Things to Do in Fruit Cove

For more than 50 years, bowlers have hurled balls down Beach Bowl's gleaming lanes, vying to topple over groups of unwitting pins. By day, the alleys host friendly matches and kids’ birthday parties, and by night, they light up for cosmic bowling with day-glo stripes. To bowl higher scores, competitors can lubricate their minds with cocktails from the Strike Zone Lounge, and fuel up between frames with hot and cold sandwiches and snacks at the snack bar. Afterward, players can overturn losing games with a rematch at the foosball or pool tables in the arcade.

Pump It Up party centers pique the spirits of young and restless rovers with safe, clean, and climate-controlled indoor arenas packed with a bevy of custom bounce houses, obstacle courses, and merry-making inflatables. Their trained staff continuously casts watchful eyes over young bouncers, ensuring that kids safely burn off excess energy as they leap, duck, and dive with abandon during open play sessions, summer camps, and birthday parties. The customizable, multi-hued playscape, vibrant with primary colors and a sound system, captures the romping imaginations of tykes and magazines alike, earning a mention in Parents Magazine’s list of "Six Fun Places to Party." Parents are always admitted for free with their child, and may join in the fun as well, engaging their inner youth as they lovingly supervise, socialize with other parents, or fill out patent papers for the world's first inflatable minivan.

My Gym children's fitness center, which currently has more than 200 international locations, began more than 25 years ago as a structured place for children to safely play, acquire new skills, and romp off a sugar buzz. With a dedication to imparting the benefits and fun of fitness, the affable, energetic crew of teachers and supervisors at the Jacksonville branch employs their expertise in music, dance, and gymnastics to build youngsters' strength and self-esteem while simultaneously stimulating their giggleplexes. Classes are organized according to age level—starting as young as 6 weeks—and are designed to incorporate the latest physiological, psychological, and meteorological research. My Gym’s curriculum includes structured classes for all developmental degrees, from Tiny Tykes, a class for parents and babies that focuses on movement, to Whiz Kids and Champions, classes designed for elementary-aged kids to master motor, sports, and gymnastics skills. One-hour free-play sessions enable children to engage in unstructured, parent-supervised frolics on the activity-filled premises.

The wind picks up over the St. Johns River, catching the sails of Cap'n Don Stokes's fleet of boats and propelling the vessels along the coastline, where sailing instructors point out ospreys perched in the trees as the sea stretches into the distance.

This natural revelry is thanks to The Sailboat Club, whose crew frees members from the responsibilities of boat ownership—such as maintenance, insurance, and renting slips—and grants unlimited sailing on a fleet of sailboats. Additionally, as an accredited training facility of the American Sailing Association, the club encompasses a team of instructors who teach lessons for all levels of sailors, ranging from those who just noticed wind to experienced sailors seeking a captain's license.

Waves aren't created equal—each rolls in differently than the ones preceding and following it, which explains why surfers often lie on their boards, studying the waters in anticipation of the next worthy wave. Reading the waves is one skill; popping up on the board to catch a wave is another. The instructors of Saltwater Cowgirls teach youth and adult students both skills in year-round private individual and group lessons. Students also learn basic through advanced maneuvers and board maintenance, such as what vitamins boards need for shiny coats. The staff organizes weekday and weekend surfing camps, meeting up with students directly on the beach.

A State Amateur Champion a former Nike/Nationwide Tour Member, Nicky Martin has more than 30 years of experience playing and instructing golf an a competitive level. With the belief that no two students are the same, he customizes instruction for each individual’s swing with the goal of creating solid, repeating shots. As a teacher, some of his students have gone on to acclaim such as winning the Florida State Amateur Championship and walking on to the University of Florida golf team.