Jacksonville Beach Pier by the Numbers: 1,300 Feet, 2 Hurricanes, a 6-Year Rebuild and a $2.50 Walk

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. - The Jacksonville Beach Pier stretches nearly a quarter of a mile into the Atlantic Ocean from 503 N. First St. It spent most of six years damaged or closed after hurricanes Matthew and Irma, and it reopened in full in July 2022. Today anglers and walkers pay a small daily fee to use it, and it sits a short walk from the SeaWalk Pavilion in the center of town.

A Pier That Storms Keep Testing

Storms have shaped the pier's history for decades. The Jacksonville Historical Society notes that winds destroyed much of the then-new Jacksonville Beach Pier before Hurricane Dora made landfall on Sept. 10, 1964. Hurricane Floyd leveled the original pier in September 1999, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.

A replacement followed a few years later. The City of Jacksonville, the City of Jacksonville Beach and the Duval County Tourist Development Council built a $4.2 million pier that was completed in 2003, the Daily Record reported. That structure was about 1,300 feet long and was divided into 34 sections, and a local fishing business owner later told the paper it had not been built to account for storm surge.

Matthew and Irma

Hurricane Matthew struck in October 2016 and tore away the end of the pier. WJCT reported that the storm destroyed the last 300 feet of the 1,300-foot structure, and the Daily Record reported that sections 25 through 34 were demolished. Hurricane Irma caused more damage in 2017.

The pier stayed partly open for a time. The first 625 feet were reopened to anglers and visitors, according to WJCT, before the pier closed entirely in 2019 for construction. Fisherman Michael Covington told Action News Jax at the time that the pier "used to be full of fishermen," but that anglers were left with only a small spot at low tide.

The Rebuild

The City of Jacksonville, which owns the pier, sought bids for the repair on June 19, 2019. Early estimates put the cost at $8 million, to be paid with insurance, federal reimbursement and city money, according to the Daily Record. The city awarded a $9.8 million contract to Hal Jones Contractor LLC, and Action News Jax reported that work was expected to take about two years.

The plan removed sections 12 through 25 and rebuilt the pier to 34 sections, nearly the same length as before. The new sections slope gradually upward toward the end, adding 8 feet of height to better withstand storm surge. City Councilman Rory Diamond said engineers assured him the design would last 100 years, the Daily Record reported.

The work ran past its original schedule. Delays in federal funding approval, environmental studies and state permitting slowed the project, and News4Jax reported in June 2022 that the overall budget had grown to more than $14 million, mostly from federal funds. "We are almost there. We're about to have our pier back," Diamond told the station that month, and city leaders announced the reopening in early July 2022.

What It Costs to Walk or Fish

The pier is open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily, according to the City of Jacksonville Beach website, and it closes during dangerous weather. Fees returned on Jan. 1, 2023, after the reopening. Locals, defined in 2022 news reports as Duval County residents and hotel guests with a key card, pay a lower rate.

The city lists a 50-cent cash discount per person on day passes. Anglers do not need a separate fishing license because the entry fee covers it, and rods rent for $15 plus tax per day. The pier has a bait shop, restrooms, picnic tables and parking.

Rules on the Pier

The city posts a list of rules for visitors. Diving or jumping from the pier, sitting on the rails and feeding wildlife are not allowed. Skateboards, scooters, surfboards and bicycles are banned, and pets are not allowed except for service animals.

Food and alcohol are also prohibited on the pier. Environmental permits for the rebuild did not allow restaurants or entertainment programming on the structure, the Daily Record reported in 2019. Visitors are expected to use trash cans and follow directions from pier staff and police.

The SeaWalk Area

The pier sits just north of the city's oceanfront center along First Street. Latham Plaza and the SeaWalk Pavilion, at 11 First St. N., include an outdoor amphitheater set directly on the beach. The city's Parks and Recreation Department rents the space for festivals, special events and other public gatherings.

The pavilion area has long been the city's main outdoor stage. News4Jax has described the SeaWalk as stretching over two blocks in the center of town, with live music and food festivals held there through much of the year. The Great Atlantic Seafood and Music Festival has traditionally opened the season there in mid-March.

A few blocks farther south, Oceanfront Park covers 2 acres on First Street South between Fifth and Sixth avenues. The city says the park has four sheltered picnic areas, a sand volleyball court, a small playground and two dune walkovers. Its centerpiece is "Sea Express," a bronze statue by sculptor Kristen Visbal of a boy riding a dolphin.

How to Visit

The pier entrance is at 503 N. First St., Jacksonville Beach, and the phone number listed by the city is 904-372-0798. It is open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Walking day passes cost $2.50 for non-locals and $1.50 for locals, and fishing day passes cost $5.50 and $4.50, according to the city's website, which directs visitors to thejaxpier.com for the latest information.