Discover the Best Tourist Attractions

Jacksonville, the most populated city in the state and the largest city in terms of area in the contiguous United States as of 2020, is a metropolis on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. It serves as the county seat for Duval, which governs the city that merged in 1968. Due to consolidation, Jacksonville has a large population inside the city limits. With a population of 949,611 as of 2020, Jacksonville will be the 12th most populous city in the United States, the most populous in the Southeast, and the most populated city in the South outside of Texas. The Jacksonville metropolitan area is Florida’s fourth-largest metro area, with a population of 1,733,937.

Jacksonville is the twelfth most populous city in the United States and the most populous city in Florida. The city had 366,273 houses and 821,784 residents as of 2010. According to the United States Census of 2000, Jacksonville has the tenth-largest Arab community, with a population of 5,751. According to the 2010 Census, Jacksonville’s metropolitan area had 25,033 Filipino Americans, making it the state’s largest Filipino American community. Many members of the Filipino community in Jacksonville have ties to or have served in the US Navy.

According to a new ranking released this week by the travel planning website TripAdvisor, Jacksonville is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. Jacksonville was ranked as the tenth most notable “destination on the rise” by the travel planning and booking website, with Portland, Maine, Park City, Utah, and Kihei, Hawaii, respectively, taking the top three spots.

What are some of the natural attractions in Jacksonville, Florida?

Some natural attractions in Jacksonville, Florida, include the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, Big Talbot Island State Park, and Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park.

Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve

A US preserve is the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. In northern Duval County, Jacksonville National Preserve in Florida spans 46,000 acres of wetlands, streams, and other habitats. The Fort Caroline National Memorial and the Kingsley Plantation are only two examples of natural and historical places managed by the National Park Service in collaboration with the City of Jacksonville and Florida State Parks.

The Preserve provides unexpected glimpses of Old Florida in and around one of the biggest urban regions along the Atlantic Coast. Discover a fort display that details the lives and deaths of French colonists in the 16th century. Wander through the live oak and palmetto groves that originally housed Timucuan and pre-Columbian populations. Climb a platform for viewing wildlife that overlooks a salt marsh. Visit a plantation where men, women, and children of African origin were kept as enslaved people to work there. At the same time, the owner tried to make a fortune. Spend a peaceful day at the beach, take a segway trip, or paddle a kayak through the marshy area.

At nine in the morning, the grounds of Kingsley Plantation and Fort Caroline National Memorial are accessible. Wednesday through Sunday, from 5:00 p.m. Although the Theodore Roosevelt Area is open from dawn to dusk, the restrooms are only accessible until 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Every day from morning to evening, Cedar Point is available. Opening hours for the Ribault Monument at Fort Caroline National Memorial are 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Spanish Pond, connected to Fort Caroline National Memorial, is accessible from dawn to dusk. The interagency tourist center, The Ribault Club, is open from Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Big Talbot Island State Park

Big Talbot Island State Park is a natural preserve on one of Northeast Florida’s rare sea islands. It offers a superb place for nature research, bird watching, and photography.

Hike the Blackrock Trail to the shoreline, the Big Pine Trail to the marsh, or the Old Kings Highway and Jones Cut through the maritime forest to explore the various island environments.

Launch a boat from the island’s northernmost point to fish and explore the salt marsh. Alternatively, you can rent a kayak and go on a guided tour with Kayak Amelia by calling 904-251-0016. Reservations are required for kayak tours.

Visit the bluffs and picnic by the water at one of the pavilions, or take the short detour to Boneyard Beach. The beach’s claim to fame is the salt-washed remains of live oak and cedar trees that originally grew close to the shore.

Bring your bicycle, inline skates, or stroller to enjoy the 3.9-mile Timucuan Trail, which is paved and multi-purpose and runs parallel to A1A. At the northern boardwalk section of the trail, there are breathtaking overlooks of Spoonbill Pond. Read the interpretive panels to learn more about the park’s natural and cultural elements.

What activities can be done at Big Talbot Island State Park?

At Big Talbot Island State Park, you can hike, bird watch, photograph, launch a boat, rent a kayak and go on a guided tour, picnic, enjoy the beach, and explore the park’s natural and cultural elements by bike, inline skates, or stroller

Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park

This 450-acre park, right on the ocean, contains everything you need. Schedule a day to unwind on the spotless beach or go canoeing and fishing on the freshwater pond. A small splash park is open during the summer, and pavilions can be rented.

Over 20 miles of beautiful paths can be found in Hanna Park. You can ride or hike alongside the water or through an established coastal hammock with towering oaks. The distinct, easy-to-difficulty off-road single-track mountain bike paths are well-known in the biking community.

What can be done at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park?

At Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, you can relax on the beach, go canoeing and fishing, enjoy the small splash park during summer, hike or ride the over 20 miles of trails, and rent pavilions.

