Jacksonville Florida Relocation Guide

ALL YOU'LL EVER NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT LIVING IN JACKSONVILLE
A handy guide for the city-savvy resident
SO YOU WANT
TO MOVE TO
JACKSONVILLE?
So you want to move to Jacksonville. But, as with any
relocation process, you feel like a human in a bug's world—you
don't recognize any faces, some great threat hides around
every wrong turn, you're unsure of the neighborhood etiquette,
and you're tasked with gathering necessities that you normally
take for granted. Jacksonville is a big city, the largest by area in
the country (excluding Alaska) and the largest by population in
the state, with several main highways and neighborhoods.
Though you can never perfectly predict the weather from day to
day, there are few cold days in the year, and summers are long
and hot—very hot. But don't let that scare you—learning the lay
of the city is really your only obstacle. Let the following pages
be your one-stop resource, and feel at home in your new city.
MEET
JAX
THINGS
TO DO
ANNUAL EVENTS
Springing The Blues
Dancin' in the Streets
EVENTS
Jacksonville hosts hundreds of exciting events year-round—and
trust me, you don't want to miss them.
Jacksonville events are chances to engage in the community, do some serious networking, and
simply have fun. The “beaches” area is known for its annual extravaganzas filled with music, food,
drink, and fun. Springing The Blues welcomes renowned artists to Seawalk Plaza for three days
every April. The Beaches Town Center closes off its streets for two different notorious days: Dancin'
in the Streets is a May affair that's exactly what it sounds like.
Pete's Thanksgiving
The bars, restaurants, and outdoor booths in the square offer
Summer Jazz Series
live music, food, and fun. "Pete's Thanksgiving" is a local
Moonlight Movie Series
The Players Championship
tradition 28 years running—Pete's Bar closes down First Street
and serves thousands of patrons until 2:00pm on the holiday.
Jacksonville Beach hosts a Summer Jazz Series and a
Jacksonville Fashion Week
Moonlight Movie Series during the summer months. Atlantic
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
Beach's Arts in the Park gives artists the chance to display and
Jax Beer Week
Jacksonville Craft & Import
Beer Festival
sell their works. The Players Championship at Sawgrass in
Ponte Vedra is the PGA Tour's flagship annual tournament –
the four-day event each May is a must-attend for residents,
Jacksonville Beach
golf fans, or otherwise. What's great about the beach is that all events are family-friendly, usually
pet-friendly, and best accessed by bike, foot, or cab.
The other place you're certain to find some of the city's big annual events is right downtown.
And with the city's recent cultural upgrade and renewed sense of community pride, many events
are new, founded in the last few years. This forecasts a great future for the city's cultural scene.
Jacksonville Fashion Week highlights the city's fashion pulse each March, showcasing local
designers, shops, and clothier nonprofits. The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is a signature event,
and the second largest in the country, that takes place downtown Memorial Day weekend. Rival
college teams play football to create "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" at the annual
Florida/Georgia game each October. The world's first live crowdfunding event, One Spark,
began in the urban core in April 2013, matching innovation with public support. The Jacksonville
Film Festival recognizes and shares our independent film community. Jax Beer Week is a multievent gathering to celebrate the city's growing love for craft brewing. Other “spirits-centered”
Friendship Fountain, downtown Jacksonville
events include the Jacksonville Craft & Import Beer Festival, Folio Weekly's Margarita Fest, Folio
Weekly's Martinifest, and Riverside WineFest. Foodies take note of charity events FOODFIGHT and Caring Chefs, and newly founded
group The Legend Series. A few holiday must-sees include the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony downtown, the Christmas festivities at
the St. Johns Town Center, and the beloved 4th of July fireworks shows both downtown and over Jacksonville Beach.
Also, be sure to check out weekly and monthly events North Beaches Art Walk the third Thursday of every month, Beaches Green Market
every Saturday 2-5 pm, Downtown Art Walk the first Wednesday of every month, and the Riverside Arts Market every Saturday
10am-4pm. Discover local designers, companies, and shops, and while you're downtown, stop by Chamblin Bookmine - a gold mine for
serious bookworms.
