Jacksonville, FL

[luv]

I'm going there next week for work for 3-4 days. Working 3PM-midnight, which is my usual shift here. Any ideas on how to spend my days? St Augustine Lighthouse looks awesome. There's also an Aqua Zoo. Anything else I should try to get in while I'm there?

I can't wait to eat real seafood!!!!!

[Direckshun]

Is it a beach town?

[luv]

Is it a beach town?
I looked it up. It looks to be just inland, but I'm not for sure how far. I think there's a Jacksonville Beach. I'll do more research once I get home.

[luv]

This will also be my first time flying commercially. And I'm not paying for it!!!

[PinkFloyd]

It flat out smells !!!!!!! Last time I was there it smelt like sewage....

[luv]

It flat out smells !!!!!!! Last time I was there it smelt like sewage....
This is only the second time I've ever been to Florida. Don't ruin it for me before I even get there!

[BucEyedPea]

I've only driven through it about 4 times, twice in the middle of the night evacuating for a hurricane. Can't tell ya' much except that it isn't that Florida'y. Looks more like parts of Georgia or even NE due to the foliage. But hey, at this time of year it's warmer I'm sure than where you are. Although, you're not that far north girl.

Oh, they're supposed to have a good zoo. My kid was 9 at the time and we didn't have time to stop though we tried...we were fleeing.

[PinkFloyd]

This is only the second time I've ever been to Florida. Don't ruin it for me before I even get there!

I spent 2 years there playing baseball... It's awesome around Tampa, Orlando and St. Pete...

[BucEyedPea]

I spent 2 years there playing baseball... It's awesome around Tampa, Orlando and St. Pete...
:spock:

[PinkFloyd]

:spock:

Well it was back in 1989 for a farm boy from Missouri...

[tk13]

The Lighthouse is cool, great exercise too. You have to walk up a 200-plus step spiral staircase, that is grated. Don't look down. I think the World Golf Hall of Fame is cool, but I like golf.

[luv]

The Lighthouse is cool, great exercise too. You have to walk up a 200-plus step spiral staircase, that is grated. Don't look down. I think the World Golf Hall of Fame is cool, but I like golf.
I'm really looking forward to the Lighthouse. Steps won't bother me. I like a good challenge. Can;t say I'm into golf, so I'll take your word on the Golf thing.

[Bugeater]

You'd better pack some heat.

[Demonpenz]

there are alot of aligators. The beach is so so. It's pretty redneck for flordia.

[luv]

there are alot of aligators. The beach is so so. It's pretty redneck for flordia.
I'm not really a beach type of person yet. I'm looking forward to seeing some sights and eating some seafood. It is a work trip, after all.

[Demonpenz]

i hate gator down there. I drove down there from st. joe like 6 years ago. we drank on thee worse fake id's ever. I was Zach Johnson from atchison (of course) it was pretty fun but mostly we just hung out at the bars.

[luv]

I don't really care much for the girl who might be going down there with me. I'm not sure what she's into. I'm pretty sure I'll probably be waiting on her to fix her hair and make-up half the time. Damn high-maintenance people.

[icepick64]

Go downtown, look of cool places to eat and do stuff there. I believe its called the docks...by the river.

[Mi_chief_fan]

Was stationed there 3 years in the Navy. St. Augustine is a neat town, lots to see. Some of the beaches are ok, especially the further away from the Mayport Naval Station you get. The Landing downtown is pretty cool, and there is a club called Shades in Orange Park, and there's a bbig cowboy bar there, I think it was called Crazy Horse.

The seafood is pretty good, I reccomend the gator tail at Gators.

If you want to see some BIG gators, there is a gator farm in St. Augustine that was neat.

[luv]

I've only driven through it about 4 times, twice in the middle of the night evacuating for a hurricane. Can't tell ya' much except that it isn't that Florida'y. Looks more like parts of Georgia or even NE due to the foliage. But hey, at this time of year it's warmer I'm sure than where you are. Although, you're not that far north girl.

Oh, they're supposed to have a good zoo. My kid was 9 at the time and we didn't have time to stop though we tried...we were fleeing.
How far away are you from Jacksonville?

[acesn8s]

I'm going there next week for work for 3-4 days. Working 3PM-midnight, which is my usual shift here. Any ideas on how to spend my days? St Augustine Lighthouse looks awesome. There's also an Aqua Zoo. Anything else I should try to get in while I'm there?

I can't wait to eat real seafood!!!!!

Laid:shrug:

[luv]

Laid:shrug:
I can't even get that here.

[acesn8s]

I can't even get that here.Don't be so picky while you are there.;)

[007]

I can't even get that here.
Go to Hawaii then

[Spott]

Yes, there is a beach here in Jacksonville and no it doesn't smell like it used to in parts of town because they got rid of all the paper mills a while back. I have yet to see any alligators running around, although there are some in the river and the ponds.

[chop]

I'm going there in a couple of weeks myself. I did some work for a customer in Michigan and they have asked me to go there to support the install of the equipment.

[DaKCMan AP]

Check out the Landings. St. Augustine is close too and they have some nice beaches.


I spent 2 years there playing baseball... It's awesome around Tampa, Orlando and St. Pete...

I just moved to Clearwater permanently. It's great here.

