I haven’t lived in Jacksonville long, we’re coming up on our 5th year Jacksonville anniversary. But even so, it’s the longest my husband and I have lived anywhere! In the almost 14 years since we got married we’ve lived in 3 states and had 10 addresses, and no, we’re not military. When we first moved to Jacksonville it took some getting used to. We were coming from the Gulf Coast of Florida and if you’ve been there, Sarasota specifically, you know it’s just different. At first Jacksonville felt so big, like I’d never get the hang of the neighborhoods, and honestly even now I still occasionally have to look at a map to get my bearings. In the short time it took to reach our first fall and winter in Jax, I was hooked. The weather completely sealed the deal for me and I absolutely love living here! You get just enough of cold and cool weather to miss the beach and just when you’re longing for hot beach days it warms up! It’s hard for me to choose 3 favorite things about living in Jacksonville but if I had to choose:
1. The Bridges. Follow me here for a second. With all the land that encompasses Jacksonville and the St. John’s River flowing through it, you’ve got to have several bridges to get around this large city. Jacksonville has 5 major bridges connecting its towns and I absolutely love them all. Depending on which bridge you’re on you get to see so much of our beautiful city! You can see the river, the waterways and marsh, the beautiful mansions on the water, boaters, fishermen! I could name a hundred reasons but my absolute favorite is going over the Dames Point bridge at sunset. The glistening water and views of Jacksonville are breathtaking and I am so thankful every time I go over that bridge that I live here.
2. Local Pride. Business owners and long-time Jax residents love it here! It’s no secret that Jacksonville is one of the biggest cities in the country, but did you know that because we have two major military bases we also have a huge revolving door of people coming and going? I think that makes us unique and those that are locals, including small business owners, are happy to stay for the long haul. The people of Jacksonville are proud to be here and support local businesses more than chain stores. That’s unique for a city so large and I’m happy to be a part of that local culture.
3. The Seafood. I’m a huge foodie – it’s my first love and passion. It takes skill to cook a great fish but also to supply it. My favorite seafood restaurant here is called Safe Harbor Seafood (https://www.safeharbor-seafood.com) and you can find me there at least once every 3 months. My family and I have been going there for about 4 years and they consistently serve fresh, local seafood time and time again. There is a plethora of wonderful seafood restaurants here in Jacksonville – we’re so close to the ocean you’d be hard pressed to find one that didn’t serve wonderful food. Our local fisheries take pride in their craft and providing our town with the best catch is something they have mastered.
