[cityKing]

This is 100% out of being curious, they are both facing the atlantic, have beautiful beaches, weather, and beautiful architecture and a nice skyline. Why is it that Jacksonville isn't as desirable than ? Why isn't it as popular or ever talked about very much than? Is it because it has a "southern feel" ? Is it because it is too "american" feeling? Is it because Miami is closer to the caribbean ? Is it because Miami has a tropical climate and Jacksonville is only sub-tropical? Thoughts?

[CountryFisher]

I don't know but I can say is thank God Jacksonville isn't like Miami. Hopefully Jacksonville will never go down that trashy route.

[cityKing]

I think the hispanic/carribbean/tropical feel is what makes Miami such a unique exotic place.

My personal opinon about Jacksonville is that it is just like Anywhere USA it lacks the spark that makes it popular.

When I think of jacksonville, I think of ordinary people , ordinary American city, southern feel in culture, and slower paced of life.

Jacksonville almost reminds me of the Florida version of San Diego : Slow paced, laid back beach enviorment, more of a midwest feel.

Whereas Miami is more like Los Angeles in term of being urban, having more of faster more progressive way of life, more of a cosmopolitan feel.

I think I just answered my own question. But I would love to see other peoples thought on this as well.

[FlyMIA]

Geographic location. It has built Miami to the city it is today. Jacksonville is your typical American city. Miami even became a city because of its location.

Henry Flager brought his railroad down to Miami because it did not freeze during one of the worst blizzards in the history of this country. Even Tampa had inches of snow but Miami never hit below freezing. Juilet Tuttle convinced Flager to bring the rail down and he built a hotel. From there Miami was a good location for bootleggers brining tons of money into the economy and brining lots of people down. Then Miami became a great location for Pan Am clippers going to the Caribbean and South America. Then Miami became a spot that Cubans immigrated to which lead to the rest of South America coming to Miami as their most popular immigration spot. Miami became a center for air and sea cargo to the region because of its location and cruise ship traffic.
It was a perfect location for the drug trade brining in tens of billions into the city every year. It is a perfect location for Hispanic TV, South American multinational companies HQs and international banking for the region. The beach has always made it a natural tourism hot spot.

It really does have very much to do with its geographical location. Also what has helped out Miami a lot is how thin it is. There is only a certain amount the urban sprawl can go because of the urban development line from the eveglades and Biscayne national park. Due to this, Miami has avoided the never ending sprawl and it is limited making the only option to create a more dense and tall city compared to other young sun belt cities. Again geogrphy really has shaped Miami as it has to many other cities in the world.

[cityKing]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Geographic location. It has built Miami to the city it is today. Jacksonville is your typical American city. Miami even became a city because of its location.

Henry Flager brought his railroad down to Miami because it did not freeze during one of the worst blizzards in the history of this country. Even Tampa had inches of snow but Miami never hit below freezing. Juilet Tuttle convinced Flager to bring the rail down and he built a hotel. From there Miami was a good location for bootleggers brining tons of money into the economy and brining lots of people down. Then Miami became a great location for Pan Am clippers going to the Caribbean and South America. Then Miami became a spot that Cubans immigrated to which lead to the rest of South America coming to Miami as their most popular immigration spot. Miami became a center for air and sea cargo to the region because of its location and cruise ship traffic.
It was a perfect location for the drug trade brining in tens of billions into the city every year. It is a perfect location for Hispanic TV, South American multinational companies HQs and international banking for the region. The beach has always made it a natural tourism hot spot.

It really does have very much to do with its geographical location. Also what has helped out Miami a lot is how thin it is. There is only a certain amount the urban sprawl can go because of the urban development line from the eveglades and Biscayne national park. Due to this, Miami has avoided the never ending sprawl and it is limited making the only option to create a more dense and tall city compared to other young sun belt cities. Again geogrphy really has shaped Miami as it has to many other cities in the world.

Good answer.

[NowSoFlorida]

Originally Posted by cityKing

This is 100% out of being curious, they are both facing the atlantic, have beautiful beaches, weather, and beautiful architecture and a nice skyline. Why is it that Jacksonville isn't as desirable than ? Why isn't it as popular or ever talked about very much than? Is it because it has a "southern feel" ? Is it because it is too "american" feeling? Is it because Miami is closer to the caribbean ? Is it because Miami has a tropical climate and Jacksonville is only sub-tropical? Thoughts?

Jacksonville is very close to Georgia, and can be very cold, It's not uncommon for it to get down to 32 degrees sometimes overnight in the winter. If you live in that climate you need heating in your home or apartment. In south Florida you don't need heating.

The charm of Miami is that you can go there in the winter to get away from the cold from most other cold places in the US. It also has art deco buildings that you won't find in most other places. Places over time just happen to get international fame as important cities and Miami is one and Jacksonville isn't.

[HarryWho?]

I'm taking the easy path. Think of any exciting US metropolis ending in ville.

[cityKing]

Originally Posted by HarryWho?

I'm taking the easy path. Think of any exciting US metropolis ending in ville.

I don't know any exciting US metropolis ending in ville..

I'll have to pass on the "easy path". thanks but no thanks

[EscAlaMike]

The two cities appeal to different demographics. Miami is a "happening" place with tons of nightlife. It's an urban, cosmopolitan, and international culture that appeals to people who are looking for that. Miami also has more of a contrast. You have multi-million dollar mansions on the water, and then you have Liberty City and other neighborhoods that are full of poor immigrants. Dozens of movies and TV shows are set in Miami, because it's culture (or at least its popularized culture, how true it is is a different story) is more "entertaining". Miami is comparable to NYC and LA in that regard.

Jacksonville is more of a typical American city. Much more homogenous. You have whites, blacks, and not much else, mostly of American descent. It appeals more to regular Joe's who just want to make a living and raise their families and aren't too concerned about all the frills that a city like Miami would offer.

I guarantee you that 99% of the residents of Jacksonville DO NOT want it to ever become anything like Miami. That tells a story right there.

Florida is an extremely diverse state. Probably the most diverse state in the US. Only California comes close, in my opinion.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by CountryFisher

I don't know but I can say is thank God Jacksonville isn't like Miami. Hopefully Jacksonville will never go down that trashy route.

Nice response! I find it funny how Jax calls itself Florida largest city and it doesn't even resemble a city of 800,000. Puny downtown stitched together with a blob of suburbia from one end to the other. It's funny because I remember reading a old National Geographic article on Jacksonville from the 1960s and it called Jax Florida's financial, banking & insurance capital and it is far from that today. I can rest assure you that Jax will never be as important or as relevant as Miami is today.