Public transit from JAX to Downtown Jacksonville is provided by JTA Route CT-3 [3] , every hour, pic

Jacksonville [1] is situated on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida. It has the misleading distinction of being the most populous city in the state as measured by the number of residents hotels florence within hotels florence the city limits which comprises all of Duval county, but it is in fact the largest city in area in the continental United States. The metropolitan area extends beyond hotels florence Duval County into Nassau, St. Johns, Baker and Clay counties and has a population of more than 1.25 million hotels florence people, easily exceeded by Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando.
Jacksonville International Airport ( IATA : JAX ) [2] . Jacksonville International Airport is the First Coast's commercial airport, with scheduled service offered by AirTran Airways, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, jetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United hotels florence Airlines, and US Airways. The airport is located approximately 15 miles north of downtown.
hotels florence You can fly into Jacksonville International Airport direct from 22 cities: Atlanta , Baltimore , Boston hotels florence , Charlotte , Chicago , Cincinnati , Dallas / Fort Worth , Detroit , Fort Lauderdale , Houston hotels florence , Las Vegas , Memphis , Miami , Minneapolis , Nashville , New York City , Newark , Norfolk , Philadelphia , San Juan , Tampa , and Washington .
The airport has one terminal building, with ticketing on the upper "Departures" level and baggage claim and ground transportation on the lower "Arrivals" level. There are two areas for ground transportation, at the center front for taxis and area hotel shuttles, and at the north end (outside of Baggage Carousel 1) for Pre-Arranged Ground Transportation, including limousines, intercity buses/shuttles, and local JTA city buses. Airline gates radiate from three concourses, hotels florence A, B, and C which all funnel through one central security screening area. Generally arriving one hour before a flight's scheduled departure hotels florence is plenty of time, but during major holidays, such as Thanksgiving, allow one and a half to two hours.
Public hotels florence transit from JAX to Downtown Jacksonville is provided by JTA Route CT-3 [3] , every hour, picking hotels florence up at Pre-Arranged hotels florence Ground Transportation (north end of the terminal outside Baggage Carousel 1, lower level). $1.
Jacksonville has three general aviation airports, Cecil Field, Herlong, and Craig airports, all of which are administered by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority [4] . These airports do not have any scheduled commercial flights and can only be reached by charter plane.
Amtrak [5] provides service to other Florida destinations such as Orlando and Miami , but also connects to other points as far north as New York via the Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines. The station hotels florence is located approximately 5 miles northwest of downtown Jacksonville at 3570 Clifford Lane.
Greyhound , 10 North Pearl St. , ☎ 1-877-462-6342 , [6] . Greyhound offers service west to Tallahasee and New Orleans, south to Orlando and Miami, and north to Charleston and New York, as well as to regional destinations such as St. Augustine and Lake City. The Jacksonville Greyhound Station is located in the heart of downtown Jacksonville, next to the AT T Tower. The JTA Skyway Central Station is located across Bay St. (at the rear, south side of the Greyhound station building). edit
Unless you want to spend a lot of time waiting for buses, a car is a must to fully experience Jacksonville; due to Jacksonville's size and low density, most destinations are not within walking distance of each other. Mass transit is limited to the city bus system, and an elevated rail system in the downtown district that links both banks of the river with a crossing on the Acosta Bridge. The bus system is minimally adequate; no bus runs past midnight, and many bus routes stop running at around 8 or 9PM. All buses are linked via GPS to a central control system and stops are well-marked throughout the entire city.
Jacksonville Transportation Authority , Phone: hotels florence (904) 630-3100, [8] . The bus system is fairly extensive in scope, but you must plan ahead as the frequency of stops is between 30 minutes to an hour. Buses are air-conditioned and reasonably comfortable, but JTA buses struggle hotels florence with on-time performance.
It is also possible to bike around the historic neighborhoods of Riverside, Avondale, Murray Hill, and San Marco. Starting in Riverside, you can walk or bike down the Riverwalk to the Main St. Bridge, located in downtown. Ride or walk over the bridge to access San Marco and its many shops and restaurants. Biking is a great way to enjoy the urban core's varied and beautiful hotels florence architecture which is so easy to miss by car.
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens , 829 Riverside Avenue, Phone: (904) 356-6857, [17] . Tu 10AM-9PM; W,F,Th,Sa 10AM-4PM; Su 12PM-5PM. A recently hotels florence expanded art gallery and formal garden set alongside the Jacksonville waterfront. Features hotels florence primarily European and American paintings as well as a large collection of early Meissen porcelain.
