5 Fun Things to Do at Jacksonville’s Beaches

When was the last time you “hopped the ditch?”

Despite being one of Jacksonville’s greatest assets, visiting the Beaches is often an afterthought for Jax residents west of the Intracoastal.

The area, while technically not part of Jacksonville city limits, is not a whole lot further away than any other given destination in our impossibly-large city. And with so much to offer its visitors, it’s rather baffling why more of us don’t routinely take advantage of the Beaches.

To help provide some motivation, we’ve highlighted a few fun things to do out at the Beaches. So go ahead, plan a trip across the Intracoastal this weekend – you won’t regret it!

CATCH SOME LIVE MUSIC

Freebird Live may be long gone, but there’s still plenty of live music at the Beaches.

You can catch great local and regional acts at Beaches venues like Blue Jay Listening Room, Lynch’s Irish Pub, Surfer the Bar, and more. And on weekends, the Seawalk Pavilion amphitheater in Jax Beach usually has something going on as well.

There’s almost never a night without at least one live show going on near the Beaches – so if live music is your passion, the Beaches should be your top destination.

HIT THE BEACH BARS

The “beach bars” are famous for being perhaps the most vibrant nightlife scene in all of Northeast Florida.

There’s a little of something for every style at the Beaches. There’s the buzzing, always-packed atmospheres of places like Lynch’s and The Lemon Bar, craft brewery spots like Reve Brewing, and plenty of dive bars in between.

Best of all, many of the most popular bars are within a mile radius of each other – making it easy to just walk from venue to venue without worrying about transportation.

DO SOME SHOPPING

The Beaches have a large collection of diverse boutique shops. You can find these shops all over the Beaches, but the highest concentration of shops can be found in Atlantic Beach’s Beaches Town Center.

The Town Center, located at the eastern terminus of Atlantic Boulevard, features over a dozen small local shops along with several great eateries to visit after a day of shopping.

And for even more options, check out the mall’s North Beach Art Walk on the third Thursday of each month from 5:00 to 9:00 PM.

SEE A SHOW

If you’re a big supporter of the arts, make sure to catch a show by the Beaches’ theatre troupe, Players by the Sea.

The group has been around for over 50 years and puts on several shows each season ranging from Broadway classics to contemporary works, with performances usually scheduled for Thursday through Sunday.

Click here to view the theatre’s schedule and to purchase tickets to shows.

GO TO THE BEACH!

Of course, the most fun to be had at the Beaches can be found on the beach itself.

Jacksonville’s Beaches are one of the area’s greatest assets, providing a quick getaway from the city and allowing residents to take advantage of Jax’s toasty summer climate.

Whether you prefer sunbathing, beach runs, or hitting the waves, the beaches themselves are the place to be on warm summer weekends.