Fernandina is a cool walkable area as well with bars, restaurants and shopping though it’s probably 45 minutes north of Jax depending on where you’re driving from.

River and Post is a restaurant in riverside that has a rooftop bar with a great view overlooking the river and downtown Jax and there are plenty of other bars and restaurants nearby within walking distance if you decide not to eat there. Should probably try to have a drink there though and take in the view if you’re the drinking type.

If you’re in to breweries, you should check out Wicked Barley on the Southside. There’s nothing else around it, so it’s kind of a destination and might be difficult to fit in your itinerary but the setup is nice and the beers are good. Also, Intuition Ale Works has a great location next to the stadium with a rooftop bar which is worth checking out. I’m just not really a fan of their beers. Aardwolf Brewery in San Marco is another good one. Near Aardwolf is V Pizza which is decent for a slice or whole pie and the attached bar called Sidecar which is a decent bourbon bar. Not far from there also in San Marco is Grape and Grain Exchange which has a speakeasy hidden in the back with a pretty cool vibe..

Speaking of speakeasy’s, Secret Tiki Temple is a unique one worth checking out though you’ll need reservations well in advance if visiting on a Friday or Saturday. I think it’s easier to get in there on other days though. Still need reservations regardless. It’s on the Southside with nothing else of note around so it will be a destination for you though Wicked Barley is about a 3 minute drive away on the same road.

As has already been said, you should consider spending a day in historic St Augustine. Plenty of shops, bars and restaurants to walk around and visit. River and Post has another bar restaurant down there called River and Fort which also has a rooftop bar overlooking the Matanzas River and the Fort. Gotta be honest, my wife and I ate there and felt it was overpriced and mediocre, but having a drink on the roof is probably worth your time. The Ice Plant is a cool restaurant/[BLEEP] tail bar and is attached to the St Augustine Distillery. Also, the roof top bar on the San Sebastián Winery is pretty cool as well.

Outside of drinking, there are many beautiful beaches in the area and the ocean and sand ain’t bad lookin’ either. There’s really a lot to do and see in the area, it’s just spread out with pockets here and there. After typing all this you’re probably going to tell me you and your wife don’t drink. Lol

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