http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/02/22/jacksonville-93670042/?test=faces (http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/02/22/jacksonville-93670042/?test=faces)
They gave a nice reference to Riverside! and Clarks Fish Camp.
Wow...what a surprise. If I read this and was from Maine, Minnesota, or Washington State, I'd want to pack up and take a visit or even "look see." Great article and great tourism promo of our area!
"HU"
It's on the front page of the main website right now.
It's a pretty good article ...
Beaches, Zoo, Riverside, Cummer Museum, Clarks Fish Camp.
Those are all in the top 10 things I would suggest for an out of town visitor.
Great article, and really nice that they picked up on the highlights that they did.
What would make up the top 10 things to suggest to an out-of-town visitor? Speaking as an out-of-town regular, I'd say the five mentioned plus Riverwalks/Northbank entertainment district, Kingsley Plantation, Ft. Caroline, San Marco, and it's hard for me to pick a tenth because I'd be slighting something from the combination of the Walter Jones park in Mandarin, the LaVilla Museum, MOSH, Karpeles...
I suppose they were trying to present something for everyone but it would have been nice to note some historical sites (Ft. Caroline, Kingsley Plantation) and eco-tourism locations like the Timucuan Preserve, Ft. George, and the Talbot Islands. Also, Hannah Park. Couldn't get their slide show to open so not sure what is featured there.
I deal with large amounts of people from out of town every day, who are visiting for 8 weeks and have a lot of free time. These are generally the things that we steer them to (as far as how to spend some free time):
- Riverside & Avondale
- San Marco
- Zoo
- Beaches
- Golf
- Nature preserves
- Cummer
- MOCA
- St. Augustine
- Fernadina Beach/Amerlia Island
- Symphony
- St. Johns Towncenter
- Jax Landing & Riverwalk
- Random city events (concerts, festivals, airshows, shows, art walk, etc)
The beaches have so much potential. I hope they really maximize them in the near future. Make it beautiful to attract more regional tourism. The fact that so much of it looks like spring break fallout hinders the entire area. The water is not as warm or clear as SoFla but it's still better than farther north because of the weather.
Day of fishing on a fishing charter or head boat.
Head boats charge by the person and go out bottom fishing. They are generally less expensive for small groups. Miss Mayport and the Majesty (aka King Neptune) are examples.
http://www.mayportprincessfishing.com/thecaptain.htm
http://www.kingneptunefishing.com/