Jacksonville an d NORTHEAST FLORIDA
The cost of
living or
visiting
Northeast
Florida is
another
attractor.
18 JACKSONVILLE AND NORTHEAST FLORIDA SPONSORED SECTION
Jacksonville restaurants
are also getting praise. Forbes
Travel Guide named Jacksonville
as one of “5 surprising foodie cities”
to visit, citing its “melting pot of
cuisines.” Forbes cited fresh seafood
as an obvious attraction in an oceanfront
community.
Spoon University cited Metro
Diner, a homegrown restaurant with
a number of locations in Northeast
Florida, as the ninth best place in the
country for chicken and waffles.
For wine lovers, an unexpected treat
for visitors to the region is Flagler
Beachfront Winery — where “great
wine is made oceanside” — in Flagler
Beach.
Duval County alone has 1,100 miles
of shoreline along the oceanfront and
other waterways, and 80,000 acres of
public parks.
Travel guide book
publisher Lonely
Planet recently
ranked Jacksonville
ninth on its list of the
world’s “best value
destinations,” the
only U.S. city to make
the list.
Lonely Planet says the area’s
beaches, surfing, art and live music
have been overlooked by travelers.
“There are long stretches of the St.
Johns River, the Intracoastal Waterway
and America’s largest urban park
system to explore on foot, by bike or —
best of all — on a guided kayak tour.
“Barbecue joints and beachside
cafes offer good value and familyfriendly
dining, while a pint of craft
beer at one of eight local breweries
can be priced as low as $3.50. Not only
is Jacksonville affordable for sleeping
(with the lowest hotel rates in the
state), but you can feel as if you’re
discovering somewhere new.”
Skimboarding at Jacksonville Beach
Night out at TacoLu on Jacksonville Beach Biking on Riverwalk
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
Lonely Planet is just one in
a long list of travel guides that
praise Jacksonville.
Expedia’s Viewfinder travel
blog last year named Jacksonville
as one of “21 supercool U.S. cities.”
“Don’t let it fool you: Florida
isn’t all sultry, sizzling clubs
and glistening, tanned beach
worshippers. There’s also a more
counterculture face to the state,
and you’ll find it in Jacksonville,”
it says.
The blog cited innovative art at
places like the Cummer Museum
and interesting events like the
Riverside Craft Beer Festival and
the Jacksonville Jazz Festival.
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