I have recently started trying new walking trails every week and this one came highly recommended…read more This was a very shaded walk with beautiful trees and paved boardwalk. This Preserve is rich in culture from the civil war era so very educational. I think kids would enjoy it. There were bathrooms and even a dog water station for the pups. There was a trail that was off path near the water and it was beautiful. I can only imagine how much prettier it is when the trees are in full bloom. Walking under the canopy of beautiful oaks felt like the cover of a book! The only negative was it says open every day at 9am but they never opened the gate. You can still access the preserve but everyone was parked outside and on the street. I will definitely be back!

Love this park. Just wish it was closer. A great place for a walk and exploring. As a photographer…read morethere are several spots throughout the preserve for portrait photos. Well maintained.

The Three Lions Fountain in Jacksonville is a nice, peaceful spot with some really cool detail on…read morethe lions. It's not a huge attraction, but it's great for a quick stop and a few pictures. Solid little place that adds some charm to the area.

Three Lions Fountain is the main focal point of San Marco. It really is beautiful and it's kept…read morewell-maintaned. During the day, you may often see little ones playing in the fountain. I'm not really sure if they're suppose to do that. But they sure do have fun and I've never seen anyone tell them not to. For all you Geocachers out there, I will tell you that there is a geocache hidden in this fountain. And boy are you going to have some people really staring, watching, pointing, and even laughing at you as you try to go for it. This area is ALWAYS busy, so you'll ALWAYS have eyes on you when you go for this geocache. Where is it? Well, believe it or not, the back of the lions have holes in them. Yes, yes they do. And you'll have to give the correct lion a rectal exam to get your hands on this geocache. Hubby and I use to be real big into geocaching and I let him have the honors of doing the rectal exam to get it! LOL We did get it, but like I said, we had eyes on us everywhere and people just couldn't figure out what the hell my husband was doing with his hand stuck up one of the lions a$$es! LOL Good Luck!

When the Mathews bridge first opened it was called a "bridge to nowhere" but that was back in 1953…read morewhen most of Florida was filled with dirt roads and woods, ferries littered many rivers and were still considered an innovated form of transportation, bridges of this magnitude were expensive and very difficult to justify especially in areas that had marginal volumes of traffic. But after more than 60 years this structure still stands tall and its importance has increase as have the traffic volumes soaring from a little over 4,000 vehicles on its opening day to more than 80,000 a day during peak times. With the upgrades to the decking from metal grates over the center span to concrete its apparent this bridge will continue to serve the community for many more years. This magnificent structure has witnessed a few changes since its construction I thought I'd list a few a snap shot of 1953 Bread: $0.16/loaf Milk: $0.94/gal Eggs: $0.75/doz Car: $1,850 Gas: $0.29/gal House: $17,400 Stamp: $0.03/ea Avg Income: $4,706/yr Min Wage: $0.75/hr DOW Avg: 28I

If you are a fan of Limp Bizkit, Fred Durst mentions Mathews Bridge in the song "My Generation."…read moreThe exact verse goes "if only we could fly/Limp Bizcuit style/John Otto/Take 'em to the Mathews Bridge/Can you feel it?/My g-g-generation/Get up, my g-g-generation/Are you ready?" In case you are wondering who John Otto is, it is really not a hidden meaning or some historical reference, John Otto is the drummer of Limp Bizkit. Yes, Limp Bizkit is a Jacksonville, Florida and I am sure have traversed Mathews Bridge many times. Mathews Bridge spans the St. Johns River and was built back in 1953. The Bridge is named after John E. Mathews, who was a Florida state legislator and Chief Justice of the 1955 Florida Supreme Court. A cool side note, the bridge was originally silver, but in 1984 the Bridge was painted maroon to commemorate the Jacksonville Bulls of the United States Football League being formed in Jacksonville, Florida. This bridge offers a good view and is definitely a part of Jacksonville lore and a definitive part of its landscape.

Sadly, the St. Johns River Light is on the Naval Station Mayport property and it is not open to the…read morepublic. You can get quite close to it though and for me, that was good enough. Constructed in 1858, it was decommissioned in 1929 and replaced with a lightship, the St. Johns Lightship (LV-84) that is moored 8 miles offshore. It was the third lighthouse to stand at the mouth of the St. Johns River, and was designed specifically to overcome the previous structures' problems with visibility and erosion. It is substantially taller and further from the waterline than its predecessors. The Old St. Johns River Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It is the oldest surviving building in Mayport, and was designated one most significant historic buildings in Jacksonville by the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission. [Review 15747 overall - 1330 in Florida - 1251 of 2021.]

Sadly, this lighthouse is not being well maintained and it sits behind a fence on the Mayport Naval…read moreStation, so you can't get close to it. There is a little pull off area, with a plaque, and I was able to get a picture through the fence. True lighthouse aficionados will enjoy this visit, but this is hardly a tourist attraction.

Had an amazing stop at The Lone Sailor and it ended up being one of those places that just hits…read moreright from start to finish. The vibe was perfect, relaxed but still lively enough that you feel like you are somewhere special and not just grabbing a quick bite. The kind of place where you sit down thinking you will stay for a short meal and then suddenly realize you have been there way longer because everything just feels comfortable. The food came out hot, fresh, and honestly better than expected. Every bite had that "yeah I would order this again" feeling, especially because it did not feel overcomplicated, just well made and satisfying. The drinks were cold and refreshing and paired really well with the whole experience. Service was friendly and easygoing, like the staff actually wanted you to have a good time instead of just rushing you through. That makes a big difference and it showed. Overall just a great spot in Jacksonville with good energy, good food, and a place I would definitely come back to without thinking twice. Five stars. Definitely worth a visit if you are anywhere near Jacksonville and want a solid meal in a great atmosphere.

