I did not try to join the back and forth. So keep your heads up at night somehow while also looking at your feet so you don't fall and look like an a$$.
MK Regrah — Google review
Well kept historic street full of shops, bars, eclectic restaurants all following the river. Bonus:.lots of friendly cops everywhere. You'll feel safe
Jeffrey M — Google review
Cool place to see with restaurants and a variety of shops and things to see
Jason Semrau — Google review
Lovely place, kid and dog friendly.. cute little boutique shops. A nice view of the river and you get to read about some of our war heroes.
Irene Jayma — Google review
Iconic strip with shops and food scene. Pralines and seafood are something you have to try. Nice get away for a weekend trip.
Yi G — Google review
Nice place to walk along the river
Lots of restaurants and shops
Jose Rodriguez — Google review
Was difficult to find and using Google maps wasn't completely helpful. But what a cool area!!! I didn't realize shops were on both sides at first. Was a little tough getting down the stairs so on the way back up we found a set a little less steep. Having a directory would have been helpful. That way we could have seen what was down there, where bathrooms are, etc.
Wish we had more time.
This is along the river, across from the convention center but on outside of downtown historic area. It's pretty, lots of little shops (loved the candy store, five and dime, and marketplace). 5 and Dime has restrooms. There is a pub type place down there, too. Just a cute area, separate from the stores,.restaurants, etc. In downtown. Cobblestone and treed, very historical looking.
K Rod — Google review
Parking $1.50 per 30 mins. Beautiful view of the river, all kinds of bars, restaurants, gift shops with t-shirts, magnets, etc. Couple pan handlers out there.
Rebecca Smith — Google review
A fun street to walk and shop on, or just enjoy looking at the river.
Angus Bennion — Google review
4.8
(120)
•
4.5
(8234)
Savannah, GA 31401, USA
I'll never travel to Myrtle Beach without this trip planner again
Coligny Beach Park is an oceanfront recreational area featuring well-maintained walking and biking paths, as well as amenities like Wi-Fi, swings, and the option to rent beach equipment. It is a popular destination for families as it is conveniently located near a playground and the Hilton Head Island Children's Museum. Locals also frequent Islanders Beach, where they can enjoy grilling facilities and picnic pavilions in addition to swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.
I love this beach park. The trees are so beautiful and the water was so clear. They have lots of pine trees and the bright green leave plants. I also love that parking was easy, at least when we went in December. They also have bathrooms and showers.
Atche Portillo — Google review
Free public access to the Atlantic Ocean in a Hilton Head Island, SC! Beautiful boardwalk bringing you into the heart of the park. Clean restrooms, rinse off area, changing rooms and lots of shaded seating stops. Wheel chair and scooter accessible mat also available. Beach with lifeguards is very clean with several umbrella chairs and prime seating for families enjoying the day at the beach. Would definitely return!
Elizabeth Kibby — Google review
Beautiful beach with all amenities like washrooms, foot wash, changing rooms, showers, parking.
Walk to the beach is a pathway with beautiful trees, you can take your carts along with beach chairs.
During the day beach was quite jammed but when I went in the morning around 7am it was much less crowded and looking more peaceful and beautiful then the day.
Water of the beach is very very salty so if you skin allergies take precautions.
You get Chairs along with umbrella shed on rent but I did not take it so don’t know the rent.
P.S- I would request to each of you reading the review not to leave your plastic cans/items near the beach( I saw many during the day visit). Also other request would be to minimize the use of plastic so that our oceans don’t get destroyed.
Arpita ABhatia — Google review
Wonderful beach! Very clean and well maintained. We loved the walk up to the beach. There is plenty of seating where you can just rest and admire the beauty of the park. Just a short ways from the main Coligny Beach Park entrance, there is tons of safe, free parking. People (tourists and locals) are very friendly and will guide you if you need help. We particularly loved the outdoor changing area because we visited the beach again on the day we had checked out of our hotel. We were able to let the kids get in the ocean and play in the sand, and then come and rinse off and change into dry clothes right at the park. This extended our trip and gave us another day to enjoy the beach as we still had a safe area to get dressed. The park is close to tons of restaurants and shops. Just leave your car in the free lot and go explore. It’s worth it!
Renita Taylor — Google review
I live in Atlanta and don’t mind driving here because it’s clean, family-friendly, has free parking, and it really is beautiful. I love this beach! Lovely place to spend the day with my family
Nurse Yana — Google review
This place is really nice. The beach is usually very clean and well maintained. Has a nice long wide mat that makes it easy to get through the soft sand. There are some nice shops and places to eat. All of which are within walking distance from the beach and where you park. Definitely recommend coming here. FYI It does get crazy busy during tourist season
John — Google review
Beautiful place, flat beach area, soft sand nice to walk in the area that close to the water, not crowded, there is clean station and toilets. Pretty nice and clean side walk. Ocean water is pretty cold right now. friendly wave all day long..
AnVe 2021 — Google review
Cool beach, gets busy during hot days for swimming.
Many people around so it's mostly safe.
Nice sunrises over the Atlantic and decent sunsets.
Oceans can be flat as pancake or have 4-5 foot choppers in the same day. High and low tides add about 20 yards to beach area.
Fun place to people watch
M Caff — Google review
This was our first time coming here. Making our way to Florida. This park is actually really nice & convenient! So many wash off showers, bathrooms are decent, swings to sit down and chill. The beach sand was so nice, there was some trash here and there. The waters are warm!! I've never felt the waters that warm before. I recommend this park though, it's a nice place to take the family.
Katie Kramer — Google review
FREE PARKING!
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE right down to the ocean! There are mats lining the path that wheelchairs can roll on easily.
This place is stunning.
Very little shells on the beach. It's nice to see a city put so much into public access. Restrooms, showers, water faucets and more! The water was good and cold from the fountain which is a surprise.
The sunrise was pretty even if that one cloud blocked it a little.
Plenty of restaurants within walking distance too!
Ray Smith — Google review
A beautiful park with lovely bench swings on the walkway to the beach. We were there in December and the temps were in the mid 50s. It was warm on the swings and cooler on the beach, where it was windy. If you dress for the wind it is a beautiful walk along the beach and not very crowded this time.if year.
Hadassa 1 — Google review
A good beach access point for the public. It has all the necessary after beach clean up facilities. The restrooms were kept as clean as possible for a public restroom. There was good enough sanitations. The park had several shops and restaurants which were unfortunately all closed as I visited on Christmas day.
Abhish Abraham — Google review
Coligny Beach Park on Hilton Head Island is a must-visit destination for both solo travelers and families alike, the boardwalk leading to the expansive beach offers an intoxicating blend of natural beauty and modern convenience.
The crown jewels of this picturesque location are the enormous live oaks that shade the park's well-maintained boardwalk that transforms the park into a cool retreat even in the peak summer heat. They're not just functional – these age-old guardians of the island possess a rustic beauty that adds a unique charm to the landscape.
The park's splash pads are a real delight, particularly for children. A fine mist keeps visitors cool under the South Carolinian sun, adding an element of fun to the soothing serenity of the beach. The area is kept clean and is perfectly safe, making it an ideal spot for families to create lasting memories.
Adding to the park's tranquility are the numerous swings scattered throughout the park. There's nothing quite as relaxing as swinging gently under the protective canopy of the oaks, enjoying the soft sea breeze and the hypnotic rhythm of the nearby ocean waves.
Coligny Beach Park is a harmonious blend of leisure and nature.
Lisa Medford — Google review
Best beach to spend an afternoon with friends. Very clean beach. Found sand dollars and starfish. Life guards and helicopter kept eyes on water for any potential threat of sharks. Warnings were given and everyone had to get out of the water. It was about 30 minutes. Then the all clear was given. Clean bathrooms. Definitely my favorite beach!
Spedrock W — Google review
Beautiful beach, easy access and lovely rest area with water spigots to wash off your feet as well as showers to rinse off completely. Could use more parking but there isn't anywhere to add it - plus, it's walkable from many of the condos nearby. The sand was perfect and waterntemp was cold but bearable for an October sunrise.
Patricia Batchelor — Google review
Love the fact if you are in a wheelchair you can go and see the beach with no problem. Also if you have a hard time walking in the sand they have a cover over the sand in which makes it easier to get there. The cover doesn't get hot either.
MeLinda R — Google review
Out of all my visits to this magnificent island, I never once had been to this beach access in Coligny Plaza, as I always have beach access inside Sea Pines, so I decided to try something new. What sort of local guide would I be if I didn't?
As far as the actual beachline goes, it's a beach, so everything there was what I expected it to be, but as far as the entrance, it was well-maintained and there were enough restrooms around! The beach itself also extends quite largely, so there's plenty of room for everyone!
beastlycharizard13 — Google review
Looks like a well maintained area, clean with restrooms, showers, swings, and short easy walk to the beach. parking upfront was easy to find as we went during winter. Parking was free. We didn't stay for very long but enjoyed the area quite a lot..there is shopping nearly and restaurants too. We saw lot of people with dogs too.
Sanjeeta Pai — Google review
Great beach with a lot of space to set up chairs, blankets or whatever. A lot of walkable or bikeable stores and restaurants close by. Stations to wash off feet, showers and bathrooms. There is a wheelchair accessible mat at the entrance that brings you to the beach as well as beach wheelchairs you can borrow for free.
Hannah Montroy — Google review
Coligny Beach is a high quality spot with nice facilities, including restrooms and changing cabanas. It’s a great walking beach, especially at sunrise. You can rent chairs and umbrellas ‘in season’. There is plenty of parking nearby.
