Jacksonville holds an annual Olympic-style tournament of games for athletes 50 and older called the Forever Fit 50 & Beyond Senior Jacksonville Games. The week-long series of competitions features events designed for both competitive, experienced athletes and less skilled entrants more interested in casual fun and exercise. In addition to rigorous events, such as running, cycling and weightlifting, the games include more subdued competitions, such as bridge and croquet, which highlight the focus on socializing and kinship.
The Jacksonville Riverwalks serve as popular venues for enjoying the city's St. Johns River. There are riverwalks on both the north and south banks of the river. The south bank riverwalk features a 1.2-mile boardwalk and provides people with a quiet place to take a walk and enjoy views of the river. On the north bank, the atmosphere is more festive with Jacksonville Landing, a complex of specialty shops, restaurants and nightclubs, anchoring the two-mile boardwalk and serving as a social hub for the city.
The Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails offers 50-plus nature-lovers an ideal way to exercise and interact with nature inside the city. The network, which is located at the University of North Florida, includes three separate trails totaling five miles. The area features Lake Oneida, a freshwater lake with an accessible island and a bridge. The trails are popular for walking, viewing wildlife, fishing and holding picnics. The trail network encompasses more than 500 acres of natural habitat and is a state-protected bird sanctuary where hunting is not allowed.
Fifty-plus visitors and residents of the city can find a number of compelling museums within a short distance of each other downtown near the St. Johns River. Lovers of the fine arts can visit the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, which has more than 5,000 pieces of art covering 8,000 years of history; and the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, which focuses on contemporary masters. Also nearby is the Museum of Science and History, which combines science exhibitions with an eye on regional history.
