25 Things to Love about Jacksonville
1. WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE! We've got the St. Johns River (and all its tributaries), the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Developers up here don't have to dig retention ponds to sell you waterfront property. Hey, even the jail offers river views.
2. THE JAGUARS. Next to Green Bay, we're the smallest market to have an NFL team. And win or lose, we bleed black and blue.
3. MUSIC AND MEMORIES. Homegrown musical legends and near-legends with Jacksonville connections include Slim Whitman (country yodeler), Lynrd Skynrd (southern rockers), James Weldon Johnson (writer of Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing), Chubby Wise (legendary bluegrass fiddler), Judy Canova (hillbilly comedienne), Mae Axton (writer of Heartbreak Hotel), Mae's son Hoyt (writer of Joy to the World) and Ray Charles (notable St. Augustine School for the Deaf and Blind dropout).
4. CALORIES. There are more interesting independently owned restaurants in Jacksonville than any other city its size we've ever visited. Among the best: Biscotti's, b.b.'s, Bistro Aix, Cafe Carmon, Dwight's, Gene's Seafood, Giovannis's, LaNopalera, Marker 32, Matthew's, Old Siam, Singleton's Seafood Shack, The Loop, Woody's, Wine Cellar and at least 100 more.
5. SHOPPING. We've got the de riguer regional malls, but also funky shopping districts like Five Points, San Marco Square and The Shops of Avondale. And now you can shop till you drop at the exciting new St. Johns Town Center.
6. HISTORIC HOMES. Tired of ubiquitous Spanish Mediterranean? Riverside/Avondale, San Marco and Springfield feature every architectural style imaginable.
7. DOWNTOWN. A river runs through it-traversed by seven beautiful bridges. It's always been a nice place to visit, but now we'd like to live there.
8. UNPRETENTIOUSNESS. When someone says "Jacksonville is more like South Georgia than South Florida," we take it as a compliment.
9. CULTURE, CULTURE, CULTURE. We've got a dandy symphony orchestra, and it doesn't even have a banjo section. Also great museums like the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, the Alexander Brest Museum/Gallery, the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, the Jacksonville Maritime Museum, the Museum of Science and History and a slew of private galleries.
10. THEATER JACKSONVILLE. It's the oldest continuously operating community amateur theater in the Southeast.
11. OUTDOOR CONCERTS AT METROPOLITAN PARK. Great sounds, a river breeze and a picnic supper. Life doesn't get any better than this.
12. INDOOR CONCERTS AT FLORIDA THEATER. This grand old movie house has been restored to its 1920s glory, and hosts artists as diverse as Joan Baez and Styx. Did you know Elvis played his first indoor gig here?
13. REVITALIZED LAVILLA. An example of urban renewal gone right-especially the refurbished Ritz Theater and the LaVilla School for the Arts.
14. FOLIO WEEKLY. An alternative newspaper that kicks butt, takes names and keeps the politicians (relatively) honest.
15. NON-SCHOLARSHIP FOOTBALL at Jacksonville University. Kids playing football for the love of the game, in a bucolic on-campus setting. Let's beat Slippery Rock!
16. OFFBEAT BUSINESSES. Among the odd assortment of enterprises headquartered here: The Monticello Companies, makers of patent medicines like 666 and Black Draught. Remember the Black Draught radio jingle, sung by Dolly Parton?
17. BOOKS-A-MILLION. No, not the chain bookstore (although we've got one of those, too). We mean outstanding used and independent bookstores, like Chamblin's Book Mine and The Book Mark.
18. WE LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE, WE LOVE TO BOOGIE. From mega-clubs like Freebird Cafe, and Sneakers Sports Grille to holes-in-the-wall like Pete's Bar, Art Bar and Fly's Tie Irish Pub, there's a special place to celebrate the thrill of victory or wallow in the agony of defeat.
19. COFFEE, BEER AND CIGARS. Maxwell House, Budweiser and Swisher manufacture three of life's necessities in Jacksonville. Sometimes in the early morning, the Northbank smells just like a fresh cup of joe.
20. THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP and the famous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
21. NATURAL WONDERS. Among them: Anastasia State Recreation Area, Big Talbot and Little Talbot Islands, Faver-Dykes State Park, Fort Clinch State Park, Guana River State Park, Huguenot Memorial Park, Kathryn Abbey Hannah Park and Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and Tree Hill Nature Center.
22. THE FLORIDA-GEORGIA GAME. They don't call this annual clash of the Gators and the Bulldogs "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" for nothing.
23. COOL PLACES NEARBY, like St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach.
24. NO HURRICANES. Well, hardly ever.
25. THE LISTENING ROOM at European Street in San Marco.
What do you love about Jacksonville? We've just scratched the surface with this list. Call us at (904) 724-3330 and share your favorite people, places and things for inclusion in a future edition.