Our Top 5 Neighborhoods: Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is the largest city in the contiguous U.S. and is home to many different neighborhoods. With so many options it can be difficult to pick where you want to vacation, buy a home, or spend your Saturday evening. To help out, we are highlighting 5 of our top neighborhoods in Jacksonville and filling you in on the things we love about each one. From the beaches, to the heart of shopping in the city, to the art-scene popular with young professionals, Jacksonville has it all - you just have to know where to look!

1. Jacksonville Beach

We couldn’t make this list without including Jax Beach. If you’re visiting Jacksonville, this is a must-see location, but it’s not just popular for tourists. Jacksonville Beach also offers an amazing residential community which is why many people call it their home. If it’s your first time here, you may be pleasantly surprised by the lack of congestion compared to many other Florida beach destinations. The wide beaches, newly improved pier, and abundant free parking close to the sand make this one of the best beach locations in Northeast Florida. If you are visiting Florida from out of state, you may be used to beach towns that lack the amenities and neighborhood feel of a typical city. Jax Beach’s close proximity to the rest of the city, and its unique residential community give it the feeling of a suburb right along the shore. 

2. Riverside

If you head west from Jacksonville Beach and cross the St. Johns River, you can find yourself in Riverside. We recently featured Riverside on our YouTube channel with a complete tour of this neighborhood. Check out the video below to learn more about this awesome community sitting right along the river. Some highlights of this community are its unique art culture, delicious food, and rooftop bars with water views. You’ll find a completely different atmosphere here for a dinner out than you will at the beaches or in Southside, so take at least one night of your trip to check out this historic part of Jacksonville. 

3. Southside

Southside is often left off lists, but when you start typing shopping and dining options into your GPS, you’ll often find yourself routed to this area of town! It’s full of rental options, restaurants, and home to the shopping hub of Jacksonville, the St. Johns Town Center. You’ll find nearly every store you could need here as well as some local favorite restaurants. Its central location makes it the perfect place to meet up with friends & family to share a meal or spend an afternoon shopping. Lots of businesses besides retail, including ours, also call Southside home and find that it’s a great central location for employees to commute to. We can’t leave this neighborhood without mentioning Tinseltown as well - home to more restaurants and one of the most popular movie theaters in the area, great for an indoor activity during a classic Florida rainstorm.

4. Mandarin

We just showcased Southside, which is more popular for apartment rentals than long-term residences, but travel a little further south and you’ll find one of the best residential areas of Jacksonville, Mandarin! It’s close proximity to shopping and the St. Johns River keep it near all the action of the city, while the beautiful neighborhoods bring in people looking for a quiet place to call home. Although many people live here, when you start to cruise off the main streets you’ll find some of the most peaceful roads in Jacksonville that make it clear why so many people are buying homes here. It’s also where you will find one of the two Trader Joe’s in the area as well as a Whole Foods - making it one of the best places for grocery shopping in Jax. 

5. Neptune Beach

We couldn’t wrap up this list without including Neptune Beach. Neptune Beach is a smaller community in Jax, located north of Jacksonville Beach. Like Jax Beach, it also features a beautiful shoreline but is most popular for its shopping and dining. Many of the well-loved restaurants and cafes are located just off of the sand. This makes it a great spot to grab dinner and take a walk on the beach at sunset, or grab a morning coffee and sit to watch the crashing waves. Be prepared to spend some time finding a spot to park, but that doesn’t deter even the locals from frequently visiting this area and taking in all it has to offer. 

That wraps up our top 5 neighborhoods in Jacksonville! With all the growth happening in Jax, we wouldn’t be surprised if our favorites change (or if we just need a longer list!) in the coming years. Consider visiting one, two, or all five of these popular spots on your next visit to Northeast Florida. If you’re moving to Florida and hoping to choose one of these neighborhoods to live in, reach out to us! We’d love the opportunity to give you more information about the real estate available within each one. You can find our contact information below!

904.204.9494

info@theroccogroup.com

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