Things you know if you grew up in Jacksonville, Florida
Duuuuvvaaallllll
Jacksonville, Florida is notorious for its pristine beaches and rich history, but there are some things you just know if you’re from the bangem.
The Jags are your team, win or lose
Jax is full of die-hard jags fans. We may not have the best team, but we have a kick-ass stadium and top-notch spirit. No matter what, there is always hope for a better season next year. #JagsToTheSuperBowl2017
Your dad still wears his Super Bowl XXXIX shirt
It may be from 2005, but it feels like just yesterday the Patriots took on the Eagles at Alltel Stadium.
Florida vs. Georgia is a holiday
Every year, Jacksonville hosts the Florida/Georgia game at the Jags stadium and it. Gets. Crazy. It’s impossible to drive anywhere near downtown because of the unbearable traffic, and it’s rightly named “the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party,” because even the local weatherman got a DUI last year.
You can grow up in Jacksonville and live an hour from the beach
Most of Florida considers Jacksonville a “beach city,” but if you’re from the westside you know that’s not exactly true. For most of Jacksonville, the closest body of water is either of the rivers.
Local restaurants and coffee shops are life
From Bold Bean to Metro Diner, Jacksonville has a thriving food scene and eating is a huge part of living in the Bold City. It doesn’t matter if you’re eating with your friends, family, or cat, the mix of urban and southern comfort makes for the best grub around.
RIP Lillie’s, gone but not forgotten.
It takes 30 minutes to get anywhere and everywhere
Jax is the largest city in the US by land area, so you absolutely have to get into a car if you need to get anywhere. Public transportation is basically nonexistent and generally unsafe, so getting rides are a basic survival skill that Jax kids learned early and learned well.
Although Jacksonville has its ups and downs, I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up anywhere else.