Locals! I need your help to find the best neighborhood ( Arlington, Southside, East Arlington, Jax Beach (Jacksonville: to rent, condo)

[Jada_yel]

Are the prices of groceries, utilities, gas etc higher in the beach areas?

There is a Longhorn at the Jax beach close to Ponte Vedra.... Have any of you had a chance to visit there? If so how was the service, the food, the atmosphere etc?

[judeK]

Originally Posted by Jada_yel

Are the prices of groceries, utilities, gas etc higher in the beach areas ?

No!

Originally Posted by Jada_yel

There is a Longhorn at the Jax beach close to Ponte Vedra.... Have any of you had a chance to visit there? If so how was the service, the food, the atmosphere etc?

It's fine, but we (my wife and I) prefer Outback more. And it's also down by Ponte Vedra.

[rusrs]

All the good places to live in the Jax area are near the St Johns River or beaches or marshes.

Here's all the good places I know of in Jax and the surrounding area:

>Five Points Area (around Memorial Park)
>Riverside
>Avondale
>Ortega/Ortega Forest
>Venetia area
>Orange Park (River Rd area, has a nice walking trail right on the Saint Johns River, only decent area of OP imo)
>Fleming Island (overrated & overcrowded IMO, but good place to raise a family I guess)
>San Marco Area
>Atlantic Beach
>Neptune Beach
>Jacksonville Beach
>Ponte Vedra Beach (avoid when major Golf Tournaments are going on, traffic can get bad)
>Saint Augustine (around downtown, but avoid this area during the holidays and during festivals)

That's about it. Avoid everywhere else.

[Jada_yel]

Originally Posted by rusrs

All the good places to live in the Jax area are near the St Johns River or beaches or marshes.

Here's all the good places I know of in Jax and the surrounding area:

>Five Points Area (around Memorial Park)
>Riverside
>Avondale
>Ortega/Ortega Forest
>Venetia area
>Orange Park (River Rd area, has a nice walking trail right on the Saint Johns River, only decent area of OP imo)
>Fleming Island (overrated & overcrowded IMO, but good place to raise a family I guess)
>San Marco Area
>Atlantic Beach
>Neptune Beach
>Jacksonville Beach
>Ponte Vedra Beach (avoid when major Golf Tournaments are going on, traffic can get bad)
>Saint Augustine (around downtown, but avoid this area during the holidays and during festivals)

That's about it. Avoid everywhere else.

Does I - 95 get bad during rush hours for someone who lives in San Marco and travels to the airport on a daily basis? There is some possibility that my job will be around the airport area. From what I have read on other forums people are avoiding the north side like it's a plague... I don't know where else would be logical to live since airport is not centrally located and I can't afford Springfield. San Marco, southside, sandalwood, arlington are the neighborhoods that are in my prince range for now....I am still researching.

[Robyn55]

I don't know how bad the I-95 traffic is on that stretch from San Marco to the airport - but it is an older more "beaten up" part of I-95 that I don't particularly like traveling on. So I avoid it if possible. If there isn't construction there now to bring it "up to snuff" - I suspect there will be in the future.

We use I-295 to get to the airport. From the beaches/Butler Blvd. It's accessible/close to other parts of town as well. I-295 is a fairly new modern road that doesn't seem to be too crowded in most parts most of the time. Can't speak specifically about rush hour.

BTW - are you sure San Marco is cheaper than Springfield? It's possible - but doesn't sound right to me. Robyn

[judeK]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

BTW - are you sure San Marco is cheaper than Springfield? It's possible - but doesn't sound right to me. Robyn

In no way overall, is San Marco cheaper than Springfield.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by Jada_yel

Does I - 95 get bad during rush hours for someone who lives in San Marco and travels to the airport on a daily basis? There is some possibility that my job will be around the airport area. From what I have read on other forums people are avoiding the north side like it's a plague... I don't know where else would be logical to live since airport is not centrally located and I can't afford Springfield. San Marco, southside, sandalwood, arlington are the neighborhoods that are in my prince range for now....I am still researching.

Traffic shouldn't be too bad during regular hours as it's a reverse commute. Of course, working at a restaurant means you're not commuting at regular hours. As long as you don't head to work between 4-6:30p you would be fine. I think you are confused about Springfield area...it's actually quite cheap so you must have the wrong neighborhood. There's nothing wrong with living in certain parts of the Northside, particularly around the airport. It's very suburban but quite new and safe. It would not have much in the way of excitement but it has all the amenities that are needed now that the River City Market Place is in full swing.

[Jada_yel]

I don't know I just go to apartments.com put my price range and put a check on pets and hit search nothing comes up on Springfield.

There is one apartment a lil south of Springfield it is called kings ridge and it looks a bit section 8 how ever I might be wrong.

What are the bad areas on the north side?

[Jada_yel]

I never thought it would be so hard to rent a place in another state.... Some places don't answer their phones, some do but they rush you and tell you they will email you and they don't and some just go directly into the voicemail... I don't know if they are really busy or they don't care... I wish I could go there and walk in but I can't request off in Christmas season.... I also looked on rentals on Craig'slist... Most of the ads are fake. It is so challenging... Lol

[canajo]

I don't see Intercoastal West area mentioned in the previous posts and I think it is an great area to live in. I live off of South Kernan Blvd between Butler and Beach and there are several nice looking apartments complexes along S. Kernan. There is a great walking/bike path along Kernan that leads to Beach Blvd that is used by many. I love the area-still close to the beach and I enjoy some of the cooling breezes from the beach. Plus, I am near lots of retail but don't feel like I live in a concrete urban jungle. I would do a search on South Kernan for apartments especially as it close to the Southside also.