Jacksonville Travel Guide

Top PicksFrom AOL Travel Editors

Inside ScoopFrom Jacksonville Locals

Jacksonville with Teens: A Perfect Family Day

Alamy Taking a family vacation in Jacksonville with teens can be a fun...Read More

Jacksonville with Tweens: A Perfect Family Day

Getty Images A visit to Jacksonville with tweens can be a fun-filled...Read More

Jacksonville OVERVIEW

Nestled up against the Georgia border, this is a different kind of Florida than you may have experienced further south. Almost alone among Florida’s major cities, Jacksonville was never primarily a tourist destination. An important point for the railroads of David Yulee and Henry Plant, it made its mark as a working town—paper mills, a port, transportation hub and later an insurance industry town. The city’s districts are defined by the St. Johns River, which runs north into the city, then makes a right turn to reach the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport. Although it has beaches—both tourist-kitschy and pristine—at its doorstep and elegant resorts, it’s not a resort town. As a visitor, you’ll find yourself surrounded by residents when you go to area attractions and restaurants. If you decide to stay cloistered inside a visitors-only resort, you can do that, too.

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BEST IN Jacksonville TRAVEL

from our Editors

Crowne Plaza JacksonvilleThe most outstanding feature of this hotel is the location, on the riverfront directly across from downtown. San Marco...
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Jacksonville Itineraries

Don't know where to go? Check out our 2 and 7 Day Itineraries to get an idea of what you could do in this great city!

2 DAY ITINERARY

1 Check into a hotel at the beach, head out to the sand to relax and get acclimated. Lunch at Sliders (if you’re at the north end beaches).
2 In the afternoon, tool around downtown Atlantic Beach.
3 Have a “sundowner” at the Penthouse Lounge atop the Casa Monica Hotel overlooking the ocean. You can stay on for dinner if you’re too tired or buzzed to drive; if you aren’t drive into downtown and have dinner at Matthew’s.

FULL JACKSONVILLE ITINERARY »

7 DAY ITINERARY

1 Pack the necessities (cooler, drinks, snacks, sunscreen) in the trunk of your car and head up to Atlantic Beach. Set up beachside and get your fill of sun and surf.
2 For lunch, wander up from the beach to downtown and check out Sun Dog.
3 After lunch, head back down to the beach and toast yourself some more.