Jacksonville, Florida

by Durene Scott · January 4, 2025

Carroll’s Sausage & Country Store (Ashburn, GA) This stop was our last Harvest Host visit for 2024. What started with a Southern family recipe and a desire to open a store to share with others is now the most significant country store I have ever been in. The product diversity is astonishing. It offers nuts, canning items, meats and wines, and more. There is a considerably large field for campers and an RV park that offers full hook-ups if needed.

Clay City Fairgrounds ( Green Cove Springs, Fl)—We always make a point to visit our dear friends when we pass through Jacksonville. However, we stayed for a few days to explore Jacksonville this time. We have been residents of Florida for over 40 years but have never explored this city. Riverside Arts Market happens every Saturday. It’s a creative way to use the space under the bridge. Various artists, vegetables, and yoga classes are held before its opening at 10 am.

We then strolled the Riverwalk. In the harbor was the biggest yacht we had ever seen. Curious, I looked up who owned this beautiful megayacht, the same individual who owned the Jacksonville Jaguars. From there, we visited Friendship Fountain. This fountain reminded me of the one in front of the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas (much smaller scale) as the water danced in various movements. I could have watched the water fountain all afternoon, but the 250-year-old tree awaited in the Treaty Oak Park. The tree limbs reminded me of an octopus as they spread out, possessing most of the front yard.

Who could miss visiting St. Augustine, as it’s only an hour away? St Augustine offers many tourist attractions, such as the Castillo de San Marcos fort. With multiple trips to this quaint city, we never stopped at the Lightner Museum, but we were so glad we did. This was once a hotel. However, a newspaper editor, Otto Lightner was an ardent collector who purchased and transformed the hotel into a museum to share his collection with the public. He then donated the museum to the City of St. Augustine. The once-indoor pool area is now the museum’s restaurant.

No visit is complete until one has lunch at the Columbia Restaurant. The Cuban sandwiches, sangria, and 1905 salad were delicious. We are excited to head south to spend time with our family and be stationary for a few months.