Free in Jacksonville: Fort Caroline and Kingsley Plantation, MOCA on Saturdays, the riverwalks, Treaty Oak, Art Walk, splash pads, dog parks and library events.

Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Sources: the National Park Service’s Timucuan Preserve fees and hours pages, MOCA Jacksonville, the City of Jacksonville’s JaxParks pages linked below, Downtown Vision, the Jacksonville Public Library and the Cummer Museum.

A lot of what Jacksonville is known for costs nothing: national park sites on the St. Johns River, a 14.5-mile paved rail trail, riverwalks on both banks, a contemporary art museum that is free every Saturday and a monthly art walk downtown. Here is the list, with the official page for each.

At a glance

  • Free every week: MOCA on Saturdays; Timucuan Preserve sites Wednesday to Sunday
  • Free every month: First Wednesday Art Walk, 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Free every day: riverwalks, city parks, dog parks, the rail trail (sunrise to sundown)
  • Free this season: Treats at the Plaza Oct. 31; Holiday River Fest Nov. 28

National park sites

The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is a National Park Service area inside Jacksonville, and all its sites are free, with no entrance pass needed, according to the Park Service.

  • Fort Caroline National Memorial, 12713 Fort Caroline Road: grounds open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. The Ribault Monument is open 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on the same days.
  • Kingsley Plantation: grounds open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.
  • Theodore Roosevelt Area: trails open sunrise to sunset; restrooms 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Ribault Club visitor center: Wednesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All are closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Hours page.

Museums

  • Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, 333 N. Laura St.: free every Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and free Museum Nights, 5 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays. The first floor, with its coffee shop, is always free.
  • Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, 829 Riverside Ave.: free for children 5 and under, members and EBT, SNAP and WIC cardholders, and free for college students Tuesday to Friday. The museum also holds free event nights, such as its Ghoulish Gallery and Garden Night on Oct. 15.

Parks, riverwalks and trails

  • Riverwalks: the Southbank Riverwalk is a 1.25-mile boardwalk open 24 hours, past Friendship Fountain; the Northbank Riverwalk runs past Riverfront Plaza.
  • Riverfront Plaza, 2 W. Independent Drive: elevated playground, splash pad and lawn, sunrise to sundown.
  • Jessie Ball duPont Park at Treaty Oak, 1123 Prudential Drive, near downtown on the Southbank, listed among the city’s specialty parks.
  • Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail: 14.5 paved miles from Imeson Road to Baldwin, sunrise to sundown.
  • Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park, 7000 Roosevelt Blvd.: 500 acres of trails, a nature center and a 35-foot observation tower.
  • Eight city dog parks, all free and open sunrise to sunset: see dog-friendly Jacksonville.
  • 18 splash pads, daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from early May through the last weekend in October. See kids’ activities.

Hanna Park and Huguenot Memorial Park charge a small entry fee ($5 a car); see parks and trails.

Free events

  • First Wednesday Art Walk, 5 to 9 p.m. monthly in James Weldon Johnson Park, 135 W. Monroe St., with vendors, food trucks and live music. Next: Nov. 4 and Dec. 2. Art Walk page.
  • JaxParks Movie Nights: free outdoor films, such as “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at the Artist Walk, 718 Riverside Ave. JaxParks events.
  • Treats at the Plaza, the city’s free trunk-or-treat, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Riverfront Plaza.
  • Holiday River Fest, Saturday, Nov. 28, from 5 p.m.: tree lighting, Light Boat Parade and fireworks downtown.
  • Library programs: story times, book clubs and classes at the Jacksonville Public Library’s 21 locations. Events calendar.

What this means for you

  • Plan museum visits for Saturdays (MOCA) and national park visits Wednesday to Sunday.
  • Downtown street parking is free on weekends and after 6 p.m.
  • See things to do this month for what is on now.

Related: kids’ activities, walking and biking trails and downtown Jacksonville.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kingsley Plantation free?

Yes. All Timucuan Preserve sites, including Kingsley Plantation and Fort Caroline National Memorial, are free. Their grounds are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.

When is MOCA Jacksonville free?

Every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 5 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays. The first floor is always free.

What free events are in downtown Jacksonville?

The First Wednesday Art Walk, 5 to 9 p.m. monthly in James Weldon Johnson Park, the city’s JaxParks movie nights and big free events such as Holiday River Fest on Nov. 28 and the New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Are Jacksonville splash pads free?

The city’s 18 splash pads are open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from early May through the last weekend in October; the city does not list an entry fee.