Museum Of Contemporary Art Jacksonville , 333 North Laura Street (Downtown Jacksonville), Phone: (904) 366-6991, [18] . Tu, Fr, Sat, Sun 10AM-4PM; Wed, Th 10AM-9PM; Closed Monday. This Museum recently relocated to its Hemming Park location in the historic Western Union Telegraph Building and presents a large number of innovative contemporary art exhibits created by regional, national and international artists.
The University of North Florida Gallery , 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road, Phone: 904-620-2534, [19] . M,W,Th 9AM-5PM; Tu 9AM-7PM, F 9AM-3PM. Features several exhibitions each year including regional and national artists and UNF faculty and student art.
The Riverside Arts Market , Riverside Avenue at Interstate-95, Phone: 904-554-6865, [24] . Open every Saturday 10AM-4PM, April to December. A weekly arts crafts market on the Riverwalk under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge.
The Jacksonville Landing , located downtown on the northbank of the St. Johns River, is Jacksonville's festival gathering place. This retail and entertainment center has as its attractions waterfront dining, nightclubs and unique shops all in an urban, maritime setting. This is a prime location for holiday celebrations and viewing downtown fireworks. During the Christmas season, the Landing is also the site of the largest Christmas tree in northeast Florida. [25]
Hemming Plaza is a block sized park in the center of Jacksonville's downtown. Named for Confederate veteran Charles C. Hemming, hotels florence who in 1898 donated to the City the Confederate monument which is the focal point of the park. The park is surrounded by Jacksonville's City Hall, the United States Courthouse, the Museum Of Contemporary Art, the new public Main Library for Jacksonville, the former Snyder Memorial Church and various restaurants. Step inside City Hall, which is a restored department store built in 1912 and designed in the prairie style by noted local architect Henry John Klutho, and take a look at the large, sunlit atrium which dominates the interior of the structure. The new downtown Main Library opened in 2005 and is the largest Main Library in the state of Florida. The postmodern structure was designed hotels florence by noted architect hotels florence Robert hotels florence A.M. Stern and features a Grand Reading Room and a quiet Courtyard for outdoor reading. [26]
Riverside , located about a mile southwest of downtown hotels florence on the banks of the St. Johns River, this neighborhood was built primarily between 1910 and 1930 and features a variety of historic homes, churches and apartment buildings. It has as its commercial center eclectic Five Points which features both unique retail and dining hotels florence all in a bohemian atmosphere. Also notable in the neighborhood is Memorial Park which is situated near Five Points adjacent to the River. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. and has as its centerpiece a statue of Winged Victory as a memorial to the dead of World War I. To visit this area from downtown, take Jefferson Street which becomes Riverside Avenue. [27]
Avondale , located along the St. Johns River just southwest of and adjacent to Riverside, was built during the 1920s Florida land boom as "Riverside's Residential Ideal". hotels florence The stately historic houses here were constructed hotels florence in a variety of architectural styles, hotels florence including Tudor, Georgian Revival, Prairie, Shingle, Mediterranean Revival and Bungalow. The commercial heart of the neighborhood hotels florence is known as the Shoppes of Avondale which are located along St. Johns Avenue between hotels florence Talbot and Dancy Streets. Here, there are many upscale hotels florence dining and shopping opportunities. [28]
Fort Caroline hotels florence National Memorial , Mt. Pleasant Rd., (904) 641-7155, [29] . Daily 9AM-4:45PM. The original hotels florence French fort, destroyed hotels florence by Spanish troops from St. Augustine, now lies somewhere beneath the St. John's River. A modern recreation currently stands on the riverbank with a museum dedicated to the first settlements by the French in the area.
Castle hotels florence Otttis hotels florence , on FL-A1A 3 miles north of St. Augustine, [30] . "an original landscape-sculpture, Done in Remembrance of Jesus Christ". This privately owned castle modled after "an Irish castle of 1,000 years ago" is open by appointment hotels florence to school and church groups. It is clearly visable from SR A1A and is illuminated with blue lights from within at night.
Museum of Science hotels florence and History , 1025 Museum Circle, (904) 396-6674 ( Fax: (904) 396-5799 ), [32] . M-F 10AM-5PM; hotels florence Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1PM-6PM. Also known as the "MOSH" by locals, the museum has many interesting science exhibits, and some interesting information hotels florence about local history.
San Marco Theatre , 1996 San Marco Blvd., 904-396-4845, [33] . The oldest running first-run single-screen theatre in Jacksonville. Serving up your favorite beers, wine and food while you watch the movie. Fantastic midnight film series.
Riverside Arts Market , 715 Riverside Ave ( Riverside Ave. under the Fuller Warren Bridge ), ☎ 9043892449 , [34] . 10-4 . More than 100 vendors offer handmade art, specialty foods, farmer's market, and a variety of entertainment. Open every Saturday, March through December, "RAM" is Jacksonvil