Mayport Road stretches a little over three miles and connects Mayport Village and Mayport Naval Station to the rest of Jacksonville. If you’ve ever driven to Hannah Park coming from Atlantic Blvd, you have witnessed pretty much all of Mayport Road. 

At first glance, you may get the impression that this area of Jacksonville is the kind of place you can’t see yourself visiting on the regular — you may not notice anything interesting or beautiful about it. To be honest, a lot of what you see initially are used car dealerships, industrial buildings, dingy shopping plazas, and bait shops. The overall environment sends the message that it is simply a thoroughfare, meant only for passing through.

Believe it or not, this offbeat character is exactly what we like about Mayport Road. There are no acai bowl shops or hipster coffee shops; (at least not yet) it’s the kind of place where Birkenstocks and iced honey lattes are traded for jiffy feet and boiled peanuts. Don’t get us wrong – we love hipster coffee shops! But we also love the genuine feel of Mayport and the vibe of no frills or fancy expressions of luxury. It is what it is.

After finding a few interesting spots off Mayport Road, we were hooked. We kept coming back for more, which led to this post: a compilation of our favorite places in this distinct corner of Jacksonville.

We hope you will explore the items on the list and create some good memories. Also, if you think we left out any gems off of Mayport Rd, please comment below with your suggestions!

Note: The places below are listed in consecutive order. The first spot we mention will start at the most southern end of Mayport road where it connects into Atlantic Blvd and the last stop is located in the most northern section of Mayport rd where it turns into SR A1A.

1. Tide Views Preserve

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If you’re a procrastinator but you still love to watch sunsets, Tides Views Preserve is for you. It’s conveniently located right off of Mayport Road, and parking is easily accessible. The pathway to the dock is kept up and it’s only about a three-minute walk to the docks. The marsh waters in the intercoastal waterways are so still that most of the time you get a double sunset view; one in the sky and one reflecting on the water.

Another vista point at this park is the view of the Atlantic Blvd Intercoastal Waterway bridge, it might not sound like much, but its cool to see the cars rushing home from work as the sun dims down behind the tall bridge.

2. Beaches Rock Gym

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There was a time not long ago, that if you wanted to visit a rock gym in Jacksonville, there was only one place, The Edge Rock Gym located in Southside. But now, conveniently for the beach community, there is a 2nd rock gym in JAX called Beaches Rock Gym. The gym recently expanded and now offers a programmable color-coded LED holds that is all attached to a hydraulic wall. The gym also features a bouldering wall and an easy clip-in area where no partner is required to assist your climb.

The environment is open, clean, and friendly. Its a place where anyone can enjoy a climb while feeling relaxed and welcome. The gym allows drop-ins at a rate of $15 and offers several monthly memberships for youth, students, families, and individuals.

3. The Skate Yard

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Tucked away, and hardly noticeable, until you see skaters flying above the ramps. The Skate Yard is not a public skate park, it’s a private skateboard training facility that offers camps, after school programs and event party rentals. We don’t know too much about the place, as we recently found it ourselves, but we do know that two dads opened it up and combined, they have over 50 years of skateboard experience. We wanted to include it to our list because we thought it was really cool and we thought you would think so too. If you are curious, you can see videos of the place on their site: theskateyard.com

4. Rev Brewery

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First off, Rev Brewery is beautiful; its the type of environment you want to hang out in simply because you feel good in the space. Maybe it’s the warm backdrop of the antique hand-carved saloon backbar, or it could be the animal figurines, plants, and lighting that was installed just in the right spot, but whatever the recipe is for this homey environment, the hospitality and beverages don’t fall flat either. If you’re a cocktail-kinda-person, don’t worry, this brewery is known for its interesting beer slushie’s which is a little more fun and exciting than a pint of beer for some. When we visited, the beer slushy of the day was peanut butter & jelly. The drink was served respectfully with a drink umbrella on top. The whole experience felt like a mini escape and a small reason to celebrate on a weeknight for no reason at all. Which, if we think about it, that’s the sort of experience one should expect from a place that also believes in antique backbars from the wild west days, right? revbrewing.com

5. Pho Viet Inc

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If you like pho, you gotta make the stop. Pho Viet Inc has been open in this location for over 10 years, and 9 times out of 10, if a restaurant has been open, in the same place for over 10 years, it’s an excellent place to eat. The reviews rave about the homemade broth and how delicious it is. We recently tied the Pho ourselves, and it was excellent! Next time you’re on Mayport Rd, stop in and give it a try!

6. Sub Cultured – Locals favorite

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If there is one food that embodied the beaches as a whole, it would be a sub. We blame this correlation on the surfers. There are many sub shops throughout the beaches area, and you can bet, whether you go to Angie’s Subs, Sun Deli, Surfwich, or Sub Cultured, you probably have an 80% chance of seeing a surfer-type-guy grabbing a sub for lunch with long unkempt hair, sunkissed skin and possibly no shoes. Much like New York is known for its Jewish delis with rye sandwiches stacked high with pastrami, Jacksonville is known for its beachy sub shops that serve sandwiches named after local surfers and little groms. These sub shops make up their own special subs with special sauces and give them cool names. And Sub Cultured is no exception.

