Things to Do in Jacksonville in March

Climb aboard a compact, agile CraigCat boat for a tour departing from the historic waterfront of Fernandina Beach. You'll skim across the Amelia River, feeling salt spray and hearing the twin outboards whine as your guide points out dolphins rolling in the wake and shorebirds perched on weathered docks. The low-profile craft makes you feel part of the maritime environment, zipping past shrimp boats and under the towering form of the Fernandina Harbor Marina.

Paddle in silence through still, dark waters of Lofton Creek, where the only sounds are your paddle dipping and palm fronds rustling in light breeze. This guided kayak tour on Amelia Island takes you under canopy of cypress and oak draped with Spanish moss. You might spot turtles sunning on logs and the occasional alligator watching from the bank. The creek's tight turns and intimate scale create secluded discovery minutes from the island's main roads.

Test your wits in a meticulously designed escape room located in the St. John's Town Center, Jacksonville's major open-air shopping district. You'll hear the faint hum of the mall beyond your locked door as your team scrambles to solve tactile puzzles, decipher codes, and uncover hidden compartments under a ticking clock. Each room presents a distinct narrative, from prison break to art heist, demanding collaboration and quick thinking.

This half-day tour provides structured overview of Jacksonville's large downtown core, traveling past imposing stone facades of early 20th-century skyscrapers and modern glass of the Jacksonville Landing area. You'll hear stories of the city's growth from a guide, feel cool shade of the Friendship Fountain park, and see broad sweep of the St. Johns River from key vantage points. The tour efficiently connects disparate landmarks, giving context to the city's layout and history.

Designed for families, this activity involves a gentle, guided ride along firm, wet sand of Jacksonville's beaches, likely at harder-packed shores near Hanna Park or the Beaches Town Center. You'll feel the steady gait of the horse, smell salty Atlantic air, and hear rhythmic crash of waves just yards away as a guide leads the procession. It is a slow-paced way to experience the vastness of the coastline, often with opportunities to spot seabirds and see dunes from a unique vantage point.

Launch from a dock into tidal creeks and salt marshes that define Jacksonville's coastal ecosystem, following a naturalist guide who explains the role of spartina grass and oyster beds. You'll feel quiet isolation of the marsh, hear splash of a jumping mullet, and perhaps smell faint, briny scent of pluff mud at low tide. The tour focuses on environmental education, pointing out wading birds, marine life, and delicate balance of this "Real Florida" landscape.