If you had to sum up Jacksonville in a nutshell, it would be a boiled peanut: a secret recipe, an unexpected delight, and a reason to pause instead of passing through. Yes, we have 22 miles of beaches, year-round sunshine, world-class museums and all the special extras you’d expect from a city our size, but Jacksonville offers a different take on the basics. Sure, we get spring breakers — but you’re more likely to find breaking waves ridden by surfers, paddle boarders and pelicans. Picture a canopy of oak trees shading a historic neighborhood. Miles of waterways and marshgrass estuary where the St. Johns River meets the sea. We’re a little bit country, and a whole lot of (Southern) rock n’ roll. We cheer loud and proud in our arenas and stadiums, but sports aren’t the only game in town. Don’t leave without trying our bakeries and cafés, our barbeque, breweries and distilleries.
Throw a dart on a map of Florida, and you’ll likely land on a pretty beach, a theme park, a golf course, or a crystal-blue swimming pool. But if you’re open to something a little different, you’ll find a slice of Florida that locals love. That’s Jacksonville, in a nutshell. And, like a good batch of boiled peanuts, it’s best savored when shared.