Keith Moore — Google review
The first time I had been there and it was very clean. It had a lot of added family touches. Share toys and clean up area for the beach. The changing rooms and the restrooms were very clean. I loved the porch swings as well.
Dustie Brown — Google review
4.7
(9533)
•
4.5
(3680)
1 Coligny Circle, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA
Shelter Cove Community Park is a popular gathering spot in the city that hosts frequent shows and festivals. In addition to its entertainment value, the park also features green space for sports and fitness activities. The park is well-designed for children to burn off energy, making it an ideal destination for families with young kids. Located in Hilton Head, the park is surrounded by great shopping options including numerous restaurants and small shops.
Shelter cove has some of the best shopping in restaurants hands down. This park was so well designed for the kids. They were able to burn some energy off so they could behave well at the dinner table. We went twice in our week vacation down there in Hilton Head. Highly recommend stopping by here if you have kids. Let them burn some energy off so they don't act up at the store's while shopping lol
Emily Banks — Google review
Beautiful path to walk or bike along the marsh/water. Great for bird watchers. Mixed path - paved and raised wood decking over marsh. Art sculptures too.
Jeanne Louks — Google review
Shelter Cove Community Park is a beautiful park located adjacent to the Shelter Cove Towne Centre. It includes a large grassy area for recreation, a stage for concerts, and an area with playground equipment for children. Plus, it has a gorgeous view of the marshland. It's a beautiful place to run and play or simply to sit and relax.
Greg Squyres — Google review
This is a awesome Greenway that goes put over the edge of the marsh area near shelter cove. There is open parking at the end, and there are two small parks that this takes you to.
One is a veterans memorial park with pavers of some veterans of various wars. I am not sure how the featured veterans were chosen, but still a pretty stop
The 2nd park is behind shelter cove shopping center, and has a playground, and gazebo area as well as easy access to shops and restaurants.
The whole trail is probably about a mile, but might be a nice excursion if you find yourself in the area
Andrew McAllister — Google review
Have been here a couple times while visiting the area.. Nice park with good views. There are stores and small shops. Also a few nice restaurants and club located close by.
john sgrulletta — Google review
Love this park. It's close the restaurants and shopping and has the Memorial park. It's a great place to watch the sunset and to look at the amazing Memorial built for veterans. You can even purchase a brick for a veteran and they will have there name there for ever. They have done such a good job in building a beautiful park. It's a MUST visit while you're in HHI.
Don K — Google review
Cute little park with a community market on Sundays. Location was excellent to do extra shopping after the market. Playground was perfect for kids of different ages to explore and had good benches for parents.
Morgan Melton — Google review
This is new to us. Wonderful amenity. Well laid out paths, nice views, respectful of the natural environment. Nice veterans memorial. Perfect place for sunset pics. Connects to other Shelter Cove paths. Highly recommended
Brian Capron — Google review
Shelter Cove Community Park is a very well-designed shopping center, community park for the whole family to enjoy. All of the photos were taken on our recent visit at Christmas and the park is just beautiful! The playground is great with rubber mulch and very cushioned for wild kids like mine:). Large grass area to run around or picnic with the family. Hilton Head puts on events there all the time such as movie nights under the stars, snow at the beach, 4th of July celebrations etc. Check with the community calendar to make sure you don't miss out on any of the great events going on there. This is a park we often take people that come to the beach to visit us. They always seem to maintain the park very well and we will continue to go there as it is just a great place to hang out, walk around, shop, eat, date night and of course go and see Santa Clause at Christmas!
Anchors Away Sailing Charters — Google review
It's a wonderful community park but there's very little shade along the boardwalk so pick your days carefully and wear lots of sunscreen. The views are absolutely beautiful
Ralph Landi — Google review
Beautiful place to watch the sun set!
SEG — Google review
This was one of our favorite stops as a family on our day-long biking trip! Beautiful waterfront views and a very well put-together park with lots of seating, a very nice playground (with video surveillance), and restrooms. This park is right next to the French Bakery and other good eateries.
Devon McKenzie — Google review
This is a wonderful place to watch the sunset. There are walking trails, picnic benches and a nice playground for kids. Lots of children, families, teens and elderly enjoying the evening. Several people were walking their dogs. This location is near the marsh and is very peaceful. We saw lots of water birds flying overhead heading to the rookery for the night.
Debbie Wilburn — Google review
The best on this side of the island! Free and a playground foe kids with water fountain, restrooms lots of seats and walking for the family. Sunscreens in the bathrooms and lots of cameras around to spy on you! And free wifi however not enough handicap parking.
Cya Vsqz — Google review
4.7
(1136)
•
5.0
(2815)
39 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA
Hunting Island is a state park featuring sandy beaches, marshes, a maritime forest, a saltwater lagoon, and a lighthouse. The park is well-maintained and boasts various historical buildings, two beaches with bath houses and beach gift shops, as well as campgrounds with their own gift shop. Driving through the island feels like entering a rainforest due to its lush vegetation.
my favorite beach ever. it’s so peaceful and quiet, at least the part i went to was!! it was also just so beautiful.
Brenna — Google review
This beach captured my heart like very few other places on earth have. Its pristine sands, crystal-blue waters and serene atmosphere make it my favorite beach in the world. Watching the sunrise here feels like witnessing a masterpiece painting come to life. Each visit feels like the first, offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Truly, a hidden gem that deserves all the praise and more.
Ken Yamashiro — Google review
I always love Hunting Island. It's well maintained and the beach is beautiful. There is a light house that you can go up in, various historical buildings, a campground, 2 beaches, bath houses, a beach gift shop, and a campground gift shop.
Christina Smith — Google review
Top campground just meters from beach — good facilities, clean, quiet — some fun trails for cycling/hiking — beware the mosquitoes!
Andrew Hood — Google review
Pretty magical Little Beach. Evidently my family's been coming here for years and I finally realized why, the views are fictitious!
Dylan Wisser — Google review
We enjoyed our visit to the island. The drive into the park was remarkable. It would be easy to get lost if they didn't have signs telling you the way out.
Brenda Wilhelm — Google review
What a beautiful park! Driving through seems as though you're entering a rain forest. Gorgeous beach and amazing lighthouse. We were disappointed to find out upon arrival that the lighthouse is closed.
Mary Richardson — Google review
Tranquil, relaxing beach in October. The water was still warm enough to swim. Clean shoreline and the palm trees behind the sand make a peaceful backdrop.
Phyllis Maclay — Google review
Quiet, relaxing beach. Great for shell hunters. Picnic area for family gatherings,with tables and grills.
Robin Walker — Google review
We went twice in one week. The visitor center is a nice first stop. Lighthouse is at the upper (northern) beach with picnic tables (gnats drove us away from lunch there, however, early March). You can find some shells, but had better luck last year. Saw some people on horseback. Not crowded at all; plenty of room! I explored only a small bit of trails; looks great if you want to hike or bike. The road into the park is also beautiful.
Mark Metcalfe — Google review
This is either the end of the world or it’s beginning. Excellent beaches, inland trails, scenic views, camping / campgrounds, fishing piers, history, etc. etc. If you are in Beaufort, go. If you’re in South Carolina, go. Just go!😀
Carl Wahl — Google review
Gorgeous. Miles of beautiful beach along the Atlantic Ocean. The museum was so informative. Can't wait to visit again. Hopefully the Lighthouse will be open to the public
Stacy Wright — Google review
This was our first time visiting and we loved it!!! Driving to the beach you feel like your in a Jurassic park movie!!! The beach is beautiful, filled with shells!! And the lighthouse is magnificent! Be sure to go see it, and there’s a cute little gift shop too!!! Also…. The boneyard beach is simply amazing!!! I’m sure if you go you will enjoy this beautiful area as much as we did!! ☀️🌴
Lyn S. — Google review
This is our 3rd visit to this South Carolina state park and it doesn’t disappoint! Our campsite was on the perimeter of the campground and backed up to the primitive campsites of which none were occupied during our visit
The RV sites have electric and water, fire pit and picnic table and many are heavily wooded and private. Its more of a hard packed sand rather than gravel site for parking. The store has ice, firewood and other supplies.
There’s a trail that you can walk to from the campsites as well as beach access. Other trails start from the 2 other entrances along Sea Island Parkway as well as a short hike on the sound side which connects small islands out in the marsh via boardwalks. That’s a great place for birding. We saw a river otter and 4 Bufflehead ducks hunting fish in the marsh. The trails all offer a variety of scenery from forest to marsh to beach including the ghost forest at the south end of the island. Its a photographer ‘s paradise !
Hiker Shirl — Google review
One of the few South Carolina beaches. The park is clean and they road leading in is interesting.
Robert Rakosi — Google review
Love this place!!! We have been going every year for 14 years. I enjoy the NOT crowded beach, the lighthouse, spacious sites, unique finds in shells & the wildlife. The last couple years price has went up & have started adding fees per night if you bring a Golfcart-so be sure to check for extra charges-love they added a place to wash & dry clothes!
The Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park is a well-known park situated along the Beaufort River in downtown Beaufort. It offers visitors a multi-acre of beautiful green space, along with several recreational amenities including a playground and stage for performances. The park was constructed in the 1970s and underwent renovations from 2006 to 2008, providing breathtaking views of Lady's Island, Port Royal Island, Parris Island, and Woods Memorial Bridge.
Love this waterfront park in Beaufort and always visit when I'm in town. Great walking park with swings for two and picnic tables scattered throughout the park. Kids' area/playground at one end.
Lots of trees and personality. Located right behind downtown and next to the parking area (pay lot). Restrooms near kids' area/playground.
Cynthia Edmonds — Google review
Absolutely marvelous!
