Destination: Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida

Jacksonville Beach


Although Jacksonville Beach isn't as large as I had hoped for, it holds some promise. The night life begins on the corner of Beach Blvd and 1st. Here you can find a handful of bars, restaurants galore, and a few clubs. Although Brandon and I ventured out in search for a clutch location, I'm sad to report that only two bars stuck out at the time. First on our list was Sneakers- a sports fan's dream bar. No matter where you sit, a large television is in your view! The drinks were reasonably priced, the bartenders/servers were friendly, and it had an overall chill atmosphere. I can honestly say I've never been to a sports bar that had a bottle service until now! Although their menu selection seemed desirable, the prices were not.
Second on the list was a two story Irish pub called McCools. This was my favorite bar for the night by far. The downstairs is a typical Irish bar while the upstairs has live music and dancing. Because neither Brandon nor I enjoy the live music scene we stuck to the lower level. Be aware that vodka and redbull= vodka and NO redbull! Either way- the drinks are fairly priced, the company was predominately attractive, and the staff was on point. Brandon and I made friends with the bouncers who directed us to a few locations that we should try out, where not to go, etc.
Key information for those who have had too much to drink- girls bathroom is to the left and guys bathroom is to the right!
Here's the thing about Jacksonville Beach that I've come to understand- during the day hours it turns into a hangout for the homeless, unattractive, and generally low income individuals. The beach has no spectacular views, in fact, I didn't take one picture while I was there. The only thing going for this location is the fact that it offers free parking, the sun shines there, and there is sand (although it is dirty).

Downtown Jacksonville

Let me start off by giving our hotel kuddos. If you are in the area and need a place to stay, I HIGHLY recommend Crowne Plaza which is located on Riverplace Blvd. Although Brandon and I were staying on the executive level... I can only assume the rest of the hotel rooms were similar. We had great views of downtown Jacksonville, overlooked the river, and was centrally located. There was a river taxi that you could take at $3 a person, however, downtown is within walking distance. We were under the influence that the Jacksonville Landing was a "must go to" while in the area- not so much. Again, I was sadly disappointed! Yes, this location does have a Hooters, a sushi bar, American Cafe, Twisted Martini, live music, and TRASHY people! The Landing was dirty to begin with- nothing special at all. While eating lunch we got a free show as we watched a man attempt to jump off the bridge as a means of escaping from the cops. For Brandon and I, this just summed up our trip! To be honest, Jacksonville is a pretty city in general- it does have a great zoo, multiple shopping centers, a small water park, and family oriented entertainment... I'll give it that. However, if you are out for a good time like Brandon and I normally are... this isn't a spot for you.

















We rate both Downtown Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach

Brandon & Jenny- Caribbean experts on information you SHOULD know but nobody tells you!