Friendship Fountain

My family and I really enjoy finding outdoor adventures or even just a nice place for an afternoon walk.  

Friendship Fountain in Jacksonville, FL is more than we could ask for!

Friendship Fountain is a large fountain with beautiful water jets at the St. Johns River bank, in Downtown Jacksonville.  It's been there since 1965 and I've always enjoyed it as a kid.  Many years ago, however, the city planners were in great debate on whether to remove the fountain, now Landmark, for good.  It seemed that it had fallen into disrepair.  Now the fountain was in need of a major renovation that was going to cost the city over $3 million dollars!

I'm sure this was no easy decision!  After much debate, in the end, I'm very glad the Friendship Fountain is still with us.  It's not enough to simply focus on new construction in a city, but we must strive to properly care for and maintain places such as this, where generation after generation can come and enjoy.  The nostalgia alone is worth $3 million dollars and then some!  To be able to re-visit the Southbank Riverwalk after so many years, and walk the same boardwalk with my now husband, where we use to stroll on our "dates", and bring along our two little ones is priceless!

The most memorable visit was most recently.  After a big family dinner, with my sister, nieces, nephew, brother-in-law, we visited Friendship Fountain for a nice evening stroll. What a beautiful night it was!!  Then it started to drizzle, just a little.  We didn't let it stop our fun!  Before long the drizzle was a downpour!  Well, that's what we get for not checking the weather report :)  We didn't mind, because just the short visit, and then running for cover, faces dripping, clothes soaked, we were smiling and laughing the whole time!

Thank you Jacksonville, for all of the wonderful memories and those that are sure to come!