Beaufort is impeccably clean. Gorgeous views all around but downtown is a different scenery with plenty shops around, restaurants, ice cream parlors, & the park.
Perfect for the little ones or to keep them busy while the rest of your party shops.
The swings throughout this area are a plus to unwind & enjoy.
Iris D — Google review
Lovely walkway along the water. Little shops along the way to pick up ice cream etc. Playground for the kids with lots of tables and chairs as well as benches. Love the swings facing the water. So enjoyable!
TodayIsOurAdventure — Google review
A huge kudos to both the town and whoever designed this park, which is one of the nicest I've ever seen. Absolutely beautiful and well worth a stroll if you're in town for dining or shopping. The "swing benches" are genius and so inviting on a beautiful day. Felt like we were on a movie set or something.
Patrick Dugan — Google review
Even the thunderstorms are amazing. Waterfront park has been one of my favorite places to relax for more than 25 years. Ahhhhh
T. Gardner — Google review
Beautiful park and playground with equipment for a variety of age ranges and abilities. Several benches and a picnic table are available in the enclosed playground which is situated next to public restrooms and parking.
Elaine Benner — Google review
A very nice place to walk anytime of day. The views are breathtaking, the restaurants and shops are great. There was a band playing and they were great! Great place to come and relax and bring the kids to the play area and get ice cream! Highly enjoyable!
Sarah ?Ace? Jones — Google review
This is such a beautiful part of South Carolina. This park has plenty of room for the kids to run around and play, a playground that my kids both love, plenty of restaurants, Ice-cream and some great sunset views. The swings add such a charm to this quaint riverwalk. This park is very popular and can get crowded but worth the fighting. Great views of historic Woods Memorial swing bridge. My wife and I end up there quite a bit on "Date Night". With the public boat dock, this is a great place to arrive on boat, dock and enjoy! They even offer movies under the stars
Anchors Away Sailing Charters — Google review
Picturesque location. Several shaded swing’s along the waterfront to relax. Good choice of bar’s/ restaurants and picnic tables. Playground and amphitheater. There’s much to partake within a few short blocks. Paid parking available @ $1./ hr.
Quaint little town.
Alan H — Google review
Such a great little park! My husband and I took a break from doing the tourist things, and strolled through this park. We sat at a table for a while and then decided to sit in one of the 'porch' swings. While enjoying the river view a gentleman a few yards from us was fishing and caught a small ray. Bathrooms are available nearby and they were clean. Families with kids were enjoying the playground area.
Robin Walker — Google review
The SHRIMP Festival has begun. Oodles of fun. Check out the Rotary Club of Sea Island-Beaufort tent to purchase your SHRIMP for the race tomorrow.
Ruthe Gleason — Google review
The park is beautiful! Lots of open green lawn. Shade for when you need break from the sun. And plenty of benches! We loved that there are even bench style swings to sit and relax. There is a playground for the kids and they might even get to see the bridge turn to let a ship through. The best thing is it's all very clean!
N — Google review
Cool place to walk around in the Beaufort area. Tons of history and decent sites to see.
Andrew Rodriguez — Google review
This park was absolutely beautiful. The scenery and the activities were amazing. My family and I went to the beach. It was stunning and so much fun! The price was also nice. You can beat the pwrk for hours at a time. You can leave and come back without paying anymore!! 10 out of 10 definitely recommend.
Lourdes Colon — Google review
It is very beautiful and relaxing, people were friendly and a great place to walk your dog or just take a leisurely walk on the waterfront.
Debbie Engler — Google review
Visited Beaufort on American cruise lines ship. What a Beautiful friendly clean waterfront. The shops are fantastic and the views are amazing. Just don't forget the Beaufort wave
Darren Sparks — Google review
This waterfront park is beautiful! It's a great place to catch a vivid Lowcountry sunset from one of the many swings, or watch boats go by, and maybe see the swing bridge open for a larger one. It's also a great venue for the many festivals that Beaufort has throughout the year.
Darcie Osborne — Google review
Relax. Have fun. Get food. Shop.
Public restrooms available. Playground for kids.
Find a bench swing at the waterfront. Great for "sittin' on the dock of the bay watchin' the tide roll away."
Mark Metcalfe — Google review
Wonderful and beautiful and relaxing spot to enjoy the scenery...peruse a little history...and enjoy local bars and restaurants
Greek Revival columns, walls & a graveyard from the 1750s stand amid oaks covered in Spanish moss.
Great, Beautiful Place. The owners of the place had to place a fence around it to keep people out, due to individuals taking parts of the church home with them. Just saying... If you come to see the Church, please only take pictures.
Tony Brown — Google review
This place is absolutely AMAZING!!! Ruins are bigger than what I was expecting, and I was unaware that it was in the middle of a cemetery. We did have kind of a creepy experience though. In the southwest corner of the grounds we discovered a white sheet on the ground surrounded by a bunch of burned down white candles. Not sure what this was all about, but it gave me a bit of an uneasy feeling. But we enjoyed the remainder of our visit looking at all the old graves, the wickedly beautiful live oak trees and the church ruins themselves. If you like history, you'll LOVE this place! BRING MOSQUITO REPELLENT!! LOTS OF IT.
Kristyn Michael — Google review
A fun little stop pretty close to 95. The ruins are cool and the grounds are covered in droopy trees draped with moss. The ruins themselves are gated closed, however.
Zac Huber — Google review
This is one of my new favorite hidden gems in the Lowcountry. It's absolutely beautiful and so peaceful out here. And we got lucky when we stopped because the grounds keeper was there and let us in the fence!
malissa greathouse — Google review
Such a beautiful place we randomly came across on our way to Savannah. Seems like an amazing place to take photos with the Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the old pillars in the background. This was a very peaceful place to stop and stretch our legs after being on the interstate for several hours.
Christopher Caudle — Google review
If you love taking pictures this place is picture perfect. It was about 15 min out of our way to Savannah but worth the detour. So old and well preserved. Also a graveyard.
Sally — Google review
Gorgeous stop to or from Beaufort with picnic tables as well. This is definitely worth stopping to see, but ensure you have some bug spray during the summer months. There are a HUGE amount of mosquitos and we found other visitors getting bit up as badly as we did. I do hate that the ruins are fenced off, but I understand why they had to. The history is great to read about and the ruins and gravestones are very humbling as well. Definitely recommend!
Ben McCarter — Google review
Beautiful! Love that this is still standing and you are able to go see it! I recommend to others to take a minute to look around the grounds at the different headstones and at the architecture of what remains of the church!
Kara C — Google review
I really liked this place. It has a special feel about it. The gates were open so able to walk around. Easy parking
Julie Dass — Google review
The ruins of thos church was first burned during the American Revolution. Then rebuilt in the 1820s. As I walkef around the church I noticed that almost all the trees wete leaning towards the church. Thete ate a number of graves dating back to the 1700s. I can recomend for a quick free stop on hwyway 17
Moving on with Old man river — Google review
This is just a very cool place. It won’t take you long to enjoy the epic scenery on this road and at these ruins. You won’t regret making the stop, it’s worth it
The area near here is so beautiful. Southern coastal beauty with tall trees that cover the road at places, dripping with Spanish moss, sun dappling through the trees.
There’s lots of shaded grassy areas where you could sit on the grounds. I can’t remember if there’s picnic tables or not.
Also along that road there’s a little pull off places that you can stop and take pictures or just take in the scenery.
The ruins themself have markers that tell you the history behind the ruins and how they were rebuilt and ruined again.
Melissa Sauls — Google review
An absolute must stop and see when traveling the area!
Serene, beautiful and peaceful
It would have been nice to go in the ruins, but I understand why they fenced it off. You can walk around and see gravestones, too. It’s amazing the history in this place.
NO restrooms at the grounds.
Sarah Weber — Google review
Due to selfish people who have vandalized this beautiful church in the last few years, now they have a gate around it. There is parking across the street, but beware vehicles still go 60 miles an hour down the small little road. They really need a caution light so people don’t get hit. I’m in one of the pictures giving a history lesson to some visitors.
Classy Glass Girl — Google review
Amazing place to come see if you're in the Beaufort area. A lot of history in this area and a must see!
Andrew Rodriguez — Google review
Wow, stunning! If you're driving from Savannah to Charleston (or vice versa) highly recommend the roadside stop for a leg stretch! The ruins are absolutely haunting, well intact, and very interesting. The trees at this stop are particularly gorgeous. We ended up spending almost half an hour. I wouldn't go super far out of my way to see it, but if you're going by it, definitely take a peek :)
Robin Pianosi — Google review
A nice place, on a pretty road, with interesting grave stones. In my own opinion, it's definitely worth detouring a few minutes off the road, if you're on your way to or from Beaufort. But I wouldn't make a long trip just for these ruins.
Mr. Ed — Google review
Super interesting historical location to check out. Dates back to the Revolutionary War when the roof was burned by the British. Wish we could have explored in more detail inside the fence, but I understand the need for protection.
Make sure and know there is parking on the other side of the street, it's on a fairly busy local road that people seem to speed down and it can be hard to drive slowly to look and get your bearings.
David Dorris — Google review
Beautiful and atmospheric. Watch the speed limits carefully when you’ll exit the freeway to get there 😉 we got the speeding ticket.
Anna Morozova — Google review
Gorgeous and somber location. Well worth the stop, but make sure if mosquitoes like you, you have bug spray on! It was a rainy day and that added to the eerie feeling. You can sense the history that lies here. The building and graves tell quite the story.
