Best places to stay in/near Downtown Jacksonville?

[mwalker96]

Riverside is a good area if you're a young artsy type, and it's not far from downtown. Jacksonville is not the ideal place for vacationers, but it does offer interesting state parks, easy-to-access beaches, and a booming restaurant scene. Jax is a very large geographical area, so most places will take you 20-25 minutes from downtown. If you plan on staying for a week then you will have more time to explore Jacksonville, but for a weekend trip I would recommend St John Town Center (A outdoor mall in the southside of Jax) any of the beaches would be a nice treat (Atlantic is the most preferred in Jax tho).

[squarpeg]

Originally Posted by mwalker96

Riverside is a good area if you're a young artsy type, and it's not far from downtown. Jacksonville is not the ideal place for vacationers, but it does offer interesting state parks, easy-to-access beaches, and a booming restaurant scene. Jax is a very large geographical area, so most places will take you 20-25 minutes from downtown. If you plan on staying for a week then you will have more time to explore Jacksonville, but for a weekend trip I would recommend St John Town Center (A outdoor mall in the southside of Jax) any of the beaches would be a nice treat (Atlantic is the most preferred in Jax tho).

I generally agree with this except why would someone go on vacation and have a highlight visiting St John town center? Which is just a large shopping mall filled with exactly the same stores that are in every mall all over the country whether you live in CA or TX or NY. That is not a tourist attraction.

[mwalker96]

Originally Posted by squarpeg

I generally agree with this except why would someone go on vacation and have a highlight visiting St John town center? Which is just a large shopping mall filled with exactly the same stores that are in every mall all over the country whether you live in CA or TX or NY. That is not a tourist attraction.

Compared to most outdoor malls, it feels more like an adventure. To a person from a large city it may not mean much, but if you live in a smaller town, St John Town Center can feel like Time Square. This is coming from someone who have went to malls in NYC, North Carolina, Deleware, Chicago, and Orlando.

[wizrap]

We have stayed in the Town Center area and the beach (when the prices are right). Easy access to everything IMHO. Never stayed downtown.

[Charlottean1996]

Understand that I left Jacksonville 25+ years ago after living there for 34 years. Yes, I was raised in Jax after our family moved there from the Kansas City area.

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I lived in San Marco for a very blissful period, first in Nira Street, then on Cedar Street (1979-1984). Late 1981 into 1982 saw crime explode after HUD decreed the 'protected class' in NE Florida had been discriminated against. My apartment complex was fully desegregated with every race who were educated, working class and professional people - we got along very well.

Overnight, the complex turned into a 'section 8 ghetto', resulting in a mass evacuation (including me and my new wife). We moved two blocks away into a similar complex that was better maintained and a similar demographic like we previously enjoyed before HUD stepped in. Owner was well connected politically and could afford to ignore HUD. Stayed there for a couple of years before moving to the Art Museum area - we needed more space!

San Marco was idyllic at the time otherwise for us - I worked in Riverside and my future wife worked in San Marco. We often rode our bicycles to work, even though we owned a pickup truck and a motorcycle. Lots of good stuff within walking distance as I recall.

I also recall wandering the streets of Springfield and downtown Jacksonville (foot and bicycle) as a young boy from 1962-1970. Never molested, robbed or assaulted. Can't comment on these areas now as I've only passed through them briefly in recent years. My elderly sister currently lives in a run down apartment complex in the Hyde Grove area (Londontowne). Complex was a real 'destination' during the late 1960s and into the early 1980s. It should be torn down IMO.

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Bottom line: Beware of your surroundings and be prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones - the 'protected class' can't be reasoned with so don't even try.

[mwalker96]

Originally Posted by Charlottean1996

Understand that I left Jacksonville 25+ years ago after living there for 34 years. Yes, I was raised in Jax after our family moved there from the Kansas City area.

****************************

I lived in San Marco for a very blissful period, first in Nira Street, then on Cedar Street (1979-1984). Late 1981 into 1982 saw crime explode after HUD decreed the 'protected class' in NE Florida had been discriminated against. My apartment complex was fully desegregated with every race who were educated, working class and professional people - we got along very well.

Overnight, the complex turned into a 'section 8 ghetto', resulting in a mass evacuation (including me and my new wife). We moved two blocks away into a similar complex that was better maintained and a similar demographic like we previously enjoyed before HUD stepped in. Owner was well connected politically and could afford to ignore HUD. Stayed there for a couple of years before moving to the Art Museum area - we needed more space!

San Marco was idyllic at the time otherwise for us - I worked in Riverside and my future wife worked in San Marco. We often rode our bicycles to work, even though we owned a pickup truck and a motorcycle. Lots of good stuff within walking distance as I recall.

I also recall wandering the streets of Springfield and downtown Jacksonville (foot and bicycle) as a young boy from 1962-1970. Never molested, robbed or assaulted. Can't comment on these areas now as I've only passed through them briefly in recent years. My elderly sister currently lives in a run down apartment complex in the Hyde Grove area (Londontowne). Complex was a real 'destination' during the late 1960s and into the early 1980s. It should be torn down IMO.

*****************************

Bottom line: Beware of your surroundings and be prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones - the 'protected class' can't be reasoned with so don't even try.

San Marco is much safer today than it was back then, but Jacksonville is one of those places where crime has no boundaries. You can be in a nice middle-class neighborhood and still run into a drug addict. With that said, most of the real violent crime is in the Northwest side of town which is easy to avoid since it has nothing to attract tourists. You will be fine as long as you're not looking for trouble. I lived in Jax's most dangerous zip code (32209) and I have never been a victim of assault or anything like that.