Don’t associate Jacksonville with romance? You may not know where to look. Visit Jacksonville can help.
- This northeast Florida city doesn’t have the glitz and glitter of Miami Beach – its pleasures are subtler. Take an early evening (mornings are nice too) amble along the secluded oceanfront communities of Neptune and Atlantic beaches. There’s nothing like the sound and smell and sense of the water to put you in the mood.
- Appetite whetted, head to Azurea Restaurant at One Ocean Resort Hotel & Spa. As the name implies, it’s right there on the beach. The menu is eclectic, melding culinary influences from the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe. Chef Peters’ menu is quintessentially seasonal.
- Here’s another option for a romantic repast: The Grotto. The ambiance is candle-lit and lovely, as if you’ve entered the heart of some mystical wine cellar in the heart of an Italian piazza, one replete with arched ceilings, tile floors, brick walls and such. The selection of vintages is extraordinary and the Tapas menu perfect.
- After dinner catch a cab to the Times Union Center for the Performing Arts. This is the epicenter of the city’s arts and cultural efforts. Depending on the performance, this is a wonderful way to cap off a romantic evening out. Case-in-point: Grammy award-winner Anthony Hamilton headlines the Back To Love Tour September 9 at 7:30 p.m. Something more stirring? The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performs Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique Sept. 28.
- If it’s romance by sunlight that satisfies the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is a must, one of those tree-shrouded, sun-rippled retreats from the madding crowd. The English Garden is the perfect place to propose, a wisteria-laden cypress arbor of an enclave that transports you to another place, another time.
(Image: Cummer Museum)