Nestled on Wadmalaw Island, just a scenic drive from Johns Island, the Charleston Tea Garden is a picturesque site with acres of tea plants and offers trolley and factory tours. Established in the late 1700s, it continues the tradition of American grown tea that was invested in by the Lipton Company in the early 1900s. Visitors can explore this historic plantation and sample its renowned American Classic Tea.
This was a wonderful tour. I especially liked that it was very easy and not much walking. We parked right by the factory and gift shop. They have a trolley tour that explains everything about their teas. Our tour guide was funny and enjoyable. I plan to bring friends back for the tour, especially those that don’t want a lot of walking. The tea samples are great. The inside tour is quick and has benches along the way to sit. My recommendation is to go when they are harvesting so you can see the whole process on the tour. We will be back.
B H — Google review
We enjoyed our visit to the tea farm, great tour guide on the trolley and very informative. The factory tour was good and fun to watch. The gift shop had hot and cold teas to try. We had a chance to try the first cut tea of the season which had a rich and buttery flavor. Lots of cute tea items in the shop. They have a wonderful place under trees with picnic tables and nice bathroom facilities.
Terrie White — Google review
We loved this tour. It is such a rare and unique experience to see how tea is grown, harvested, maintained and processed. This is not an Antebellum plantation tour, it is a tour of an active tea plantation. Do not miss the factory tour (which is separate from the trolley tour) and does not have a separate charge. Hopefully you can see the factory in operation, which is most of the time from April to October. It is just down the road from the Angel Oak tree which is very much worth stopping to see as well.
Nicki Athey — Google review
This was the second time my fiancé and I have visited, but the first time with my family. I will always love coming to the Charleston Tea Plantation. There is a free factory tour every 15 minutes on the hour that explains how they process their tea. There is also a trolley tour - $15 per person for ages 12 and up, $7.50 per child ages 4-11. The trolley tour is such an incredible and informative experience. It was fascinating learning about the tea and the history of tea. In addition to the tours, there is also a great gift shop. They have dispensers (hot and cold) so you can try a variety of their teas. I would recommend the Charleston Tea Plantation to anyone wanting to learn more about the history of Charleston!
Jillian Gravizi — Google review
We had the best time visiting on Mother's Day.
We enjoyed the quick factory tour which is about 12 minutes but was very informative. We also had booked, in advance, the trolly tour. Out driver was very nice and provided a good amount of info to supplement the recording. The grounds are fun told walk around. We enjoyed sampling all the different teas for free. If your in the SC area go check them out if your a tea lover.
Debbie Avery — Google review
A must-go if you are a tea fan. Maybe the only large-scale tea plantation in the US. Go on the $15 trolley ride and learn all about tea agriculture. Walk through the free factory tour and learn about processing. Beautiful location, free iced and hot tea tasting, public bathrooms, fun gift shop.
RickK — Google review
A wonderful little experience to fill 2 hours. A cute gift shop with many tea products and free tea samples (hot and cold). A free factory tour that is video led and allows you to see in on the small operation. We paid for the trolley ride through the tea fields with a stop at the greenhouse. It's not super cheap, but a great way to view the only tea farm in North America. We enjoyed it with our kids and would recommend it as something to do during a visit out to see the 400 year old Angel Oak tree and park.
Rebecca McDonald — Google review
This is a good stop if you're in the Charleston area and don't mind doing a little driving, especially if you're a tea fan. There is a large gift shop filled with your standard gift shop items, a free video guided factory tour, and all you can drink hot/cold tea while you're there. I'd say the most impressive thing in their gift shop is tea from their first harvest. Most of the cold tea varieties are sweetened already, and you can find whatever add-ins you may need next to the teas.
They have lots of outdoor seating including picnic tables where you can wait if you're doing the garden trolley tour ($15). The tour was very informative and it included a visit to their greenhouse as well.
Sara O — Google review
The Charleston Tea Garden is such a fun experience. The drive out to it is absolutely serene. Step into the don't shop, where you can browse through a vast collection of craft items, tea, and treats. Sample hot and iced teas of various flavors. (They were all good!) Take a free tour of the factory. It will only take approx. 10-15 minutes. And for $15/person, take the trolley tour of the entire property.
Chris Trethewey — Google review
A must see place if you are a tea lover. It is the only tea farm in the entire region of the country. They process the tea leaves once a week. The trolley tour is really nice. You can sample tea in the gift shop. So many cute things in the gift shop
Eloise J. Li — Google review
Our visit was 28 August 2023 during a family vacation for the week. I am a connoisseur tea drinker, especially for herbal tea varieties. We were a family of 6 women from 80s to 50s. It was nice to ride in the bus with seniors especially in heat. Some of the dust does kick up when it is dry out. We really enjoyed the tour and information provided. The staff were all so pleasant and the sample teas helped in our choices. Yes, we all left with some teas and other items. I am still cherishing the last box of mint tea and apple butter that I have. My two great-nieces enjoy their flower pens. I would recommend a trip to this location. If down with my traveling friends, I would bring them over as well.
Philly Red — Google review
Had the pleasure of visiting the tea garden today. It is a unique to SC experience, offering fascinating history of this one of a kind farm. The spring weather was beautiful for the open window trolly tour. The tour wasn’t terribly long however it included 4-5 stops with explanations, Q and A time, and an audio recording lecture supplemented the drivers speeches. In the gift shop there were hot and cold tea samples available and other items for sale. It was pleasant browsing and the shop attendants were kind and quite knowledgeable. Highly recommend visiting!
Onna Koehn — Google review
The only tea farm in the USA! Free factory tour, free tea tastings, both hot and cold and well stocked gift shop. Restrooms and free parking available. Tour the Tea farm on a tour bus for $15. The tour is about 45 minutes. Our tour guide, Andi, was informative and entertaining. Sara from the gift shop was helpful and took a group photo for us. If you love tea, farming or beautiful scenery, this tour is for you.
Gail Hicks — Google review
One of my favorite places I visited while in Charleston! Our tour guide was hilarious and I learned so much about tea. Who knew green tea and black tea were from the same plant?! The gift shop was full of so many great finds, and there are a few interesting locations to take pictures at. It’s definitely worth the stop!
Kylie — Google review
We very much enjoyed our visit and tour at the Tea Garden. Sally drove us back in to see the fields and greenhouse and gave us some great insights into the industry.
The free tea bar was a treat and the little self guided factory tour was interesting and educational.
Stephen Balza — Google review
This is a great little secret of Charleston. The Charleston Tea Garden is the only location in the US that grows and sells tea. This location has two tour options and a gift shop. As a bonus the gift shop has many cold and hot teas on site that you can enjoy -- unlimited.
The first tour option is free and about 15 minutes long. It takes you through the process of how they process and make different teas. Unless it's bad weather, they generally are harvesting and processing tea daily.
The second tour option has a small fee. I think it was around $15 a person for adults. This is a trolly tour that is covered (great for when it's raining). This tour takes you around their 18 fields and the nursery. You can see first hand how the tea is harvested, learn the history of the tea garden, and quit a lot about tea. The guy giving the tour is fun and knowledgable.
Overall it's a great stop, even if you don't want to take the tour. The tea on site is grown and processed there. The First Flush is the best to get.
brandon dierker — Google review
The Tea Garden is a great place to spend a few hours. It's free to park, walk around, and visit the guest shop plus factory. There are also free restrooms just outside. You can choose to pay for a tour on a bus run by the tea garden. If you choose no to, you can always walk around on your own. It's a pretty place that's worth your time.
Michael Barton — Google review
I did this because I felt it was unique, and I am so grateful. The place itself is beautiful, and our guide, Steve, was knowledgeable and fun. There is a little shop full of cute items and you can, of course, also get some tea. In addition to the gardens and greenhouse, you also get to view the manufacturing area, and they are videos that explain how everything is processed. I learned a lot and really enjoyed my time here!
Nicole Walker — Google review
If you are in the Charleston area, you should not miss this. You’ll learn more than you ever could have imagined about tea.
For example, did you know that all varieties of tea come from the same plant? Yeah, me either.
They have a small little self-guided factory tour, a tasting room with unlimited tea, and a paid trolley tour around the farm. You can spend about a half a day here,and it’s quite educational.
Ben Hendricks — Google review
The Charleston Tea Garden (Plantation) in South Carolina. This is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL plantation. The trolley costs $ and no dogs allowed on it so we didn't ride them but dogs are allowed on the grounds but not image the shop. Parking is FREE, admission is FREE, lots of hot tea and cold tea samples (full cups) inside are FREE, and there is a little self guided tour that's FREE with video and you can see through large windows the factory where they make the Charleston Teas. The gift shop is where the tea tasting is and how you enter the free tour and lots of cool things to buy in there. This is a PERFECT place to go to if you're looking for FREE stuff to do in/around Charleston, SC.
Laura W — Google review
I really enjoyed the trolley tour and tea tasting The charming tour guide was funny and engaging. Seeing the factory inside was also interesting. Even the kids enjoyed it. I never knew there was so much to know about tea. We bought our tickets once we got there and had 45 minutes to taste tea and do the factory tour.
Kim Manning — Google review
Area is comprised of three main activities; main area is the gift shop, behind of which is the free video guided viewing area of a processing factory floor, and the last of which is a trolley tour of the tea plantation. There is no walking around on the plantation nor walking tour permitted.
Gift shop has free tea of varietal flavors in both hot and cold complimentary to sample. Bathroom is outside.
Trolley tour was pretty fun. Had Andie as our tour guide, cracking quirky jokes and tea puns that I assume has been well practiced as she spouted them with great enthusiasm.
Although the tour and videos purport this being the only tea producer in NA, Believe it's really just the largest commercially viable one. Probably due to the historical establishment of the tea plants.