[chagrin]

J'ville is not a very attractive town but it's spread out and there should be plenty for you to do. St. Augustine is awesome, as are all the beach towns down A1A - the road that leads up and down the coast.

Are you going there for work? Orlando is just 2 hours away, or so. If you can make it down here - let me know.

[1adam1238]

I'm flying into Jacksonville on Saturday. Going to stay the weekend and then drive up to Georgia. Really wierd that you asked about it. I've never been myself...so I will see.

[chagrin]

I'm flying into Jacksonville on Saturday. Going to stay the weekend and then drive up to Georgia. Really wierd that you asked about it. I've never been myself...so I will see.


What are you coming to Florida for? I extend the same invitation to you as well :)

[seclark]

I can't even get that here.
i'm sure you can find a sailor to help you out.

the fishing's not too bad.
sec

[afchiefs]

My son-in-law was stationed in jacksonville. They have a Dave & Buster's (arcade that serves food & beer) that was cool and an all you can eat lobster place. I can't remember the name but they have a VW out front with a giant lobster strapped on top. If you want to see gators, go to gatorland. They hang 1/2 chickens from a line and the gators push off the bottom, get about 4' in the air and snag the chicken. You are about 2 hrs, I think from Orlando - Sea world, Universal Studio, Disney. Well worth the trip. Have fun.

[chagrin]

i'm sure you can find a sailor to help you out.

the fishing's not too bad.
sec

oh yeah, there's a bunch of different ships that use the port, you'll be fine

[Saulbadguy]

jacksonville = sucks. Pretty much the worst city in Florida you can go to, other than maybe Pensacola.

[Archie F. Swin]

I was stationed there in the early '90s. I would imagine its not quite the same town since I left. The River City Brewing Company is [was] a combination 5 star restaurant and microbrewery right on the river downtown. The absolute best chicken wings I've ever had in my life was a a place on the west side of town called Gators Docksides. I went there weekly...yum. I think its on Timiquana(sp?) blvd. Downtown Jacksonville is picturesque, be sure and walk along the seawall/boardwalk along the south bank of the St. Johns river (east of the old blue bridge) , instead of pigeons, they have these huge red chickens. That's right, urban chickens. Kinda weird. St. Augustine is nice, but so is Fernandina Beach, some high dollar real estate there. J'ville all right despite what the haters say.

[chagrin]

My son-in-law was stationed in jacksonville. They have a Dave & Buster's (arcade that serves food & beer) that was cool and an all you can eat lobster place. I can't remember the name but they have a VW out front with a giant lobster strapped on top. If you want to see gators, go to gatorland. They hang 1/2 chickens from a line and the gators push off the bottom, get about 4' in the air and snag the chicken. You are about 2 hrs, I think from Orlando - Sea world, Universal Studio, Disney. Well worth the trip. Have fun.

This is a prime example of why not to go there, lol! All you have to look forward to is a Dave and Busters and Gators feeding, heh.

[Archie F. Swin]

I cut this out of the paper while I was living there
http://www.cuddinfish.homestead.com/files/np2.jpg

[Mi_chief_fan]

I cut this out of the paper while I was living there
http://www.cuddinfish.homestead.com/files/np2.jpg

Wow, talk about memories. I remember the Times-Union having perhaps the worst sports writers i'd ever seen (even Pete Prisco), and some of the worst analysts i'd ever heard on TV and radio. David Lamb was pretty knowledgable, but Sam Kouvaris was a moron. They had a guy who wrote in a column that then-Georgia quarterback Eric Zeier would be a better quarterback than Kerry Collins (both were in the draft that year), and former Florida WR Jack Jackson would be better than Keyshawn Johnson. I don't even know if Jackson played in the NFL.

And of course, only Lamb picked Nebraska to win the 96 Fiesta Bowl, everyone else picked Florida to win by double digits.

[HemiEd]

Hey, I was stationed there, going to Navy "A school" when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl!

Suppose it has changed any?

At that time, they boasted about being the largest city in the United States.

[Archie F. Swin]

I cut this out of the paper while I was living there
http://www.cuddinfish.homestead.com/files/np2.jpg
now that I think about it...I probably clipped that out of USA Today

[Spott]

jacksonville = sucks. Pretty much the worst city in Florida you can go to, other than maybe Pensacola.


Orlando and Miami are worse than Jacksonville. Of course, Jacksonville is no shining Mecca like Manhattan, KS either.

[DaKCMan AP]

I was stationed there in the early '90s. I would imagine its not quite the same town since I left. The River City Brewing Company is [was] a combination 5 star restaurant and microbrewery right on the river downtown. The absolute best chicken wings I've ever had in my life was a a place on the west side of town called Gators Docksides. I went there weekly...yum. I think its on Timiquana(sp?) blvd. Downtown Jacksonville is picturesque, be sure and walk along the seawall/boardwalk along the south bank of the St. Johns river (east of the old blue bridge) , instead of pigeons, they have these huge red chickens. That's right, urban chickens. Kinda weird. St. Augustine is nice, but so is Fernandina Beach, some high dollar real estate there. J'ville all right despite what the haters say.

Gators Dockside has the best wings??? LOL Gators Dockside isn't bad, the one in Gainesville is pretty good too. However, if you want wings -- go to the Tampa Bay area. The original Hooters is here (not that I eat there). Much better than Hooters is Wing House and Mugs n Jugs which both serve huge, awesome wings.