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THINGS
TO DO
SPORTS & RECREATION
If you love sports and the outdoors, Jax has a lot to offer!
One thing can be said about the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars: this city stands behind its football team.
Get season tickets for some of the best dedicated tailgating at Everbank Field. Other city teams
include minor league baseball team Jacksonville Suns, arena football team Jacksonville Sharks (2011
champions), minor league basketball team
Jacksonville Giants (2012, 2013
champions), and rugby team Jacksonville
Axemen. College and high school sports are
popular too, and the city hosts the annual
Gator Bowl on New Year's Day. Several little
leagues and team sports are organized in
the area as well.
The City of Jacksonville maintains the
largest urban park system in the U.S. One of
the city’s defining characteristics is its
abundance of public parks, preserves and
Bragan Field
playgrounds. Even more parks are locally
EverBank Field, Home of the Jaguars
mandated: Atlantic Beach City Parks, Jacksonville Beach Parks, and
Neptune Beach's Jarboe Park. Dog lovers be sure to check out Dog
Wood Park. Volunteer opportunities are vast and can be found through
HandsOn Jacksonville. The city is also becoming well known for runs
and marathons. General recreation can be found at popular spots First
Coast YMCA, Bailey's Powerhouse Gym, and new franchise LA Fitness.
It seems no one can live in sunny Jacksonville without spending lots of
time outdoors. Explore 20 miles of beaches, learn the many access
points, and plan activities with Beach Life Rentals. If you live at the
beach, invest in a beach cruiser, and if you live in the Riverside/
Avondale area, a bike is handy too—try Champion Cycling. Fishing is a
popular sport here, with many prime spots to choose from. Surfing on
Veterans Memorial Arena
the Atlantic Ocean is another favorite pastime. The Jax Beach pier and
its adjacent strips of waves are dotted with surfers year-round. The
"poles" in Hannah Park mark a little-known gem of a spot. For surf
reports, events, and info check out Florida Surfing Association, 911 Surf,
and Void. Skateboarding is popular in the youth culture here; check out
main Kona Skate Park, Monument, and Oceanside Rotary Skate Park.
Main surf and skate retailers are Aqua East Surf Shop and Sunrise Surf
Shop.
All in all, Jacksonville is a golfer's paradise. Besides hosting TPC,
aforementioned Sawgrass Country Club is the First Coast's premier
course. Other highlighted courses include Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Marsh
Landing Country Club, Jacksonville Beach Golf Club, Windsor Parke Golf
Club, and Jacksonville Golf & Country Club.
Sawgrass Clubhouse
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THINGS
TO DO
EXPLORE JAX
Jacksonville Symphony
Orchestra
The Florida Theatre
Jacksonville Landing
ATTRACTIONS
Dozens of indoor and outdoor music venues host a wide variety
of talent, from locally praised musicians to international acts.
Dozens of indoor and outdoor music venues host a wide variety of talent. For big-name artists check
out Freebird Live and Ponte Vedra Concert Hall at the beaches, as well as Metropolitan Park,
Jackrabbit's, and nearby St. Augustine Amphitheater. General performing arts venues include The
Florida Theatre, Veterans Memorial Arena, Times-Union Center, and Prime Osborn Convention
Center. A must-see is the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
Live music can be found nightly at almost every bar in town;
check out local powerhouses Mark O' Quinn, Canary in the
Jacksonville Main LIbrary
Coalmine, The Band Be Easy, Spade McQuade, Split Tone,
Cummer Museum of Art and
Gardens
and Something Distant. Community theaters are always
Museum of Science and History
Alhambra Dinner Theatre, Theatre Jacksonville, Ritz Theatre,
Museum of Contemporary Art
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
booming with productions; check out Players by the Sea,
and The 5 & Dime. Independent venues San Marco Theatre
and Sun Ray Cinema screen movies with updated food and
spirits service. in addition to other cinemas. Laughs can be
found at Comedy Zone and The Comedy Club of Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Landing is a downtown landmark on the St. Johns
Freebird Live
River where many events are held year-round, most notably free concerts. The surrounding Jacksonville Riverwalks are a beautiful public
space to spend the day walking; check out the city skylines, the Main Street Bridge, Friendship Fountain, and the marina accesses.