Prepare yourself for a tidal wave of awe, admiration, and outright exuberance--because when it…read morecomes to Jacksonville's Lone Sailor on the Riverwalk, subtlety is left at the dock! There, upon the sun-drenched Southbank, gazing ever-steadfast toward the sparkling St. Johns River, stands a monument not merely of bronze and granite, but of valor, legacy, and Jacksonville soul itself! This isn't just a statue. It's a seafaring epic cast in metal--an ode to every sailor who has ever felt the bittersweet tug of the horizon, to every family who's stood watching a loved one depart or return. Sculpted by the legendary Stanley Bleifeld, the Lone Sailor leans with stoic purpose on a dock post, duffle at his side, cap set precisely so, that peacoat's collar upturned in defiance of any metaphorical storm. You can practically hear the briny breeze, the whispered memories, the pride swelling in the city's chest! The statue's placement on the Riverwalk is nothing short of poetic. With the mighty St. Johns as its eternal backdrop, the Lone Sailor becomes a part of Jacksonville's lifeblood, an indelible marker of its maritime identity. It is no accident that this is one of only a select few "Lone Sailor" statues in the nation--an honor bound to Jacksonville's historic, tight-knit bond with the U.S. Navy. This city doesn't just host the Navy; it embraces it as family, and this landmark is the bronze heartbeat of that relationship. More than an artwork, the Lone Sailor is a monument to service, sacrifice, and the spirit of adventure. At sunset, as the city skyline ignites and the river glows, there's almost a cinematic grandeur to the scene--the Lone Sailor silhouetted, embodying the courage, hope, and grit that pulses through Jacksonville's veins. Local, visitor, sailor, or civilian--none can stand before this icon and remain unmoved. It is Jacksonville's reminder that, just as the river flows onward, so does the legacy of those who serve. In the grand panorama of Jacksonville's Riverwalk, the Lone Sailor towers not just as a statue, but as an exuberant celebration of heritage, a cultural touchstone, and an eternally watchful guardian on the threshold between land and sea. If ever a landmark deserved unrestrained applause, it is this--so stand, salute, and bask in the boundless spirit of The Lone Sailor!

After sitting derelict for years, this house has been saved. Immediate 4 stars for that alone. Went…read moreto the grand opening event, not much to see since its been turned into offices for the NPS but it's preserved from destruction and that in itself is worth a Bravo!

I never imagined before that a residence of Napoleon Bonaparte Broward would still exists. But I…read morefound out about it online, and here it is, still standing after almost 140 years. This is a great place to learn about Napoleon Broward and his family and you will greatly appreciate the architecture style of that age. The private owners that currently own the house are very nice and this place is open to visitors. You have to check this place out, it's pure history that you will be breathing in. Beautiful house too.

We stopped by the Plaza de la Constitución in St. Augustine with my wife and kids while walking…read morethrough downtown, and it ended up being a really nice, easy pause in the middle of everything. It's an open square right in the heart of the historic district, surrounded by old buildings and shaded paths, with a lot of benches and space to just sit and take everything in. The kids had room to move around a bit, which was a relief after tighter streets, and my wife and I actually got to just sit for a few minutes without feeling rushed. We didn't do anything major there, just grabbed a snack nearby and enjoyed the atmosphere. It's not a "destination" in itself, but it's one of those spots that makes the whole downtown feel more open and enjoyable.

This is a really cool park in the historic part of St. Augustine. Very well-manicured and peaceful…read moreand surrounded by really cool shops, restaurants, and churches. It's so peaceful and tranquil. Definitely, you'll be walking through it if you're visiting any of the historic hotels, the Casa Monica, Flagler College, The Leightner Museum, the Treasury, or The Cathedral Basillica. The statue of Ponce De Leon and Old Market are at the East side of the Plaza at Charlotte St. At the North perimeter of the Plaza is Cathedral Place and the Basillica. The West perimeter is St. George St. And the Governor's House. The South perimeter is King St. and The Trinity Episcopal Church. .

This marker is on a vacant lot between the Duval County Courthouse and the onramp for I-95. There…read moreisn't much here and it's an up-and-coming neighborhood. The marker points out some Civil War history. It has the same text on both sides, reading "Jacksonville was an important port on the St. Johns River during the Civil War. It changed hands four times, finally ending up under Union control. In 1864, determined to prevent the city from once again falling into Confederate hands, the Union Army encircled it with temporary fortifications, called breastworks. Maps and archaeological testing showed this site was the location of Fort Hatch, which housed one of nine gun batteries built to protect the city. The chest-high fortifications contained barracks, mess halls, medical facilities, and parade grounds. Fort Hatch was named in honor of General John P. Hatch (1822-1901), who commanded various Union operations in the South. President Grover Cleveland awarded him the Medal of Honor in 1893 for his efforts during the Antietam Campaign. Notable occupants of Fort Hatch included members of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, raised in 1863 as the first northern unit of African Americans following President Abraham Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. The 54th grew to over 1000 men by May 1863, but by the battle of Olustree in 1864, the unit numbered about 500. The 54th retreated with other units to Fort Hatch after Union forces were routed at Olustee." It is marker number F-971 and was erected in 2017 by the Cowford Archaeological Research Society, Jacksonville Historical Society and the Florida Department of State. There is free street parking here. [Review 495 of 2025 - 2133 in Florida - 24057 overall]