2024 Jacksonville Beach Travel Guide
Jacksonville Beach encompasses nearly eight square miles on the northeastern coast of Florida. Activities in this coastal town tend to reflect the fact that there is an abundance of beach and shorefront terrain. Fishing and sailing are two of the more popular pastimes in Jacksonville Beach, and there are a variety of accommodations that are located close enough to the water that accessibility is never a concern. Another attraction in Jacksonville Beach is the Pablo Historical Park, which chronicles the history of the area and features a locomotive steam engine display. The Adventure Landing amusement park is also close by and is the only such attraction in northeastern Florida.
Jacksonville Beach, or “Jax Beach” to the locals, is on the northeast coast of Florida is blessed with miles of uncrowded white sandy beaches. Located east of Jacksonville, Florida, along the Atlantic Coast, Jacksonville Beach is home to resorts, oceanfront hotels, superb dining, shopping, a golf course, family entertainment and much more.
Jacksonville Beach is nestled between the Intracoastal Waterway, St. Johns River, and the Atlantic Ocean. With this much natural beauty, Jacksonville Beach offers lots of opportunities whether you like to fish, golf, rent a boat or any number of other activities.
Jacksonville Beach is home some of the best sport fishing, boating and water sport recreation in Florida. Swim in the ocean, stroll or collect seashells along the beach, or walk along the Sea Walk and watch for porpoise or the northern right-whales that winter off our coast.
Vacationing does not by sand alone. Jacksonville Beach offers some great dining opportunities ranging from fine dining to cheeseburgers. We have listed with ratings some of the most popular eateries and establishments to find a cold drink in the Jacksonville Beach area.
Jacksonville Beach Attractions
There are tons of things to do in Jacksonville especially with its beaches and wide array of great places to go. There are some which are free while there are some which are available to people for a charge. These are some of the things which make Jacksonville a unique city.
For one, there is the Adventure Landing. It can be found east of the Intracoastal Waterway on Beach Boulevard. It is complete with what one would expect from the latest water park to hit a place already loaded with them. It has slides, a riverway, miniature golf, and even a go-kart track. This is not only a great place to visit for the children but also for grownups as well.
Another place to visit around Jacksonville is the Pablo Historical Park and Beaches. This historical park features a 19th-century house restored in all its glory. It was once the home of the station master of the Florida East Coast Railroad terminal. This museum has on display several artifacts from days long gone when the 28-ton steam locomotive is still operational.
For people who love the stage, there’s the Players-By-The-Sea Theater. This community theater features state-of-the-art equipment for the production of various plays. Also, the J. Johnson Gallery would cater to the need of anyone looking for art creations. These creations include paintings, drawings, sculptures, and event print and multimedia arts.
Golf is also present in Jacksonville Beach. The Jacksonville Beach Golf Club is a municipal golf course that has been repaired to make it even better. Surely, golf enthusiasts would love the great beach layout of the course. It was built way back in 1959 and has seen its fair share of golfing actions. It is the only golf course open to the public.
For sports aficionados who prefer tennis over golf, there’s the Jacksonville Beach Tennis Center. This tennis center boasts of seven courts where males and females can play. It also has a lounge and a shop for all you need for tennis equipment.
If you like fishing whether as a hobby or as a sport, the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier is a great place to visit. A handicapped person will have easy access to this pier which has a 20-foot wide deck. Fishing in this pier is made even more convenient with the addition of bait shop and fish cleaning stations on the pier.
These are just some of the places to go while in Jacksonville Beach in Florida. Visiting the place would give one more place to hang out in this great city in the Sunshine State.
Jax Charter
Jax Charter offers cruises, tours, weddings, sightseeing, burials at sea, cocktail cruises, dolphin watching and more along the entire east coast of Florida and the Bahama’s. Address: 903 Osceola | Jacksonville, FL | 32204. Telephone: 1 904 591-5532
Shipwreck Island Water Park
The Shipwreck Island Waterpark features a variety of waterslides and pools, welcoming visitors of all ages. Address: 1944 Beach Blvd | Jacksonville Beach, FL | 32250. Telephone: 1 904 246-4386
Jacksonville Beach Boardwalk
Natives of Jacksonville Florida have always been drawn to Jacksonville Beach, not just to frolic in the sand, but also to partake in the diverse nightlife offered all up and down A1A. Back in the ’60s, the boardwalk consisted of a row of penny arcades, rich with all kinds of games for the kids, corndogs and cotton candy stands, roller coasters, merry go rounds and a Ferris wheel. Mothers would take their kids to the beach for a day of surfing, and then turn them loose on the arcades at night while they holed up in some beach bar on the boardwalk. With Mayport Naval Base just a few miles up on A1A, the board attracted a diverse crowd of locals, sailors, and transients, gaining a reputation of a fun, if somewhat sleazy, place to spend a Friday night.
Today, the boardwalk is still there, but gone are the arcades, rides, and the fair-like atmosphere. In keeping with Jacksonville Beaches’ determination to attract a higher class of clientele, the sleaze factor has been virtually eliminated. On “the strip” – spanning on First Street from Beach Blvd. north to about 6th Ave. – you’ll find an oyster bar, numerous clubs and restaurants, the Seawalk Pavilion and festival grounds, and live music pretty much nightly.
By no means the only place to party in Jax Beach, the strip offers ample parking and a wide variety of partying options all within walking distance of each other. Let’s take a look at some of the nightlife in Jacksonville Beach.