Things to do / Travel Guide
There are four excellent scenes in northeast Florida and the Panhandle for entertainment. Note that you'll be hard pressed to find high-art entertainment in these parts. There are, however, plenty of clubs and live music venues.
The College Town - Gainesville
Gainesville, in north-central Florida, is the center of a raucous music and party scene. The city is home to the University of Florida, which has the fourth-largest student body of universities in the U.S.. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers got their start here, as well as Less Than Jake and Sister Hazel. Punk and ska-punk music are also vibrant in the college community.
The nightlife in Gainesville, from bars, clubs, and pubs, to live-music venues, is located on, or two blocks north or south of, University Avenue. The feel of this place is decidedly party- and excess-oriented, but you can also find some more refined venues. One end of the spectrum is The Swamp, a big college hang-out and center of over-indulgence. On the other end is The Bank, much quieter, laid back, and aimed for the (slightly) more sophisticated patron.
The Beach Scene - Emerald Coast
The Emerald Coast is known as an across-the-board tourism capital, which means entertainment is always on the up and up. The two entertainment centers are in the two main tourism destinations in the area - Panama City, and Destin and Fort Walton. In Panama City, you'll find all the pubs, clubs, and live-music venues on either Thomas Drive or West Front Beach Road.
The Emerald Coast's other entertainment destination, Destin and Fort Walton are located at the opening to the Choctawhatchee Bay. They're connected by the Miracle Strip Parkway, right off the beach, where all the excitement is. You can travel up and down one (long) street and catch the beach entertainment. The live music can be anything from country to rock to jazz.
The Beach Scene - Daytona Beach
Be warned that many pubs in Daytona Beach are more for the biker crowd - they came for Bike Week and never left. You can go to Main Street on the barrier island, or North Beach Street on the mainland. You can find some larger venues in Daytona Beach that host concerts of all varieties: The Ocean Center Landing, on North Atlantic Avenue (which spans the city-section of the barrier island), presents some country and rock shows, many of the city's other functions, and some sports games as well. The Peabody Auditorium, on Auditorium Boulevard (one street north of Main Street), features Classical music concerts as well as those of other genres.
The Jax Scene
You'll find most of Jacksonville's best nighttime attractions near the St. Johns River on its western side. One venue you can check out is the Jacksonville Landing, right in the center of the city, looming over St. Johns' shore. While feasting on your choice of cuisine, from Japanese to Cajun, or anything in between, you can listen to the live entertainment pumping in from the inner-courtyard.
In addition to the Landing, there are pubs and other entertainment venues on north First Street, Park Street, and San Marco Boulevard, which is in San Marco on the eastern side of the river.
Last but not least, a special treat awaits those who venture out to the beaches on the far side of the barrier island opposite Jacksonville. The cities built around these beaches, collectively known as Jacksonville Beach but actually made up of Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Neptune Beach, are a tourist's paradise. Each of these beaches has its own share of dining, nightlife, and shopping. Neptune Beach happens to be the setting of John Grisham's legal thriller “The Brethren.” These beaches and the town centers within are hip yet quaint, and they await discovery by new waves of tourists.
|
|
|