Seniors Discover Jax

 The locals choose to call Jacksonville, just plain JAX.  This senior was curious about the largest cities in Florida, and was I ever surprised. I always figured Miami was #1. I was wrong. It’s JAX with a population of 821,784 followed by Miami with  224,669.

Jacksonville’s historic Riverside-Avondale district ia one of the most well-preserved historic neighborhoods in the nation, with over 5,000 historic buildings. It’s been labeled the Greenwich Village in Florida. Originally called Cow Ford,  the name changed to Jacksonville in 1832 named after our 7th president, Andrew Jackson, who never visited the city.

JAX, the county seat of Duval County, is one of the nation’s greatest art lovers destinations, plus a “Top 10″ list for Jacksonville isn’t complete without at least a passing reference to one of the city’s most well-known attractions, the beach.

Seniors Enjoy Jacksonville’s Beaches

Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Atlantic Beach provide access to wide sandy beaches on the Atlantic Coast. Jacksonville Beach offers vast stretches of gorgeous beach, a newly redesigned golf course, a famous fishing pier and boatloads of water activities.

Yes, 20 miles of wide and uncrowded beaches, close to 40 miles of the tranquil Intracoastal Waterway canal, and the longest stretch of the beautiful St. Johns River provide a scenic wonderland.

JAX started off with the early native Timucuan Indians and early French and Spanish settlers, to the cultural contributions of African-Americans and Hispanic Americans, all have shaped the city and continue to influence life in the city today.

Seniors who have visited JAX, know about Jacksonville Landing, a 126,000 square ft shopping, tattoo, dining, clubbing, and historic museum complex in downtown Jacksonville. It was built by the Rouse Company at a cost of $37.5 million and opened in 1987.

 Wildlife Sanctuary, Museums and Parks Draw Seniors

TripAdvisor invites seniors to visit the local zoo, 13 museums and parks galore. The city is home to the largest urban park system in the nation, with 10 state and national parks and over 80,000 acres.

The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary is the #1 attraction in town. Senior visitors find that Jacksonville is a shopping paradise and the Riverside Arts Market is a great place to start.

The local Chamber of Commerce notes that this time of year (spring), the yellow daffodils are blooming, the trees are budding out, and local deer have resumed their neighborhood strolls.

Something is going on all year-long, like the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Springing the Blue in April, Jacksonville Film Festival, World of Nations Celebration in May, and the Jacksonville Agricultural Fair in November.

The first time Europeans and Native Americans met for a meal was in Fort Caroline, Jacksonville in 1564. I didn’t know that, did you? jeb