Getting to Know My City :: My 2015 Jacksonville Bucket List

My husband and I aren’t Jacksonville natives. We didn’t move here after graduating college because of deep rooted ties or family. Employment brought us to Jacksonville, plain and simple. When you’re newly married and fresh out of college, you go where an employer is willing to pay you. I still remember driving through downtown with a car full of boxes glancing over at the blue lights on the bridge convinced this was a temporary stopping point on the way to some place different. 

After 15 years filled with various jobs, purchasing our first house, and the birth of both our children, we now call Jacksonville our home. Or Oakleaf Plantation in Orange Park to be exact. That’s an important distinction because this gloriously planned community that includes schools, parks, organized youth sports, and shopping centers within a mile can allow our family to enjoy life without stepping foot outside of our neighborhood. 

That’s not a bad thing but in recent months, I’ve come to appreciate all that Jacksonville and the surrounding areas have to offer and also realized that there is so much I’ve yet to explore about the place we’ve come to call home. With that in mind as I finally settle into 2015, I’ve created my list of places to go and things to see. They range from independently owned businesses to historic places, and of course places to eat and drink because what better way to explore a city than through it’s food?

Below is my 2015 Bucket List of Things to Do In and Around Jacksonville

Get Lost in Chamblin Bookmine

Bookmine
Contributor Shannon Bekham’s kids in the aisle of Chamblin

As the leader of the JMB Book Club, how could I not start this list off with something book related and how in the world is it possible that I’ve never been to a place that boasts 55,000 square feet of books combined at their locations? It’s because this isn’t the kind of place a book lover like myself can take lightly. It’s an event and once I step foot in the front door, I’m in for the day. If I go missing for a few days, you know where to find me.

Travel Back in Time and See a Movie at San Marco Theatre 

Built in 1938 and restored 8 years ago, The San Marco Theatre was recognized by USA Today as one of the 10 best classic cinemas in the USA. In this day and age of IMAX and big sound, there’s something appealing about stepping back in time to just enjoy a good movie. Did I mention they sell food like quesadillas and paninis along with beer and wine? 

Wander the Riverside Arts Market (Not In The Winter)

Our Trip to Winter RAM
Our Trip to Winter RAM

I’ve actually attended the Riverside Arts Market recently. It was January so it was the Winter RAM, and I must say

that I felt slightly cheated. Not because the vendors weren’t amazing and the atmosphere still fun, but I could tell that when this event is in full swing on non-winter month Saturdays, it’s the place to be if you want to truly experience a diverse mix of what the Jacksonville area has to offer.

Visit a Fish Camp… Any Fish Camp

We are lucky to live in a part of the country where fresh seafood is readily available, and one of the best ways to experience that is at a local fish camp. I’ve talked about going as this is the type of restaurant you can walk in with the kids and know you’re not interrupting someone’s special date. This is the year I stop talking about going and actually take in the rustic appeal and taxidermy experience. My best bet is Whitey’s Fish Camp out in Orange Park off of CR 220, but there are plenty to choose from in the surrounding areas.

Complete the Gate River Run

I’m currently pausing while my husband and pretty much anyone who knows me stops laughing… This isn’t really going to happen. I don’t run on flat ground so bridges aren’t in my future, but this is a great event in our area that I’ll gladly support from the sidelines anyone who participates in this race. As the largest 15K race in the United States, it seemed shameful not to include it on this list just because I’m challenged by the concept of running.

A Race I Can Actually Finish – Jax Ale Trail

“Beer Will Change the World. I Don’t Know How But I Know It Will”

Beer will change the world
A picture from Jacksonville’s Craft Beer Scene

This sign hangs proudly at Intuition Brewery, and although I’m not sure about changing the world, it sure is a booming industry in the Jacksonville area. The local craft brew scene isn’t just about the beer, although it’s really good beer. It’s also about local businesses engaging in the community, revitalizing certain parts of town, and showing that small, independent businesses can thrive when offering a high quality product. I’ll be writing a more detailed recap of the craft beer scene in a future post, but I encourage you to stop in and pick up your Jax Ale Trail Passport today!

Eat Ice Cream at Dreamette

Apparently, you haven’t lived until you’ve had Dreamette’s Banana Split in a Cup. I vow to start living through ice cream at this 1950’s ice cream shop in 2015.

Experience St. Augustine’s Night of Lights

We’ve visited the museums, the Castillo de San Marcos, and taken the Trolley Tour thanks to public education and it’s dedication to this field trip. I’ve wandered St. George Street, eaten some great food, and attended a few concerts in the nation’s oldest city, but every year I say I’m going to pack the kids up and take them to the Night of Lights. Every year, I put on my pjs and decide to stay home instead. No more. This year, we’ll brave the crowds and participate in 21 years of holiday tradition.

Since that leads me up to December, I think that’s enough exploring to keep me busy in 2015. How about you? What places and activities do you want to explore this year? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Exploring My City in 2015

Christie Pettus
Christie Pettus is a full time working wife and mother living her suburban cul de sac dream in Orange Park, Fl. She is Mom to two awesome teenagers, McKenzie and Ethan, who have come to accept that certain parts of their lives will be blogged about, so they should act accordingly. As graduates of the University of Florida, she and her husband Ryan can be found rooting on their alma mater every chance they get including the more obscure sports. LaCrosse anyone? When she’s not judging her kids' questionable teenage choices, she can be found hiding in a room buried in a good book or writing, editing, and dreaming about being a full-time author.

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