I highly recommend taking time to experience the Jacksonville Main Library, Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Hemming Plaza and
its many events, Museum of Science and History, Museum of Contemporary Art, and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
The premier destination is the St. Johns Town Center, a 200-plus-acre, open-air, lifestyle mall with department stores, high-end retailers,
restaurants, banks, and beauty services. And it's getting bigger—phase three of construction is expected in 2014. Other destinations
include The Avenues and Regency Square Mall. Other popular attractions to check out are play park Adventure Landing, entertainment
complex Latitude 30 entertainment complex, Skydive Amelia Island, the Budweiser Brewery, and the year-round cruises to the Bahamas
via the Carnival Fascination. St. John’s Town Center
Cummer Art Museum
Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier
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THINGS
TO DO
JAX HOTSPOTS
The Pier Cantina and Sandbar
Casa Marina
DINING & NIGHTLIFE
Jacksonville really has every cuisine one could want and is
home to a burgeoning community of microbreweries.
Jacksonville really has every cuisine one could want and is home to a burgeoning community of
microbreweries. The Pier Cantina and Sandbar, Salt Life Food Shack, Casa Marina (they have a
fabulous penthouse lounge open at night), Beachside Seafood, Slider's, Lulu's Waterfront Grille,
Table One, Taco Lu, Poe's Tavern, Nipper's, Pusser's, North Beach Bistro, The Fish Company, Ocean
60, Campeche Bay Cantina, and European Street Cafe (other locations in Riverside, San Marco, and
Dwight's Bistro
on University). There's some good chain food beachside too; Ruth's Chris (second location
Eleven South
downtown on the riverbank), Bonefish Grill, and Mellow Mushroom (second location on Southside).
Azurea at One Ocean
Fly's Tie Irish Pub
The Ritz Bar & Cocktail Lounge
Lemon Bar
International gems hide here too; Nick the Greek, Maza, Pho Viet, Sala Phad Thai, and Simply Tasty
Thai. Quick bites can be found at popular spots Angie's Subs, Burrito Gallery Express (main location
downtown), Sun Deli Subs, and Deli Comb.
Fine dining is best at Dwight's Bistro, Eleven South, and Azurea at One Ocean. Some of the best
breakfast is at Beaches Diner, Beach Hut Cafe, Metro Diner (locations in San Marco and Mandarin),
Royal Palms Wine and Tapas
and Ellen's Kitchen. Try the brunch at Fly's Tie Irish Pub and Culhane's Irish Pub in Atlantic Beach -
River City Brewing Company
you won't regret it. peaking of pubs, the "Jax Beach Bars" is the strip of establishments from 15th to
1st St N at the beach, and is one of two primary spots for nightlife, along with the Beaches Town
Center strip. Happening spots include: Lynch's Irish Pub, Shim Sham Room, The Ritz Bar & Cocktail
Lounge, The Brix Taphouse, Lemon Bar (on the beach!), The Wine Bar, and Island Girl Wine & Cigar
Bar, Royal Palms Wine and Tapas, W90+ (locations in Avondale and Mandarin), and Wine
Warehouse are wine retailers and tasting rooms at the beach.
