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Jacksonville, Florida: Humidity, Hangovers, and Hunting for Vintage Vinyl

@Owen Steele3/14/2026blog
Jacksonville, Florida: Humidity, Hangovers, and Hunting for Vintage Vinyl

okay, so. jacksonville. i didn’t plan to end up here. the numbers - 4152872 and 1840015068 - they just… appeared on a napkin at a gig in Nashville. felt like a sign, you know? a cosmic nudge to ditch the tour bus and head east. and honestly? it’s been… something.

red and white building on beach during daytime

a beach with chairs and umbrellas

shallow focus photo of sea


let’s just say the weather is… enthusiastic. i just checked and it’s hovering around 24 degrees, feels like the same, with a humidity that could glue feathers to your face. seriously. i’m pretty sure my hair is actively trying to escape my head. pressure’s at 1019, humidity’s a solid 69 (yikes), and the ground level’s a little lower than sea level. who knew?

but the vibe… that’s the thing. it’s got this weird, low-key energy. like everyone’s just… existing. not aggressively, not desperately, just… being. i spent a good chunk of yesterday wandering around *Riverside, which is actually pretty cool. tons of little shops, some decent coffee (more on that later), and a surprising amount of street art. i even stumbled upon a vintage record store - “Groove Merchant” - and nearly lost my mind.

“Heard that Groove Merchant has a first pressing of ‘London Calling’ hidden in the back. But you gotta know the secret handshake. Apparently, it involves reciting the entire lyrics to ‘Police and Thieves’ backwards.”


that’s what a guy with a parrot on his shoulder told me, anyway. i didn’t try it. i’m not that committed. but i did find a bunch of amazing soul records. seriously, if you’re into vinyl, check it out. TripAdvisor link to Groove Merchant.

food-wise… it’s been a mixed bag. i’ve been mostly living off gas station snacks and whatever i can scrounge up. someone told me that Southern Grounds has the best coffee in town, and they might be right. it’s strong, it’s cheap, and it keeps the humidity-induced brain fog at bay. Yelp link to Southern Grounds. i also tried some shrimp and grits at a place called The Fish Company. it was… fine. nothing to write home about.

“Don’t order the alligator bites at The Fish Company. Trust me. You’ll regret it. Unless you like the taste of rubber bands and disappointment.”


that was a very drunk woman at the bar next door. she seemed to know what she was talking about.

if you get bored, St. Augustine is just a short drive away. it’s a bit touristy, but the history is pretty fascinating. i spent a few hours wandering around the fort and pretending i was a pirate. it’s surprisingly therapeutic.

my neighbors? well, mostly palm trees and confused-looking iguanas. there’s a whole colony of them here. they just stare at you. it’s unsettling.

gear-wise, i’ve been relying on the essentials:

 My trusty notebook (Moleskine, obviously)
A beat-up camera (Canon AE-1 - analog is where it’s at)
 A portable record player (for those vinyl finds)
A ridiculous amount of sunscreen
 A hat. a big, floppy hat.

and a few random things i picked up along the way, like a seashell and a postcard with a picture of a manatee.

overall? jacksonville isn’t going to blow your mind. it’s not flashy or glamorous. but it’s got a certain… charm. a quiet, unassuming charm. and sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. i’m not sure how long i’ll stay, but for now, i’m embracing the humidity, the hangovers, and the hunt for vintage vinyl. check out the local forums for more tips: Jacksonville forum.

and if you see a woman wandering around with a floppy hat and a slightly bewildered expression, say hi. it might be me.

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About the author: Owen Steele

Believer in lifelong learning (and unlearning).

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