Drive on Down: Three Free Things to Do Near Jacksonville, FL

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! more 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!

The people of Jacksonville, FL have really good taste in food, and there are chefs all over the area vying to provide it wherever you look. For one of the best meals of the weekend, you might like to try a few of these popular brunch places when you want some impressive cooking to go along with your coffee or tea (or other preferred morning beverage). 4 Brunch Places Worth the Early Drive in Jacksonville, FL 1. Metro Diner It's true that the Metro has grown up to be a fairly broad chain spreading across the South and nosing a bit north of there, with good reason: people love it! And this is the original location where the Metro began. There are so many perfected offerings by now that it's hard to know where to start! They recommend trying the blueberry lemon or cinnamon roll pancakes, the chicken and waffle, the avocado bacon scramble bowl ... the list really goes on! more 2. Jax Beach Brunch Haus How can you go wrong when there's "brunch" right in the name? Plus, the low-down is that the coffee's really good here, as is the service. Start with shrimp, eggs, and grits or classic steak and eggs. How about Buttermilk Hauscakes, the Franco Fried Texan Toast, or one of the "Benni" plates of eggs Benedict? There's even a dish named after a Phish song. Or be creative and build your own brunch combo. Find lots of vegan options, too. 3. The Bread & Board This place has a full menu of specialties, artisan sandwiches, and "boards" with lots of Southern flair, but if you're out and about on Sunday mornings by 11:00 a.m., you can experience treats like the cinnamon roll breakfast sandwich, the B&B fried chicken biscuit, and the Downtown Sunday Quiche. Butterscotch sticky buns are only available at this magic hour, as is the plate called the Crispy Cajun Red Fish & Grits. Better get up so you don't miss out! 4. Ida Claire Weekends and holidays, dive into the brunch at Ida Claire. You'll need to schedule many visits to try everything they have here. Go for a hearty Brunch Burger or the Duck Panzanella Salad, the Catfish Po' Boy, or the Mayport Seafood Dip with shrimp, crawfish, and spinach. How about some Nashville Hot Chicken or the eggs Benedict plate with fried green tomatoes? There's so much carefully crafted Southern comfort food to eat through, and we're not complaining. Is there anything your hot new BMW 2 Series 228i Gran Coupe can't do? Okay, maybe it can't ask you how you like your eggs, but it can certainly assist you in hunting down some really great brunch. For that matter, a certified pre-owned BMW X1 sDrive28i SUV is just as talented and offers lots of room for any extra beignets you might have accidentally ordered. Visit Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville today to see these and other fine rides!

Summer is in full swing in vibrant Jacksonville, FL, so you'll definitely want to take advantage of the amazing weather and experience all that the city has to offer. From surrounding yourself with some of the best natural scenery that the First Coast has to offer to seek indoor and outdoor thrills, there are a ton of things to see and do! Here are just a few exciting summer activities just a short drive away! 4 Fun Summer Activities You Can Drive to From Jacksonville, FL 1. Take a Nature Walk through the Jacksonville Arboretum Though located in the middle of the city, the Jacksonville Arboretum provides you with the opportunity to get away from all the bustle and enjoy beautiful woodland scenery. Within the park, you'll find several trails that will take you through a variety of settings, including a forest along Lake Ray, marshlands, and a ravine filled with ferns and small creeks. There are plenty of great spots where you can enjoy a peaceful picnic. Summer is the perfect time to visit because the arboretum also hosts fun events throughout the season like live stage plays and a guided entomology tour. more 2. Cool Off at Shipwreck Island Thanks to the spacious three-row seating of your BMW X5, you can load up the kids and take them on a trip to Shipwreck Island in nearby Jacksonville Beach. With its 500,000-gallon wave pool and hair-raising waterslides, this large waterpark offers plenty of fun ways to help beat the heat. Visitors can hit the skating-inspired Hydro Halfpipe, which reaches a height of 35 feet, or experience the Rage, an uphill ride that will propel you to nearly 20 MPH. Afterward, you can relax in one of their large cabanas available for rent, where food & drink wait service, Wi-Fi, and premium furnishings are provided. 3. Indoor Skydiving at iFly Using state-of-the-art wind tunnels, iFly safely recreates free-falling conditions to help aspiring skydivers of all ages feel like they're flying. Their expert flight instructors provide one-on-one coaching to help beginners learn how to maintain a stable position before moving on to teaching more advanced maneuvers. You'll then get to test your new skills against friends and family with several flying games. 4. Surf the Waves at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park Situated between Atlantic Beach and Mayport Village, Hanna Park is considered to be one of Northeast Florida's top surfing destinations. Surfers will want to head to the Officer's Club and the Lighthouse for excellent breaks, but the toughest challenge is provided by the northeast swell of the Mayport Poles. In addition to prime surfing, the park is home to a large campground, off-road biking trails, and a 60-acre lake that's open to kayaking and fishing. Experiencing these adventures is sure to be the recipe for an unforgettable summer! Add to the fun by stopping by Tom Bush BMW today and taking a test drive in one of the ultimate driving machines!