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Easy Living
A wide variety of entertainment and lifestyle options appeal to residents and visitors alike. But the best part may be finding “it's easier here.”
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.
