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Travel Report
Jaw-Dropping Jacksonville A Fresh New Vibe in Florida ©Susan Campbell
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Jacksonville, Florida
hough the name “Jacksonville” sounds rather dull, it could have been worse had they kept their original name of “Cowford,” named for the fact that they forded cows across the river to market there. But what’s not dull, and rather surprising, is the fresh, new vibe that’s beginning to permeate this historic little city. You’ll first notice it in the seaside community locals simply call JAX Beach. The structures are so new you can almost smell the paint drying. Excellent new brewpubs and trendy artisan eateries are popping up everywhere, attracting an infusion of young and hip visitors and residents alike. We arrived during the first beach festival of the season; it was an electric carnival affair with live music, a giant Ferris wheel and arts and crafts. We’d originally planned to stay at the brand new luxury One Ocean Resort & Spa Point, but it was full, so we opted for the Casa Marina Spanish style villa hotel on the sea with a cool rooftop bar and a lovely beachfront courtyard. A mere 25 minutes from the beach
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finds you right in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. At first blush it appears to be a typical urban business district, but if you take the time to explore you’ll encounter many surprises. Avant-garde art sculptures, giant wall murals and lively little festivals are all harbingers of what’s to come. There are big plans for a complete reimagining of the downtown core with many old abandoned buildings to be transformed into cosmopolitan entertainment and hospitality centres to offer visitors exciting new stay and play offerings. Already cutting edge is The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA), and at hip Sweet Pete’s you can live your Willy Wonka dreams at their chocolate factory and gourmet candy store. Championship golf courses are another draw in the region, and Topgolf, a new hightech driving range and entertainment complex that opened last fall, is proving to be a popular place to practice. Jacksonville might still be fairly off-radar for most, but the city is on the cusp of an exciting transformation, so it won’t be for long. See: www.visitjacksonville.com for more. SUSAN CAMPBELL @suectravel