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3 Favorite Stadiums and Sports Venues in Driving Distance of Jacksonville, FL

3 Favorite Stadiums

Jacksonville is a great city to live in if you're a sports fan, and even if you're just visiting, a trip to Jacksonville wouldn't be complete without checking out one of our city's stadiums. Most of the country knows us for our NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, but today let's dive into some of the other excellent but lesser-known places to see professional sport in Jacksonville for a fraction of the price of a Jaguars ticket.

3 Favorite Stadiums and Sports Venues in Driving Distance of Jacksonville, FL

1. 121 Financial Park

If you drive right down the street from the much larger football field where the Jaguars play, you can find this cute baseball park, home to Jacksonville's minor league baseball team, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who play their home games at 301 A Phillip Randolph Boulevard.

The small ballpark, seating 11,000, is an attraction in itself, with a retro-feeling 1920s style design that will take baseball fans on a trip to baseball's early days. And the games are entertaining too. Even if you're not a baseball fan, you'll certainly appreciate the fun promotions and game day entertainment that they run, including a weekly fireworks display on Fridays!

2. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena

Jacksonville's premier indoor arena is the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena over at 300 A Phillip Randolph Boulevard, and seats 15,000. The arena hosts a number of professional sports teams, including the Jacksonville Iceman hockey team and the Jacksonville Sharks arena football team. Though small, these teams have quite a big following and games can get crowded!

Beyond the teams that play here, Jacksonville sports fans have another good reason to come to visit this arena; it also holds the Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame!

3. Hodges Stadium

Soccer is often said to be the fastest-growing sport in Florida, especially among the younger generations, and Hodges Field over at 1 S U N F Drive is Jacksonville's premier venue for this sport. The 7,000-seat stadium hosts the Jacksonville Armada, Jacksonville's professional soccer team, as well as the University of Northern Florida's Division 1 men's and women's soccer teams.

Though a small stadium, the Armada has a very dedicated group of supporters who make every home game a fun and entertaining experience to attend. The stadium also occasionally hosts international soccer matches, where you can often see the best of the best from the world stage.

Watching professional sports in Jacksonville is a great way to bond with your friends and enjoy a great atmosphere and a lot of noise, and so too can be hopping in a nice car with your friends and playing music as you drive. Especially when you've got a new car with a premier surround-sound stereo system, like the BMW M3. To pick up yours today, swing by our dealership at Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville! 

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3 Favorite Weekend Activities You Can Drive to Near Jacksonville, FL

There is plenty of fun and relaxation to be had in Jacksonville, FL every day of the year. There are so many choices that it can be hard to decide how you want to spend your weekend. If you feel overwhelmed by all your options, we recommend hopping in your 2024 BMW X5, picking up your friends, and checking out one of the best weekend activities in the area. 3 Favorite Weekend Activities You Can Drive to Near Jacksonville, FL 1. Touring Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens We highly recommend spending a day at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens at 370 Zoo Pkwy if you are looking for something fun to do over the weekend. By visiting this zoo, you support dozens of animal and plant conservation programs globally. You also support one of seven zoos in the country with a dedicated animal wellness team to ensure that the animals are well cared for. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens features 14 exhibits, and you can see mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. We love the Emerald Forest Aviary and River Valley Aviary. If you prefer mammals over birds, you may be more interested in visiting the Africa Loop exhibit. It features such animals as the African elephant, African lion, and greater kudu. The Wild Florida exhibit is also popular, featuring such species as the: Alligator snapping turtle American alligator Bald eagle Burmese python more 2. Visiting Tree Hill Nature Center We also love spending the day at Tree Hill Nature Center at 7152 Lone Star Road. This nature preserve ensures the preservation of over 51 acres of land, and it features roughly 3.3 miles of trails. There is plenty to explore here, including hummingbird and butterfly gardens. This nature preserve is also home to a wide variety of fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, including: Barred owls Green tree frogs Pygmy goats Black rat snakes Bluegill sunfish 3. Exploring MOSH When you need a break from the heat, you should strongly consider going to MOSH (Museum of Science & History) at 1025 Museum Circle. Some of the most popular exhibits include HEALTH IN MOTION, ATLANTIC TAILS, and JEA POWERPLAY. You also don't want to miss checking out the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium. Unless you are a member, you will need to pay $5.95 per program, but it is well worth the price. There is no shortage of things you can do in Jacksonville over the weekend, and you can go at your leisure with reliable transportation. To maintain the reliability of your vehicle, you need to stick to the maintenance schedule laid out by BMW. Contact us today at Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville to schedule a service appointment if it is time for an oil change or tire rotation.

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Make the Drive: 3 Picnic Spots Near Jacksonville, FL

The city of Jacksonville, FL is full of tourist attractions, historical buildings, excellent museums, and a world-class gastronomic scene. Besides its main landmarks, though, Jacksonville is also home to plenty of beautiful green areas and popular parks where locals and visitors can enjoy a picnic with friends and family. Here are three of the best picnic spots you can find within driving distance of downtown Jacksonville. Make the Drive: 3 Picnic Spots Near Jacksonville, FL 1. Riverside Park Established in the 1890s and covering an area of just over 11 acres, Riverside Park is the second oldest park in the city and a well-known gathering spot among residents of the Five Points and Brooklyn neighborhoods. This beautiful green area is located at 753 Park Street and can be reached in less than 10 minutes by car from downtown Jacksonville via Riverside Avenue. Open to the public every day between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm, Riverside Park is a place where you can spend an entire day with your friends, have fun, and enjoy nature without leaving the city. Some of the amenities you can find in this popular recreation area include playgrounds, walking and biking trails, picnic tables, a fountain, a basketball court, and a duck pond. more 2. Memorial Park Located at 1620 Riverside Avenue and right along the banks of the St. Johns River, Memorial Park is another fantastic local landmark that can be reached in less than 10 minutes by car from the Jacksonville city center. Open to the public every day between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm, this public park opened its doors to the public in 1924 and quickly became the most popular attraction in the city's historic Riverside neighborhood. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017, Memorial Park is a wonderful place to have a picnic with your friends or simply spend the day enjoying the outdoors. This beautiful park features a sprawling lawn where you can always find people sunbathing, reading, tossing Frisbees, and playing ball games. 3. Boone Park Open year-round from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Boone Park is another excellent spot for a picnic within driving distance of downtown Jacksonville. Located in the Avondale neighborhood at 3700 Park Street, this beautiful green area can be reached in just 10 minutes by car via Roosevelt Boulevard. Some of the amenities you can find here include picnic tables, public restrooms, multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, and nature trails. With the latest safety and driver assist technologies in the industry, as well as a spacious and comfortable cabin, the 2023 BMW iX xDrive 50 is a fantastic SUV to take your family on fun trips and memorable adventures all over Florida. Drop in by Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville and get to know the features of this and other wonderful models in our inventory.