Here's How Lame Jacksonville, Florida Is These Days.

Downtown Jacksonville is pretty cool!

For this edition of dashboard tours, I took 95 south towards the biggest city in Florida, Jacksonville. The goal was to record the downtown area of Jacksonville. On my way, as soon as I crossed into the state of Florida, I pulled over to look at baby gators that were in an aquarium in a convenience store.

Then off to Jacksonville proper. We were lucky - the skies were totally bright and clear, and highs were in the low 70s. It was a perfect day for filming. The day was Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at about 1 pm.

Jacksonville is not only the biggest city in terms of population in the US, but it’s also the biggest city in the country in terms of square miles. And Jacksonville is the 12th biggest city in the country and growing like gangbusters. Because all of the northerners are sick of high taxes and cold weather.

Jacksonville was originally Seminole territory. This area was once managed by both Britain and Spain, but it became an actual city in 1822, and was named after then governor Andrew Jackson who went on to become our 7th president.

Downtown Jacksonville is made up of 8 districts - the central core, the Southbank, Lavilla, Brooklyn, the Working Waterfront, the Cathedral, the Church and the Entertainment and Sports District.

Now downtown Jacksonville, as you’ll see, was really kind of empty in terms of foot traffic. While there were cars driving around, most of the people walking around were either homeless folks, panhandlers or cops. I seriously think if you counted the number of cops on bikes and on patrol that number would be around 30. Why is that? I don’t know. That’s a question only someone in downtown Jacksonville can answer.

Here’s the rest of downtown Jacksonville.

So that was downtown, but I also wanted to quickly show you what Jacksonville looks like across the bridge. They call this Southside. Many of the condos and apartments and homes look like this. There are strip malls over the place that look like this. And you can take roads that look similar to this all the way to the coast - a journey that would take approximately 15 minutes.

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[HappyHooligans]

As someone who lives near downtown Jacksonville and goes fairly frequently to concerts at the Time Union Center and Florida theater, I'm not sure why people keep mentioning crime. We park blocks away and walk downtown with zero concerns for safety. My teen children fish along the banks of the St John's downtown. They also canoe up and down the river frequently. I feel perfectly safe walking along the river walk at night with my children. It's lovely! We may see an occasional homeless person sleeping on a bench but they leave us alone. There are lots of people out on bikes and running. I think the real reason people don't go downtown is that there just aren't enough things/events bringing people downtown. I think other people just think downtown is ridden with crime when it's really not that bad.

[Barboy]

The soundtrack is very calm and soothing. Thanks Nick for showing us around Jacksonville! Keep up all the good work you put into your content.

[UDCMComedy]

I love Jacksonville. I’ve been here 14 years. It’s too big and your video only explores part of downtown — you leave out surrounding areas like San Marco, Avondale, Brooklyn, Murray Hill and more that are within miles from where you drove. It’s a city with a lot of hidden gems. It is a commuter city that really should be split into two cities though.

[Charlie-xplq]

Hey Nick, your drive around videos are good but the ones where you are narrating the whole time are Gems. They are very informative and entertaining .

[HighkeyyMikey]

Hecksher drive is a hidden gem! I get emotional thinking about it! There’s so much beauty out there from the beaches to the Kingsley plantation, the seafood, American beach which was the first beach for African Americans, the piers, Talbot islands, all the way down to fernandina to fort clinch!! I miss Jax so bad! Lived there for 12 years!

[sherrydalton]

I lived in Jacksonville for 15 years and I absolutely LOVED living there. I’m not sure why it gets such a bad rep. The west side and north side are crappy and I’d never want to live in Orange Park because the traffic is insane, but Mandarin, Town Center, Downtown/Riverside/San Marco, intracoastal west, Jax Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach are all nice.

[jillmorton]

I lived 6 miles to the ocean when I lived in Jax, it was rather awesome I must say. I dont miss the insane traffic, but I had good memories there😊

[chicosajovic]

looks boring. As a northerner i can say confidently say that while we may complain about state income taxes and the cold weather, no one ever moves to Florida to make money.

