Galleries, museums and historic sites exist in such profusion that it's impossible to name them all. You Drop Not far from where Ponce De Leon landed in 1513, Jacksonville and the First Coast have been making history ever since. And the city has come a long way from its municipal birth in 1822 as a little place called Cowford on the north bank of the St. Johns. Nowadays the north bank is home to skyscrapers and The Jacksonville Landing, a fun place for browsing boutiques, shopping specialty stores, eating American or ethnic food and enjoying free, live entertainment. The Riverwalk, perfect for strolling or sitting, now graces both riverbanks, north and south.
Antique shops are plentiful.
The Avenues Mall features 125 stores in a contemporary setting. The historic Avondale Shopping District on the westside of town follows tree-lined St. Johns Avenue. On the southside, the San Marco Shopping District, an area rich in Spanish revival architecture houses lots of shops and restaurants. All age groups benefit from Jacksonville's ample supply of fine restaurants, however. Among Florida's Top 200, Florida Trend taps Jacksonville's Marker 32, Wilfried's 24 Mirimar, and The Wine Cellar for outstanding seafood and other continental favorites.