It’s finally summer vacation. Take advantage of the beauty and fun Northeast Florida has to offer and create a summer full of memories to remember with your family and friends with our summer bucket list! 

Treat Yourself

Kickback, relax, and enjoy a sweet treat! Stop by The Donut Experiment for some donuts you won’t soon forget. We’re serious…they have a Sriracha Donut! If you’re in need of a cold treat, look no further than Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops to cool you down. The Mango Mojito and Blueberry Lavender Lemonade are just a sampling of the refreshing and delicious flavors you can choose from. If you’re in the cookie mood, pick up a box of Insomnia Cookies and try the Confetti Deluxe Cookie and the Salted Caramel Cookie. Enjoy the sugar rush – it’s summer! 

Move Around

Make staying active fun this summer no matter how hot it is outside! Embrace the heat and make a splash at Shipwreck Island Water Park. From the waterslides to the Typhoon Lagoon, you will have hours of fun in the sun. Visit Fiesta Falls Miniature Golf Course after dinner to enjoy a leisurely round of mini golf while the sun is going down. Don’t forget to grab a soft serve ice cream cone while you’re there! Take a break from the heat at Anastasia Bowling Lanes. Sign your kids up for a Summer Fun Bowling Pass and receive two FREE games of bowling every day all summer long.

Try Something New 

Ditch your comfort zone and try something different! Sign up for a Candy Class at Sweet Pete’s Candy where you can learn how to make all kinds of tasty treats like Lollipops and Taffy. Take an afternoon to explore Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park. Hanna Park is one of the premier surf spots in Jacksonville and the perfect place to watch the waves. 

Back to Basics

You can never go wrong with some classic Northeast Florida staples. The Jacksonville Zoo is always a hit! IllumiZoo will be happening every Friday night between June 4 and August 27 from 6-10 pm. The Zoo will come alive at night with live music and entertainment that are sure to make for a memorable evening. Root for the home team at the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game this summer. Get tickets for a Friday game and enjoy fireworks after the game! 


Make this a summer to remember! Be sure to tag us on Instagram and Facebook every time you cross one of these experiences off your list.

 
 
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“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” Mark Berman made it happen. In January of 2020, while planning his daughter’s rookie schedule for her professional golf career, Mark realized there were limited opportunities for competitive play for women coming out of college to properly prepare to qualify for the LPGA Tour. And that is how The Orca Golf Bag Women’s Match Play Championship came to be. 

World Golf Village is thrilled to host the inaugural Orca Golf Bag Women’s Match Play Championship from October 26 to November 7, 2021. The two week tournament will feature two separate, yet connected tournaments. The Orca Golf Bag Women’s Match Play Championship will begin on the King & Bear course with a 54-hole one-week Stroke-Play tournament and will continue the second week with a Match-Play championship at Slammer & Squire. A guaranteed $50,000 will be shared between the winners of the two tournaments. In addition to the cash prize, the match-play winner will take home the title of Orca Golf Bags Women’s Match Play Champion and receive a celebratory golf bag designed by Erica Bennett of Orca Golf Bags, the nation’s only women-owned golf bag design company.

The structure of the tournament isn’t the only thing that makes The Orca Golf Bags Women’s Match Play Championship unique. The tournament will host unique programming to celebrate women’s initiatives on the course and beyond. Donna Orender, Founder and CEO of Generation W, and her team will be leading the women’s initiatives for The Orca Golf Bags Women’s Match Play Championship. “Generation W and it’s girl-focused program, Generation WOW, provides the guidance, leadership, and education that many girls – especially busy athletes – just don’t get in college and high school. So, let’s provide them value beyond just a place to tee it up, and while we’re at it, let’s bring in the business and local communities where the girls playing can learn and they can also be role models in our community,” Berman shares.

The Orca Golf Bags Women’s Match Play Championship will represent two of the fourteen 2021 events on the Women’s All Pro Tour (WAPT). Gary DeSerrano, WAPT President, shared his excitement for the new event stating, “We are very excited to bring the WAPT to the Jacksonville area and in particular, the World Golf Village. We are certain the next stars of the women professional golf will look forward to this new and exciting event.”

Gary DeSerrano isn’t the only one excited for The Orca Golf Bags Women’s Match Play Championship to be held at World Golf Village. Sherry Davidson, President of Davidson Realty, is eager to join World Golf Village Residents in welcoming these guests. “It will be so wonderful for the Residents of World Golf Village and the greater St. Augustine community to welcome and support these sixty-four talented ladies and their families to our area and compete in The Orca Golf Bags Women’s Match Play Championship.” 

The Orca Golf Bag Women’s Match Play Championship will undoubtedly provide these sixty-four women the opportunity to grow both as athletes and as leaders as they strive to make their dream of competing in the LPGA happen. 

