TheVirginia Explorer
First Coast Comfort
T
Thinking of Florida
can bring up predictable
images: oranges,
beaches, maybe even
senior citizens playing
shuffleboard through
their golden years.
Erase all that.
(OK, keep the beaches).
Now add this: golf—and a lot of it.
Florida is crawling with championshipcaliber courses. Specifically, Jacksonville and
surrounding areas in northeast Florida—a
region known as Florida’s First Coast of
Golf—demand your attention.
GETTING THERE AND
ENJOYING THE STAY
It’s possible to drive from the Virginia area
32
to Jacksonville, but it’s a nine-plus hour
haul. The flying time into Jacksonville
International Airport, however, is less than
two hours and there are 11 modestly priced
non-stop flights leaving Washington D.C.,
Baltimore or Norfolk daily.
And while golf is likely the primary
reason for your journey, it doesn’t have to
be the only destination.
Many of the courses located along
the First Coast of Golf feature dining
options, but don’t think you are limited to
those spots. Jacksonville has outstanding
restaurants featuring varied cuisines,
including French, seafood and—of
course—Southern comfort food. To see
a comprehensive list of the best choices,
check out the website onlyinjax.com/dining.
Music lovers should consider attending
the South’s largest Free Blues Festival,
which takes place in Jacksonville Beach
every April. Or if jazz is more your style,
VIRGINIA GOLFER | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
the Jacksonville Jazz Festival attracts
more than 30,000 visitors and boasts of
being the second-largest jazz festival in
the United States. For a full slate of yearround events, see the Visit Jacksonville
website (visitjacksonville.com/events).
If there is a shopper or two in your
traveling party, northeast Florida has
everything from antiques to outlet malls
to beachside boutiques.
“No matter your fashion taste or your
budget, there is a perfect store for you in
Jacksonville,” says Patty Jimenez of Visit
Jacksonville.
Most sports fans know the NFL’s
Jaguars play in Jacksonville, but the city
also houses minor league franchises in
basketball and baseball, as well as an Arena
At Hammock Beach Resort, the 18th
hole at the Ocean Course is sure to leave
golfers with a lasting memory.
w w w. v s g a . o r g
HAMMOCK BEACH RESORT
Northeast Florida offers everything a golfer could want—championship courses, fantastic
weather, easy accessibility and a host of activities for after your round | by MICHAEL RAND