3rd Street W, Jacksonville
Northside
On the edges of city limits, the Northside offers a variety of residential communities for every budget and preference. Shopping, attractions, and nature preserves never come in short supply in these areas.
The Northside is notable for its shopping, attractions, beautiful state parks and nature preserves, and its proximity to the airport. The River City Marketplace, a commercial epicenter, offers outdoor shopping from over 70 retailers, as well as over 20 restaurants. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is one of the city's premiere attractions, with more than 1,000,000 visitors in the last year. Its marquee features include Range of the Jaguar, which won the 2005 AZA Exhibit of the year award and the Land of the Tiger, which opened in 2014 and features an innovative walk-through trail system for the two Sumatran and three Malayan tigers. Make your visit a full day experience by taking the Saturday Zoo Cruise on the St. John’s River Taxi. The water taxi runs in a continuous loop downtown every 30-35 minutes Tuesday- Friday, with special routes to the zoo on the weekends.
If you're looking for a way to quickly put the stress of travel behind you, head to the Talbot Island State Parks or the Kingsley Plantation. Located just 20 miles northeast of the city, these parks provide a not-to be-missed nature adventure. Three of Jacksonville’s main travel hubs –the Jacksonville International Airport, the Amtrak station and the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal, are located in this area.