Things to do in Jacksonville
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Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
There’s dazzling art inside this handsome museum, includes newly-acquired Norman Rockwells and George PA Healy’s famous portrait of the city’s namesake close to death. Also look for antiquities and a really fun interactive kids’ exhibit. Draped with wisteria and shaded by a massive, mossy oak so large it needs supports for its limbs, the garden is a grand place to unwind after absorbing all the beauty inside. Both the museum and gardens are impressively accessible, including a number of braille and audio guides.
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Clark's Fish Camp
It doesn't any get more Floridian than this. Absolutely worth driving 27 miles for, this restaurant, on a gator-filled lake, was originally a bait-and-tackle shop and now combines the art of taxidermy (hundreds of stuffed lions, tigers, leopards, you name it, proliferate indoors and out), with mind-boggling meals of fried or charred turtle, kangaroo, antelope and rattlesnake.
Work up your courage with a Swamp Fest platter of gator tail, soft-shell crab, frog's legs, conch, catfish and squid, plus two sides and hushpuppies. There's a rustic elongated timber bar with barrel tables, but the best tables are on the lakeside outdoor deck. From Jacksonville, take the I-95 south …
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Southbank Riverwalk
This 1.2-mile boardwalk on the south side of the St John's River, opposite downtown and Jacksonville Landing, has spectacular views of the city's frequent firework displays. The Riverwalk connects the museums flanking Museum Circle and makes for a pleasant promenade.
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Museum of Science & History
The Museum of Science & History is more your speed, with dinosaur fun and educational exhibits on Jacksonville's pre-Columbian history (but no beer).
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Museum of Contemporary Art
Small, but one of the best cultural offerings in town, the Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on 1960 to the present.
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European Street Cafe
If you just don't know what you want, this place has a lengthy menu, enormous bakery case and over 150 kinds of beer.
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Boomtown Theatre & Coffee Salon
About a mile north of downtown, Jacksonville's historic district of Springfield is budding as a hip center for the arts.
Check out the Boomtown Theatre & Coffee Salon , a very experimental dinner theater, whose lineup runs from gospel-style sing-alongs to contemporary(ish) tunes (Tainted Love tears the roof off), spoken-word open-mic nights, an ongoing Vampire improv serial every Thursday, swing dancing (including free lessons), and 'Soul Release', a spoken-word jazz hip-hop jam. All this is accompanied by an equally eclectic - and excellent - menu that includes a 4000-year-old recipe Egyptian honey cinnamon chicken.
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Ninth & Main Street
About a mile north of downtown, Jacksonville's historic district of Springfield (www.thenewspringfield.com) is budding as a hip center for the arts.
A former disused automotive repair shop, the 'place of no particular style', Ninth & Main Street, now houses an outstanding Caribbean restaurant, Henrietta's, a theater, an art gallery, and a live-music venue (Thursday and Friday). It also hosts the annual Springfield Film Festival, showcasing independent filmmakers from Florida and beyond. The festival kicks off in spring, with a rolling series of screenings (usually Thursdays) until the fall.
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Sports Complex
Completed in time for the 2005 Superbowl, Jacksonville's Sports Complex encompasses the 82,000-capacity AllTel Stadium, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the venue for high- profile fixtures throughout the season. In front of the stadium is the Veterans Memorial Wall tribute to local soldiers.
Also at the complex are the brand new, 16,000-capacity Veterans Memorial Arena, home to the Jacksonville Barracudas hockey team (formerly the Lizard Kings), and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, where the minor-league Jacksonville Suns play to a capacity crowd of 10,000.
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Ritz Theatre & La Villa Museum
This refurbished 1929-built grande dame incorporates a museum and 400-seat theater. Both showcase the La Villa area's African-American cultural heritage, which in its heyday saw it dubbed the 'Harlem of the South'. The museum's newest permanent exhibition, Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing, is an animatronic tribute to the district's native son James Weldon Johnson, composer of the slave freedom anthem of the same name. Performances at the Ritz range from choral to jazz as well as stage productions.
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Sally Corporation
If you’ve ever wondered how theme-park rides like Universal Studios’ ‘ET Adventure’ weave their robotic magic, a tour of Sally Corporation, makers of animatronics and ‘dark rides, ’ will demystify the process and explain initial design, special effects, sets, scenery, soundtracks, lighting systems and cooling technology. Free tours (reservation only) take you behind the scenes of the art and costuming, mechanical, pneumatics, and computer-programming departments.
