Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens — Attraction in Jacksonville

My first time there at all and GeeeWizzz It’s Christmas 🎄🎄🎄

This was a beautifully done for a family to enjoy! Great activities for the kids to let them get rid of some energy before bed you know.

Adults beware you can have fun too. Let the child inside out it will enjoy it too.

On the way in it is unassuming. They turn it WWAAYY UP, no bottles included!

So many different kinds of experiences. Let's see… You enter ushered in by falling icicle lights hanging from the trees like moss to start off. AND Then You -oh look, aaahhh, pretty much from there on out, you just can’t stop.

You not only experience with your eyes lit pathways you should go. There is a crowd to a field of dancing sugar plums wooing you, let’s go. The welcoming committee is here fo-sho. Ok so they aren't sugar plums. BUT. Your mood has to change you know. 💁🏽

You go from your age downhill to screw it, I want to experience it all. Like really, take the kids once. Then make it a fun date night you know. Lightheartedness, laughter, and making memories a glow.

My bad back to the show.

Different colors eminte out of the trees from the different displays ahead.

Weaving paths lined with a sparse garden of statue light flowers start to appear. You might not even really notice the music changes your mood in here. It’s not blasting in your ear. It’s just a the right volume to put you in a joyful trance to explore everything ahead. You can even have conversations with the people if you dare.

Directional signs keep you on the right path from A-Z unless you get lost in a spirit of exploration my dear. Stay on the right path, you can still explore here A-D-B exhibit you have freedom here. Don’t forage or get off the path, you don’t know what’s in there!

Your ears listen to the mood of the music, happiness and excitement you hear. Sounds travel from conversations close and laughter over there. Now don’t fully be like the kids and cry when you must move on. I promise you there is something different around the corner just hold on.

Curiosity of how did they do that? What’s over there? Fills the air as you go everywhere. Take your time. You will even smell food in the air. There are snacks up the hill and over there.

Now in the spirit of Holiday cheer you want to have more fun there, there and there. There’s live musicians singing in the air. Pick up a headband, a necklace, and other trinkets, I swear. You will make loving memories of you dare.

I don’t like being cold. But I want to see me in snow. Well if you are like me, well here you go!! Beam you into multiple snow sensations. That make you pull out your phone camera to take selfies and share. Stand here, get that one. Snap snap everywhere.I know you’ll have pictures of you smiling to share. Memories 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9…10. You get the picture, but there is no Hamilton play in there.

Now don’t do your hair before you go inside. There is this surprise different textures of the same thing. YES, you get to touch! Just allow the kid inside to come out, it doesn’t get out that much. Not even noticing your hair became alive. I swear when you leave, close the car door and before you pull off to drive. You look in the mirror to your surprise. You left that hairdo and that old attitude inside.

See-Smell-Touch-Hear-Taste all the senses come alive. They did an amazing job, so don’t let them hide. Share and tell everyone to join others inside. Here you make memories to...

Also known as Tuscan Preserve. Hours are sunrise till 5pm. sharp, this is the time they lock the entrance/exit gates. It has public amenities such as a bathroom for both sexes and is well maintained. Also has a drinking fountain, as well as a sillcock supplied with a water bowl for canines. There is a dispenser of bags for retrieval of your pets excrement. There are a half dozen picnic tables fabricated in 2013 by a Scouts troop. All these utilitarian common areas are well groomed. It contains several trails, and they vary between easy and moderate. The Pond Trail is easy and if you have children it would be ideal to expose them to Northeast Florida's wild life and vegetation. Throughout the preserve there are informational plaquereds describing the inhabitants and flora. The White Oak Trail is ideal for children 9 and above. As you stroll along, you will be challenged with elevation changes as it serpentines. You would be wise to pick up your feet and be mindful of where you step. Because now you have entered the woods and that means surface roots and other hazards. For all practicality the woods are undisturbed except for the trails. Jones Creek Trail and the Ravine Trail are for children 12 and above. These trails are more challenging and posses different challenges. As you stroll along you will traverse foot bridges crossing the creeks within. Also the vegetation is more dense and the trails are but a foot path. With the exception of the Pond Trail you are sure to encounter Poison Ivy throughout stretching into the trail. For this challenge I take a walking stick with me to move it aside as I pass. Be sure that you wear the proper footwear. I would not consider sandles or sneakers on any of the trails. I myself wear ankle high hiking boots with nobby tread for sure footing. Remember this is not your back yard. There are dangers. I'm writing this June 6th and now is the mating season for snakes. Be sure to look ahead as you absorb all the splendor and take time to read the plaques. I suggest stopping and observing every couple yards and be sure to look up in the trees. I won't reveal that surprise, I'll leave that discovery for you. When you take these moments to appreciate be sure to look back to later recognize where you are. This will also alert you to any potential danger. As you hike along you will observe markers on the edge of the trail. As you explore you will observe that the indicator is white. Upon your egress you will observe the indicator is blue. So if you find yourself unsure of your position and are uncertain which way you should go, follow these indicators. Be sure to bring water and stay hydrated. You might want to wear insect repellent. I've heard a few complaints, I don't find it that excessive and I don't care for wearing repellent. I completed all the trails in one day at a casual pace, reading plaques and stopping frequently to listen and observe in 3 and 1 half hours. As I hiked I only came across 1 piece of trash. A water bottle which I gladly carried to a receptacle. My impression was that the preserve was patronized by the middle class and philanthropist. I felt safe and secure from any crime or altercation. I really enjoyed my visit, and with proper planning I'm sure...

The gardens are very beautiful. Unfortunately, when I requested to reserve an event for the listed $1,200 price on their website, I was quoted $3,620.

I am disappointed that my special day and my excitement for the venue turned into a bait and switch “jack up the price” opportunity for the new coordinating staff. Jackie the previous coordinator might have been amazing, but I just missed her unfortunately.

Due to the holiday lights show, I would not be able to use the pavilion and would instead use an overgrown out of the way clearing with a view of their metal shipping container employee storage sheds. I was not deterred by this, as I understood that the gardens are public and their holiday festivities would impact their availability. I saw the beauty in nature and understood the clearing could be raked and I could decorate. I went in person to tour the rental option with Caitlyn.

However, the rental went from a beautiful picturesque pavilion by the water for $1,200 to $3,620 for an area not manicured and 50 feet from their employee storage facilities. There was no grass, no flowers, it is not part of the public gardens at all actually. It is roped off as it it too close to their employee and storage area for the public to go. At the end of the tour, Caitlyn told me a 3 hour rental, renting chairs at $2 to $3 per chair, and light show tickets for 40 guests would make my total no more than $2000 at the high end. Again, I understood holiday pricing might affect the website price and accepted an $800 increase. I left excited to get the formal proposal emailed later that day and reserve the space. Caitlyn was very nice all the way throughout our multiple interactions.

I received a $3,620 quote from Caitlyn. I was very surprised as it was $1,600 more than I was told in person just 2 hours prior. I can’t understand where the inflated number comes from even when I break down the chair rental cost, light show event tickets, and paid parking fees from what Caitlyn told me those items cost per guest.

The holiday lights event is to start at 5:30, but I would be charged for holiday lights event parking and lights event tickets for all my guests if I wanted to arrive at 1:30. We would get 3 hours, so we would have nothing reserved by 4:30pm.

I’m just disappointed in...