JACKSONVILLE AND NORTHEAST FLORIDA SPONSORED SECTION 19
It’s not just Jacksonville
attracting attention.
Money magazine named St.
Augustine as its number one
U.S. travel destination in 2017,
describing the city as “bustling with
modern explorers seeking pristine
beaches, outstanding golf, great
restaurants, and solid value for their
travel dollar.”
Beyond its historical sites that
attract visitors, St. Augustine “offers
its residents all of the elements that
make living well easy,” says finance
website WalletHub. It ranked St.
Augustine as the second-best U.S.
beach town for quality of life.
Fernandina Beach — a city that
has lived under eight different flags
since the 16th century — offers a
history just as long as St, Augustine’s.
Coastal Living magazine
named it one of the 20 best coastal
cities to live in, “with a 50-block
historic downtown so pretty it
demands its own series of postcards.”
That beauty apparently entices
visitors to stay. The Huffington Post
listed Fernandina Beach as one
of nine U.S. beach communities
“where you’ll come for summer but
stay forever.”
Cannon firing demonstration at
Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine
Centre Street in Fernandina Beach
Beachside living is an
obvious draw for visitors
and residents, but the
inland communities have
a lot to offer too.
In Putnam County, you can follow
explorer William Bartram’s footsteps
and boat trails and experience
much of the same wildlife and
scenic beauty he encountered in
the 1700s.
Kayaking on Black Creek
The forested woodlands and
swamps of the Osceola National
Forest in Baker County also provide
opportunities for wildlife viewing,
camping, hiking, swimming,
fishing, hunting and riding horse
trails.
Clay County recently embarked
on a branding and placemaking
campaign: “Clay County. Small
Towns. Big Passions.”
“The new logo and seal represent
who we are — a community of small
towns that are passionate about the
place we call home,” says Wayne Bolla,
chairman of the board of county
commissioners.
While Clay County is filled
with small towns, Duval County is
comprised of mainly one big city. At 840
square miles, Jacksonville is the largest
city by area in the continental U.S.
However, the neighborhoods of
Jacksonville can give it the feeling of a
small community.
“A lot of people here will call it the
biggest small town you’ve ever lived
in,” says Mitura of Visit Jacksonville.
And wherever you choose to visit or
live in the Jacksonville area, you’ll find
an area to suit you, she says. “You want
to come here because you think you
can do anything here.”
And yes, it’s easier.