For years, downtown Jacksonville faced the same concerns as most metropolitan areas: There’s nothing to keep people there after 5 p.m. No more. With everything from happy hours and art walks to theater and concerts, people are staying — and even moving — downtown. Entertainment venues are varied, including the Florida Theatre, the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and Metropolitan Park. The move by the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Main Library to Hemming Plaza also has provided a big boost. And sports fans head to Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. More good bets include Jacksonville Landing and Southbank Riverwalk, two dining and entertainment complexes facing each other across the river. One of the best ways to enjoy the downtown skyline — not to mention the beautiful St. Johns River — is along the Northbank Riverwalk, extending from Berkman Plaza (at Liberty Street) to the Fuller Warren Bridge.
