fort caroline national memorial

The replica of the stone once left centuries ago is an engaging experience. The best thing is the beautiful view one can observe looking down on the St. Johns river and the areas around. I do wish that they had not removed the notes about the town that once existed below this site. That was a very interesting history and should be available for visitors.

You can go there by boat and moor for up to 59 (US Park service rule) minutes at a nice deep water floating dock. the museum and fort take just about an hour to see, so it works very nicely. Kid like a boat ride then a chance to get out and run around the fort.

This impressive piece of land and its surrounding property are like a slice of heaven. This National park is free and has a nature hike around the fort that is about a mile. The Spanish moss hanging from the giant oak trees is quintessential southern. A dog friendly waterfront park right on the St. John's River , is worth the trip off 295. You can walk the Theodore Roosevelt area or start at Spanish ponds with marshes and birds . Stop by you won't be disappointed. The view from Ribault Monument is pretty cool.

This little-known site has a wonderful little museum, hiking trails back to a recreated fort on the St. John's River, a fun children's program, and very knowledgeable employees. A lovely and relaxing way to get a little history and nature in one visit!

Very nice museum. Ranger Catherine gave us a personal tour of the museum and explained the history of the site. The museum has several unique artifacts including a dugout canoe and a totem pole. It's a short hike to the fort. Unfortunately, the fort is a reconstruction made by the National Park Service and they're not even sure where the original fort was. Will be a short trip unless you are interested in walking the nature trail.

I was surprised that this piece of history is tucked away in the middle of Jacksonville. About a 45-minute drive from St. Augustine, Fort Caroline is a pretty little national park that focuses on the French settlers who came to Florida several hundred years ago. Little to nothing is known about them, so the reconstructed fort is based on educated guesses (including the location). Still, historians did a great job at recreating the life of the French. You can freely roam the fort (which has a great view of the water), explore a little hut, walk onto a dock to see the water, walk nature trails, and look at artifacts in the visitors center. My husband, kids, and I really enjoyed the visit and appreciated this hidden gem in the city.

We visited the actual fort and not the visitor center or trails. Nice piece of history and good views of the river down by the fort. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit the museum but we will next time to learn more of the history. The National Park Rangers were very friendly!

Learnt about a period of history that we were unaware of previously. Nice location. Informative. Easy parkng. A family venue for a short trip.

This is a small but nice National Park that preserves the history of French Settlers in Florida. Enter the building and view the museum before taking the trial down to the fort. Great view of boats from the fort also. They have restrooms at the visitor center also.

The park rangers offer excellent educational comments. The museum is well-designed and very interesting. Each time we go there is something different to excite our interest. We take all of our visitors to Florida to Fort Caroline because most of them have never heard of it. The fort itself is very interesting and gives great insight into life in the new world more than 400 years ago. Sometimes you can even see an alligator basking in the sunlight in the low places outside the fort walls.

This site is a part of the network of national and state sites in the area steeped in history. There is a very nice visitor center with a display about the site's history and a nice selection of books for sale. There is a reconstructed fort to represent the French settlement there. Kids, history buffs and military historians will like it. Magnificent views of the St. John's River and extensive lovely walking trails under big live oaks. Nice staff. Worth a visit when you want to get out the way of the beach and enjoy nature. Pair it with the Kingsley Plantation and the Ribeault Club or bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it with the kids. Another federal gem. Seniors get in free with the National Parks Pass.

Small National Park, well worth the visit if you have time and are also visiting the Kingsley Plantation. Real Fort Caroline not yet properly found and is probably across the St. John's River in Mayport.

Visited this fort on a nice, cool November day. Very interesting history regarding the French Huguenots. The view of the St. John river is beautiful and the trails are wonderful. The fort layout is also very different.

This fort was reconstructed quite some time ago. It was built from what sparse records remain from the original fort. The French constructed it in Spanish territory and suffered terrible consequences for this but later got their revenge. Is is a relatively small fort which sits on a river with a moat in front. It is made of wood and has one very old cannon inside. The fort is located a few hundred feet from the visitors center. This center has a small museum inside and there is no charge to visit it or the fort.

Fort Caroline is best to be experienced on a cool autumn day. The fort is in a woodsy area and a lot bugs are around in the summer. The park has multiple nature trails that you can walk with your furry friend. The fort is a nice replica and it sits right on the St. Johns River.