Jacksonville Jaguars Game at EverBank Stadium
Sunday NFL football on the St. Johns riverfront: the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium, a tailgate scene that spills across the Northbank, and a city that treats home games as its biggest weekly party.
Florida
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is Florida's biggest surprise: the largest city in the contiguous United States by land area, a north-flowing river lined with historic neighborhoods, a skyline of bridges, and a string of Atlantic beach towns just twenty minutes from downtown.
This guide books the city properly. It pairs the Riverwalk, the Cummer Museum, the science museum and the free national memorial at Fort Caroline with guided architecture, mural, food, brewery and ghost tours, then adds the coast, from the Jacksonville Beach pier and wild Hanna Park to the island green at TPC Sawgrass. Then it matches you to the right hotel, from a downtown riverfront tower to a historic beach boutique and the Ponte Vedra resorts, because in a city this spread out, where you sleep sets the shape of the trip.
Don't miss
Jacksonville Jaguars Game at EverBank Stadium
Sunday NFL football on the St. Johns riverfront: the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium, a tailgate scene that spills across the Northbank, and a city that treats home games as its biggest weekly party.
St. Johns River Private Boat Tour, Daytime or Sunset
A private boat tour for up to six on the St. Johns River, by day or at sunset, with the skyline, the bridges and the working waterfront seen from the water that built Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Riverwalk, Northbank and Southbank
Two Riverwalks facing each other across the St. Johns: the Northbank strip below the skyline and the longer Southbank boardwalk past Friendship Fountain, with free skyline views, river breezes and a pedestrian bridge between them.
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
A riverfront art museum in Riverside with a deep collection, historic formal gardens shaded by ancient live oaks, and some of the loveliest quiet hours in Jacksonville.
Things to do in Jacksonville
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
St. Johns River Private Boat Tour, Daytime or Sunset
A private boat tour for up to six on the St. Johns River, by day or at sunset, with the skyline, the bridges and the working waterfront seen from the water that built Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Riverwalk, Northbank and Southbank
Two Riverwalks facing each other across the St. Johns: the Northbank strip below the skyline and the longer Southbank boardwalk past Friendship Fountain, with free skyline views, river breezes and a pedestrian bridge between them.
1-3 hoursDetails →
Museum of Science and History (MOSH)
The riverfront science and local-history museum on the Southbank, with a planetarium, hands-on exhibits for kids, and the story of Northeast Florida from prehistory to the present.
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
A riverfront art museum in Riverside with a deep collection, historic formal gardens shaded by ancient live oaks, and some of the loveliest quiet hours in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
A large riverside zoo on the Trout River with big-cat country, African savanna, a stingray bay and shaded botanical gardens, one of the best full-day family outings in Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville Beach and Pier
The city's Atlantic playground: a wide sandy beach, a long fishing pier, surf breaks, beachfront dining and the laid-back culture of the Beaches towns, only about twenty minutes from downtown.
Half day to full dayDetails →
Fort Caroline National Memorial
The site of a short-lived French Huguenot colony from 1564, with a scaled replica of the fort, a bluff overlooking the river and trails through the Timucuan Preserve, free and rich in early American history.
1-2 hoursDetails →
San Marco Food Tour, Culinary Journey
A guided walking food tour of San Marco, Jacksonville's Mediterranean Revival village on the south bank, with tastings, local stories and a stroll around the fountain square.
Riverside and Avondale Architecture and History Tour
A guided look at Jacksonville's residential architecture and history, from Prairie School and Mediterranean Revival to Craftsman bungalows, in the historic neighborhoods that grew up after the Great Fire of 1901.
Jacksonville Public Art and Mural Tour
A guided tour of Jacksonville's murals, sculptures and public art, showing how a downtown once overlooked has become a canvas for local and international artists.
Jacksonville Craft Brewery Tour with Drinks
A guided tour of Jacksonville's craft beer scene with drinks included, visiting taprooms and breweries and learning how a river city became a serious beer town.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Marriott Jacksonville Downtown
Downtown Northbank
A full-service downtown tower on the Northbank, within walking distance of the Riverwalk, the Main Street Bridge and the stadium district, long known as the Omni and a convenient base for first-time visitors.
Check rates →Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront
Downtown Northbank
A large, polished riverfront hotel beside the Prime Osborn convention center, with skyline and river views, a Northbank location and easy access to the Riverwalk and the stadium.
Check rates →DoubleTree by Hilton Jacksonville Riverfront
Southbank
A Southbank riverfront hotel with direct access to the Riverwalk, the Museum of Science and History and Friendship Fountain, and some of the best skyline views in the city.
Check rates →Residence Inn by Marriott Jacksonville Downtown
Downtown
An all-suite downtown option with kitchens and separate living space, ideal for families, longer stays and anyone who wants extra room without a luxury price.
Check rates →Casa Marina Hotel
Jacksonville Beach
A restored 1925 boutique hotel a block from the sand in Jacksonville Beach, with Mediterranean charm, a lively dining scene and a setting steps from the pier and First Street.
Check rates →The Lodge and Club at Ponte Vedra Beach
Ponte Vedra Beach
A small Mediterranean-style oceanfront resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, with ocean views, a refined spa and dining, and access to the golf, tennis and beach facilities of its sister resort.
Check rates →Ponte Vedra Inn and Club
Ponte Vedra Beach
A historic oceanfront resort in Ponte Vedra Beach with golf, tennis, a full spa, pools and dining, one of the best-known resort stays on Florida's First Coast.
Check rates →Omni Amelia Island Resort and Spa
Amelia Island (north of Jacksonville)
A large oceanfront resort on Amelia Island, about forty minutes north of downtown Jacksonville, with golf, a spa, pools and miles of quiet beach, a realistic resort alternative for Jacksonville trips.
Check rates →Jacksonville guides
Jacksonville in Three Days: River, Beaches and the Historic Core
A practical three-day plan that splits Jacksonville into river day, history day and beach day, with tips on sequencing the Riverwalk, the museums, the guided tours and the Atlantic coast.
Where to Stay in Jacksonville: Downtown, Southbank, the Beaches and Ponte Vedra
How to choose between a downtown tower, a Southbank riverfront hotel, a beach-town boutique and a Ponte Vedra resort, with notes on traffic, nightlife and what each base is best for.
The Jacksonville Beaches: Atlantic, Neptune, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra
A guide to the Atlantic coast towns east of Jacksonville: what makes each beach different, where to surf, where to find quiet sand, and how to handle parking, rip currents and turtle season.
Eating and Drinking in Jacksonville: Mayport Shrimp, Southern Plates and Craft Beer
A food guide to Jacksonville: fresh Mayport shrimp and Atlantic seafood, Southern comfort food, riverside brunch, craft breweries and the best ways to taste the city on a guided tour.
The Best Time to Visit Jacksonville: Weather, Hurricane Season and Events
A season-by-season guide to Jacksonville: when the weather is best for beaches and golf, how to handle summer storms and hurricane season, and which events shape the calendar.
Day Trips from Jacksonville: St. Augustine, Amelia Island, Savannah and More
Where to go when you want a change of scene: America's oldest city, the historic island of Amelia, Savannah's squares, Kingsley Plantation and the wild edges of the First Coast, with drive times and tips.
