Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites JACKSONVILLE

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Built on the grounds of a private Tudor mansion, this modestly sized but impressive museum is worth a visit for anyone who appreciates the visual arts. The permanent collection encompasses works from 2000 B.C. to the present. It's especially rich in American Impressionist paintings, 18th-century porcelain, and 18th-century Japanese woodblock prints. Personally, I find the art here a bit boring and too focused on landscapes, but that's my taste. Frankly -- and art snobs may gasp at this statement -- the actual landscaping of the museum is infinitely more spectacular. Don't miss the stunning Italian and English gardens set on the scenic St. Johns River. The museum hosts temporary and traveling exhibits and sponsors a multitude of activities during the year, so call ahead to see what's happening.

Southbank Riverwalk
Bordering the St. Johns River, directly opposite Jacksonville Landing , this 1 1/4-mile wooden zigzag boardwalk is usually filled with joggers, tourists, folks sitting on benches, and lovers walking hand-in-hand, all of them watching the riverboats, the shorebirds, and downtown's skyline reflected in the water. At 200 feet in diameter, the Friendship Fountain, near the west end, is the nation's largest self-contained fountain; it's especially beautiful at night when illuminated by 265 colored lights. Nearby, you'll pass military memorials, a small museum dedicated to the city's history, and the Museum of Science & History of Jacksonville (MOSH), at Museum Circle and San Marco Boulevard (tel. 904/396-6674; www.themosh.org). MOSH is an interactive children's museum focusing on the science and history of Northeast Florida. One of its stars is an Allosaurus dinosaur skeleton. It also has a small planetarium, with shows included in museum admission: $7 for adults, $5.50 for seniors, and $5 for children 3 to 12. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 5pm, Saturday from 10am to 6pm, and Sunday from 1 to 6pm. The Riverwalk is the scene of special MOSH programs, seafood fests, parties, parades, and arts-and-crafts festivals.

Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum
From 1921 to 1971, the Ritz Theatre was the center of cultural life in LaVilla, an African-American neighborhood so vibrant that it was known as the Harlem of the South. Many entertainers played the Ritz before moving on to the Apollo Theater in the real Harlem. Most of LaVilla's small, clapboard "shotgun" houses (so called because you could fire a shotgun through the central hallway to the back room and not hit anything) have been torn down in anticipation of urban renewal, but the Ritz has been rebuilt and is once again a center of the city's cultural life. Only the northwest corner of the building, including the Ritz sign, is original, but the new 426-seat theater captures the spirit of vaudevillian times. Off the lobby, LaVilla Museum recounts local African-American history and exhibits the works of black artists.

Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville JTB/Deerwood Park
Behind Seven Bridges Restaurant and next to Tinseltown theater in the Deerwood Business Park on Gate Parkway North. Off I-95, exit #344, go east on 202 (J.T. Butler Blvd.) 4 miles to Gate Parkway exit. At the light turn left onto Gate Parkway. The property is located 1.5 miles on the ...

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites JACKSONVILLE-SOUTH
The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Jacksonville-South is an award wining hotel located off I-95 at exit 344 (J. Turner Butler BLVD) in South Jacksonville. We are the closest Holiday Inn Express Hotel to downtown Jacksonville. Our hotel is ideal for business or pleasure, as we provide what is important; comfort and fashionable furnishings. if you are here for business, this hotel is located within close proximity to companies such as Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, Citigroup, Blue Cross & ...

Homewood Suites by Hilton Jacksonville-South-St. Johns Ctr.
The Homewood Suites by Hilton Jacksonville-South/St. Johns Center is located in Southeast Jacksonville in one of the city's fastest growing business and entertainment districts. Our hotel offers amenities and services for the business and leisure traveler such as complimentary breakfast, evening reception (Monday-Thursday), outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, onsite fitness room and sports court. We also offer Free High Speed Internet and a business center. We are located close to downtown ...