Remember Those Who Served
Home to NAS Jax and NS Mayport with more than 30,000 active-duty personal, Jacksonville embraces its military brethren. For visitors wishing to honor troops who have served our country, the Veterans Memorial Wall and Park, located in the Sports Complex in Downtown Jacksonville offers a space for thoughtful reflection and gratitude. The park showcases the names of more than 1,500 local military personnel who lost their lives while on active duty. The 65-foot black granite memorial contains names of servicemen and women from all service branches ranging from World War I through Operation Desert Storm and the current war. Each Memorial Day, Jacksonville honors fallen service men and women, the city’s military heritage and local heroes with keynote speakers, presentation of colors, family tributes, a wreath presentation, a 21-gun salute, “Taps” and musical tributes. The newly created, Jacksonville National Cemetery, located near Jacksonville International Airport, also welcomes visitors wishing to pay respects, from sunrise to sunset, daily.
Jacksonville’s annual Veterans Day Parade honors America’s heroes with a fantastic parade through Downtown. Marching bands, decorative floats, giant balloons, military and JROTC units and much more create a patriotic display.
Commune with Nature
There is nothing like the calming waves of the blue Atlantic Ocean along the pristine, white shoreline of Jacksonville. The wide shores and hard packed sand of Jacksonville Beach are perfect for biking, strolling or simply basking in the warm sunshine. The expansive beaches have billowy sand dunes intact and sea turtles native to Northeast Florida still find comfort in the safety of the dunes. Escape to Boneyard Beach on Big Talbot Island, famous for the salt-washed skeletons of live oak and cedar trees that once grew near the shore. Little Talbot Island offers great surfing along the five miles of beaches, fishing, beachcombing, hiking and camping. Take a hike in the Timucuan Ecolological and Historic Preserve where marked trails throughout the preserve provide opportunities for discovering Florida’s flora and fauna. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park offers a refreshing experience in a natural playground, offering cozy cabins or wooded campsites, biking and hiking trails, fishing, children’s play and splash park, beautiful sand dunes and expanses of white, sandy beaches and so much more.
Catch a Game
The 2009 Southern League Champions, the Jacksonville Suns, play ball April through September at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The team is part of the Double-A Southern League and affiliated with the Florida Marlins. Admission is inexpensive, less than $6 for seats with other great specials in the stadium. Tuesday nights feature ice cream, hot dogs and peanuts for 50 cents, Thursday Night Throwdowns offer draft beers for just a dollar and Fridays are Family Fireworks night.
Experience “March Madness” in Jacksonville, when the city plays host to the NCAA Men’s Basketball first and second rounds March 19-21. Fans from all over will flock to Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena to watch their teams compete on the road to becoming bracket champions in one of the most exciting sports events in the country. THE PLAYERS Championship is one of golf’s biggest events and it’s played annually on the coastline of Northeast Florida at the famed Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The lush, green rolling hills and steep inclines offer spectacular views of each hole. The tournament begins on Monday with practice rounds. Thursday, the competition heats up as Round 1 of tournament play begins, concluding Sunday with fans gathering around the 18th hole to see who will take home the crystal trophy. The newly awarded Jacksonville Sharks, an Arena Football 1 (AF1) team, hosts teams from across the country at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Area from April through July.
Go for a Spin
The 15th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, which celebrates classic cars and the people who admire them, will take place March 12-14 at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and The Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach. Veteran NASCAR racer Richard Petty has been named the honoree for 2010, and will participate in a panel discussion with Sir Stirling Moss OBE and Don “Big Daddy” Garlits on Saturday.
Get Your Fill of Festivals
Springtime in Jacksonville is populated by great seafood festivals that will leave you with a full belly. The Great Atlantic Seafood Festival serves up tantalizing bites on March 20 at the Sea Walk Pavilion at Jacksonville Beach. Family-fun, arts and crafts and, of course, Florida’s finest seafood — fried, boiled, grilled or blackened -— are featured at this annual event. There’s no such thing as too much seafood, so don’t miss the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, April 30-May 2, in historic downtown Fernandina Beach. This unique celebration is complete with pirate invasions, a juried arts show, kids’ activities, craft and antique booths and more.
Go For a Run
On March 13, the extraordinary Gate River Run weaves its way through Downtown Jacksonville and its bridges, with nearly 20,000 runners and walkers participating. The 15K run is in its 32nd year and is as exciting to watch from the sidelines as it is to run.
Relax and Rejuvenate
The tranquil elements of the ocean inspire spa treatments exclusively offered at Northeast Florida spas. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Spa offers seasonal treatments that incorporate unique elements such as champagne or chocolate. The Fiji “Tropical Isle” Coconut Scrub at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club will indulge both body and senses. The Spa at One Ocean invites men to relax and unwind with a Men’s Defense treatment including a sports massage and men’s facial.