Whether you prefer to cheer from the sidelines or get into the action, you have plenty of choices. With an average of 320 days of sunshine each year, and the coolest summers in the state, Jacksonville is a year-round outdoor paradise.

The Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL take to the field at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The stadium was the site for Super Bowl XXXIX and also hosts the annual Florida/Georgia match-up (billed as the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party!) and the Toyota Gator Bowl.

Enjoy minor league baseball up close and personal at the Jacksonville Suns’ red brick ballpark in the heart of downtown. The Suns are the Double-A affiliate team of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jacksonville has a minor league hockey team, the Barracudas, which is part of the Southern Professional Hockey League. 

The Bausch and Lomb Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament is held each spring on nearby Amelia Island, attracting the best players from around the globe.

If you like to play tennis, Jacksonville has 134 municipal courts in addition to numerous private clubs. The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) is headquartered here and sponsors two tournaments each year.

Ranked one of the best cities for runners by Runner’s World magazine, Jacksonville hosts the Gate River Run, the official USA 15K National Championship each year in March, attracting nearly 8,000 runners who compete for the $10,000 first prize. 

From the St. Johns River (the longest river contained entirely within the state) to the Intracoastal Waterway to the miles of beaches, Jacksonville has opportunities galore for water sports including boating, sailing, kayaking, surfing, canoeing or fishing. Urban ponds are scattered throughout the city and feature bank fishing for freshwater fish like bream, bass and catfish. Nassau Sound Pier is a great spot for salt-water fishing..