Big concerts, family-friendly events and more: Your guide for things to do in Jacksonville this summer and beyond

From the beaches to national parks to big concerts and more, there's plenty to do in and around Jacksonville this summer.

And with more and more of us vaccinated, we're ready to get out of the house and get back to summer fun like we did three summers ago — or three decades ago for those of us planning to see Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Joan Jett and Poison when The Stadium Tour comes to TIAA Bank Field in July.

Here's our guide to some of the biggest events in town this summer.

More things to do: See our events calendar for dozens of other events coming up

A summer guide to Jacksonville’s newest restaurants: From fine dining to decadent desserts

12 must-see concerts coming to Jacksonville this summer

Get ready for a loud summer, with more than 60 concerts coming to Northeast Florida between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Take your pick from metal and hip hop and country and salsa, boy bands, blues bands, jam bands and kick-your-teeth-out rock 'n' rollers. Some old favorites are stopping by, along with some exciting up-and-comers.

So how are you supposed to choose which shows are right for you? We've picked out a dozen that stand out from the crowd. | Read more

Adventure Landing open for at least one more summer season

Set to close last fall, Adventure Landing's amusement and water parks will remain open this summer in Jacksonville Beach before closing to give way to redevelopment. Opened in 1995, the Jacksonville Beach amusement park offers Shipwreck Island water park, a go-kart track, arcade, laser tag, miniature golf, batting cages and a youth roller coaster. | Read more

Colossal Creatures bring something big and new to Jacksonville Zoo

Lions and giraffes and penguins, oh my! New at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens this summer are a collection of inflatable animals, some life-sized, some much larger than life. Each comes with an activity or a lesson that teaches kids about wildlife and conservation. | Read more

Florida Theatre brings back Summer Movie Classics on Sundays

Princess Buttercup is coming to Jacksonville this summer. So are Ritchie Valens, Wolverine, Baby and Mike Wazowski. They are the stars of the Florida Theatre's Summer Movie Classics series, which gives fans a chance to watch classic movies in a classic movie palace. Here's the lineup.

Jurassic Quest bringing 100 full-scale dinosaurs back to Jacksonville

Held at the city's Prime Osborn Convention Center July 15-17, the family-friendly traveling attraction includes a "Triceratots" area where kids ages 2 and under can ride dinosaurs, a live interactive raptor show and a fossil exhibit that has genuine dinosaur bones. But more than 100 moving, growling full-scale dinosaurs, ranging from dog-size to the 80-foot Apatosaurus, are the big stars of the show. | Read more

Interactive Van Gogh exhibit coming to Jacksonville in September

The traveling show turns more than 300 of the Dutch master's best-known pieces — "Starry Night," "Sunflowers," "Cafe Terrace at Night" — into high-resolution digital projections displayed throughout the 30,000-square-foot exhibit. Still images and an original musical score are also part of the show. | Read more

55 fun things to do in Florida including restaurants, bars, beaches and more!

Need to get away for a day or a week? There's plenty to do in the Sunshine State all summer -- and year -- long. | Read more

'Elf,' 'Pretty Woman,' and more coming to Jacksonville in 2022-23

The FSCJ Artist Series is tapping into some classic films for its 56th Broadway in Jacksonville season. The series of touring Broadway shows includes "Elf: The Musical," "Disney's Aladdin," "Pretty Woman," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Mean Girls." | Read more

Concerts in the Plaza summer series line-up announced

Not that you need a reason to go to St. Augustine, but if you do, here's one: a free summer concert series held each Thursday through Sept. 1 at the Plaza de la Constitución. | Read more

When it comes to National Parks, you don't have to travel far

When we think of National Parks, we think of Yellowstone, Yosemite and Rocky Mountain. But — and this sometimes surprises people — we have all kinds of pieces of the National Park System right in our backyard. Places with the arrowhead sign. Rangers wearing the iconic, broad-brimmed, flat hat. Here are 10 of columnist Mark Woods' favorite area parks. | Read more

What are the best beaches in Florida? Here are 10 of our favorites

From the Panhandle to South Florida, with destinations hugging both the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find beaches lined with hotels, restaurants and bars as well as ones without hardly a high-rise building in sight. | Read more

Axe throwing on target to carve out a niche in Jacksonville

Once just a backyard or a barroom game, axe throwing is a growing sport with organized leagues as well as an avocation appealing to men, women, families and young urban professionals nationwide. And now there are at least a half-dozen venues for the sport in Jacksonville. | Read more

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Things to do in Jacksonville, Florida this summer