Jacksonville Travel Guide

The heart and soul of this Southern metropolis is the St. Johns River, twisting and turning through the city and finally emptying into the Atlantic Ocean on the city's eastern border. All that water seeps into every aspect of Jacksonville's entertainment scene, from the fast-paced downtown grid that straddles the river to miles of sandy beaches where the parties go on well into the night.

Museums

The Jacksonville Museum of Science and History offers a learning experience with interactive exhibits on deep-sea adventures, native wildlife, and a look at the stars above in the Alexander Brest Planetarium.

Contemporary art lovers can immerse themselves in Jacksonville's up-and-coming art scene at the renowned Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens (The) and the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art.

Performing Arts

Jacksonville is a thriving center of the performing and visual arts. Facing the sparkling St. Johns River is the Times Union Centre Performing Arts Moran Theater, newly rebuilt and proudly featuring top performances by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Broadway in Jacksonville and a wide range of other musical concerts and art exhibitions.

Theater

The historic Florida Theatre hosts concerts, dance, theater and film festivals. Theatre Jacksonville is home to the longest continuously running community theater in the United States. Another revitalized piece of Jacksonville's past is the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum, home to the area's hottest jazz concerts and an African-American cultural center.

Shopping

Your first stop on the First Coast should be at the city's center on the north bank of the river where you'll find the lively festival marketplace called Jacksonville Landing, packed with shops, restaurants and an arcade. Throughout the year it also plays host to many outdoor concerts, parties and festivals.

If you don't have your own boat or a rental craft, you can hail a water taxi for a ride across the river to the south bank of the St. Johns where you can stroll along the quaint half mile Riverwalk, which is lined with shops, museums, restaurants, lounges and dance spots. At one end of the Riverwalk is Friendship Park and Fountain, billed as one of the world's highest-spraying fountains. At night, a colorful lights create a dazzling display.

Sports

Just a mile away from the city center is the impressive ALLTEL Stadium, home of the National Football League Jacksonville Jaguars, beloved hometown heroes. The stadium is also a venue for major rock concerts, college footballs games and monster-truck shows.

Festivals

Metropolitan Park, directly on the river in front of the stadium, is easy to recognize with its permanent, multi-peaked tent that's home to the annual Jacksonville Jazz Festival fireworks shows, and music festivals where picnicking along the riverfront adds to the fun.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 427