Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States, sprawling across both sides of the St. Johns River where it empties into the Atlantic. It is a city that rewards the curious — behind the downtown skyline and suburban sprawl, you will find distinct neighbourhoods with real character, a serious arts scene, and easy access to some of northeast Florida's best beaches.
The Riverside-Avondale district is the highlight for architecture fans. Many of its homes were designed by Henry Klutho, a Jacksonville architect deeply influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style. The Cummer Museum of Art sits in this neighbourhood too, with a strong collection of American art and formal gardens that look out over the river toward downtown. Further along the waterfront, the Museum of Science and History offers rotating hands-on exhibits and the Alexander Brest Planetarium.
Downtown's riverwalks on both sides of the St. Johns make for a pleasant stroll, with views of the skyline and access to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, home to the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. The Florida Theatre, a beautifully restored 1927 movie palace downtown, hosts concerts and film screenings year-round.
Jacksonville has three beach towns — Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach — which run together along the coast. They are pleasant and unpretentious, with good surfing and a laid-back boardwalk scene. Just south of the city, Ponte Vedra Beach draws golfers to the TPC at Sawgrass, home of The Players Championship. The World Golf Village, off I-95 between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, has its own courses and the World Golf Hall of Fame.
The Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve north of the city protects one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the Atlantic coast, with Kingsley Plantation and Fort Caroline National Memorial within its boundaries. The Boneyard Beach on Big Talbot Island, with its bleached and sculpted driftwood, is one of the most striking places on Florida's coast. St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, is only 30 minutes to the south and makes an easy day trip.