Riverfront Plaza Water Play Area
✓ Last confirmed for the 2026 season · confirmed against the parks department
Where: 2 Independent Dr W, Jacksonville, Florida
Season: May 9 through the last weekend of October
Hours: Daily 10am-7pm
Cost: free
zero-depthplayground-nearbypublic-park
A free water play area on the downtown riverfront at the former Jacksonville Landing site, next to an expansive destination playground. It gives families a reason to linger on the St. Johns River after the playground wears the kids out.
What's on site. OpenStreetMap maps playground alongside, parking at this location. No public toilets are mapped here — worth knowing before you commit to an afternoon.
When to go. Peak summer highs in Jacksonville average 91°F. Mornings and late afternoons are far more comfortable than the middle of the day, and shade is worth planning around.
How long it's open. Roughly 24 weeks a year, from May to October. Seasons shift year to year and municipal pads often close early for maintenance, so check before a long drive.
If this one's closed or packed
Splash pads close for maintenance, run short seasons and fill up on hot weekends. There are 10 other pads within 5 miles and 19 within 15. These are the ones worth the drive — ranked by shade, toilets and cost first, then by how close they are: