Sports and Fitness

JAX prides itself on supporting its local NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Many, if not most, residents are season ticket holders and take this level of “fun” very seriously. Locals also enjoy other sports and fitness activities like minor league teams. Check out the Jacksonville Suns (baseball), the Jacksonville Giants (basketball), the Jacksonville Axemen (rugby) and the arena football team, the Jacksonville Sharks. In addition, the city celebrates local high school and college teams, hosting the annual Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. 

Downtown’s Sports Complex houses the TIAA Bank Field which contains cabanas, two swimming pools, VIP suites, live DJ’s and amazing cuisines options. This unparalleled venue was voted one of the Top Fan Experiences in the NFL. With a ticket to The Cooler, you can stand at field level for the entire game!

Tailgaters enjoy Intuition Ale Works & Manifest Distilling for craft beer & spirits purchases inside the Sports Complex while visiting 121 Financial Ballpark & the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. 

NFL: The Jacksonville Jaguars offer some of the lowest ticket prices in the NFL. Diehard Jags fans enjoy unparalleled experiences both outside AND inside the stadium, partaking of frequent dips in the stadium pools and sampling local cuisine and craft beers.  Check out the season schedule!

College Football: The great rivalry between Georgia and Florida is alive and well. Since 1933, thousands of football fanatics throughout JAX unite in one glorious roar for their favorite team. In addition, The TaxSlayer Bowl occurs every New Year weekend, bringing out the top of the SEC, the Atlantic Conference and the Big Ten Conference. Check out the schedule! 

Florida Surfing Association

904-626-9090

fsa@floridasurfing.org

Ride the Waves:

There are also a lot of options for water sports and fitness. Boasting the most shoreline in all of Florida, Jacksonville attracts anglers and surfers from all over the country. Surfing competitions abound throughout the year, including the Super Grom Surf Festival & the Florida Surfing Championships.

Fishing Licenses: Residents & visitors are required to obtain the appropriate license for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Licenses may be purchased online from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission or at select sporting goods stores. 

NOTE: A saltwater fishing license is required to catch crabs and lobsters.

St. Johns River Fishing: Trout, Redfish, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Jacks, Tarpon, Flounder, Specks (Crappie), Largemouth Bass, Catfish, various inshore saltwater fish.

Intracoastal Waterway Fishing: Enjoy fishing from docks and piers dotting various wetlands, marshes, flats and creeks or aboard a boat, kayak or paddle-board. Water levels dip significantly during low tide, so be mindful!

Top Intracoastal waterway fishing spots include: Dutton Island Preserve, Castaway Island, Pablo Creek.

Beach Fishing: Whiting, Ted-fish, Speckled Sea Trout, Pompano, Black Drum, Tarpon, Cobia, Sea Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Sailfish, Snapper, Grouper, Bluefish, Jack Crevalle and Snook. Enjoy some of the finest fishing at the beach or venture out to the Gulf Stream in your boat for the perfect catch from one of dozens of offshore artificial reefs.

Nassau Sound Fishing Bridge – Whiting, Jack, Drum and Tarpon. One of the best spots in the whole of Northeast Florida, this mile-long bridge spans the entire Nassau Sound and is easily accessible via the Amelia Island State Park.

Guana River Wildlife Management Area – Surf fishing, flounder, redfish, sea trout and black drum via Guana Lake and Lake Ponte Vedra.

Annual Fishing Contests:

• February-March: The North East Florida Wahoo ShoutOut is the largest Wahoo fishing tournament in the world.
• March: the El Cheapo Sheephead Tournament.
• July: The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament comes to town, with more than 500 boats fishing for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes. A long-standing tradition for JAX area residents, known as the largest kingfish tournament in the Southeast. 
• October: The Flounder Pounder tournament brings some of the best anglers in the Southeast to Jacksonville in search of the biggest flounder in the area.

The Junior Angler Offshore Tournament attracts amateurs and professionals alike. Established in 1991, this event requires a $10 entry fee and is a favored family event accommodating anglers under age 16. This tournament is founded in conservation awareness, excellent sportsmanship and the overall joy of fishing. In partnership with Fish Florida since 2007, various Junior Angler seminars are offered throughout the tournament week AND, for those without a boat from which to fish, Sister’s Creek hosts a Jr. Angle Dock Tournament. In addition, participants enjoy a food festival, the Liars’ Tent/live entertainment, various exhibitors, a boat display and the Boatique. Click here for a Complete Tournament Schedule.

