Folks Staying in Jacksonvillle 11/24 - Check it Out!

Stick007

Happy Thanksgiving Jammers!

As a resident of Jacksonville, I wanted to share a couple things and give some advise about the Saturday night show. This is the same weekend as the Jacksonville Light Parade. The town Christmas tree is light at the Jacksonville Landing, there is a boat parade with 75-100 boats cruising the river, and a fireworks display after the parade. It's all quite beautiful and a great time, but we will be at the show for most of it at this starts at 7pm. So......what does this mean to you?

If you are staying on the Northbank (Downtown - Hyatt, Omni hotels):
Expect large crowds, give extra time to get around. Parking will likely be very difficult to find.

If you are staying on the Southbank (Crown Plaza, Wyndham hotels):
Normally, you would walk/drive across the Main St./Acosta Bridges to get to the Times-Union Center, but these bridges will closed from 2pm until after midnight. You will have to use the Fuller Warren or Matthews Bridges if you are crossing during these times. First, I would not recommend walking over either bridge. There are a couple alternatives such as the Jacksonville Skyway Express (free) and Water Taxi (was $3 last time I went, cash only).

Here are some links so you can plan accordingly:

Light Parade Info: http://www.makeascenedowntown.com/Event ... arade.aspx

Skyway Express: http://www.jtafla.com/Schedules/showPage.aspx?Sel=15

Water Taxi (website under construction): http://www.jaxwatertaxi.com/

Jacksonville Attactions: http://www.jacksonvillelanding.com/visitor/attractions/

The Light Parade website says to expect 200,000 people, but I believe that number is high. But still, this is one of the larger events downtown. I hope everyone travels safely and has a great time at the show. If anyone has questions, ask away.

Regards,
JB

Mike's Side

This helps thank you

PorchgirlCO

Good info, JB. Thanks!!

MH66460

Thanks for the info. Arriving tonight already and staying at the Hyatt. Should be OK to find parking tonight?

Stick007

Good morning. No problem with the info. I'm actually staying across the river, so I'm glad I realized the closures before Saturday. As for the Hyatt, you will be fine. They have a parking garage, which is about $20 outer day. There is a small amount of public parking around. The Hyatt is usually also the hotel for away NFL teams, so the Tennessee Titans will likely be checking in tonight as well. Have fun!

MH66460

thanks! any idea if there are any pre-parties planned for the shows or even tonight?

I am fighting a 9 hour jetlag and need to stay up as long as possible .. .

Stick007

I'm not aware of any formal parties, but the Jacksonville Landing would be the likely spot for you. It's between your hotel and the concert venue. It's about a 5-10 minute walk on the riverwalk from your hotel. It has several restaurants, bars, and shops, and should be open until midnight.

Glentazman

I recommend Intuition Ale Works and Bold City Brewery out in Riverside to check out if you are from out of town and want a local beer. Heading there at 3pm today to fill a few growlers myself for the weekend.

http://www.intuitionaleworks.com/

http://www.boldcitybrewery.com/index.php

They are about a block away from each other.