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Jacksonville Zoological Gardens
Northeast Florida’s only major zoo opened in 1914 with one deer; today, it’s home to over 100 exotic species. Jaguar football fans won’t want to miss jaguars prowling replicated Mayan temple ruins. Other highlights include the wetlands of Wild Florida, with rare Florida panthers, and an elevated viewing platform that brings you face to nose with giraffes (you can even feed them!). There’s also an animal-spotting train ride through the grounds (adult/child $4/2).
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Jacksonville Zoological Gardens
Northeast Florida's only major zoo which opened in 1914 with one deer, today has over 100 exotic species. Don't miss the jaguars prowling around replicated Mayan temple ruins. Other highlights are the wetlands of Wild Florida, with rare Florida panthers, the Australian Adventure and an elevated viewing platform that brings you face to face with the giraffes.
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Matthew's
The stunning bronze-inlaid terrazzo floor of this 1920s bank cues the glam decor of this very fine restaurant, which would be comfortably at home in London, Paris or New York. The showy open kitchen is a fine stage for Matthew Medure and his team to meld exquisite Southern, Mediterranean, Asian and Middle Eastern flavors. Game is a specialty.
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Florida Theatre
Home to Elvis’ first indoor concert in 1956, which a local judge endured to ensure Presley was not overly suggestive, this opulent 1927 venue is an intimate place to catch performances by BB King, Aretha Franklin and Wilco; it also hosts musicals, a summer movie classics series (Sundays at 2pm, $6) and other events. Ticket prices vary widely.
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Jacksonville Landing
Across the river from Southbank Riverwalk, the northern bank unfurls at the foot of downtown’s high-rise business district. Under the roof of its most visible landmark, Jacksonville Landing, are about 40 mostly touristy shops surrounding a tip-top food court with outdoor tables and regular, free live entertainment.
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Fort Caroline National Memorial
This memorial is the administrative headquarters of the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, a confederation of federal, state and local parks – some located on Talbot and Fort George Islands. The confederation works with private landowners to maintain the St John’s River ecosystem.
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Alexander Brest Planetarium
The Alexander Brest Planetarium uses light-hearted humor in astronomical shows. For an extra $7 to $9, take in a laser-lighted Cosmic Concert, featuring 18,000 watts of anything from ’80s tunes, to Zeppelin, to the full score of Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
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Salty Feather
For a mellower fishing experience, give kayak fishing – or yak fishing – a whirl. Sitting inside a kayak, fishing along spartina grass for mullet on a glassy tidal marsh is a postcard-perfect way to spend a day. The Salty Feather runs half-day and day trips.
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bb’s
With its molded concrete bar, clean, modern lines and daily cheese selection, this Euro-staurant may initially feel hipper-than-thou. But pull up a seat, chat with the staff and discover they’re just like you – only dressed entirely in black. The chocolate ganache cake is worth the trip.
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Casbah
Upon spying the swords, camels and Moorish lanterns lining the walls, you’ll wonder if a passport is required for entry. Featuring authentic Middle Eastern dishes, beer, music and belly dancing, the café doubles as a hookah lounge with dozens of flavorful tobacco concoctions.
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Golfing
With the PGA headquarters just down the road, and 72 courses in the greater area, there are a myriad of opportunities to tee off. You can book golf tee times online at www.visitjacksonville.com; follow the links to 'visitors', then 'golf', then 'book tee'.
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Armor
This hip men’s shop in Avondale features kickin’ threads from the likes of Diesel, Ben Sherman and Caffeine. Sporting an excellent sales room, you’re sure to leave looking like a runway model. Or at least like you…but way cooler.
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Café Carmon
Light and airy inside, the tables outside are best if you like people watching. Located across from the lions in the heart of fashionable San Marco, this cheery restaurant features creative pasta dishes and scrumptious salads.
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Peterbrooke Chocolatier
Come here for chocolate-coated popcorn, pretzels and more. Reserve ahead for tours ($1 including samples), which run at 10am Monday to Friday. There’s a great bench two blocks west. Munch away and watch the river roll past.
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