The centerpiece of downtown Jacksonville is the wide and winding St Johns River as it meanders gently through the city. Both the south and north banks of the river offer a variety of dining, shopping, live concerts, riverboat cruises, firework displays, hotels and marina facilities. Renovations and restorations are an ongoing process with more amenities being added every year. Modern skyscrapers blend easily with century-old brick structures, displaying visually the diverse personality of the city - valuing tradition while moving forward into the future.

The hub of Jacksonville's growing entertainment district in the Downtown area, The Jacksonville Landing is a cool place to dine and shop on the St. Johns River. From North Florida and around the United States, millions of people enjoy the Jacksonville Landing's festive mix of shops, restaurants and eateries and its hundreds of entertainment events annually. The Landing is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the city, attracting a large share of the 5.18 million visitors that come to Jacksonville.

Friendship Fountain is located on the South bank of the River Walk and hosts various events throughout the year. One of the world's tallest fountains this attraction sprays water up to 120 feet high. The patterns of lights and sprays are magical and picnic tables are available for family gatherings or a romantic sunset rendezvous.

Dock your boat. Boat slips are available through several locations along the downtown river banks. From Metropolitan park to the Landing on the north bank and on the east end of the south bank at River City Brewing Company Marina. For music festivals, fireworks display, etc. anchoring offshore is permissible.

The northwest bank of the river hosts Jacksonville's Sports Complex, a trilogy of new facilities offering state-of-the-art services to teams and fans alike. The 76,000 seat Alltel Stadium brought the 2005 super bowl and thousands of football fans who quickly became riverfront fans. Home to the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars Alltell also hosts the Gator Bowl and the annual Florida-Georgia rivalry. The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville was completed in 2003 and is home to the Jacksonville Suns, affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and boasts a seating capacity of 10,000. Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena was completed in November of 2003 and with its 16,000 seat capacity can host hockey, basketball, concerts and other entertainment. In 2006 the first and second rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament were held at the Arena.

Cross the river by water taxi or monorail. The taxi has several pick-up points along both banks and runs from morning until late evening. The Monorail (Skyway) connects the South Bank with the North Bank as well as the Prime Osborne Convention Center, Hemmings Plaza and FCCJ (FL Community College) with multiple stations along the way. Three downtown Trolleys cris-cross the entire northbank area and are FREE.