Downtown & the Riverfront
The urban core on the St. Johns, with the Riverwalk, Friendship Fountain, riverfront museums, the stadium and amphitheater, and the city’s marquee dining rooms.
Updated June 2026
A downtown rebuilding itself in real time
Downtown Jacksonville wraps both banks of the wide, slow St. Johns River, and the whole point is the water. A free monorail, a little on-demand water taxi, and miles of Riverwalk knit the Northbank’s historic towers to the Southbank’s park-and-fountain side, so you can spend a whole day here without ever sitting in traffic. Cross a bridge on foot, hop a boat, ride the Skyway, and the city unspools in skyline-and-river panoramas the entire time.
Fair warning: this is a neighborhood mid-glow-up. A brand-new Riverfront Plaza is rising where the old Jacksonville Landing once stood, the Jaguars’ Stadium of the Future is under construction, and a couple of longtime hangouts have closed. Expect cranes and detours right alongside the dolphins and the sunsets. If you’re the kind of traveler who likes river breezes, skyline views, a riverfront steak or a rooftop margarita, and doesn’t mind a city that’s visibly under renovation, Downtown rewards you. Walkers and water-lovers, this one’s yours.
It pairs naturally with the historic blocks just up- and downriver, so build it into a bigger loop with Riverside & Avondale to the west and Historic Springfield to the north. For the full lay of the land, start at the neighborhoods hub.
The quick read
Park once and let the river do the work. Friendship Fountain and Chart House anchor the Southbank; MOCA, Riverfront Plaza and the Bay Street bars anchor the Northbank; the water taxi and Skyway stitch it all together. Sunset cocktails on a rooftop close the night.
What to see & do
The river is the main event here. These are the stops worth building a day around — most of them free, most of them within a short walk or a quick boat ride of each other.
Where to eat & drink
Downtown is home to some of the city’s marquee dining rooms, plus a few easygoing corners for late beers. These are the ones we’d send a friend to.
Where to shop
Downtown isn’t a big retail district, but a couple of spots are worth a stop — one delicious, one design-y.
A perfect day downtown
One easy loop that uses the bridges and the boat instead of the car — start on the Southbank, end with cocktails over the river.
- Morning on the Southbank. Start at Friendship Fountain and stroll the Southbank Riverwalk for skyline-across-the-water views. Time an early lunch — or a little dolphin-watching — at Chart House right on the water.
- Catch the water taxi. Hop the St. Johns River Taxi across to the Northbank, landing near Riverfront Plaza. Walk through the new park and follow the Northbank Riverwalk along the water.
- Into the Northbank core. Head up to MOCA Jacksonville and James Weldon Johnson Park, browsing the galleries. If you can, line this up with the First Wednesday Art Walk for the full effect.
- Bay Street break. Wander the Bay Street blocks for a casual bite and a local craft beer at Spliff’s Gastropub.
- Sunset to close it out. Cap the day with cocktails on the Cowford Chophouse rooftop, watching the lights come up over the river and the Southbank you started on.
Keep exploring
Downtown is one stop on a much bigger map. Here’s where we’d wander next.
Riverside & Avondale
Just west, with bungalow streets, indie shops and the rooftop view back at downtown from River & Post.
Historic Springfield
The grand old district just north — Victorian porches, a brewing scene, and a comeback story of its own.
Waterfront Dining
Every riverfront table worth the drive, from Chart House to the rest of the First Coast.
Common questions
Is the Jacksonville Riverwalk free?
Yes. The Northbank and Southbank Riverwalk runs miles along both sides of the St. Johns River, and it's completely free to stroll. Friendship Fountain and Riverfront Plaza are free too.
How do I cross the St. Johns River downtown?
You have a few easy options: walk across the Main Street or Acosta bridges, ride the free Skyway monorail, or hop the St. Johns River Taxi between the Northbank and Southbank docks. The little boats are the most fun way to do it.
How does the Jacksonville water taxi work?
The St. Johns River Taxi runs little boats between the Northbank and Southbank docks. Text 904-860-TAXI to call a pickup. On Jaguars game days they add boats and sell a $20 all-day pass, which beats fighting for stadium parking.
When does Friendship Fountain do its light show?
The jets run all day, but the music-synced light shows after dark are the real draw, lighting up the water in the evenings. They're free — just check the current show times before you head over, since the schedule shifts.
Can I see a concert at Daily's Place in Jacksonville?
Not right now. Daily's Place amphitheater is dark during the EverBank Stadium 'Stadium of the Future' construction, with no concerts expected until roughly 2028. Check before you build a trip around a show there.