Things to Do When You Visit or for your Sailor!

[Kalynn]

I've added posts with food recomendations and sites to see in the past but they get burried and new comers join and ask the same questions so I went back and collected some of my posts so it can be on a discussion board for all to access easily...Add comments with more recommendations you may have!

 

Places to stay:

I highly recommend the Cabins on base costs about the same as The Navy Lodge, The Navy Gateway Inns and Suites (NGIS), and typically better priced than the close off base hotels...But feels like home, has a fully stocked kitchen, table to eat at, living room with a pull out sofa, tv, dvd, 2 bedrooms - one with 2 twins, one with a queen and tv, has a large bathroom, washer and dryer, a screened in porch, they're private and nestled in the woods, some even overlooking the golf course, oh and each cabin has their own internet.  As for a pass, your sailor can sponsor you for a day pass so you can go on and off as you please all day but the next day you'll need a new one.  If he happens to have any friends that live in family base housing they can sponsor up to 30 day passes, makes life easy!

NAS JAX Heritage Cottages [phone]/39 - This is also the number for Navy Gateway Inns and Suites, so if there is no Cabins available ask about their NGIS availability.

NGIS Standard Room- average hotel room with a microwave and fridge $45 a night

NGIS Suite- Bedroom w/ queen bed, kitchenette, and living room with pull out sofa $55 a night

Cabin - Amenities listed above $69 a night (website link below)

http://www.cnic.navy.mil/jacksonville/FleetAndFamilyReadiness/Housi...

Navy Lodge [phone] - live your average hotel room with a small kitchenette $65 a night

Closest off base hotel- Best Western (904) 264 - 4466 - stayed there before, not bad, has an indoor pool and breakfast!  Pricey very, typically more than on base, I always used it as a last resort.

 

Here's some destinations you might wanna hit up while your here:

Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens - www.cummer.org - very beautiful right on the river, perfect spot for some pictures!! =) Also you'll drive through a small towny area called 5 points or riverside, lots of cute little shops.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens - www.jacksonvillezoo.org – Great very reasonably priced place to go, they allow you to bring in outside food so you can pack your lunch and save money too!!

Museum of Science and History - www.themost.org - also not been but on my did it list. Mosh is right downtown which is a nice area to visit, it's right across the river from The landing which is very nice! The Landing has a mall type set up inside, some mall type shops, some crafter stands, a food court and some other restaurants there. At night the main street bridge lights up blue, that's Jacksonville's most notable bridge instead of separating like a normal draw bridge the whole center rises up!

Also downtown this weekend at the Jacksonville Times Union Center.. My husband and I were able to go to the orchestra once and we absolutely loved it. Have your sailor check with the ITT office to see if they have any discounted tickets for any of the performances. Check out the times and such at www.jaxevents.com

Our favorite is Huguenot Beach - you can drive on it and it's a best kept local secret beach so pretty quiet....My mother in law likes to go there to collect sheels! =)

Also there is the St Augustine touristy stuff, your daughter can get you some great deals there! the trolly is usually buy one get one for military, and most of the attractions are discounted or free, and your trolly pass is good for 3 days, and my favorite part about going to St Augustine is the outlet mall right off of 95!! =)

Also right here on base, take a walk through the outdoor plane museum, there's a small nature walk on Mustin road near the lodge across from the golf clubhouse, there's some nice river side docks and pavilions to enjoy lunch at, there's also a great view point up near the marina to look out at the river and bridge - even has one of those site seeing binoculars. There's a nice long nature trail that wraps the back side of base housing featuring the more naturey side of NAS JAX - trail head on Childs Street and the other trail head is on Mustin Road.

We also have bowling, bingo, indoor and outdoor pool (904-542-2930 for hours and current costs), marina with boat, Kayak and canoe rentals also right here on base. Marina broshure website link-
http://www.cnic.navy.mil/navycni/groups/public/documents/document/c...

NUMBER 1 FOOD RECOMMENDATION: seafood - NAS JAX has a little hidden gem, directly across from the street from the base there’s a little hole in the wall seafood restaurant that is AMAZING called J.L Trents...definite must go to!! Would recommend the gator tail and the platter for 2 grilled or blackened style(My Fav)!!!! =)

This should give yall some good ideas to make a game plan for the weekend!

Food on or close to the base - The Budweiser Brewhouse/the zone 904-542-3900, it's a restraunt/ bar with wifi, they have a good variety of foods and daily deals, they also host activity nights like poker, karoke (sp?). You can eat in, pick up. Also there is Mulligans inside of the golf club house, a place most don't think of but they have good sandwiches and such. I also enjoy the Chinese restraunt - New China 904-779-5588  which is right next to target off base(they don't deliver), try the H11 Four Season (My fav).

Car Care- There is a "Auto Skills Center" here on base [phone]  It's a complete DIY auto shop with 22 service bays, and a ASE-certified master mechanic available for asistance. Hours of Operation are Monday, Thursday, Friday 12-8pm and Sat, Sun 9am-5pm. My hubby goes there to do all the maintence on our cars, they have all the tools you will possibly need, very helpful, somethings cost a little bit (like to use the big lift, I think was $4), still saves ALOT of money!! There is also the Navy Exchange Autoport - [phone],  they are a do it all service shop...we've noticed prices aren't much different than off base, but they don't try to sell ya stuff you don't need and no tax of course!!

Also a recommendation to everyone:
Go to the NAS Jacksonville MWR facebook page and like it for different updates on activities going on around the base. https://www.facebook.com/#!/NASJAXMWR

From that page I came across a post that said to download an app and MWR is on this app and has challenges (things you can do - kinda like a scavenger hunt to get you more involoved with things on base) and the winner gets an ipad 2. This would be a great thing for the single sailors out there! App name: SCVNGR available on the Android Market and Apple App Store. More info: http://www.scvngr.com/