Museum of Science and History (MOSH)

A museum may be found in Jacksonville, Florida, called the Museum of Science & History (MOSH). The most frequented museum in the city, it is a private, non-profit organization situated on the Southbank Riverwalk. Exhibits on science and local history are its areas of expertise. Three floors of permanent and iconic exhibitions, a sizable touring exhibit that switches out every three months, and the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium are all included.

New Playing With Lights exhibits are currently on display at the science and history museum in Jacksonville. This exhibit manipulates light using lasers. Visitors can probe, poke, and bend rays at twenty-one different stations. The museum presents light and laser shows inside the presentation several times daily. The exhibit on Jacksonville history won’t ever leave the museum. The exhibition on the loft floor features historical data on Jacksonville going back nearly 200 years. The bicentennial exhibit is now on the third floor of the Museum of Science and History. This display demonstrates how significant fires, floods, diseases, and other catastrophes have impacted Jacksonville’s economy, ecology, and future. A part of the current Current Time show will include this exhibit. WeaveTales and a Jacksonville Shipwreck branch will be the next exhibitions. Refugees and their families are the focus of WeaveTales’ awareness campaign. The WeaveTales exhibit will focus on some women’s journeys to Jacksonville and provide information on refugees in North Florida. The installation was previously on display at Jacksonville’s MOCA and will move to the city’s MOSH in May 2022. This exhibit will be on display at the museum for three months. In the heart of Jacksonville, in the former shipyard, is where the Jacksonville Shipwreck branch will be situated. Two and a half acres of Jacksonville’s maritime industry history would be present at this site. A riverwalk would also be a part of it.

Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens

The largest museum of fine arts in Northeast Florida is the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. Ninah Cummer, an art collector, garden enthusiast, and civic leader, donated her art collection and riverfront home to establish The Cummer in 1958. The original core collection of 60 works from Mrs. Cummer’s estate now numbers more than 5,000 items. The St. Johns River is a stunning background for the historic gardens, a focal point of beauty for everyone to enjoy.

The Cummer Museum hosts several events every week. The Cummer Museum is a great place for weddings, business parties, and other festive gatherings because it has both indoor and outdoor venue space as well as a caterer on-site.

The art collection at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has expanded from the original group of more than 60 works left by Mrs. Cummer to more than 5,000 pieces given as gifts, bought outright, and bequeathed. From 2100 BCBC, the Permanent Collection contains items. It features works by Mildred Thompson, Peter Paul Rubens, Winslow Homer, Thomas Moran, Whitfield Lovell, Norman Rockwell, and Romare Bearden, as well as works from the 20th century until the present. The Wark Collection of Early Meissen Porcelain is also kept there.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

In Jacksonville, Florida, close to where the Trout River empties into the St. Johns River, is where you’ll find the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. More than 2,000 animal species and 1,000 plant types are housed within the 122-acre zoo. With more than one million annual visitors, the zoo has developed from its humble origins in Springfield to become one of the top tourist destinations in the area.

The Range of the Jaguar won the 2005 AZA Exhibit of the Year award. The Land of the Tiger debuted in 2014. It included an avant-garde walk-through trail system for five tigers, the main draws of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Other zoo exhibits include Wild Florida, which showcases wildlife indigenous to the state. The Australian Outback, the Plains of East Africa, showcases animals from the African savanna, two of the four genera of great apes, and the African Forest.

Food and Drink

Riverside Arts Market

Downtown Jacksonville, Historic Five Points, Brooklyn, and Riverside are just a few of the fantastic communities surrounding RAM, situated on the north bank of the St. Johns River and beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge. There are many means to get to RAM, including kayaks and boats, and it is situated between walkable communities. 715 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204, is where you can find the Riverside Arts Market.

Under the protection of the Fuller Warren Bridge, there is a special place for arts and entertainment called the Riverside Arts Market (RAM). In RAM, there is a range of live entertainment options as well as artists, food artists, farmers, and food vendors.

BB’s Restaurant and Bar

The award-winning bb’s restaurant and bar in Northeast Florida never fail to excite and surprise even the most discerning diners, locals, and visitors. We are ideally situated in Jacksonville’s South Bank neighborhood, close to the main business sector and Historic San Marco. Thanks to our inventive daily specials, award-winning wine list, and homemade desserts, you’ll want to come back again and again. Bb’s restaurant and bar is undoubtedly the place to be if you’re looking for a cool spot to chill after work or one global cuisine with an eclectic flair before spending an evening at the symphony.

A restaurant and bar in Jacksonville that serves a variety of American continental food, including salads, seafood, and pizza.

In conclusion, Jacksonville, Florida, is a highly populous city serving Duval’s county seat. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. It is home to many natural and historical attractions, including Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, Big Talbot Island State Park, and Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park. The Preserve provides a glimpse of Old Florida. It is home to many natural and historic places, such as Fort Caroline National Memorial and Kingsley Plantation. Big Talbot Island State Park is a natural preserve. It offers a great place for nature research, bird watching, and photography. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is a 450-acre park located on the ocean. It contains everything one might need for a day of relaxation and recreation. With so much to offer, Jacksonville is a great destination for tourists looking to experience Florida’s natural beauty and history.