These are the places that might not get a lot of publicity, but the locals love them! They might be harder to find, but they are worth it. Enjoy and mingle!

Clark's Fishcamp
12903 Hood Landing Road, Jacksonville

904-268-3474
Visit Clark’s for a diverse menu of quality seafood, prime rib, chicken, and meats. Visit by car or boat, and enjoy your choice of indoor or outdoor seating. 

Woodpeckers Bar-B-Q
4930 State Road 13, Jacksonville

904-531-5670
Woodpeckers is nestled on a quaint but busy corner one block off the St. Johns River. It’s this is the real deal. The smoker is smoldering every day. Order at an outside window, stake out a picnic table in the back, wait for your name to be called, pick it up, and dig in! Expect a long wait; this place is a local favorite. Not much on ambiance, the focus is on the food—and it is outstanding. DROOL!

105 Murabella Parkway, Suite 5, St. Augustine

904-814-8217
Soon to be your favorite local hang-out! Southern Vibes offers a wide variety of the best wines and tapas. Come in for great music and entertainment, wonderful food and beverage, and to gather with the members of your new community.

St. Augustine Wild Reserve
5190 Farm Creek Roa, St. Augustine

904-940-0664
The St. Augustine Wild Reserve provides visitors with a rare opportunity to see wild animals up close. This facility houses over fifty large mammals ranging from tigers, lions, and leopards to bears, hyenas, ligers, and wolves. There are also over thirty smaller mammal species, including coatimundis, white-tailed deer, and various barnyard animals (geese, turkeys, and chickens). Unlike a zoo that is open to the public at all times, the Wild Reserve offers only pre-booked tours of their facility.

De Leon Springs State Park
601 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, de Leon Springs

386-985-4212

Once known as Acuera, or “Healing Waters,” by Timucuan Indians, De Leon Springs invites visitors to swim, hike trails through lush forests with an ancient bald cypress, and explore its historical significance. Used for milling sugar cane and later corn during the Civil War, the springs were visited by naturalist John James Audubon in 1831, who described its forceful yet modest waters. Today, as a protected state park, De Leon Springs preserves Audubon's observations.

Lady of La Leche
101 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine

904-824-2809
Visit the historic Mission Nombre de Dios, where Christianity first took root in America with the founding of St. Augustine in 1565. Explore the site of the first parish Mass and the inaugural shrine to Mary in the United States. Plan your pilgrimage for a memorable experience surrounded by centuries of rich history, from the iconic Great Cross to the rustic altar where Father Francisco Lopez celebrated the first Mass.

Turtle Shack on Flagler Beach
2123 North Ocean Shore Boulevard, Flagler Beach  

386-693-4851
This is the kind of place that you might just drive by because it doesn't look like much from the outside, but you have to stop! The food is great, and the service is better. You REALLY don't want to pass on the chocolate creme brulee. It is like a party in your mouth!

Gourd Island Conservation Area
10170-10310 Russell Sampson Road, St. Johns
The Gourd Island Conservation Area features wetland and upland natural communities, including floodplain swamp, basin swamp, dome swamp, depression marsh, wet flatwoods, mesic flatwoods, sandhill and xeric hammock. Gourd Island White to Red Loop is a 4.3-mile, lightly visited loop trail that offers the chance to see wildlife.

Local tip:
"The trail in Gourd Island is good for all skill levels and is primarily used for hiking and trail running."
– Jennifer C.

Local tip:
"We love the view of the Tolomato River and marshes from atop the observation deck at Stokes Landing Conservation Area. Take bug spray for the trails, though."
– Teresa B.

Local tip:
"Visit Marineland of Saint Augustine with family and kids. It is an awesome place to swim with dolphins!"
– By Jeanne G.