The cool thing about Sub Cultured is that there is no in-house dining, you simply walk up to a window and order. Which is perfect for surfers and others wanting to get a quick bite. However, if you do want to eat on-site, they do have picnic tables available.

Sub Cultured feels old school and edgy at the same time, they offer classic subs like the Philly and Cuban, but then also swing the other direction with offerings like a sub called “K-pop Porto” and can even serve you up some mean Poutine is that’s what you’re craving. The subs here are always delicious and the chip and drink selection is solid, but what really speaks volumes is the fact that they have housemade soups and dressings. Not every restaurant goes the extra mile to provide these luxuries to their customers. To us, that is good old fashion hospitality at its finest.

7. Atlantic Beach Arts Market

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Atlantic Beach Arts Market is a 5000 sqft artist co-op gallery right off Mayport rd. You would think you would notice it as you drive by, but the building sits deep on the lot, so only a small portion of it is seen from the road. Before we made our way into the Arts Market, we envisioned only finding the typical coastal beach decor items that scream “I just moved to Florida, therefore every room needs seashells”, but we were wrong. The co-op is filled with a variety of styles and items that could make any snobby decor personality happy. Original paintings from various mediums, prints, vintage finds, pottery, kid toys, glass art, furniture, and so much more can be found from local artists and vendors.

Not only is this a fun place to shop and browse, but they also offer art classes for all ages and levels. If you like art or need a unique gift, this is a must-stop on Mayport Rd.

8. Pie Heaven Bakery Cafe

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Pie Heaven has been on our radar for years. We don’t know why we waited so long to go in for a slice of pie, but we are glad we finally did. Anita, the owner, and everyone else who works there seems to be happy about making pies and making customers happy with their pies.

When you first walk into the pie shop, you get hit in the face with a homey smell of warm pies. Its a smell most people don’t get every day, it’s a moment you may have seen in a classic southern film like “Steel Magnolias” or “Fried Green Tomatoes”, but at Pie Heaven, you can experience this moment in real life.

Making a pie is no basic task. How do you keep the pastry shell flaky while you bake luscious hot berries inside of it? Anita, the owner, and head pie baker may not have known those answers before she opened, as she didn’t do much baking before opening Pie Heaven, but she has since become the pro.

Years before she opened her bakery, Anita dreamed of visiting a pie shop where she could sit down and enjoy a slice of pie with some coffee, but much to her dismay, there were no designated pie shops in all of Duval. She prayed that some experienced baker out there would come along and open a pie shop, but it never happened. Then, after some more thinking and praying, it became clear to her that “she” was the one that was supposed to open the bakery.  She has been happily making pies ever since.

Do you like savory pies? Tart pies? cold pies? Almost any kind you can think of, they can make it. You can call ahead and request a special order, or you can pop-in for a quick slice of pie, or possibly snag a whole pie.

Our most favorite so far is the strawberry rhubarb pie, which is pictured below. It wasn’t too sweet and it was just enough tart.

9. Dutton Island Preserve

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Dutton Island Preserve is a perfect place to get some quiet time in nature, take your dog for a walk, or watch the sunset.  It’s a peaceful park with a 1.4 mile nature loop trail, picnic tables, intercoastal waterways, open play area,  and scenic overlooks with benches for viewing. The park is well maintained and has artsy birdhouses dotted throughout the loop trail. The park used to be called bird island and it also used to be a dirt bike track, once you cross over a small bridge on the nature trail, you will see the berm piles. If you follow the berms, it will lead you to a pretty lookout spot of the intercoastal waterway. This park also connects to the Kayak Launch area. You can get there by car, or by bike as there are a bike path and the main road that connected the two parks.

10. Dutton Island Kayak Launch

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Dutton Island Kayak Launch is right down the road from Dutton Island Preserve. There is no entry fee and the parking is decent, as this park never seems too crowded. If you need to relieve yourself before dragging your kayak into the marsh waters and paddling against high winds for two hours there is a restroom area to the right of the road between the bridge and launch site. And remember, if you go kayaking, don’t forget to wear a life-jacket, wear sunscreen, bring water, and have a good time!

11. Casa Leon

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Casa Leon may not be the trendy place, but its a steady place. it’s a real Mexican food restaurant that serves up endless bowls of delicious chips and salsa. Its the type place where you get served steaming hot steak fajitas on a cast iron skillet as you sip on a large margarita and laugh with your friends, while also arm dancing to Latin music while sitting at your table.

Its the place where you feel comfortable and welcome. We love the story of the owner. He started out as a dishwasher and worked his way up to eventually owning his own restaurant. What a story of calculated persistence and hard work. Next time you are in the mood for some authentic Mexican fare in the Mayport area, give Casa Leon a try!

12. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park

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Where do we start with Hanna Park? First off, years ago, it used to be a site to get clean fill dirt by local contractors (that’s how the lake was formed), but over the years it has developed into the beautiful state park it is today. This large park features Floridas finest natural wilderness and boasts many outdoor activities the whole family can enjoy.

If you’re a JAX local, you most likely don’t come to Hanna Park to camp. However, locals find other reasons to hang out at Hanna Park, as there is a little something for everyone.

Biking:
If you’re a sporty guy or gal and need to disconnect from your device engaged world, biking in Hanna Park is a wonderful escape. When you get on the bike and start your way down the skinny trail with small trees on both sides, you quickly forget about your day’s stresses and you become laser-focused on staying upright on your bike. Your thoughts become “Watch out for that root!”, “is that a snake?”, “wow, this is fun!”. Its a mini-vacation for your brain and it’s all done while getting a workout, breathing fresh air, and being surrounded by nature and her sounds.

Surf & Beaches:
If you’re a surfer, you probably already go to “The Poles” to catch a good wave, but if you are new to the area, and haven’t been enlighted yet, you should consider surfing at The Poles. We don’t know much about them, as we don’t surf (yet), but the beaches here are wonderful either way. Each beach entry point has covered picnic tables, parking, and restrooms. Which is a little more than your average Duval public beach entrance.

Camping:
Hanna Park has many options. They have tent sites, RV sites, and even cozy cabins rentals. Check out their site for more info:

Kids Playground:
Hanna Park has a large kids playground area with a zipline and various types of swings. You don’t need to worry about bringing chairs or a table, the park has picnic tables scattered all throughout. If you go on the weekend, you will see many families hosting birthday parties here, you can’t go wrong with cake and a playground. The playground area also has a Kids Splash Park next door to it, which is perfect for those extra hot days in Florida.

Walking Trails:
Hanna Park has a large trail system that goes all throughout the park, you can stop at the small lake to take in the calm scenery, or you can keep a fast pace to get your steps in while getting a good dose of old Florida landscape. The walking trails sometimes parallel to the biking trails, so don’t be alarmed if you see a colorful blur of a human on another trail close by whizzing by on their bike.

We could go on and on about the many offerings this park has, it’s truly a gem of a park, but it might be simpler to take a peek at their website and see the rest of the offerings HERE.

13. Go Fishing in Mayport Village

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We’re not fishing experts, and we’re not about to tell you how to fish, but if you like fishing, there are many spots to do so in Mayport Village. Again, this is not tribal knowledge, we only know this from seeing people fishing all around, all the time. Some in the water, some on a pile of rocks, and some in boats. On our way to Safe Harbor, we spotted this bait & tackle shop, we walked in and they were super helpful. So if you want to fish, this might be a great spot to stop at.

14. Safe Harbor Seafood Market & Restaurant

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Safe Harbor Seafood is a classic icon of Jacksonville Florida. You can never go wrong with it. The restaurant’s core strength is locally caught fresh seafood served in a casual setting with breezy outdoor seating near the water. It’s as simple as that and that is why it works.

Safe Harbor now has multiple locations throughout Jacksonville, but the Mayport location is extra special because it the original location, and it’s also in the heart of a small-town fishing community, Mayport Villiage.

15. St Johns River Ferry

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The St Johns River Ferry has been in operating since 1874. It connects the north and south ends of Florida State Road A1A in Duval County, linking Mayport Village and Fort George Island via a pleasant sail across the St. Johns River. What’s cool about the ferry is that it’s a fun way to get to Fernandina and it’s also a good excuse to eat more shrimp at Safe Harbor. It goes like this, you plan a trip to Big Talbots Island State Park, well, you gotta take the fun ferry route, so you plan to go down Mayport road, and that also happens to be where the good shrimp is “that good ole Mayport shrimp” that is sold at restaurants like Singletons Seafood shack and Safe Harbor Seafood, now you have a whole day planned, just because of the ferry. If you take the ferry, make sure you get out of your car and feel the strong breeze on your body as you go from one side of the St Johns river to the other. Several years back, they only took cash for payment, but now you can pay the ferry ticket by credit card, its really easy, you just wait in line, follow the directions from the parking assistant, then pay the assistant through your window. The fees are reasonable too, $7 per car, $1 per bike/person. However, on the weekends the price goes up to $8. And remember, the ferry leaves every half-hour.

15 Things to do in Mayport:

1. Tide Views Preserve
2. Beaches Rock Gym
3. The Skate Yard
4. Rev Brewery
5. Pho Viet Inc
6. Sub Cultured
7. Atlantic Beach Arts Market
8. Pie Heaven
9. Dutton Island Preserve
10. Dutton Island kayak launch
11. Casa Leon
12. Hanna Park
13. Fishing in Mayport Village
14. Safe Harbor Seafood Market & Restaurant
15. St Johns River Ferry

Well, that’s all folks! We hope you found this article useful and interesting! It’s our goal to give you valuable information about your city while making it fun and interesting. We love our city and hope you do too.

Please comment and share if you liked this article! We would love the support!

Thank you!

– Esther Rimert