Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and occupies the Northeastern region of the state. The city is divided by the St. Johns River which stretches further to the south of Florida. The Northside neighborhood benefits from the pristine beaches of the Atlantic coast while West Jacksonville and Southside benefits from the natural beauty of the St. Johns River.

The city has a rich history which mainly revolves around the Spanish settlement when they drove the existing European settlers in 1565. The Fort Caroline on the riverbanks and the Fort Matanzas National Monument, a masonry watchtower built in 1924 on the Atlantic coast, are a few of the mementoes from that period.

Sports is one of the highlights of Jacksonville's culture. The city has several sporting facilities such as the Municipal Stadium which is home to the Jaguars (football), and the Baseball Grounds which is home to the Jacksonville Suns. The city also holds an annual 15K road race called the Gate River Run. The three-day event is broken down into the actual race and a series of expos promoting the sport and related health products. The Northside, West and Arlington areas have several golf courses for sports enthusiasts which are best for use during fall and spring when the sun is not too hot.

Being close to the ocean and the waterways, Jacksonville's gastronomical fares are commonly seafood. Visitors, however, still have the traditional southern-fried chicken, steaks, barbecue and sushi choices from the downtown or beach-located restaurants and cafes.

Sources:
St John's River - http://sjr.state.fl.us/
Jacksonville Suns - http://www.jaxsuns.com/
Jacksonville Jaguars - http://www.jaguars.com
Gate River run - http://www.gate-riverrun.com/
Fort Matanzas National Monument - http://www.nps.gov/foma/