Peyton Hu — Google review
If you know a minimum about tea & always wanted to know more take the time to visit this place. Interesting history & tea processing explained. Endless cups of tea, hot or iced & information to enlighten! Trolly ride around the active farm fields is the only way to see it all. No walking about in the fields on your own allowed as it's an active, working farm. Trolly is worth doing. Enjoyed the ride & the driver was thorough, personable & truly seemed to enjoy sharing his time with us. No question was too large or too small. Gift shop is delightful. Did I say there's endless cups of tea?!!
Dona Brandle-Boylan — Google review
This was a very informative tour and our trolley driver was great! Very informative and passionate about the plantation. The gift shop could use some brighter lights. It's cute and they have a lot of stuff, but some things are hard to read due to lack of light. The tea is good. A different taste than what I'm used to (Numi black breakfast tea), but still very good.
shannon mcferren — Google review
Highly recommended while in Charleston - it's free to visit the site but an additional charge to take the trolley tour.
There is a gift shop with all the tea that you can drink and a factory tour as you walk past a series of recorded video presentations.
Ryan Smith — Google review
We took the Trolley tour while visiting Charleston and loved it! This place is a gem and the people working there are very passionate about their craft. The garden was beautiful and the tour was very educational. They also had samples of different teas available in the gift shop and a short and free factory tour. I would highly recommend visiting!
Molly Sahler — Google review
Such a quiet and relaxing area. We stop in every time we visit Charleston to pick up loose leaf tea. They have different hit and cold teas to sample while visiting. We enjoy sitting outside in one of the ricking chairs, sipping tea just relaxing. They do offer a tour of the plantation which is very informative as well.
Nancy Benton — Google review
If you like tea, this is the place to stop by. My husband and I went on both the property tour and the factory tour. Both of these were informative and interesting! Our guide was upbeat and kind. We really enjoyed listening to him!
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is a historic plantation dating back to the early 1700s, with gardens which are popular with visitors for their lovely natural surroundings and fascinating history. Besides the garden itself, there are attractions such as an animal zoo and nature center. There's also a train that takes visitors around the grounds, as well as boat tours.
This was our first plantation tour. We had a great time. We did not tour inside the big house, but went on the tram tour and the From Slave to Freedom cabin tour. I recommend both very highly. After the tours we went though some of the gardens and around the ponds. Great scenery and views. We were surprised to come upon two large alligators near a walking path alongside one of the ponds. We were told there were many alligators on the property, but did not expect this encounter and left expediently. They made no aggressive moves, but we did not hang around. The rest of our walk was very nice and relaxing.
Daniel Brown — Google review
My family had a lovely visit to Magnolia Plantation. We came early on a Wednesday, and were able to quickly purchase tickets and get started with exploring the grounds.
The plantation’s massive Live Oak trees are picturesque, and the house itself is well maintained. While waiting for our tour, we visited the conservatory which was lovely. We ended our tour in the gift shop which had a wide assortment of lovely items.
We chose to pay for the Nature Tram since we had folks in our group who couldn’t walk far. It was a great choice since we were able to see the grounds and gain some historical perspective without walking a lot. On the tram we were able to see the slave houses, several rice fields, and many wild animals including alligators, birds, and turtles!
Although we didn’t go into the house or take the From Slavery to Freedom tour, I imagine these are as well done as the Nature Tram and well worth their money!
Dana B (WI - MN - TN) — Google review
What a beautiful place! So glad we went to visit. The grounds were gorgeous! There was a wedding there yesterday, so the various vendors were there tearing down their set ups. Other than that, all areas were open. We spotted many gators, so be mindful when walking near ponds and waterways. Lots of turtles too. The magnolias were so fragrant while we were walking around. We just did the house tour, but they had other tours available too. Those can be booked ahead of time right online. Lovely visit.
Lynne L — Google review
Magnolia was one of the best experiences we had while visiting Charleston. The tour guides were all very knowledgeable about the plantation. We did the house tour, train tour, and the Slavery to Freedom tour. The tour guide for Slavery to Freedom was Vanessa and she was absolutely amazing. I would recommend more then 4 hours for the entirety of the plantation. We only were able to do our tours and visit the gift shop in the four hours we were there. We wish we would have had more time to explore the gardens because this place is absolutely amazing. They also have an app that was extremely helpful for navigating the grounds and location the tours and restrooms.
Kierra Thiry — Google review
The plantation is absolutely gorgeous. The scenery and flowers were breathtaking and the farm animals made the experience so much fun for the kids. When walking the different gardens, the signs leading there could have been more clear. Most importantly, be prepared to be completely devoured by herds of mosquitos, so prepare accordingly. Otherwise, the experience was top notch! Highly recommended.
Hussein Fayad — Google review
Such a nice way to spend the day. The house is smaller than you’d guess, but the tour was one of my favorites. Full of history and interesting facts. The Slavery to Freedom tour literally made my eyes tear up with emotion, the guide couldn’t have been more perfect, it is clear that she loves her job and takes the history seriously. The grounds are beautiful. And my favorite part - the wild gators were all out and sunbathing, not at all phased by the visitors.
Kirsten C — Google review
This is a truly special place. We visited on a Thursday in late March. We took the train around the gardens and walked around some of the trails. There are many benches to sit on if you get tired easily. Bikes are allowed on some of the trails. There are so many great photo ops, so definitely bring a camera. There's plenty of parking and a bathhouse by the ticket booth. There's also a cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks. You download the Magnolia app on your phone and it has a map and info on events. There's a "From Slavery to Freedom" talk and a guided tour of the house. There's a very nice gift shop in the ground floor of the house. I bought an art print, Gullah seagrass basket and a cool candy on a stick for my son.
Amber Connell — Google review
Extensive gardens and large tracks of natural habitat. The Ashley river runs along the edge of the property providing beautiful views from the gardens. There are interesting trees to be found including redwood. There is a biblical garden as well as a conservatory. There are places with picnic tables and benches to rest at. There is a petting zoo. And children's garden. We did see little blue herons, great egrets, alligators and turtles. There is an excellent presentation "from slave to freedom" that takes about 30 minutes. Takes place at the remaining original slave quarters on the plantation. Gives a good snapshot of what life was through the decades from 1850s to 1990, they were still in use by the grounds people. All these can make for an entertaining and informative day.
JMcCoy McCoy — Google review
Had a nice afternoon here with the family. It wasn't peak bloom for anything in late September but there were still plenty of flowers and the overall scenery with the Spanish moss draped trees was stunning.
We did the rice field boat tour, which was very informative. The rice fields were given back to nature and are now just wetlands with a few remnants of the old farm. We saw tons of beautiful birds and alligators. The pontoon boat had a roof, so we were out of the sun.
Definitely should be on your Charleston list. If you are a local, call ahead to learn about what's in bloom and what time of year is best to visit.
M B — Google review
Beautiful grounds and rich in history. Great stop on way to Charleston for a bit of a walk and some lovely pictures! Bring bug spray and pack a lunch. Bit pricey but if you have more time it is well worth the money.
Waterfall Yoga Therapy — Google review
It's definitely a beautiful place filled with lovely flowers, plants and trees. The slavery to freedom tour and petting zoo are included in admission. Personally, I think for the price, everything should be included. There shouldn't be "add ons."
The guide for the freedom tour was exceptional and he deserves a raise. He told the raw history which needs to be said.
Alexa Wallbrown — Google review
A beautiful old world plantation garden. The many acres of the gardens offer many photo opportunities, including the long white bridge and the bamboo garden. There is also a little zoo area with several cool animals to visit with.
Evan Bair — Google review
Unfortunately for me it was a big disappointment. I love flowering plants but the azaleas and camellias had 95% finished blooming. So little to no color except for the plantings at the entrance. Pretty much if you miss the spring blooms you are just strolling through the woods.
There were multiple bus loads of people being dropped off. I felt sorry for those standing in long lines to get food at the small cafe.
There were miles of trails, most of which were not well marked, so we wondered aimlessly until we found our way back.
There were several small ponds and bridges with a couple of alligators floating around.
The entry fee seemed very high at $35. We did not take the house tour or tram tour. Overall disappointing.
Cathie Bales — Google review
I had an amazing time here, it was super beautiful and a really enjoyable experience overall. The "train" tour is nice because you're able to see a lot of the area with a lot of wildlife. The boat ride is also fun and you see a lot of gators. There are also many birds throughout the plantation along with flowers along various paths.
Jawand S. — Google review
Our family had a great time here! It was so nice to get up close to so many animals. We enjoyed our train tour and learned a lot! I only wish it was easier to take pictures during the tour. The cafe had great options for food. The gardens were lovely! We didn’t have time to do the silvery to freedom tour, but we will definitely be back to do it.
Jess W — Google review
Beautiful Plantation with so much to see and do! We loved going over to the “look out platform” and seeing over the whole area! We also saw SO MANY alligators in the ponds! SO cool!
We also LOVED the zoo! It had the coolest animals and was so fun to walk around and see them all up close!
We visited the last week of May and noticed that none of the flowers in the gardens were blooming (could’ve just been an off and cold year for the flowers).
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Bring Bug spray! We were a little unprepared and got EATEN ALIVE
- Look up the tour times! The grounds are beautiful, but each segment (ex: house, garden, train tour etc) costs money and most of the segments have specific your hours! Look up your times to get the most out of your experience
Hannah Upham — Google review
This tour provided real and accurate information about slavery. No sugar coating, Gone With The Wind, it wasn't that bad narrative. Beautiful and breathtaking gardens, swamp and scenery. We did the big house, train and "From Slavery to Freedom" tours. We spent 3.5 hours and could have walked the garden more but, the 🦟 🦟 🦟 were hungry so we left 😂 A great tour and educational experience!