 
 
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Someone needs to remind Mother Nature that it is October and it’s time to send in the cooler temperatures. But despite the heat, the rain, and the humidity we are currently experiencing in Northeast Florida – it is FALL! That means all things pumpkins, pumpkin spice, pumpkin flavors, and pumpkin patches! Most of us wouldn’t actually give up our year-round temperate weather we experience on the First Coast for the bitter cold months our neighbors north of us endure. And while it would be pleasant to enjoy fall-like weather and leaves changing colors there are a few places we highly recommend to enjoy the fall season (even if you do have to wear tanks, shorts, and flip-flops.)

Travel over to Green Cove Springs and enjoy a full day of fun at Amazing Grace Family Farms www.agcropmaze.com which is open Fridays and Saturdays through October 31st. The list of activities available at Amazing Grace Family Farms will keep children of all ages busy enjoying the adventures and will likely have them sleeping on the way home. From their pumpkin patch worthy of family photos to the enormous jump pad that will completely exhaust any kid or even kid-at-heart, there’s plenty to see and do. The crop maze will challenge the adventurers with its many twists and turns. The BarnYard Ball Zone will have the crowd going wild. The Tug-O-War brings just the right amount of competition for the family (or maybe family vs. family). And a highlight every year is the farm animal petting zoo where children are able to experience real life on the farm with these precious animals. Parents, be sure to have your phones ready because this beautiful farm provides plenty of picture perfect moments to capture the wholesome fun you’ll enjoy outdoors making memories.

Next on our list, is CONNER’S A-MAIZE-ING ACRES. This small family farm packs in a HUGE and exciting day. Located in Hilliard, CONNER’S A-MAIZE-ING ACRES is a local favorite for many reasons. With 125 acres of a working family farm, during October and select days in November, Conner’s A-MAIZE-ING ACRES is open to the public for people to enjoy their sweet farm animals, wagon rides, playground, ride horses, pumpkin patch, and most importantly the incredible corn maze that changes from year to year. With last year’s maze shaped with The Wizard of OZ theme, this year’s maze will have you lost in a web…Charlotte’s Web, that is! Be sure to bring your appetite, too. Conner’s A-MAIZE-ING ACRES offers plenty of eating options perfect for your day on the farm. For more information visit www.connerscornmaze.com

Rounding out our TOP 3 is SYKE’S FAMILY FARMS. The Sykes Family has more than 50 years of farming experience and provides their guests with a tradition people can enjoy year after year. The 9-acre corn maze is filled with twists and turns and will have families laughing and navigating as they enjoy the outdoors together making memories. Syke’s Family Farms also provides a play area, farm animals, cow milking, hayrides, pumpkin patches, cow train, teeter-totters, duck races, and plenty of wholesome entertainment to keep the family busy for hours. For more information about hours of operation and tickets visit www.sycofarms.com

All three locations are operating under state recommendations and providing COVID-19 precautions. Please contact the locations prior to your visit for a better understanding of how each farm is operating.

 
 
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There is no doubt that this year’s Easter celebration on Sunday, April 12, will be like no other we’ve ever had. The great thing is people are getting very creative with their celebrations!

Many churches are streaming their services online and drive-in style services have popped up around the country. Families have also taken to apps like Zoom and Skype to be “together” during these holidays while complying with social distancing guidelines. Seeing everything from virtual Easter egg hunts to family gatherings via Facetime, it is clear we as people are nothing if not resourceful.

Here are some other ways you can connect with loved ones this holiday weekend:

Organize a neighborhood Easter parade. Many communities have Facebook pages where activities like this are planned. Neighbors may decorate their cars and golf carts, meet at the community clubhouse and conduct a slow parade around the neighborhood playing music and waving hello—a special treat for anyone who cannot leave their home!

Live in the King & Bear? The community will have an Easter Bunny Drive-by on Easter Sunday. Check out the K&B Facebook pageto learn more and make sure he drives by your house!

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The St. Johns County School District hosted two town hall meetings to present zoning changes for local high schools, and as a result, has announced newly revised plans.

The new WGV school, currently referred to as High School HHH, will be built on International Golf Parkway next to Mill Creek Academy.

According to the zoning revisions, students who live in areas located west of I95 (all of World Golf Village) will be rezoned from Nease High School to High School HHH once complete. This extends to CR 16A south of Shearwater as well as Orangedale (the portion east of Trout Creek and SR 16). Areas west of Trout Creek are proposed to remain at Bartram Trail.

The rezoning from Nease to HHH will also include a few areas east of I95 including Bannon Lakes, Markland and homes along North Francis Road.

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The First Coast is ramping up for the 2020 Players Championship from March 10 to 15 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. Whether you’ll be attending the tournament or watching at home, there are several new changes being implemented to note.

