Page 4 - Travelore - Winter 2017

Page 4 - DRVC Travelore
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herded across the St. Johns River which runs through the area. It was renamed in 1832.
Jacksonville is the largest city, by population, in the state of Florida. It is the largest city, by area, in the contiguous United States. Jacksonville is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968. The metropolitan area has a population of just over 1,626,600.
Jax Heritage
After the Civil War, during reconstruction and the Gilded Age, Jacksonville became a popular winter destination for the rich and famous, when the first resort built in Florida was located near Atlantic Beach.
Jacksonville has been the birthplace of many individuals and bands in the music industry. However, Jacksonville might best be known as where Southern Rock originated, a genre with roots in blues, jazz, soul, R&B and rock and roll.
Two of Southern Rock’s architects, Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band were formed in Jacksonville. Five native sons formed Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964. The inspiration for the band’s name came from a former gym teacher of two of the band members named Leonard Skin- ner, who gave the members a hard time for their long hair. The band’s biggest hit was “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Jax Tourism
Swimming and surfing are popular at nearby barrier island beaches such as Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach. Championship golf courses in the area include Ponte Vedra
Beach’s TPC Sawgrass, headquarters of the PGA Tour. The city and county also boast the largest urban park system in the country with more than 80,000 acres across 400 parks, including the 46,000-acre Timucuan Ecological & Histori- cal Preserve.
The Preserve is made for those seeking a natural thrill. Visitors can fish, swim, hike, camp, boat, and have a true eco-adventure all without leaving the Preserve. Park Rang- ers are available for guided tours daily.
JAXPORT offers scheduled guided tours to school-age stu- dents first grade and above, as well as business groups, civic associations, social clubs and individuals.
Port tours are free, open to the public, and available by appointment only.
Tour participants receive a bus tour of the companies oper- ating at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal, a 754-acre terminal which is JAXPORT’s largest facility, or Talleyrand Marine Terminal, a 173-acre terminal which handles a wide variety of cargoes including paper products and refrigerated commodities. JAXPORT offers a free bus with seating for 24 people.
To learn more about our tours, call (904) 357-3056 or request info by email.
Security Information Required
If you are 18 years old or older, you’ll need to bring your driver’s license, state ID or passport. If you do not bring one of these three forms of identification with you on the day of the tour, you will not be allowed to attend.