Activities/Places to go in Jax for college age kids under 21? (Jacksonville: HOA, movie theaters)

[mawipafl]

Besides working or heading to movie theaters or the beach, what do under-21 kids do or where do they go for fun in the Jacksonville area? We've recently relocated here and our 18-year-old (college freshman) is having a hard time finding kids her age to meet. Are there any dance clubs or something for kids who've graduated high school but aren't 21?

[he's so hott]

Originally Posted by mawipafl

Besides working or heading to movie theaters or the beach, what do under-21 kids do or where do they go for fun in the Jacksonville area? We've recently relocated here and our 18-year-old (college freshman) is having a hard time finding kids her age to meet. Are there any dance clubs or something for kids who've graduated high school but aren't 21?

They go to the clubs or the cleezy as I like to call it. Off the top of my head, the clubs over there near UNF and FCCJ South campus are popular and most of the clubs in Jax have college night so they'll find plenty of 21 year olds. Some of the places in Orange Park also have college night and there are a good number of youngins in OP. All of the clubs are 18 and up. Some clubs will have a night set aside for the highschoolers under 18. Very popular there. I kind of see it as training them for the party life, which having a night for highschoolers seems to do. Also, tell your kids to check with their friends on their Myspace pages to see where those folks hangout. Tell your children to do a Google search for Jacksonville clubs or nightlife and they'll find some suggestions. There are also a couple of bars that do live music with some of the bands that are based there locally and some semi national bands if your kids are into that.

[riveree]

Bourbon Street Station is one of those HUGE clubs He'ssohott is referring to, they allow "under 18":

http://www.bourbonstreetstation.com/

We also have a Water Park if she's into that kind of thing. It's called "Adventure Landing":

http://www.adventurelanding.com/jaxbeach/

If she's into sports, we have a great parks system where she can play tennis, basketball, skateboard, BMX bike (you never know ):

http://coj.net/Departments/Parks+and+Recreation/default.htm (broken link)

I assume she's found all the shopping locales ? Avenues Mall, San Marco Square, Saint John's Town Center, etc.

[mawipafl]

All these ideas are extremely welcomed - thank you! The downside to clubs for an 18-year-old is exactly as he'ssohot said - trains a youngin for the party life (and my apron string isn't that long yet :-) The upside to clubs is that it's generally the only kind of place where it's OK to walk up to someone and start chatting - usually doing that in other places makes one considered a weirdo.

Except for the tennis court, we've looked at all the other public areas in our community (such as the pools) for kids her age - nada. I sought out some planned activities (such as day trips to SeaWorld, etc.), but all I found seem to be geared for either highschoolers or over-21 adults.

I know that tons of college-age kids live in Jax and Greater Jax, but where the heck are they?

Another great suggestion from he'ssohot is MySpace -- I've suggested that to my daughter. We'll also dig out the basketball and head to a court to shoot some hoops - hopefully the others there will be more than just 12-year-old boys or 25-year-old guys as we've seen so far. Sports and shopping are on her fave list, riveree, so maybe we gave up too easily on those things.

Another route we'll try is community theater. Our daughter is an actress, but breaking into local troupes is sometimes really difficult. However, we won't know for sure until she finds some auditions, right? :-)

[he's so hott]

Originally Posted by mawipafl

All these ideas are extremely welcomed - thank you! The downside to clubs for an 18-year-old is exactly as he'ssohot said - trains a youngin for the party life (and my apron string isn't that long yet :-) The upside to clubs is that it's generally the only kind of place where it's OK to walk up to someone and start chatting - usually doing that in other places makes one considered a weirdo.

Except for the tennis court, we've looked at all the other public areas in our community (such as the pools) for kids her age - nada. I sought out some planned activities (such as day trips to SeaWorld, etc.), but all I found seem to be geared for either highschoolers or over-21 adults.

I know that tons of college-age kids live in Jax and Greater Jax, but where the heck are they?

Another great suggestion from he'ssohot is MySpace -- I've suggested that to my daughter. We'll also dig out the basketball and head to a court to shoot some hoops - hopefully the others there will be more than just 12-year-old boys or 25-year-old guys as we've seen so far. Sports and shopping are on her fave list, riveree, so maybe we gave up too easily on those things.

Another route we'll try is community theater. Our daughter is an actress, but breaking into local troupes is sometimes really difficult. However, we won't know for sure until she finds some auditions, right? :-)

I take it you guys just moved there? There are tons of 20 somethings and slightly younger in the area and they're all over. The Orange Park area has a high concentration of these young people. Another suggestion that I would make is that if she likes to work out, maybe she could consider joining a gym. Good way to meet people and girls her age. The young girls there are really into working out and staying fit.

The only reason I mentioned MySpace is b/c I assumed your daughter already had one. You just have to be careful with MySpace b/c for girls in your daughter's age range, MySpace is a place for girls her age to try to hookup with guys. It's really rampant. At least that has been my experience and my friends experience on MySpace. She can checkout MySpace to see if any of the local acting troupes have a MySpace page. That'll be a good start.

Just tell her to hang out more at coffee shops and other places that are conducive to talking and where young people go. That's a quick way to starting meeting people as long as she's not shy.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by mawipafl

I know that tons of college-age kids live in Jax and Greater Jax, but where the heck are they?

Well, the ones that attend UNF or FCCJ probably live near campus if they have a choice (or the beach).

Joining a gym is a great idea.

Also, what about working? Getting a part-time job in a nice store. Kids that work together usually hang out together too (I worked all through school and my work friends were another social group for me).

[mawipafl]

Yes, we did just move here (from northeast PA) about 1 month ago - officially Orange Park, but actually on Fleming Island (and nope, don't mind the HOA of Eagle Harbor, and hwy 17 doesn't bother us a bit (but we definitely avoid the I-295/Blanding/Welles Rd/Argyle Forest area.)

Coffee shops, gyms - excellent ideas - thank you! And no, she's not shy, so when (not if :-) we find a place conducive to striking up conversations with strangers, she'll be fine.

Yes, you're correct He'ssohott - our daughter does have a MySpace page as do I in order to sort of watch over her shoulder .. some of the language, content, photos make me blush.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel -- she starts at FCCJ in a month, and once she's there I'm certain she'll find some new friends. Fingers crossed that either at orientation or through a MySpace search for FCCJ, she'll find some connections quickly. It's just that in the meantime she's spending her first Florida summer hanging out with - <ugh> - her mother.

[he's so hott]

Originally Posted by mawipafl

Yes, we did just move here (from northeast PA) about 1 month ago - officially Orange Park, but actually on Fleming Island (and nope, don't mind the HOA of Eagle Harbor, and hwy 17 doesn't bother us a bit (but we definitely avoid the I-295/Blanding/Welles Rd/Argyle Forest area.)

Coffee shops, gyms - excellent ideas - thank you! And no, she's not shy, so when (not if :-) we find a place conducive to striking up conversations with strangers, she'll be fine.

Yes, you're correct He'ssohott - our daughter does have a MySpace page as do I in order to sort of watch over her shoulder .. some of the language, content, photos make me blush.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel -- she starts at FCCJ in a month, and once she's there I'm certain she'll find some new friends. Fingers crossed that either at orientation or through a MySpace search for FCCJ, she'll find some connections quickly. It's just that in the meantime she's spending her first Florida summer hanging out with - <ugh> - her mother.

There you go. When she starts school she meet plenty of people. She can use the summer to explore and find places that she likes.