Running Sports and Fitness Through JAX:

Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail: once a railroad track, this 14.5-mile, 12-foot wide terrain has been converted to a long, smooth walking/jogging trail boasting mighty oaks and cool pine trees with frequent glimpses of Florida wildlife. Please see the Baldwin Rail Trail Map.

S-Line Urban Greenway: this, too, was a former railway. Converted to a 5k paved, wide running trail, this begins in Durkeeville and winds its way through Historic Springfield where runners enjoy one of the largest, most impressive collections of Victorian homes in the Southeast. Please enjoy the S-Line Urban Greenway Map. 

Runners enjoy some of the finest trails and sidewalks lining local beaches and preserves, breathing in cool sea breezes while hitting the trails:

Downtown Riverwalk: beginning at Historic Brooklyn’s YMCA, toward San Marco Southbank, a 5-mile loop which curves around water, crossing two pedestrian bridges.

Beach Avenue: a 22-block, 5.5K jaunt past oceanfront homes along Beach Avenue. Begin at Atlantic Beach’s Town Center/One Ocean Resort, scaling the hill at 19th street about midway.

Theodore Roosevelt Area at Timucuan Preserve: this a difficult 6-mile loop, wooded, terrain-covered route, snaking through some of the highest elevations in JAX, passing through marshy manatee homes. While breathtaking, this route is not for amateurs.  Please enjoy the Theodore Roosevelt Area Map. 

Neptune Beach: runners enjoy the smooth, sandy 4K scenic running route at low tide amidst seagulls and sand dunes, followed by a dip at the popular surfing spot, Seagate Avenue.

A1A Timucuan Trail: a popular destination for long-distance runners, this trail connects Big Talbot Island to Little Talbot Island via a paved, marsh-surrounded path famous for wildlife sightings. Please enjoy the A1A Timucuan Trail Map.

Biking Sports and Fitness:

• Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park boasts phenomenal mountain biking trails: “Grunt,” “Misery,” and “Tornado Alley” for advanced riders. There are also several paths tailored to beginners. 
• Big and Little Talbot Island is home to unpaved nature trails full of forest and coastal views.
• Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail-Trail is a 14-mile, family-friendly ride through shaded woods and wetlands where wildlife roam. You are likely to encounter wild turkeys, deer, the occasional hawk and rabbits.
• Kayak Amelia at Long Island Outfitters offers guided bicycle eco-tours amidst the upland hammocks of Talbot Islands State Parks featuring gentle, rolling trails and oak-shaded paths where riders enjoy the melodies of song birds and sightings of gopher tortoises and armadillos.

Bikers utilize Mapmyride Jacksonville and most prefer a membership with Ride with the North Florida Bicycle Club. Locals also enjoy joining a ride.

List of Bike Rentals: List of Bike Rentals.

Hiking The First Coast:

There is no shortage of hiking trails in Jacksonville. Whether wandering along shady, tree-studded neighborhood streets or taking in the watery, local scenery via marshes and beaches, Jacksonville offers hikers a plethora of City, State or National parks and many nature preserves to keep your blood flowing.

• Hanna Park: with 20+ miles of hiking and biking trails, this beach park consists of boardwalks, leafy dirt and soft sand. 
• The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens: Arlington’s 2-mile, 120-acre urban woodland featuring natural ecosystems, rustic hiking trails, wildlife, native  drinking from natural streams and lily-covered ponds. 
• Tree Hill Nature Center: a 50-acre nature preserve with seven paved and natural trails featuring gardens, wildlife, a petting zoo and a hands-on natural history museum. 
• Theodore Roosevelt Area (within the Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve next to Fort Caroline): amidst the highest elevation, three peaceful hiking trails feature amazing biodiversity, among steep hills, woods and grasslands.

Additional Resources for hiking sports and fitness: Hiking Trails in Jacksonville & Trail Guides & Maps.

GOLF COURSES:

Golf: Amateurs and professionals enjoy a mecca of First Coast golf courses and the expertise of some of the country’s most renowned golf coaches. Check out Florida’s First Coast of Golf and the Annual Golf Visitor Guide for exclusive offers!

YOGA ON THE SAND:

If you have questions about sports and fitness in Florida, call Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Phil Aitken Home Team.