How To Spend 2 Days In Jacksonville, Florida Travel Itinerary Arriving At The International Airport, Short History, 10 Things To Do

November 1, 2026

Short History

Jacksonville, FL is the largest city by land area in the continental US (~680 sq mi). The area was home to the Timucua people before Fort Caroline (1564), a short-lived French colonial settlement on the St. Johns River, was built. The British later established a settlement, and the modern city was incorporated in 1832. It grew around the port and rail, and today anchors the Southeast’s economy with 22 miles of Atlantic beaches, a thriving arts scene, and the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

Getting From JAX to Downtown

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) sits ~14 miles north of downtown. Your options:

Option	Time	Cost
Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)	20–30 min	$28–42
Taxi	20–30 min	$40–55
JTA Bus Route 50	55–70 min	$2.00
Rental car (I-95 S)	20–25 min	varies

A rental car is the most flexible choice given the city’s sprawling layout.

2-Day Itinerary

Day 1 – Downtown, Art & the River

Time	Activity
Morning	Drop bags, grab coffee at Bold Bean Coffee in Riverside/Avondale; stroll the historic streets
Mid-morning	Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens (~2 hrs) – American/European art + riverfront gardens
Lunch	Black Sheep or Orsay in downtown
Afternoon	Walk the St. Johns Riverwalk, see Friendship Fountain, browse murals; optional free Skyway ride
Evening	Dinner at River & Post (cocktails + river views) or Eleven South; nightcap at Grape & Grain Exchange

Day 2 – Beach, Zoo & History

Time	Activity
Morning	Drive east (~30 min) to Jacksonville Beach / Neptune Beach; swim, walk the boardwalk, spot dolphins from the pier
Lunch	Taco Lu (Neptune Beach) or Hoptinger (Jacksonville Beach)
Afternoon	Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens (122 acres, 2,000+ animals) or Catty Shack Ranch for rescued big cats
Late afternoon	Kingsley Plantation (free self-guided audio tour) – one of the oldest Black-owned plantations in the US
Evening	Dinner in San Marco at Taverna (brick-oven pizza, wine) or The Bearded Pig

Tip: If you arrive on a Saturday, swap in the Riverside Arts Market (10 AM–3 PM, under the Fuller Warren Bridge) for the morning of Day 1.

10 Things to Do in Jacksonville

#	What	Why
1	Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens	122 acres, 2,000+ animals, 1,000 plant species
2	Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens	Classic art + manicured riverfront gardens
3	St. Johns Riverwalk	Scenic walk with skyline views, free
4	Jacksonville Beach / Neptune Beach	22 miles of Atlantic coastline, lifeguards, boardwalk
5	Riverside Arts Market	Saturday-only open-air market, live music, food trucks
6	Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary	Ethical tours of rescued lions, tigers, cougars
7	Kingsley Plantation	Free audio tour; oldest known Black-owned plantation
8	Jax Ale Trail / Bold City Brewery	Craft beer tasting through local breweries
9	Friendship Fountain & Skyway	Iconic downtown fountain + free aerial tram
10	MOCA Jacksonville	Small, well-edited contemporary art space

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