Margra Ferrier — Google review
Beautiful gardens and worth the visit on fresh day, with a chance to see alligators during train ride.
From slavery to freedom tour was
disappointing by our opinion. It was mostly self tour with 20 minutes story while you have to sit in the pavilion.
Guide was rude with kids (not mine but it felt wrong), taking into account that even our kids were bored and didn’t want to sit calmly who are big fun’s of any kid of excursion.
Olga Stryia — Google review
On the west side of the Ashley river are three plantations all within close proximity to one another and around a 20 minutes drive from historic Charleston, one of them being Magnolia. While originally a working rice plantation, Magnolia has now evolved into more of a naturalistic park with a large number of pathways and various types of foliage on display. Like other plantations there is a manor home which tours are offered for (at an additional cost) as well as a complimentary tram ride around the property that is quite pleasant and offers a nice respite from all the walking you would do. A worth stop if visiting the area. Enjoy!
Craig Bromberg — Google review
Terrific gardens!
Lots to see. Excellent variety of azaleas and camellias.
Lots of trails. Enjoy the birds and alligators and snakes.
Swamp boardwalk a huge plus.
So many photo ops.
Can't wait to return!
Mark Shuford — Google review
As a nature lover this was my favorite thing I did while visiting Charleston. Absolutely beautiful grounds with lots of wildlife and flowers to see. I also enjoyed the Slavery to Freedom Tour as it was informative and gave me a better understanding of the property and the hardships slaves faced. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend going in the morning as it started to get more crowded during the day. Bathrooms are easily accessible and very clean. They have a nice cafe as well.
Morgan — Google review
I have never seen anything like this. It’s so beautiful, it looks unreal. The gardens and trails are absolutely breathtaking. We toured the house and the guide was so pleasant.
I still can’t get over how beautiful everything is!
Debbie Collins — Google review
Very enjoyable experience! We took the train through the swamp area and later returned on foot to hike the trail through the swamp. We saw many birds, alligators, and turtles. Very unique atmosphere with an almost mystical quality
Ann Telma — Google review
Visited on a Tuesday afternoon, and there were quite a lot of guests during that time.
It was $38/person to access the gardens, Wildlife Center, Slavery to Freedom Tour, Wildlife Tour, and swamps.
We enjoyed walking through the swamps - alligators, turtles, birds.
Wildlife Tour - very squeaky tram to where we could barely hear the tour guide and definitely couldn't enjoy the sounds of nature.
Slavery to Freedom Tour - very quick history from the guide + Q&A. Didn't get very deep into it and have had better experiences in other cities.
Wildlife Center - small sanctuary with several species (alligator, peacock, goat, deer, owls, racoons, reptiles, fox, turtles, and more)
Gardens - decent views and nice walking paths.
Overall, we enjoyed our day but felt it was overpriced for the experience and offerings.
Middleton Place, a sprawling rice plantation on the Ashley River dating back to the 1730s, is located about fifteen miles northwest of Charleston. Once home to the Middleton family, who played significant roles in South Carolina's colonial and antebellum history, this landmark suffered damage during both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Despite being ransacked by British troops and burned by Union soldiers, Middleton Place stands today as a National Historic Landmark District.
We have visited four plantations in the Charleston area. This is our favorite setting and relaxing atmosphere. The grounds are exceptionally maintained. We spent two hours walking the grounds. It is the various buildings that tell the story. One stop shows a very large number of Middleton slaves. Depicted by each location and where they determined their value to the plantations.
The house tour is self guided after a short synopsis of the Middleton family and furnishings.
We had lunch outdoors in a very relaxed setting. Salad with baked chicken breast, green fried tomatoes with sauce and corn fritters with honey butter.
Runnsun — Google review
Lovely grounds. You pull into the gravel parking lot and there is a Cafe/market to the left. Please know that is not the only place to grab a bite. You can access this, as well as the gift shop, prior to your paid entrance. We opted for a tour of the house for an additional $15pp. Not sure if I would do that again. We were maybe in there 15 minutes....maybe. it's self guided but there are volunteers to tell stories or answer questions. If you are expecting a grand southern plantation mansion, this is not it. Its a small 2 story home. The first thing you see upon entering the plantation is the large reflecting pond. Very beautiful. The next thing you'll notice is the livestock running amuck. Namely sheep. So be careful where you walk. 😉 they do have a lovely dining room. It was a very nice plantation. Lots of grounds to explore. Everyone was very nice. Just not that grand southern home. Not sure the livestock gets the best care. Which is why I gave it 4 stars.
Sherri Fischer — Google review
We visited Middleton in late September 2022. Granted, hurricane Ian provided atypical weather, but in general, it’s probably not the best time to visit. Little to nothing was in bloom. The grounds were well kept and people were friendly and helpful. There were a few animals freely roaming - a handful of sheep and some swans. They had horse stables but nothing super interactive. There are some small buildings to showcase how the enslaved lived, but it’s not very detailed. The grounds had easy walking paths - mostly sand-based so if you are wearing sandals, know you’ll get a little
dusty. There’s a restaurant on site which is nice. The beyond the fields tour … wasn’t a tour. You gather around under a tree, sit on benches and listen to a historian explain the enslaved conditions. It was informative, but different than how it was presented. There is a restroom, gift shop and plant shop in the parking area. It’s not a must-see for me. We spent about 2.5 hours here.
Cortney Ayers — Google review
Absolutely gorgeous location. The oak trees are stunning, the gardens are lovely to stroll through, and I love a history lesson. We went to the restaurant last week and enjoyed the drive out, delicious food and cocktails and friendly and helpful staff. Shout out to Maggie who helped us make memorable dish selections. Looking forward to coming back later this fall for a wine stroll. I went last year and enjoyed it so much, I am coming back with girlfriends! I would recommend it as a date or as a nice evening with friends.
BKV — Google review
Middleton Place is really special. First the staff are very helpful. And they are easy to find. Everything is well organized & with the map, it's not hard to get around. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. There are plenty of beaches to set and enjoy the views. It's nice the restaurant is on the grounds. Having a place to set, cool off and relax helps so much.
K A — Google review
Restaurant had a very good steak, but the locally made cinnamon ice cream, I honestly cannot stop thinking about it. The view outside this restaurant, although "wild" not tamed, alligators were ALL OVER THE PROPERTY, was Southern thick farmland and just spectacular. The property tour was very neat and the history was rich and interesting. The Inn was very different and unique, rooms had ceiling to floor windows showing the lush grounds. An interesting property worth the visit.
cyndi becker — Google review
Breathtaking! This place was the highlight of our honeymoon. The cured gardens and ponds were like a dream. The staff are all very helpful and know their stuff or will send you to someone who does. What a pleasant and enjoyable day. Give yourself a whole day to soak in the history and experience of this estate. Enjoy!
Kevin Keller — Google review
Beautiful grounds and house. Wonderful restaurant on property with absolutely amazing food. House tour was very informative as were the historical interpreters around the grounds. Very relaxing and serene surroundings.
US 1 — Google review
What a wonderful place to visit. It has great trails throughout the property, and it is so peaceful and beautiful. It is truly a step back in time. I loved the trails that were bordering the Ashley River.... phenomenal! A huge Osprey dove down, caught a fish, and flew right by us. So cool! We did not do the house tour, but I was perfectly content outside with the beautiful topography and interacting with all the animals, most excellent visit!
MA B-B — Google review
Great historical place to visit. Beautiful landscapes and the old buildings are amazing. Bring bottled water as it was hot a d humid and there is a lot of walking but, worth every minute of it.
Jeff King — Google review
Absolutely beautiful! Loved getting to walk around and explore the gardens- there were tons of free garden tours or other guides that you could listen to- to learn more information about. But overall it was such a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. It’s pretty far North Charleston- and tons of walking- we got there around 9:30am and didn’t get done until 12:45pm- so allocate for a good chunk of time here!
Kelley — Google review
Absolutely loved it! Amazing grounds and scenery. The house tour was really cool, lots of history in the building. The restaurant waa nice, I didn't eat there, but it smelled amazing. Had a couple drinks at bar, beat Old Fashioned I have had in years! Huge shout out to Colby H.....kudos buddy!
Gloria Worthington — Google review
We booked a tour van out to the estate which included transportation, tour of house and lunch. Self guided tour of grounds and gardens in between the timed tour and lunch.Beautiful place and well preserved house with interesting articles from the Middletons. Gardens are beautifully maintained. All of the staff were extremely helpful and kind. A must if visiting Charleston.
Bernadette Jamieson — Google review
This is a lovely place to spend the day. We went specifically to see the Middleton Oak. The ticket agent was helpful with directions to get to the oak on the shortest route. The grounds are lovely with lots of wooded, shady paths. We saw swans in the reflecting pond and alligators in the flooded rice fields, which my daughter was very excited about. The two gift shops are very nice and well stocked with a variety of items of different price points.
Rhonda Waterhouse — Google review
Visiting from Georgia and this was such a fun outing! Bought student tickets online, quick and easy. The parking is good. The whole estate is very large and worth the price. There are some small trails around the swamp, some by the water, some around the garden. It is all well maintained and beautiful. We were not able to attend any of the tours but there are plenty scheduled throughout the day. The livestock here are very nice and obviously well taken care of. The chickens ran up to us expecting food, which kind of startled my partner. I loved the whole experience here. Though I do recommend coming when the heat of summer isn’t in full affect, we were dripping sweat by the time we were done here in July.