[DavidandShirley]

Looks much nicer than I was expecting 👍

[howardkerr]

Lots of " interesting " comments, so I will add mine in hopes of balancing some of the negative comments.
I was stationed at N.A.S. Jacksonville in 1971 and was transferred to N.A.S. Cecil Field in 1974...and yes, I know that Cecil Field is no longer an N.A.S. In that time frame there was little in the way of development east of St. John's Bluff and west of Old Middleburg Rd. Downtown actually had several department stores and there were thriving malls on Roosevelt and Normandy Blvds. Southside was actually a nice place to live, with Southside Blvd south of Beach Blvd very sparsely developed. Phillips Highway? It was also sparsely developed south of Baymeadows.
In the 70s, homes and rental property was cheap.
In 1976 I was transferred, and hoped to eventually return, it took nearly 10 years. In that 10 years Jacksonville " exploded " with growth nearly everywhere but the Arlington area. It was starting to lose the attractiveness it once had as the population shifted towards the beaches on the east and St. John's County in the south.
In 1988 I was transferred again, to Memphis. And it would take nearly 23 years before I moved back to Jacksonville.
For everyone who thinks Jacksonville is a second rate city...go live in Memphis, it is MUCH, MUCH WORSE on nearly every measure. I lived in Jacksonville the 3rd time from 2011 to 2017. And why did I move? The over developed real estate which brought massive crowds with it. And to service those crowds, higher taxes.
Yes, downtown is a bit overwhelming with so many homeless people, but my experience in Memphis was ALWAYS much worse. Homeless people there were/are angry, aggressive, and even a bit verbally abusive. Crime, particularly violent crime was not limited to 1 part of Memphis like it seems to be (?) in Jacksonville (I am referring to the Northside).
I now live an hour south of Jacksonville in a still rural, small town, area...and I hope it stays that way.
Would I still be living in Jacksonville? Yes, but for having made A LOT of bad financial decisions all through my life. I had a wonderful home near Edgewood and Roosevelt, an area that I fell in love with 45 years ago but has been slowly moving out of my price range.
When I drive up to Jacksonville on " business " I kick myself for not visiting the many interesting areas, with their restaurants and small shops. It's not perfect there, but it isn't as bad as several people here painted it as being.

[highlymedicated]

I will never understand for the life of me why they will not Revitalize that downtown it is one of the most scenic in the country with those bridges and river. It's always a ghost town year after year that I go they're hoping for a change

[nathanbritt]

Love your channel man, I live on the outskirts of Jacksonville, I really love this city, definitely my favorite Florida city for sure!

[MrKevinEaddy]

Jacksonville is weird.. Right on the Ocean, beautiful landscape, and Boring AF

[lcinflorida]

TY Nick for this! I know this area vaguely; I live 4 hours away in the panhandle. You gave great information and I found it very calming after a rough day! I really do appreciate you...

[gauravmittal]

Wow man, i have been looking for a video like this to recall my old memories from year 2007 when i last visited this beautiful town for official purposes. I just so loved this city, i had always hoped of going there and living there forever but alas, couldn't fulfill my dreams, nevertheless, good to relive those days and see the city in person again...!!

[robertmoore]

Welcome to my adopted hometown, Nick. I’ve been here since 1984 we moved here by the Navy from California. I hope you had a pleasant and safe stay. God bless, your friend Robert…

[szkptnc]

Jacksonville is mad cool. I stopped by it in person in the Northside area of it In March in the middle of my road trip. I shopped at the riverside marketplace area to get some travel goods. Being from the northeast it was a huge shock stepping out into the city and seeing all these palm trees and warm winds. It was very pretty, peaceful and quiet. I remember having ice cream there and the locals/workers were nice. I also the stores being much bigger in size than the ones back home. I also remember being at the dollar tree and the cashier gave me my change from her personal penny jar or whatever. Overall I totally plan on going back to the city and seeing more of it in the future. I'll always have love for this city💯

[whiterabbits]

Lol this ASMR music is putting me to sleep 😂 must be the combination of motion and music.

[JohnDaker_singer]

Oh man Nick! You can literally see my penthouse apartment from my single days living in downtown Jacksonville in your picture for the video. I could talk for hours about the history and culture of Jacksonville. I am a fifth generation Jacksonville person, and I have a history degree dude! Why didn’t you call me before you made this video? Lame.

[goldtopazasylum]

My brother used to live here, i sent him this link for old times sake, thanks Nick :)