Please note we have not been since covid began.
Every year we come to Jacksonville for a few days and stay at One Ocean Resort and Spa. It is an amazing place to stay right on the beach and with a pool. It is 5 star service and many corporations have had sales meeting here. I have seen friends come for Rodan and Fields meetings and the US Soccer team stayed here in 2004 on the way to the world cup. There is a great area right outside the hotel to eat and shop. My son loves the 5 and dime type store across the street and my mom loves the beach shops with cute clothes. My mom uses a cane and finds this resort to be very easy for her to walk to and the area outside to shop and eat. The area of the restaurants is Atlantic Beach you literally leave the parking lot and they are right there.
The hotel has Azura which we ate breakfast at each day. Watch out the birds do like to join you for meals. It is more upscale at night.
Other places to each in the area that we have dined at:
Flying Iguana- best gauc ever made at the table!
Ragtime Tavern If you have kids ask to sit downstairs by the fish tanks!
One Ocean Resort
We have been coming to One Ocean Resort & Spa once a year for the past 5 years. It is a hidden gem in Jacksonville in my mind.
They have a great spa, restaurant and love that the pool and beach are right there.
We always pay extra for a balcony room and love waking up to the ocean, or being able to sit and watch people on the beach or in the pool. Its a great place to get beach pictures at sunset too.
Each room has a safe in a drawer, a mini fridge that they stock with soft drinks, water, juices and a snack drawer with snacks. All of these are for you to enjoy free!!
They have a docent for your room who will bring you what you need or refills. They have two bath robes in each room for you to use also. Each room has a Keurig coffee maker and they leave 4 k cups each day. They have free coffee and tea downstairs too.
They have a gym that overlooks the pool and there are water bottles in there and also you can grab a towel from by the pool. This place always makes you feel special when you are there. The staff is very friendly too.
One Ocean Spa
Want a relaxing spa in a heavenly spot? Then One Ocean Resort & Spa is the place. I encourage you to book your spa treatment ahead of time. I have had luck sometimes calling last minute, but sometimes they are booked up. I called yesterday to get the sea shell massage, my favorite but they were booked in those rooms, so I got a regular one with Erin. She was fabulous! When you arrive , they check you in and take you to the mens or women’s lounge. She noticed I was plus size, so got me a bigger robe. I appreciate this as many times I ha e to ask for a bigger robe. She then showed me the hot tub and other amenities in the locker room. She showed me how to work my locker. I changed and then went to my favorite part. The comfy chairs over looking the ocean and pool. It truly is a heavenly spot!
They also have a small snack bar with the most amazing lavender cookies.
My favorite part is waiting for the massage. The view is priceless.
Erin came to get me and it was time for my massage. When you are done you are free to use the amenities the rest of the day. They have a gift shop with cute things in there so check it out too. You can charge the services to your room or pay there. There is no pressure to buy anything extra which I appreciate as many spas do. I have always enjoyed the spa visits here and never had a bad experience
Alhambra Theatre & Dining
One year we went to the oldest Dinner Theater in the Nation and saw an amazing production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It is about 15 mins from One Ocean. Highly recommend this place. It is the Nations Oldest Dinner Theater.
You can buy can tickets online. They have senior and children rates and you can pick where you want to sit. You arrive at 5:30 for dinner, check in and can either go to the bar or be seated.
It houses 350 people. Our seats were on the floor near the stage. The waitress takes your order. You get three courses. Even children do.
Children have different main course options. Pizza and chicken nuggets were our kid choices. We had our salads first then we did feel they held our dinners till the other family at our table came and I had read that in some reviews. The food was very good.
The play begins at 7:30 and ran till about 9:45 with one 15 min intermission.
Water, coffee and ice tea are free and sodas were $2 with free refills. Please make sure to tip your server as it was not included.
They suggest $5.55 a person.
At our play they sold toot sweet lollipops like in the movie for $1.
My son loved whistling his during the play when the actors did. They did an amazing job with the play and making the car fly and felt the actors did a great job.
Jacksonville Pier
My son loves to fish so we always bring our fishing gear and go here. About 5 mins from One Ocean Hotel is the Jacksonville Pier in Jacksonville Beach. We love to go here and love that they have reopened it since the hurricane destroyed it a few years ago. The pier is not all redone, but most of it is.
There is plenty of free parking here. Then you walk to the pier,
We bring a bucket for our shrimp and fish if we catch it, so I always have my son fill it with ocean water before we walk the pier. This year we did see lots of homeless under the pier, but they did not bother anyone when we were there. They do have life guards right near the pier during their hours. When you enter the pier there is a little house.
They charge $1 for walkers and $3 to fish. I just went with my son as he fished so I was just $1. We then bought a bag of frozen shrimp for $4. We then walked to the end of the pier, where there is a gate as they have not finished the pier. They sell a few snacks and drinks, but not many when we were there.
There are 2 picnic tables near the front where the beach is, and bathrooms there too. If you are not doing the pier and just the beach, their is a bathroom house in the parking lot. You need to bring everything with you you need to fish. We saw people with chairs and umbrellas as there is no shade. Ce choice to wear sunscreen and hats. They do have a sink to wash your fish ( or hands) and a cutting table. I will say we did not catch anything the 2 days we went and many around us did not either. I think the old pier went out farther and that helped for catching more fish.
My son loves to fish so this is always a highlight of our trip for him, even if he doesn't catch anything. The fishermen are very friendly and helped us when we got our lines tangled and lost a hook. There are a few tourist beach shops and places to eat in this area too.
Places we want to see next time:
Other Fun Cities near:
St. Augstine
Christmas time:
