Things to Do

During the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, TIAA Bank Field will be your home away from home, and who wouldn’t want to have the world’s largest video boards and two swimming pools at home? And, if that’s not impressive enough, you’ll be wowed by all there is to do when you’re not tailgating or cheering for your favorite team.

Take the Ale Trail – Before or after a game, the Jax Ale Trail unites craft breweries around the city, many of them centered in downtown and the surrounding historic neighborhoods. Breweries on the Ale Trail include Aardwolf Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing Company, Intuition Ale Works, Bold City, Green Room, and Pinglehead Brewing. Check out all of the breweries on our list, and receive a Jax prize!

Take a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of TIAA Bank Field - Learn the history of the stadium, of the team and experience first-hand why Travel Channel named TIAA Bank Field on its bucket list of destinations for football fans to explore. Go here for more details.

Turn it Up at a Show - The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena hosts concerts, sporting events and other theatrics, and it’s all next door to TIAA Bank Field. Visitors can also catch popular musical acts, comedians and other performance artists at the historic Florida Theatre in the heart of downtown. For indie and local bands, head to Jack Rabbits and Underbelly, located in Jacksonville’s historic downtown and San Marco districts.

Revel in the Nightlife – The Elbow is a collection of bars, venues, restaurants and shops radiating from the corner of Ocean and Bay Street in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. Sip craft cocktails at Dos Gatos, grab a cold beer and hang out on the open-air patio at Burrito Gallery or dance all night at Mark’s Downtown Club and Lounge.

Catch Downtown Views from a Rooftop Bar - From trendy microbreweries in historic neighborhoods, to beachfront rooftops that let you take in Jacksonville’s coast and river regions, to some just-opened nightlife hotspots that still have that “new bar smell,” delight in delicious food and tasty cocktails at one of our rooftop bars.

Wine and Dine in Historic Neighborhoods – Visit 5 Points to watch cult classics at Sun-Ray Cinemas or enjoy the view from the rooftop lounge at Black Sheep, serving hand-crafted cocktails, made from local ingredients. Venture out the Shoppes of Avondale where you can hear live music at The Brick while enjoying modern American cuisine at this neighborhood hotspot.

Tee Off – Bring your clubs and hit the greens at one of 72 public and private courses. Rates are affordable and great deals are offered in the fall when the weather is ideal for a day on the greens. Area courses were designed by greats like Tom Fazio, Pete Dye, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Mark McCumber.

Learn and Play with the Kids Downtown – Bringing the kids to the big game? Visit one of the urban core’s attractions where kids can learn and play. Visit the Museum of Science and History (accessible by water taxi or the Skyway from downtown) to see live animal exhibits, a comprehensive history of Jacksonville exhibit, national rotating displays and the world’s largest single-lens digital planetarium.

Smell the Ocean Breeze – Sink your toes in more than 22 miles of white-sandy beaches. Work on your tan or get active, take surfing or kiteboarding lessons, rent kayaks and paddleboards, fish at the pier or rent a fishing charter boat at Jacksonville Beach.

Window Shop – Stroll through the St. Johns Town Center, listed as number nine on Forbes Magazine’s list of Top Shopping Destinations in America. Visitors browse or buy from an incredible selection of local and national brand retailers.

Remember our Heroes – Next door to TIAA Bank Field, pay tribute to lost and fallen soldiers at the Duval County Veterans Memorial Wall that recognizes veterans from all service branches - Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. The names of servicemen and women from World War I through Operation Desert Storm and the current war on terrorism are etched into the 65 foot-long black granite monument guarded by an eternal flame.

Live Like a Local – Find entertainment, activities, food trucks, and more of what makes Jacksonville so great at local historic neighborhoods like San Marco, Riverside, Avondale and Murray Hill all just a short bridge crossing and ride from Downtown Jacksonville. Swipe throughout social media for a look at everything that's #onlyinjax.