Jacksonville Top to Bottom Walking Tour
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/1479023306_7PS7vzS-M.jpg)
Think you know and have seen it all in Downtown Jacksonville? A new walking tour promises to introduce you to a side of downtown most don't know exist, by way of access into restricted underground tunnels, a silent movie shot on Forsyth Street featuring Oliver Hardy, and streetcars and a roof deck stop on top of the Florida Theatre.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2011-sep-jacksonville-top-to-bottom-walking-tour
That looks like fun. Can't wait to do it.
Sounds cool. But why not on a Saturday morning? Tuesday would be hard for a lot of people to make.
Yeah, my thoughts actually. Would love to take the wife, but Tuesday morning is a real tough time for the working folk.
Agree with everyone above. Sounds awesome, but the Tuesday time makes this almost impossible to do.
I agree. Tuesday seems a bit difficult for most potential customers.
Tuesday? But of course darlings if this were done on the weekend every building, storefront and kiosk in downtown is locked down and empty.
I think we need a "trolley" to do a trolley tour of the Jacksonville Traction System. I'm your huckleberry for that one.
OCKLAWAHA
Good point, Ock, about the challenges of having these tours on the weekend. Would it be easier to have these tours on Fridays? Just wondering...
that guy has to be hot in that jacket.
Saturday would be a "ghost town" tour.
it is pretty impressive how much of a tour you can get by walking just a few blocks up laura street when you really think about it. and that jacket really should help them drum up business, but he needs the hat too.
Does the money made on the tours go into a fund of any kind? I'd suggest putting the money into a fund that can be used to revitalize the buildings that need it most. The Laura st Trio comes to mind.
You are correct realizing the buildings and special access locations are only open on week days during regular business hours, hence the Tuesday morning tour. In the future, we are working on the special access (e.g. tunnels) for certain Saturdays.
Perhaps we could offer a canoe adventure under Union Station. LOL!
OCKLAWAHA
Just wondering....if it were possible to offer them, what are some other Jacksonville area based tours (walking or driving) that people would be interested in?
I haven't done an E2Ride bike tour yet, but I plan on it soon. http://www.e2ride.com/ (http://www.e2ride.com/)
Awesome - I was wondering what happened to Michael Scott after he left Dunder Mifflin!
Quote from: thelakelander on September 26, 2011, 01:24:04 PM
Just wondering....if it were possible to offer them, what are some other Jacksonville area based tours (walking or driving) that people would be interested in?
I think there should be more walking/driving/biking tours that celebrate our architectural heritage. I know in the early 90s the city had a pamphlet at the Chamber/C&VB for a self-guided walking tour of significant buildings downtown. It had excerpts from Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage for most of the buildings and had a few different tour options for different length walks. It'd be great to have something like this for Springfield, San Marco, or Riverside/Avondale, as well as for downtown again, for drivers or walkers (I know that Riverside has the bike tour, and of course the annual home tours where people open their homes).
What about a DT walking tour of the Great Fire from it's beginning to it's end?
Quote from: urbanlibertarian on September 26, 2011, 03:13:07 PM
What about a DT walking tour of the Great Fire from it's beginning to it's end?
That is a GREAT idea. I am sure Beth Slater (the other tour guide for the Top To Bottom tour) would be interested in leading something like that too. The inspiration for her costume for the walking tours is an ancestor of hers (great-grandmother, I think) who wrote a gripping recount of her fire experiences seventy years later. It's in Wayne Wood and Bill Foley's Fire book.
By the way, Lake, how'd you manage to take a photo inside the Independent Life Building lobby? Every time I've tried to do that, a zealous security guard has come after me. Do they OK it for the tour or for special events?
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on September 26, 2011, 02:37:03 PM
Quote from: thelakelander on September 26, 2011, 01:24:04 PM
Just wondering....if it were possible to offer them, what are some other Jacksonville area based tours (walking or driving) that people would be interested in?
I think there should be more walking/driving/biking tours that celebrate our architectural heritage. I know in the early 90s the city had a pamphlet at the Chamber/C&VB for a self-guided walking tour of significant buildings downtown. It had excerpts from Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage for most of the buildings and had a few different tour options for different length walks. It'd be great to have something like this for Springfield, San Marco, or Riverside/Avondale, as well as for downtown again, for drivers or walkers (I know that Riverside has the bike tour, and of course the annual home tours where people open their homes).
There are I believe three self-guided historical walking tours offered by DVI(Northbank/ South Bank and one that extends into San Marco). It should still be on their website.
Quote from: urbaknight on September 26, 2011, 12:15:05 PM
Does the money made on the tours go into a fund of any kind? I'd suggest putting the money into a fund that can be used to revitalize the buildings that need it most. The Laura st Trio comes to mind.
This guy is doing a job, taking his time, and providing a service, why should he run a charity?
Quote from: coredumped on September 26, 2011, 08:08:32 PM
Quote from: urbaknight on September 26, 2011, 12:15:05 PM
Does the money made on the tours go into a fund of any kind? I'd suggest putting the money into a fund that can be used to revitalize the buildings that need it most. The Laura st Trio comes to mind.
This guy is doing a job, taking his time, and providing a service, why should he run a charity?
Don't get me wrong, I believe he should make money for his tours. I just wasn't sure if it was a private venture of if the city ran it. And I just didn't know what happened with the money, how it was managed or who managed it.
Quote from: urbaknight on September 28, 2011, 02:54:35 PM
Don't get me wrong, I believe he should make money for his tours. I just wasn't sure if it was a private venture of if the city ran it. And I just didn't know what happened with the money, how it was managed or who managed it.
No problem, I didn't mean to come off terse, hopefully you didn't take it that way.
Quote from: coredumped on September 28, 2011, 10:03:32 PM
Quote from: urbaknight on September 28, 2011, 02:54:35 PM
Don't get me wrong, I believe he should make money for his tours. I just wasn't sure if it was a private venture of if the city ran it. And I just didn't know what happened with the money, how it was managed or who managed it.
No problem, I didn't mean to come off terse, hopefully you didn't take it that way.
It's cool, you did make a good point.
Does the tour include the top floor of the BOA Tower? Well they did say "Top to Bottom(tunnels)" Tour. :) Either way, it looks like a very interesting tour that's worth checking out.
Quote from: I-10east on September 30, 2011, 03:34:12 PM
Does the tour include the top floor of the BOA Tower? Well they did say "Top to Bottom(tunnels)" Tour. :) Either way, it looks like a very interesting tour that's worth checking out.
You can go to the top of BOA any weekday for lunch. They have a (relatively) inexpensive lunch place up there. The views are pretty awesome! I think it's Skyline Deli or Skyline something. The food's not bad.
Quote from: Ajax on September 30, 2011, 05:53:58 PM
Quote from: I-10east on September 30, 2011, 03:34:12 PM
Does the tour include the top floor of the BOA Tower? Well they did say "Top to Bottom(tunnels)" Tour. :) Either way, it looks like a very interesting tour that's worth checking out.
You can go to the top of BOA any weekday for lunch. They have a (relatively) inexpensive lunch place up there. The views are pretty awesome! I think it's Skyline Deli or Skyline something. The food's not bad.
Skyline Cafe I believe
You get to go on the roof of the Florida Theater. BOA isn't included.
Saw the tour just a few minutes ago on Laura and Forsyth. A decent crowd (along with Phil Amato, who was filming) was out despite the weather.