Unknown Inc. — Google review
Middleton has beautiful gardens and grounds along the Ashley River. You can find period reenactment of many of the trades that used to exist on the plantation, along with animals that would have been present during the Middleton family's residency. It has also been the set for movies, such as "The Patriot."
The Foundation that runs Middleton does an excellent job maintaining the property and in recent years has been very open about the tragic reality that the Middleton family owned hundreds of enslaved people. It seems they are trying to do their part to preserve history and acknowledge the failings of the past.
Scott Penick — Google review
Went on a Wednesday night when they were having one of their annual wine walks. Four stations with a red and a white wine as well as a cheese board and finger sandwiches at each station. The grounds were beautiful, not a lot of colorful flowers, but lots of greenery. The ponds had alligators and turtles, made for a magical night. Highly recommend.
Jaime Kessler-Gengler — Google review
Huge property, nicely laid out walking tour of the gardens and working areas. The day we were here, they were doing guided golf cart tours of the rice field.
There is an extra cost to see the home on this site. I would suggest going earlier in the day rather than later due to heat during this late spring and summer.
Leith Britt — Google review
I have been to Middleton multiple times over the years. It has beautiful gardens that you can get lost in. Don't look at the pics here. Just get out and see it. I went to a Creative mornings event that was hosted here and didn't pay but there is usually a fee. There is a cute garden center where you can buy plants, but the big draw is the incredible southern landscape. Enjoy!
Descartes — Google review
Incredible tour with lots to do! My husband and I spent 6 hours walking around the beautiful property, ate an incredible lunch and toured the main house. So many beautiful things to look at and a lot of rich history. Make sure to say hello to Arthur, the resident stable cat!
Miranda Zook — Google review
Amazing plantation with knowledgeable guides and tons of history. We visited early October and the weather was spectacular. Did Beyond the Fields and Guided Garden Tour. Both were included in the admission price. Ate lunch in the restaurant which was wonderful. Our wait staff was engaging and attentive. (No tax on the bill!) Learned so much about slavery and history of the plantation. The trees alone were worth the visit. One was 1,000 years old! I highly recommend.
Robyn Brooks — Google review
Great way to spend the afternoon in Charleston area. This place was brimming with history but had enough to keep all ages occupied. I have 4 kids aged 12-17 and they really enjoyed the grounds. The house tour is an addition that added a lot of context. They have numerous guided tours on the grounds themselves including a garden tour and a stable tour. Beautiful place and worth the trip.
Andrew Jameson — Google review
Magnificent! You could spend all day here and still want to come back for more. The volunteers there are very knowledgeable and helpful, you can tell they love being there. A ton of history to absorb there. Animals are friendly and there is no shortage of picture opportunities. Restaurant on site is good but a little pricey.
Katie Ishee — Google review
Beautiful ❤️ and Natural Surroundings. Please check Flower Blossoms season and you will enjoy it.
Yes, live alligator 🐊 all around the place.
Wild cats, exotic birds & more than 100 other species are displayed at this small zoo.
Great farm/zoo!! Took our 7 year old grandson and he had a blast. The animals are NOT mistreated or abused at all!! We got to feed many animals. It took about 2 1/2 hours to go thru the entire zoo. Well worth the $12 adult admission price.
Marji Zambrano — Google review
What a great place!! Cheep to get in with fabulous walking trails all through. They have a great selection of animals with a lot of them roaming around. Your up close and can feed most from your hand.
They had some big cats that your right up close to. We ended up staying for hours enjoy being with nature. We would highly recommend this wonderful zoo if you have kids or even if your a big kid.
Harold Anderson — Google review
Would give zero stars if able. I have read the good reviews posted about this place and can’t for the life of me understand what they saw wonderful about these conditions. The only thing I can gather is that they were either confusing it with another zoo, are fake reviews, or were high as a kite walking through the place. There was nothing enjoyable. My kids and I left feeling sad and upset at the conditions these animals are forced to live in. Social monkeys that usually live in groups are living alone in small cages. All animals looked sick and malnourished, with many looking stressed or like they had bad health problems. The bears (pictured) and various other animals were missing large areas of fur. The monkey pictured below had eyes swollen shut. The Lynx was in a small 10x10 foot cage with no where to climb. All enclosures/exhibits were filthy and run down. 99% of the enclosures were WAY too small for the type of animal it was housing. It was sickening to see large cats and bears with no space to run or climb. No food or water was seen in any enclosure and it was a really hot day we were there. I have been to many zoos where animals get excited for food, but these animals fought each other to get food from us as if they were starving. I wish there was a way to get this place shut down and the animals moved somewhere they can be treated better and thrive.
Kristen — Google review
I would give no stars if I could! I wish I had read reviews before going. I'm shocked that this place has been allowed to remain open! Absolutely disgusted over the state of these poor animals. Not only are the enclosures dirty, tiny and rundown, they're also lacking anything to engage the animals. No trees for the monkeys, some of them are in sheds indoors, the bears have either muddy water, concrete or about a 6 foot cage of mud to live in, the lions have a small concrete rundown cage with no way to see the sun. The animals look so unhappy. I'm contacting PETA to see if there is anything they can do. I'm including pics of the grounds, enclosures and animals.
Dawn S — Google review
My family went here the week of July 10th. The reviews online made me very skeptical about what we were going to see. My son had his heart set on going so we gave it a chance. I think that the employees really care about the animals. You can tell that the majority of the animals are well fed and cared for correctly. You can purchase feed at the register to give to the animals and you can definitely tell that the animals are used to that. The animals are really cute. We loved how the peacocks just roamed free!
My first area of concern is that the zoo does need some repairs. Some of the buildings are run down and it could use some TLC. My second issue is that the map isn’t the easiest to read and you can end up going in a bunch of circles. My third problem is that it’s called a zoo but there are a ton of goats - all different kinds that you see. I would say that the majority of animals are goats. They are adorable though. Finally, it is advertised to see tigers but there were no tigers to see. That was disappointing. It was supposed to be one of the last animals we saw and then there were none. It was a let down.
Kacie Workman — Google review
Visited last week for the first time, had my 8mo daughter & my 14yo neice & we had a lot of fun! The ladies in the front were pleasant! Hand feeding the animals was great & the peacocks roaming freely was a sight! The only thing is the SC heat makes for a short visit diring the summer if your not properly packed! All animals (besides the monkeys honestly) looked well kept, just hot!! The big birds were my favorite!! Definitely something we will be back to enjoy!
Victoria Manken — Google review
After reading reviews we weren't expecting much, but it actually turned out to be a pretty cool experience! The zoo is a little run down, but they had more animals than I expected; the lions and bear were a surprise. You could also feed most of the animals. Don't expect a meticulously landscaped and paved park with state-of-the- art exhibits. You will do quite a bit of walking on dirt paths with tree roots along the way.
Tenn Tea — Google review
Beautiful zoo. You get the opportunity to pet so many more types of animals than a standard zoo or petting farm. The bears exhibit was sadly small but all of the other exhibits were large and the animals looked very happy! Feed is cheap and well worth it.
Julie Swain — Google review
I read the reviews and paid attention to the negative reviews but went anyway. 1) Do the hábitat.for the monkeys, bears, and lions seem to small but later research show they meet FDA standards. 2) Is some items run down? Yes but all in all the property is maintained
In conclusión do yourself a favor and visit. More visitors means more money to upgrade and renovado. While I was there the staff was doing routi e maintenance and even went out and took pictures of the peacocks with babies that were walking freely around the property. The zoo only got a 4 stars because of the few exhibirse that needed upgrading
Simple rooms in a Mexican-themed resort with a theme park & a sombrero-shaped observation tower.
Keep on coming back to this wonderland. I Love it and my grandchildren do too. Love the Dog run by the Public restrooms. My dog enjoyed the freedom it had being able to drink water and do his business with out a leash.
Public restrooms are cleaner than most establishments we visited. The attendant was very helpful, knowledgeable, and Super Sweet.
South of the Border is a Gem. It offers the little things that makes your life a little easier when traveling. This stop excels where others fail. Hope you enjoy it, as we did.
Blessings to All. Stay safe.
A Gonzalez — Google review
I'm a trucker and didn't do the motel, I did the steak house, the little joint at the fuel desk is no more.. I don't get here often and didn't know it'd closed. The steak house was pricey, compared to what I intended to do. I rarely go to places like that, so I splurged and ordered a porterhouse.. it was prepared perfectly and the baked potato was as good as they come, salted husk etc.. but to be clear.. very clear.. it was a pretty good T-Bone, it in no way was a Porterhouse. If it hadn't been prepared as well as it was and an excellent salad bar I might add, I'd probably have fussed at them, I surely would have written a scathing review as well.. the young lady who waited on me was very pleasant to.. so there you go.. armed with my perspective.. I'll do it again, as a treat.. not a quick meal ever..
Eric Davis — Google review
Stopped in for the night. Our first stay. Stayed in a room adjacent to the outdoor pool. Rooms were bare basic but updated and clean. Shower mat could use a scrubbing and when we came into the room the shower faucet was leaking which they remedied. Our family enjoyed using both the indoor and outdoor pools. Outdoor was a salt water pool and indoor was chlorinated. Both mattresses in our double bed room were not the same. One was older with springs you could feel covered over with a padded mattress topper and the mattress on the other bed was newer and more comfortable or less squeaky. Didn’t realize this until I had put my children to bed in the more comfortable one. I could have slept better.
Overall not a bad stay by any means at a good price point. Really enjoyed the pools!
