Discover Jacksonville: Top 10 Fun Facts About Florida's Hidden Gem

1. Nature's Oscars Winner

If Florida's "Nature Oscars" existed, Jacksonville would be sweeping up all the trophies like Meryl Streep on the big night: Jacksonville, Florida is home to over 80,000 acres of parks, including 3 National Parks, 7 State Parks, and more than 450 City Parks, making it a paradise for outdoorsy folks and fresh-air fanatics.
Source => visitjacksonville.com

2. Friendship Fountain's H2O Hugs

Who says fountains can't be friend-zoned? Jacksonville, Florida, is home to Friendship Fountain, generously showering visitors with H2O hugs since 1965: Once the world's largest and tallest fountain, Friendship Fountain could blast 17,000 gallons of water per minute up to 100 feet high. Following a $3.2 million renovation in 2011, this beloved icon now boasts color-changing light towers and continues to sprinkle a dash of camaraderie upon the city.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that Florida is home to one of the tallest lighthouses in the nation? Discover the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse, standing 175 feet tall with 203 steps, as it offers breathtaking views and a fascinating connection to the famous explorer. 🌊⚓️🔭

=> Fun Facts about Florida

3. Jacksonville's Cinematic Catwalk

Before Hollywood stole the spotlight with its flashy stardom, the little-known diva of the early 1900s, Jacksonville, strutted its stuff on the cinematic catwalk: Jacksonville was once called the "Winter Film Capital of the World," with major film studios flocking to its sunny climes for winter productions, and it even saw the birth of the first feature-length color movie, The Gulf Between, in Technicolor! While the limelight didn't last forever, smaller studios still call Jacksonville home, keeping a piece of its glamorous history alive.
Source => thecoastal.com

4. The "Udder" Origins

In a classic case of "udder confusion," Jacksonville, Florida, owes its bovine beginnings to a bunch of cows who knew how to ford rivers: It was founded in 1822 by Isaiah Hart, with the name "Jacksonville" created in honor of Andrew Jackson, the provisional governor of the Territory of Florida. Meanwhile, "Cowford" was merely the location at the St. Johns River where cattle fancied a little splash, but never the official name of the city.
Source => jacksonville.com

5. Jacksonville: Greener than Manhattan

If Manhattan were a sandwich, Jacksonville's parks would be the pickles – overwhelmingly larger and way greener: Jacksonville, Florida boasts the largest urban park system in the nation with over 80,000 acres, including 7 State Parks, 2 National Parks, a National Preserve, 400 City Parks and Gardens, and an Arboretum; making it 4 times larger than the island of Manhattan!
Source => visitjacksonville.com

6. Plant Tinder Profiles

If plants in Jacksonville, Florida had a Tinder profile, their tagline would be, "Looking for sunshine and good vibes all year long": Boasting an 11-month average growing season and base temperature of 32°F, Jacksonville enjoys the bounty of fresh produce and early blooms right from January 13th – a truly swipe-right-worthy destination for gardener enthusiasts and farm-to-table cuisine connoisseurs!
Source => weatherspark.com

7. Manatee-riatrics & Animal Wellness

In a city where manatees have their own doctors and "manatee-riatrics" is a legitimate medical field, Jacksonville takes animal wellness to a whole new level: The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens boasts not only a dedicated Animal Wellness team for their creatures' physical and mental health but also houses one of Florida's seven Manatee Critical Care Centers for rescuing and rehabilitating injured sea cows. No wonder the Zoo excels in connecting communities with wildlife and inspiring conservation efforts!
Source => jacksonvillezoo.org

8. Scenic Bridge Strollin'

If you've got a penchant for scenic bridge strollin' and admirable traffic jams, look no further than Jacksonville's marvel of urban engineering: The Henry Holland Buckman Bridge holds Florida's record for the most dual bridge lane miles, spanning over 16,000 feet, and is notorious for its traffic backups and accidents due to its incline.
Source => thecoastal.com

9. Sports Fan Stronghold

Where Gators quarterback, shrimp defend home plate, and golfers swing it like Ponte Vedra: Jacksonville not only hosts the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, who bagged their fourth division championship in 2022, but also serves as a stronghold for sports fans with minor league and semi-pro teams like the adorable Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in baseball, the frosty Jacksonville Icemen in ice hockey, the gnarly Jacksonville Sharks in indoor football, the brave Jacksonville Axemen in rugby, the towering Jacksonville Giants in basketball, and finally, the home of the PGA's Tour very own prestigious Players Championship held annually in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Underwater Hotspot

Move over Aquaman, there's a new hotspot in town: Jacksonville, Florida recently sunk two retired vessels off its coast to create artificial reefs. These shipwrecks, resting 90 feet below and peaking at 60 feet under the surface, now provide a thriving habitat for marine life and an underwater playground for diving and fishing aficionados.
Source => scubadiving.com