Jacksonville, Fl

About Jacksonville Florida
Superbowl XXXIX Hosting City is known as the 'River City' stands proudly on the St. John's. 

On May 1, 1562 French Huguenots began a colony named Fort Caroline. Within 3 years, the small French riverbank settlement would be destroyed by Spanish forces from the military garrison at St. Augustine. In years to come Spain, Great Britain and local Timucaua Indians fought for control of this area, making Jacksonville the first 'settled' part of the USA.

Today, located at the crossroads of two transcontinental highways, US 95 and US 10, Jacksonville continues to make history as one of the nation's largest cities in land area, a major port city, financial center, site of Navy bases, and home of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, a Mayo Clinic medical center, Jacksonville Zoological Gardens, beautiful beaches, numerous waterways, and more than one million residents.

Jacksonville is one of the fastest growing cities in the Sun Belt and offers a wide variety of neighborhoods, from old, established neighborhoods to brand new subdivisions and planned communities. From the mighty St. Johns, Florida's longest river, to the many creeks that flow into it, to the Atlantic Ocean, just minutes away from downtown, Jacksonville is framed by water. This proximity to water coupled with the mild climate (average daily winter high is 66 degrees Fahrenheit) favors recreational activities year round. Whatever your business or pleasure: golf, tennis, boating, fishing, surfing, theater, museums, history, or shopping, you can enjoy it all in Jacksonville.

If you play golf, you're about to move to paradise. Jacksonville offers over 50 courses playable year-round. The annual Players Championship takes place at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course each spring, the world's best professionals compete in what many consider the 5th Major Championship. The World Golf Village is just to the south of the city. Be educated and entertained while paying homage to the game's greatest players. The PGA Tour National Headquarters also calls this area home.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are the most successful expansion franchise in the history of the NFL. Since entering the league in 1995, the Jaguars have been to the playoffs four times and played in the AFC Championship game twice. The Jaguars won 49 games in their first five seasons, including an NFL-best record of 14-2 in 1999. Winners of the last two AFC Central Division championships, the Jaguars have the highest winning percentage of the 31 teams in the NFL, as well as the best home and road records over the past three seasons.

During the 1990's, over 2 million fans have come through the gates at Wolfson Park to watch the Jacksonville Suns. In 1999, the Suns drew 233,630 fans to the friendly confines of the ballpark. Professional baseball has been a major part of Jacksonville's history since 1904. The Suns currently play in the Southern League which is comprised of ten teams from Alabama, the Carolinas, Florida and Tennessee.

Now don't forget tennis, head to Ponte Vedra and the Association of Tennis Professional's (ATP) World headquarters. The best players in the world call this facility home. The ATP is semiprivate, but guests of the adjacent Marriott have access. Group outings can be arranged through the pro shop. Anyone with a desire to swing a racquet can participate in the daily clinic. Taught by one of the resident pros.

For those who like boating, we have it all. Whether your into Sailing, Motor Boats or PWC's you will love the all year round boating season. We have the St. Johns river, the Intracoastal water way and of course the Atlantic Ocean. The Parade of boats at Thanksgiving and Christmas is a true delight of elaborately decorated vessels accompanied by some of the best firework shows in the nation.

The First Coast has a wide array of offerings for all tastes. We have the Florida Theatre and Alahambra Dinner Theatre. At the Time Union Center For The Performing Arts you can see the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra along with many other wonderful events. Be entertained and educated at the Jacksonville Zoo. A variety of special events and live bands can be seen at the Jacksonville Landing , located downtown on the river. In addition there are numerous Night Life spots for all to enjoy.

The main problem with dining out on the First Coast is selecting one of the thousands of places available. Downtown at the Landing offers a wide choice of restaurants, from the romantic table overlooking the river to the family and party establishments. Of course the Beach has numerous attractions, first class hotels, the welcoming atmosphere of a family run restaurant, international cuisine or maybe something more casual before a walk on the sand.

With so much to do and see you won't be surprised to learn there's plenty of space on our beaches for everyone.