Gavin Dehler — Google review
South of the Border is in need of some work to upgrade. Yes you can get gas, and yes there is an RV park. But fix the buildings. I bet most of the shops have been there without upgrading from when my mom and dad stopped there when we were children on our way to Homestead, Fla. My dogs have a place to stop and eat. I do appreciate that small luxury.
Reginald Pittman — Google review
My family told me to stop at this place on my way back to Florida and I’m so glad I did. It’s funky and fun, loved it! We shopped for a good hour, so many random things. Everyone left with a free things. Worth the stop!!!
Lacey Elmange — Google review
We got to spend the night at South Of The Border for our first time ever and we have to that we definitely enjoyed our experience.
The check in staff was friendly and helpful. The room was small with no modern conveniences but we didn't need anything like that we were happy to have a place to rest for the night.
It was quiet over night so we got our good night's sleep.
We look forward to coming back again.
Ricardo Alcaraz — Google review
It is not new, nor fancy, but it clean, a reasonable rate, there is plenty to do. The staff was great. The restaurant food, I was only to one location and had a cheeseburger, was cheaper grade. The hamburger patty was one of those patties that was made with every part of the cow, and was small. Again, even in the restaurant, the staff was great. I would definitely stay there a again, but next time I will bring a coffee maker.
Tom O'Malley — Google review
Our first time trying this place and it was nice. The room was clean. The bed and pillows very comfortable. The water was very hot for baths and showers. They also have a nice heated pool! Check in and check out was pleasant. It is a motel so you do hear noise from outside people and cars. The Peddler Steakhouse was great and the ice cream shop at Sombrero room was yummy.
Mary Nelson — Google review
During our family annual 1000 mile road trip to and from Florida...South of the border is always a welcome site and indicator that we are half way there! The lights and sight always brings excitement. With plenty of food, souvenir shops and I must mention CLEAN bathrooms (which are always a huge plus when you really have to Gooooo...this is a must pit stop to refuel, re-energize and to stretch weary legs.
Lawrence haliday — Google review
Gas was very affordable and the customer service was excellent! Bathrooms are always so clean! Great place to make a pit stop! Never had the food but I've heard great things. The souvenir shops are awesome as well. Everyone is so friendly!
Golden Goddess — Google review
We got there super late into the night. The front desk was helpful and sweet. She hooked up us with accommodation that were right for our party and the taste was completely affordable.
The bed was comfortable and the pillows were soft. Not very long after climbing into bed, I was sound asleep.
My only regret was that we were unable to stay longer and explore more.
JeniBean79 — Google review
In my opinion, this place is stuck in the 70's. The past 4 times we've stoped here gave us an Erie feeling. It was always empty, I mean the whole place, felt alone no matter what time we stopped there. It was like entering an abandoned town that you just want to hurry up and get out of there quickly. If you like going back in time, this is for you
Mark Bruno Domina — Google review
So, we have driven past S.O.B for years and never had the opportunity to visit or stay, well that changed last night. We couldn't resist the lights and lore of this famous roadside landmark.
I reserved online for a standard King room, approximately $107 with 50% down with deposit. When I received my email confirmation, it said that "check in time is 3pm" and "after 7pm, the reservation will be released", so I called the desk to inform them we wouldn't be arriving until 8:30pm or so. When we arrived, the reservation was still there. We paid the balance at check-in. The room was a decent size, clean with tile floor (no carpet). Only one side of the bed had an accessible outlet for charging phones. And a mattress upgrade wouldn't be a bad idea, IMHO The Sombrero restaurant was open until 11pm. Very clean, good hot food, and very friendly staff. After dinner, we went into Polanco's Bar, which was also open until 11pm. Tasty margaritas and friendly bartender. In the morning, we returned to the Sombrero for breakfast, again, good hot food and friendly wait staff. Next stop was Reptile Lagoon, because that was on our travel list (to see alligators). There's a lot to see in there, and for only $8/adult, you can't beat the price.
Jennifer Ann Warner — Google review
Place was spacious, nice and clean. The TV was kinda small for the size of the room. They advertise a heated pool but the pool was cold so we didn't spend about 5 minutes in it. If you go after 6 pm every thing was closed except a place that served a little bit of food. If we would have known that there was a Waffle House on the other side of the interstate we would have gone there instead. Other than that a nice souvenir shops and a great fireworks selection.
Paul Saums — Google review
Cool place. Lots of stuff to see if you are passing through. We loved the Reptile Lagoon. Nicely kept, well fed and fun to look at. Tons of different species! super cheap and a fantastic place to stretch your legs!
R Berg — Google review
Nice safe tourist trap of a small town. I really couldn’t find any negatives for the price I paid. Room was spacious compared to many motels, every room has a parking spot in front of it, no pet fee was a big plus for me. Service was very friendly and professional. Overall a good place to stay if you need to stop and sleep along 95. Would come back for sure.
Abraham Castillo — Google review
I haven't been here since I was a kid, and I don't think it's changed at all. The only criticisms I have is that tiles are cracked in the rooms and a lot of the decor is aged... It's dated, yes, but that's the allure. It's also aged and could use some repair... But it's still wonderful. The staff was friendly, rates are cheap, the room was very clean and even pet-friendly. Absolutely loved the place, would definitely recommend to anyone passing through
Scott LaCroix — Google review
My husband brought me here 7 years ago for the first time, for me, and this was the 2nd with our kids. It is a great souvenir spot. It is a little outdated, but the souvenirs are good, and there are a lot of them. There are several businesses here. Some are food, and some are just souvenir shops. It is a great place for the kids to see and take pics. It's located around Florence, SC.
Carrie Willeford — Google review
The updated rooms are nice. The room we stayed in last night was outdated, but clean. The water in the tub ran all night though. (Not a trickle, it ran. Would not shut off.) We got in too late to really care though. (We just kept the bathroom door closed so we didn't hear it.) The employees are very friendly and the prices are reasonable as well. There's lots to do on the area as well.
Karen Hannis — Google review
Hotel stay was sub-par, we got in so late, no energy to really complain. Hotel staff secured us an “updated” accommodation, however the room itself left a lot to be desired. Hotel pricing was very reasonable, but, may not be worth just sleeping in your truck. Walls are paper-thin, shower water pressure and heat were meh. Truck parking is ample if you get there early enough. Best joint on the compound is “Polanco’s Bar” by and far, Michelle is a sweetheart. We’ve eaten at “The Peddler Steak House” several times, it’s just OK, price point high for what it is (but not much else in the area for “home-cooked” style meal)
T. Nguyen — Google review
We are there off-season, so I'm sure that's why there were no crowds. The places a little bit dated. However, however, it is absolutely sweet. The shops the gift shops, wonderful merchandise, very authentic stuff. Prices are more than reasonable staff and all the locations are great. I hope this place that's better with a little bit of investments of money. A few different rides and attractions. This place would be a destination point all year round.
Thomas Rooney — Google review
Everything was very clean, staff was friendly and the food was very good.
Kinda got stuck here because we had the rig and were just too tired to drive any further, but we ended up being pleasantly surprised. Dinner at the steak house was excellent (really didn't expect that), breakfast at a different restaurant was very good and was 20% off for booking a room.
The rooms were just fine. They even came with their own little car ports. They each have 2 doors. 1 to the car port and 1 to the pool. I wouldn't call it fancy, (it's not supposed to be), but it was clean, the food was great and we had so much fun! (All the statues in various places made for fun pictures.) We will 100% be back on future trips.
Suzie Burns — Google review
We love it here! My family has been staying here often for several years. The staff at the front desk is always extremely helpful and kind. They are pet friendly and make you feel at home here.
SOB is friendly to veterans and military as well as their families. We really appreciate this!
Security patrols the whole place keeping an eye out. There is lots of room to walk around and look at all of the neat attractions. Several places to eat, including a fancy steakhouse.
For the price it can’t be beat! Rooms are spacious, but basic. Some have refrigerators and coffee pots but others do not. You would have to ask when you check in.
Two nice pools are available to you.
Pit Bull Mama — Google review
This has been a half way poit when driving to flordia. Everytime we go the bathrooms are horrendous the workers in there complaining about how it's not worth working there which it shows because the hand dryers don't work and honestly has become a place I don't want to stop by anymore. Yeah shops are nice but really hope they update this place soon I remember being a kid and it was full of life but not anymore.
Joanna Gardner — Google review
Stopping by South of the Border was an unexpected blast from the past, triggering a flood of childhood nostalgia from those classic I95 road trips. This iconic roadside attraction is more than just a pit stop – it's a journey through time, filled with quirky charm and vibrant colors that transport you back to simpler days.
From the towering Pedro statues to the neon signs and souvenir shops, every corner of South of the Border is steeped in history and Americana. It's impossible not to feel a sense of excitement and wonder as you explore this roadside oasis, rediscovering beloved attractions like the Sombrero Tower and the Reptile Lagoon.
Whether you're reliving old memories or creating new ones, a visit to South of the Border is an experience like no other. So next time you're cruising down I95, make sure to take a detour and immerse yourself in the magic of this timeless roadside gem!
-Marisa Balletti-Lavoie
Marisa B — Google review
Wonderful place and area to stop to visit while traveling. Seems like little mexico. Wonderful shops, food and accessibility. Something to keep the whole family entertained while you relax ,stretch out, and unwind on your brief break from your travels. GREAT REST STOP!!!
James James — Google review
Rooms were spacious but creepy, dark and wet feeling. Clean but oddly uncomfortable. Front desk was polite. No cdl discounts despite being right next to truck stop. $107 for a room. Just not worth the money. This poor place is just a “has been”. They have soooo many rules posted for everything that it seems like it would take the fun out of the place. Would not return.