Moving into town, The St. Johns Town Center offers fabulous food at many chain restaurants;
Maggiano's Little Italy, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's, The Capital Grille, BlackFinn
American Grille, Cantina Laredo, Seasons 52 and more. Lots of quick bites are found here too, and
high-energy concept restaurants SUITE and Whisky RIver that double as a nightlife scene. Now
headed to the core of the city and surrounding areas Riverside and San Marco, where some of the
best food and modern delivery in the city lies. Must-trys include Orsay, Black Sheep, Biscotti's,
Kickbacks Gastropub, 13 Gypsies, Olio, Bistro Aix, Taverna, Carmine's Pie House, and The Blue
Black Sheep
Fish. Bold Bean Coffee Roasters and Three Layers Cafe are quaint coffee & spirits lounges with
ample work space and great food. For downtown nightlife, check out the ambiance at swanky lounge Dos Gatos, The Rogue, The LOFT,
The Garage, Burro Bar, Mark's, Underbelly, O' Brothers Irish Pub and Square One.
There are many sister restaurants in the city. Try Ragtime Tavern in Atlantic Beach and Seven
Bridges on the Southside, both brewery concept restaurants; Restaurant Medure, Matthew's, and M
Shack by noted chef Matthew Medure; North Beach Fish Camp and Palm Valley Fish Camp
beachside and Marker 32 on the Southside; and Mojo BBQ's four, lively concept locations. Last but
not least, food trucks re showing up on the city streets, with good eats worth chasing.
Also, Jacksonville is home to a burgeoning community of microbreweries. Check out Green Room,
Engine 15, Intuition Ale Works, Bold City, River City Brewing Company, and Aardwolf Brewery. (Note
that alcohol sales end nightly at 2:00am.)
Bold Bean Coffee Roasters
(Editor's Note: Unless you know someone, all alcohol sales end at 2 a.m. nightly … aka the bars close shop)
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NEWS & BUSINESS
The city's two power players for news information are daily newspaper The Florida Times-Union
and weekly staple magazine Folio Weekly.
The city's two power players for news information are daily
Country, X102.9 (new rock)
newspaper The Florida Times-Union and weekly staple magazine
93.3 The Beat (hip-hop), and
JAX JOBS
Folio Weekly. The Folio is your go-to guide for special events,
am station WOKV (690).
Jobs.Jacksonville.com
The local economy has
Government Jobs Jacksonville
dining, editorials, entertainment, and more. Also subscribe to
Jacksonville Magazine for events and news citywide. Void is a
monthly lifestyle magazine on the local surf, skate, and arts
scene. (Beaches-area events can be found here too.) The
beaches area is exclusively served by publication The Beaches
Leader. Other publications include Arbus, EU, and Buzz
Magazine. The Jacksonville Business Journal is your source for
commerce news.
strong finance, transportation
and logistics, consumer
goods, and insurance sectors; it's been trademarked as
“America's Logistics Center”. Defense is another main industry;
U.S. Navy Bases Naval Station Mayport and NASJAX are here,
making the city the third largest military presence in the country.
The city's riverine location makes way for strong trade via the
Local television stations include First Coast News (NBC 12),
Port of Jacksonville. Chief business districts are located
News 4 Jax (WJXT 4), Action News Jax (FOX 30/CBS 47), WJCT
downtown, as well as in the office parks sprawled on the
(PBS 7), and CW (17). Popular radio stations include 95.1 WAPE
Southside and Gate Parkway. Fortune 500 companies include
(top 40), RadioNOW 97.9 (top 40), Classic Rock 94.1, 99.9 Gator
CSX Corporation, Fidelity National Financial, and Winn-Dixie
Stores, Inc. To get involved in local professionals groups, JAMA
(marketing), AAF Jax (advertising), AIGA (design) JAXChamber,
Women Business Owners of North Florida, Better Business
Bureau, and Southside Business Men's Club. Work collaboration
spaces are becoming a top communal initiative. CoWork Jax,
TV & RADIO STATIONS
First Coast News (NBC 12)
News 4 Jax (WJXT 4)
JaxHax Makerspace, and CoRK Arts District are worthy of looking
Action News Jax (FOX 30/CBS 47)
into.
WJCT (PBS 7)
Jacksonville has been ranked as a "high sufficiency" city by the
CW (17)
World Cities Study Group, and the business climate has steadily
95.1 WAPE (top 40)
improved, and evolved, in recent years.