See every shot by every player

First, every single shot by every single player during golf’s unofficial fifth major of the season will be broadcast all week from about 120 cameras set up throughout the course. To see it, you must be a subscriber to PGA Tour Live on either NBC Sports Gold or Amazon Prime.

If you’re a golf fan, it looks to be well worth it! You will be able to select which player you would like to follow as well as switch between players during the broadcast. According to the PGA Tour, the company is hoping this new feature will be something they can promote at every PGA Tour event going forward.

Track shot trails through TourCast

The PGA Tour will also launch a new and improved TourCast, which allows you to see the shot trails of every ball hit. Using the TourCast, you will receive access to on-demand video highlights and ShotLink Data on the PGA Tour’s mobile app as well as theplayers.com.

Mobile-only and day-specific tickets

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The weather will soon start warming up and Northeast Floridians will start thinking about getting in shape for the summer. What better place to start your health journey than at the 2020 Health & Wellness Expo?!

The annual event will be held at the Renaissance Resort World Golf Village this Saturday, February 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The free event is designed to provide the newest information and trends in wellness, nutrition, and fitness, helping you to be your best YOU! Guests will enjoy free samples and demonstrations, giveaways, and complimentary promotional items. Also, the first 30 guests receive FREE swag bags!

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The St. Johns County School District will host two town hall meetings next week to explore the possibilities for changes to attendance zoning regarding the planned high school, for now known as “High School HHH.” The public is encouraged to attend.

High School HHH is expected to open in time for the 2021-2022 school year. According to WJCT, “It will be built at 11200 St. Johns Parkway at the intersection with International Golf Parkway.”

The new proposed zoning plan will be shared at the town hall meetings, and attendees will have a chance to comment directly to School Board members and district staff. They will also discuss plans for a future “High School III” and possible attendance zoning changes related to SilverLeaf.

The following schools will be impacted by the proposal: Allen D. Nease High SchoolBartram Trail High SchoolCreekside High SchoolLiberty Pines AcademyMill Creek AcademyPacetti Bay Middle School and Switzerland Point Middle School.

Here are the details on each meeting (the same info will be presented at both meetings):

  • Tuesday, February 25at 6:30 p.m. at Nease High School (10550 Ray Road)
  • Thursday, February 27at 6:30 p.m. at Bartram Trail High School (7399 Longleaf Pine Parkway)
 
 
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Have you been looking for ways to get involved in the community, make new friends and stay active? No matter what recreational activities you enjoy from ballet to pickleball, World Golf Village neighborhoods have upcoming opportunities for you!

Ballet

A 6-week beginner ballet series for adults is coming to the King & Bear Fitness Center starting on Tuesday, November 6 at 7:45 p.m. The series cost is $60. Spaces are filling up quickly so reserve your spot by emailing info@destinydancecenter.com.

Writing

The annual Florida Heritage Book Festival Writer’s Conference is coming to World Golf Village on February 21 and 22. Workshops will be held like Kick your Writing Up a NotchE-Publishing–The Future is Nowand Short Story Writing for Publication, as well as speaking sessions by multiple authors and individual writing critiques with award-winning authors. A reception on Sunday, Feb. 22 will feature Craig Pittman, award-winning journalist with the Tampa Bay Times and author of Oh, Florida!: How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country. All writers are encouraged to attend. Register at www.fhbookfest.com.

Pickleball 

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If you don’t have Valentine’s Day plans yet, look no further! From sailing away to boogying down, there are plenty of special events on Friday and Saturday to suit any interest—and for those both single and coupled.

If you’re tired of the same old Valentine’s Day tradition of going out to eat, try these fun and novel events to shake up the holiday:

Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Love Boat!On Friday, February 14, Black Raven Adventures is hosting “Valentine’s Day the Pirate Way” that includes a moonlit sail with live entertainment, drinks and a special gift for the lasses aboard. The cruise sets sail at 6:15 p.m. at the Municipal Marina in historic St. Augustine. Seats are limited for this very special cruise ($19.95 per person). Click here to learn more.

Tour & Taste throughout the town!Tasting Tours is offering three Valentine Tour Experiences: “Carriage, Bubbly & Dessert” includes a 45-minute scenic horse-drawn carriage ride with decadent treats, the “Galentine Celebration” is 2 ½ hours of fun with your friends including champagne by the Bridge of Lions, and “Food & Wine Pairing Tour” is three hours of amazing food and wines at five of St. Augustine’s best restaurants.

A new kind of romantic comedy!On Saturday, February 15, Corazon Cinema & Café will host “Valentine’s Weekend Improv Comedy: 3 Blind Dates.” Sit back and watch a troupe of talented improv comedians perform this interactive Valentine-themed show, which won Best Improv Form in the 2015 Colorado Improv Awards. The show starts at 8 p.m. The Corazon is located at 36 Granada Street. Click here for tickets($15 in advance, $20 at the door).

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