Arlington is an inner suburb located north of Beach Boulevard and west of Regency Square Mall. The area is approximately 15 minutes from downtown Jacksonville and 20 minutes from the Jacksonville International Airport and the beaches.
Arlington is a historic area nestled amidst beautiful natural settings. At the turn of the twentieth century, Jacksonville was the Southern silent film capital of the country. The city’s most famous film studio, Eagle Studios, was built in 1916 and acquired by Norman Laboratories in 1920. The five-building silent film complex still stands today – the only one of its kind in the nation. Old Arlington, Inc., a non-profit preservation society, is assisting with the building’s restoration and the preservation of Jacksonville’s silent film legacy.
The Arlington area has several pristine conservation areas and parks, including Tree Hill Nature Center, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, and Blue Cypress Park. Tree Hill Nature Center offers 50 acres of trails, a Florida Natural History Museum, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, and native animal encounters. Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve features Fort Caroline, a sixteenth-century French settlement, and Kingsley Plantation, the 1814-1837 residence of the Zephaniah Kingsley family. The house on the property is the oldest standing planter residence in the state. Visitors can tour the plantation house, kitchen house, slave quarters, barn, and garden. Blue Cypress Park features a community center, swimming pool, golf course, tennis courts, soccer fields, fishing dock, boardwalk and nine-hole golf course.
Arlington offers many quality schools, including Jacksonville University. Local dining favorites include Gene’s Seafood, La Nopolera, The Mudville Grille, and Trey’s Deli & Grill. Plush, Leopard Lounge, and Rain are popular Arlington nightclubs. There is a wide selection of rental options in the area, ranging from cozy apartments to historic bungalows.