RadioNOW 97.9 (top 40)
Classic Rock 94.1
99.9 Gator Country
X102.9 (new rock)
93.3 The Beat (hip-hop)
WOKV (AM 690)
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PUBLIC SERVICES & INSTITUTIONS
Knowing how to access public services will be a key part of your new residency.
Knowing how to access public services will be
Collector, DMV, Jacksonville Electric Authority,
a key part of your new residency. City safety is
and Beaches Energy Services (some services
sufficiently looked after by the Jacksonville
are autonomously served such as Atlantic
Sheriff's Office. The Jacksonville Fire and
Beach's utilities for trash and water, so double
Rescue Department serves the city from its 56
check). Traveling? You'll most likely take off
stations—know where the nearest one is. The
and land at Jacksonville International Airport.
United States Postal Service has offices and
It lies 13 miles north of downtown, so plan
Jacksonville Public Library
providers citywide so there's sure to be one
time accordingly; upon arrival, this airport has
Department of Motor Vehicles
close to you. Also prevalent are Jacksonville
the lowest expected wait time from entry to
Public Library branches; the system runs
the gate I've ever experienced, and daily
many after-school and kids-related programs
parking fees are very low. City transportation
and functions. (Branches also serve as polling
is served by Jacksonville Transit Authority:
Jacksonville Transit Authority
sites). On that note, register to vote so you
Bus Service, Beaches Trolley, Riverside Trolley,
Duval County Health
Department
have a voice in Duval County Elections.
and Skyway. The Mayport Ferry connects the
Locations to important public entities such as
north and south ends of State Road A1A (the
the Duval County Clerk of Courts, Tax
easiest way to get from the beachside to
PUBLIC SERVICES
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue
Department
United States Postal Service
Jacksonville Electric Authority
Beaches Energy Services
northern Nassau County). The city is also served by both Amtrak and
Greyhound stations.
Healthcare is top-notch here. Leading institutions include Mayo Clinic, St.
NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES:
City of Jacksonville
San Marco
Vincent's Healthcare, Shands Jacksonville, and Northeast Florida's largest
Springfield
network of doctors with several locations Baptist Health. The Duval County
Riverside/Avondale
Health Department provides several general health centers to the public.
CareSpot is the leading walk-in clinic provider. Religious denominations are
diverse in the city and the number of institutions is so overwhelming, it's
best to look in the local yellow or white pages.
Jacksonville is primarily served by Duval County Public Schools, which
Jacksonville Beach
Atlantic Beach
Neptune Beach
Ponte Vedra
maintain 183 schools, including 21 charter schools. It is one of the largest
school districts in the country. Two area high schools, Stanton College Prep
and Paxon School for Advanced Studies consistently rank in annual lists of
the country's top public high schools. Higher education is represented by
leading institution University of North Florida, part of the State University
OTHER RESOURCES:
Metro Jacksonville (community forum)
System of Florida; the public school serves near 17,000 students. Florida
Checker Cab State College at Jacksonville is part of the Florida College System; formerly
Super Shuttle
a community college, it now offers four-year degrees at its multi-location
campuses. Private Jacksonville University serves near 4,000 students as a
Jacksonville Humane Society
liberal arts school. Florida Coastal School of Law, The Art Institute of
The Fresh Market Jacksonville, Virginia College are for-profit specialized schools in the area.
Whole Foods Market Native Sun (natural foods groceries)
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READY TO MOVE TO
JACKSONVILLE?
Buying a home in the Jacksonville, Florida, area is a
big decision. Whether you are a first-time home buyer
or building your investment portfolio, we are here to
help you. We'll make sure you find the property that's
perfect for you!
ERA Heavener Realty
2602 University Blvd. W.
Jacksonville,FL 32217
Office: (904) 448-6771
MEET
JEFF
Mobile: (904) 434-5154
Fax: (904) 352-1166
Email: Jeff@ERA.com
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