20 Fun Facts About Jacksonville Florida

Nestled along Florida’s northeast Atlantic coast, Jacksonville offers history, nature, sports and cultural attractions galore. Get to know this sprawling riverside city with these 20 fun facts.

1. Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States, spanning over 875 square miles.
2. The St. Johns River, which bisects the city, is one of only a few rivers in the U.S. that flows north.
3. This city has the largest urban park system in the country with over 80,000 acres of parks and preserves.
4. Baseball spring training has been held here since the early 1900s, with the city now home to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp minor league team.
5. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been named one of the top 10 zoos in the U.S. and features over 2,000 rare and exotic animals.
6. Jacksonville’s Friendship Fountain in the Southbank Riverwalk area is one of the world’s largest and tallest fountain sculptures.
7. The city has its own official cocktail – the Jax Beach Sunset, featuring vodka and key lime juice garnished with a sugar rim.
8. The city has two historic neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Riverside and Avondale.
9. Movies like The Devil Inside and Why Do Fools Fall in Love were filmed in the Jax due to its range of scenery.
10. Residents are called “Jaxsonians.”
11. The Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts is the largest theater in Florida and hosts over 175 events annually.
12. The Jax was once known as the “Winter Film Capital of the World” in the early 1900s.
13. The Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens features over 300 species of flora indigenous to northeast Florida.
14. In 2021, Forbes named Jacksonville one of the top 25 best places for business and careers in America.
15. The River City boasts the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in Florida, most prominently in the San Marco neighborhood.
16. The Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team plays at TIAA Bank Field in downtown Jacksonville.
17. The city hosts the annual Florida–Georgia football game, one of the biggest college football rivalries in the country.
18. The city has its own naval air station dating back to 1940, now a major military and civilian employer.
19. Notable natives include actors John Travolta and Charlize Theron.
20. The Jax hosts one of the largest LGBTQ Pride festivals in the Southeast, attracting over 180,000 people.

With an eclectic mix of attractions, outdoor recreation, history and Southern coastal charm, Jacksonville offers unique experiences. Come explore this vibrant Florida destination.