Jacksonville Top 10

Now that we have lived in Jacksonville for almost 2 years, I wanted to share my Jacksonville Top 10! Living in Jax has been an interesting experience, but a good one! :) It has allowed us to venture to places like Savannah and Jekyll Island and take Macey Jane to the beach on a regular occasion!

1. Tacolu. I think Kyle would agree with me that Tacolu is one of the best restaurants in Jacksonville! What is even better is that is right down the street from us! Tacolu has a great atmosphere, margaritas and Bangin' Shrimp Tacos! :) They recently moved locations and they are ALWAYS packed! Tacolu is always Kyle's #1 choice for dinner! 
2. The Beach! We are about 12 minutes from the beach. I will admit that I have actually only been to Jax, Neptune and Atlantic Beaches a handful of times. I prefer going on base because there is never anyone there and it is practically a private beach! Macey Jane sometimes gets to take her leash of and run around. She loves chasing the sea gulls and running through the water. 
3. Chapel by the Sea. When we moved here, we tried a few different churches, but I was always a little bit disappointed with the modern, casual feel of most of the churches. For me, going to church in a bathing suit and coverup just doesn't cut it. After twisting Kyle's arm (he hates going to base when he isn't working), we attended Chapel by the Sea on base. For me, it was great. The service is quite traditional and regimented (communion every week) as the current Chaplain is Episcopalian, but I really enjoy the hymns that we sing and it remind me of my childhood. At the close of each service, we sing "Eternal Father Strong to Save", which is the military hymn. The entire chapel has banners of each command and through this past deployment it reminds me of Kyle and that he is with me in spirit at each service. 
4. Tijuana Flats. Well, I know that you can get this anywhere, but it is one of our favorites and it is literally 4 minutes from our house. If the weather is right, we sometimes take Macey Jane and ride our bikes too! Kyle and I got every Tuesday for Taco Tuesdays and we know all of the girls and they take GREAT care of us! It will be a sad day in our house when we can't go to TFlats! 
5. The St. Johns Town Center. Throughout college my group of friends used to venture to Jax for the Florida-Georgia weekend! We would always go to the Town Center. They have EVERYTHING you could possible need (except Macy's and Nordstrom, but Nordstrom is coming soon!) Great restaurants, shopping and a fun place to just walk around! Be advised though, you will get road rage trying to find a parking spot. I would also avoid it at all costs on the weekend!! 
6. St. Augustine. St. Augustine is only about 30 minutes from our house. In addition to the historic section, there is also an outlet mall that almost rivals Orlando's. The good news is that the parking isn't nearly as bad as the ones in Orlando! St. Augustine is a really fun place to visit and if you have never been you must go at least once. It's a little too touristy for Kyle, but there are a few hidden gems like Caps on the Water. Great for dinner or a Sunday afternoon glass of wine! 
7. Black Sheep Restaurant and Roof Top Bar. Black Sheep opened about a year ago and is all the rage in Jacksonville. The food is super delicious and what is even better is their rooftop bar. Kyle and I have spent a few nights up on the roof under the heaters and had a great time! It is also where we celebrated with Kyle the night before deployment! The restaurant served us a champagne toast. It was a very nice gesture and super sweet of them. If you are in Jax, you must try it out! They are open for lunch and dinner! 
8. Location. We couldn't have been more blessed with our first duty station in Jacksonville. We are two hours from Orlando and our parents, 5 hours to my sister in Miami and 1 1/2 hours to Gainesville for Gator Games! Like I previously mentioned, we have been able to take some trips and visit places that we have never been before! 
9. Florida-Georgia Weekend. Ahh, love that we live in a town where our Gators play!! This weekend is one of the best of the whole year!! You pretty much start partying on Thursday and by the time Sunday comes around you are spent! Our house is packed with house guests and it is just an awesome weekend!
10. Friends. We already had a few friends that lived here in Jax and it was great to reconnect with them. We also have met so many great people through our jobs and mutual friends. Our friends here in Jax have made things that much more fun, because we have been able to experience a new city with great people! 

That wraps it up! :) I could probably think of 10 more things. Although I do love Jacksonville, I am looking forward to new adventures! I can definitely see us living here again at some point! :)