Things to do and places to visit in Orange Park, Florida

A little history about Orange Park, Florida

Orange Park is a town in Clay County, Florida. A suburb of Jacksonville,

Orange Park in the late 18th century was known as Laurel Grove. The name Laurel Grove comes from Sarah and William Pengree who received a land grant from the Spanish governor.

The Town of Orange Park was founded in 1877 by the Florida Winter Home and Improvement Company. Following the Civil War, the company purchased several thousand acres of the McIntosh plantation at Laurel Grove, for the purpose of creating a southern retreat and small farming community. The property was subdivided into building lots and small farm tracts where the present street system was laid out including Kingsley Avenue and Plainfield Avenue. The town was incorporated in 1879 by a special act of the Florida Legislature.

Most people in the U.S like to take a vacation every year to a warm climate, often times Florida, and the Jacksonville/Orange Park area is a popular destination with visitors from all over the world coming. There are beautiful beaches and world-class attractions located all over the Orange Park area. Below is a small sample of places you can go and enjoy the beautiful city of Orange Park.

Black Creek Trail

Orange park may be located close to a sprawling urban center, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of opportunities to slip into nature. If you are looking for an opportunity to immerse yourself in natural surroundings in Orange Park, Black Creek Trail is the perfect place to see a variety of tree and plant species.

Clarke House Park

The Clarke House Park provides an entertaining and educational day out, with a decent dose of history thrown into the mix. The Park is home to Clarke House, which was constructed at the start of the 1900s by William Clarke and is on the National Register list of Historic Places.

The outdoor section features stately oak trees and has a fence around it to keep children safely inside, where they can enjoy a huge playground and sand volleyball court.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

You never know what you’ll see at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens because new things are being added to the facility all the time.

This well-maintained zoo features a variety of animals surrounded by natural environments similar to their wild habitats.

Atlantic Beach

No trip to Florida is complete without a visit to the sandy beaches lining the coastline, and Atlantic Beach is a great one to spend a day at. Swim in the warm waters or relax on the white sand while a refreshing breeze blows in.

These beaches tend to be less crowded than some of the others in the area, so it’s easy to relax without all the noise. More adventurous visitors can enjoy great surfing and kayaking here.

There are so many places to visit and things to do in Orange Park, Florida if you just take the time to research it yourself that you won’t go wrong visiting this great city of Orange Park Florida.