When Grant Thornton opened its Jacksonville office in 2016, it had no problem recruiting staff from other offices of the accounting firm to relocate.

Julie Lamey, partner-in-charge of the office, says workers were attracted to the warmer climate and the natural beauty of the area.

“People were kind of surprised at how pretty it was,” she says.

Not only experienced accountants, but young graduating students also find the lifestyle appealing. Jacksonville University attracts students from all 50 states and several foreign countries, says university President Tim Cost, and 75% of them decide to remain in the area after graduation.

Lamey says Grant Thornton workers like the different “vibe” you can find in various neighborhoods of Jacksonville, from the artsy culture of districts near downtown like Five Points and Riverside to the laid-back atmosphere of the beaches.

“You can pick the culture that you like,” Lamey says. “Jacksonville’s a very easy place to live.”

Visit Jacksonville, the organization that promotes tourism, says the same thing. It recently unveiled a new slogan, “It’s Easier Here,” to describe why people love to visit.

“Unlike other major Florida cities with their overcrowded beaches, long lines and heinous traffic, Jacksonville offers visitors an easier vacation; one that’s still rich with art and culture, exciting outdoor adventures and thrilling sporting events; but at a slower, easier, more relaxed pace,” it says.

Katie Mitura, vice president for marketing and communications with Visit Jacksonville, says Florida tourists often overlook Northeast Florida when they think about the big attractions in the state.

“They don’t necessarily think of Jacksonville,” she says.

But she says Jacksonville has a lot to offer vacationers. “You don’t have to have a reservation to walk into a top restaurant. And we just have beautiful parks, amazing waterways.”

Duval County alone has 1,100 miles of shoreline along the oceanfront and other waterways, and 80,000 acres of public parks.

Travel guide book publisher Lonely Planet recently ranked Jacksonville ninth on its list of the world’s “best value destinations,” the only U.S. city to make the list.

Lonely Planet says the area’s beaches, surfing, art and live music have been overlooked by travelers. “There are long stretches of the St. Johns River, the Intracoastal Waterway and America’s largest urban park system to explore on foot, by bike or — best of all — on a guided kayak tour.

“Barbecue joints and beachside cafes offer good value and family-friendly dining, while a pint of craft beer at one of eight local breweries can be priced as low as $3.50. Not only is Jacksonville affordable for sleeping (with the lowest hotel rates in the state), but you can feel as if you’re discovering somewhere new.”

Lonely Planet is just one in a long list of travel guides that praise Jacksonville.

Expedia’s Viewfinder travel blog last year named Jacksonville as one of “21 supercool U.S. cities.”

“Don’t let it fool you: Florida isn’t all sultry, sizzling clubs and glistening, tanned beach worshippers. There’s also a more counterculture face to the state, and you’ll find it in Jacksonville,” it says.

The blog cited innovative art at places like the Cummer Museum and interesting events like the Riverside Craft Beer Festival and the Jacksonville Jazz Festival.

Jacksonville restaurants are also getting praise.Forbes Travel Guide named Jacksonville as one of “5 surprising foodie cities” to visit, citing its “melting pot of cuisines.” Forbes cited fresh seafood as an obvious attraction in an oceanfront community.

Spoon University cited Metro Diner, a homegrown restaurant with a number of locations in Northeast Florida, as the ninth best place in the country for chicken and waffles.

For wine lovers, an unexpected treat for visitors to the region is Flagler Beachfront Winery ­— where “great wine is made oceanside” — in Flagler Beach.

It’s not just Jacksonville attracting attention.

Money magazine named St. Augustine as its number one U.S. travel destination in 2017, describing the city as “bustling with modern explorers seeking pristine beaches, outstanding golf, great restaurants, and solid value for their travel dollar.”

Beyond its historical sites that attract visitors, St. Augustine “offers its residents all of the elements that make living well easy,” says finance website WalletHub. It ranked St. Augustine as the second-best U.S. beach town for quality of life.

Fernandina Beach — a city that has lived under eight different flags since the 16th century — offers a history just as long as St, Augustine’s. Coastal Living magazine named it one of the 20 best coastal cities to live in, “with a 50-block historic downtown so pretty it demands its own series of postcards.”

That beauty apparently entices visitors to stay. The Huffington Post listed Fernandina Beach as one of nine U.S. beach communities “where you’ll come for summer but stay forever.”  

Beachside living is an obvious draw for visitors and residents, but the inland communities have a lot to offer too.

In Putnam County, you can follow explorer William Bartram’s footsteps and boat trails and experience much of the same wildlife and scenic beauty he encountered in the 1700s.

The forested woodlands and swamps of the Osceola National Forest in Baker County also provide opportunities for wildlife viewing, camping, hiking, swimming,

fishing, hunting and riding horse trails.

Clay County recently embarked on a branding and placemaking campaign: “Clay County. Small Towns. Big Passions.”

“The new logo and seal represent who we are — a community of small towns that are passionate about the place we call home,” says Wayne Bolla, chairman of the board of county commissioners.

While Clay County is filled with small towns, Duval County is comprised of mainly one big city. At 840 square miles, Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the continental U.S.

However, the neighborhoods of Jacksonville can give it the feeling of a small community.

“A lot of people here will call it the biggest small town you’ve ever lived in,” says Mitura of Visit Jacksonville.

And wherever you choose to visit or live in the Jacksonville area, you’ll find an area to suit you, she says. “You want to come here because you think you can do anything here.”

And yes, it’s easier.