Jacksonville Information, City Guides, Jacksonville Neighborhoods

Jacksonville City Guides, Jacksonville Neighborhoods

Jacksonville General Information

"Florida's First Coast" encompasses the entire northeast corner of the state. Here you'll find some of the oldest settlements in the state -- indeed in all of the United States -- although this region didn't get much attention until the Union army came through during the Civil War. The soldiers returned with rapturous accounts of the mild climate, pristine beaches, and lush vegetation that captured the imagination of folks up north.

First came the speculators and the curiosity seekers. Then the advent of the railroads brought more-permanent settlers and the first wave of winter vacationers. Finally, the automobile transported the full rush of snowbirds -- seasonal residents escaping from harsh northern winters.

Jacksonville is the hub of this area, with a modern, international airport. Downtown Jacksonville offers the picturesque Northbank and Southbank riverwalks, where you can take in the beauty of the St. Johns River and catch a performance at the Jacksonville Landing. History buffs will enjoy exploring Kingsley Plantation, the oldest remaining cotton plantation in the state. And the Atlantic Ocean is just minutes away.

The hub-city is a perfect place to start a trip north to Amelia Island, home of a much-photographed lighthouse from 1839 as well as Fort Clinch, a beautifully preserved Civil War fort. At the northern end of the island is quaint Fernandina Beach, a charming old seaport with a historic district featuring many exquisite examples of Queen Anne Victorian architecture.

Just over the Intracoastal Waterway are the Jacksonville beaches. Situated on one long barrier island, this area is composed of four separately incorporated small communities -- Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach -- that share some of the state's whitest, widest, and prettiest strands. Except in the most populated areas, development has been modest.

Further south, along the coast by the scenic main road A1A, is St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States. This showcase of early American history has 144 blocks of historic houses listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as Castillo de San Marcos fort.

Once infamous for its smelly paper mills, the sprawling metropolis of Jacksonville--residents call it "Jax," from its airport abbreviation--is now one of the South's insurance and banking capitals. Development was rampant throughout Duval County during the 1990s, with hotels, restaurants, attractions, and clubs springing up, especially in suburban areas near the interstate highways. Nevertheless, there are 20 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches upon which to sun and swim, many championship golf courses to play, and an abundance of beautiful and historic national and state parks to roam.

Spanning the broad, curving St. Johns River, downtown Jacksonville is a vibrant center of activity during weekdays and on weekend afternoons and evenings, when many locals return to the restaurants and bars of Jacksonville Landing and Southbank Riverwalk, two dining-and-entertainment complexes facing each other across the river that have helped to revitalize downtown.

We do business in accordance with Federal Fair Housing law. (Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988).Some of the content on on this website has been secured from outside sources. We believe it to be reliable, however, we make no representation or warranty, expressed or implied , as to the accurrent Rental information is subject to change with or without prior notification.