Close your eyes and imagine the call of an osprey overhead as you paddle through a serene waterway. Imagine, for a second, the smell of sea oats at day’s end on a sunbaked sand dune. Whether you’re looking to relax in natural surroundings or get active in the great outdoors, Jacksonville makes it easy to get back to nature. The city is home to the largest urban park system in the United States, with hiking and biking trails galore. There’s more coastline to explore here than in any other city in Florida—22 miles of uncrowded beaches, to be precise—and water is at every turn, from the Atlantic Ocean and marshlands of the Intracoastal Waterway to pretty lakes and the snaking St. Johns River, itself, cutting a majestic path through downtown. Get here, then get outside—Jax does nature like no place else, and it’s yours to explore.
The low vantage point of a kayak puts you within a few inches of the water’s surface for a special perspective on Jacksonville’s wildlife and natural beauty. And since much of the area’s ecological wilderness can only be accessed by kayak or canoe, adventuring out with a paddle in hand is a great way to explore. With over 1,100 miles of navigable water here, you can choose your own adventure. Kayak Amelia offers two-hour guided tours through the Fort George Estuary that are timed with the tide and stop on a pretty sandbar for a break. You can also rent kayaks or paddle boards from the shop to explore the Talbot Islands on your own. For something more intrepid, Adventure Kayak Florida offers full-day kayaking tours on Julington Creek and Dutton Island Preserve. You might spot alligators, bald eagles and white-tailed deer along the way.
Florida’s mostly flat terrain may not seem like hiking territory. But Jacksonville surprises visitors with a web of trails that wend through the area’s diverse wetlands, hardwood uplands and other fascinating environments. The 15 miles of wooden paths at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park (locals call it Hanna Park) are popular with walkers and bikers, and the beach’s hard-packed sand is prime for a jog, with a dip in the ocean to follow. Head to the Theodore Roosevelt Area at the Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, part of the National Park Service, where trails crisscross 600 acres of hardwood forest, grasslands and wetlands. Keep your eyes peeled for white-tailed deer, wild turkey and hawks as you hike along the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail, a 14-mile mixed-use route popular with bikers, too, that cuts a swath through pine flats and wetlands.
The Sunshine State’s waves are challenging for surfers of all skill levels. Steeped with surfing lore, Jacksonville’s beaches are an ideal place to gain your footing with the sport. Rent a board from Jax Surf & Paddle in the cute town of Neptune Beach, and paddle out into the waves on your own or opt to take one of the group lessons offered every Saturday for beginner and intermediate riders. Surfers with more experience wax up for the break called Mayport Poles in Hanna Park, where the punchy waves tend to break best on the incoming and high tide.
You can camp year-round in Jacksonville, but the milder months of November through April are truly the perfect time to pitch a tent and build a campfire in one of the area’s natural wonderlands. Little Talbot Island State Park has 40 idyllic sites set within the coastal hammock within a short walk of the park’s pristine five-mile-long beach. At Hanna Park, both campsites and rustic cabins are available close to the park’s trails and beaches. And for an experience closer to glamping, stay in an air-conditioned yurt at Flamingo Lake RV Resort, where you can go for a swim or toss out your fishing line for bass (catch and release only) in the manmade lake onsite.
Largemouth bass, bluegills and redfish are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what might bite in Jax’s fish-rich waterways. The area is a pure angler’s paradise, where you can toss out a line from bridges, do some surf fishing on the beach or link up with an expert local fishing guide to explore secret spots within the inshore waterways. One of the best fishing spots in Florida awaits at the George Crady Bridge Fishing Pier State Park, where whiting and drum are often biting, and a tarpon might even hook your line. You can book offshore adventures, too, with an eye on landing wahoo, cobia, mahi and more.
Jax. It’s Easier Here.
