There’s a reason Mandarin is one of the top three places to live in Jacksonville — here, the picturesque, historic neighborhood seamlessly melds with a sophisticated, urban expansion, offering a quiet place to live with the benefits of big city living. From quaint, riverfront streets lined with funky boutiques to happening foodie districts featuring breathtaking waterfront views, the City of Jacksonville overflows with the best aspects of both city life and the natural world. Beyond downtown’s majestic skyline, you’ll find the heart of Jacksonville lies within Mandarin.
As one of Jacksonville’s most-prized neighborhoods favorited among young professionals and families alike, Mandarin is home to an array of brand new, luxury living spaces. The Waterford at Mandarin offers Jacksonville apartments for rent, featuring a wide range of luxury amenities; spacious one-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom apartments, and three-bedroom apartments; and a commuter-friendly property location that is minutes from a number of Jacksonville’s hot spots.
When was the last time you boasted about your apartment view? If never, then you don’t know what you’re missing! Wake up to breathtaking views of the river, and unwind with a beautiful sunset. When you rent an apartment in Mandarin, amazing views come with the territory.
Mandarin is marked by ancient oak trees draped with Spanish moss. The area brims with history and nature and offers some of the most stunning river views in Jacksonville, as well as a wealth of boutique shops, independent local craft eateries, and vibrant city-wide festivals.
If you’re looking for a new apartment, are moving out on your own for the first time, or have moved to Mandarin for work, check out our comprehensive guide to living in Mandarin and renting apartments in Jacksonville, FL. Contact us for additional tips or to schedule a property tour of Mandarin’s trendiest, brand new apartment community.
Renting in Mandarin is the best choice if you want authentic entrées and craft brews. Featuring an array of nationally-owned restaurants, locally-owned artisan craft food spots, and independent breweries, Mandarin offers some of the best bites in Jacksonville.
Julington Creek Fish Camp is a shining example of a Mandarin local-favorite eatery. This is a relaxed, elegant spot offering a seafood-based menu with a southern twist, featuring a great wine list, fresh seafood from North Florida waters, and pasta, steak, poultry, and pork dishes.
Wicked Barley Brewing Company offers house-brewed craft beers and gourmet bar eats with both indoor and outdoor seating available. Make like the locals and bring your pups to the pet-friendly waterfront beer garden or grab a bite at the full-service restaurant and tap room.
Le Petit Paris Café is Mandarin’s slice of Parisian cuisine. Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of a traditional Parisian café while enjoying artisan baked goods, macarons, salads, quiche, and sandwiches, each item made to order with fresh Florida local ingredients.
The Local is a high-quality café that offers a little bit of everything — delicious, healthy food; a variety of craft booze; and the best coffee in Mandarin — for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This eatery is inspired by home-cooked meals, straight from a scratch kitchen.
Mandarin — located on the St. Johns River and just south of San Marco — offers a blend of unique, independently-owned shops and popular national department stores for all of your buying needs, each of which is located in a central area that’s close to our Southside Jacksonville apartments. Stock up on weekly groceries at Trader Joe’s and Publix, or enjoy retail therapy at the Mandarin Oaks Shopping Center. Earth Pets Natural Pet Market is the local pet-owners’ choice for high-quality, natural pet products and offers everything for dogs and cats under one roof. If you’d rather steer clear of the big-name stores, you’re in luck! Hoby’s Honey & General Store is a modern-day general store packed with Americana foods, artisan-made condiments, loose-leaf teas, and specialty goods.
Mandarin offers convenient transportation options that make it easy to navigate your commutes throughout Jacksonville (and for touring Jacksonville, FL, apartments). Located on the St. Johns River and just south of San Marco, Mandarin is a commuter-friendly area popular amongst bicyclists, joggers, public-transit riders and drivers alike.
Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint during your daily commute or you don’t own a car, Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) comprises a network of more than 30 bus routes that extend throughout each borough and to the beaches. Get to where you need to be with ease and without the hassle of enduring rush-hour traffic or finding an available parking space. JTA typically provides services throughout the year, except for holidays, which may have reduced hours and limited available routes.
Mandarin residents have several ridesharing services to choose from for getting around the city, whether going to a Jacksonville Jaguars game at the TIAA Bank Field or meeting friends for drinks in Five Points. Residents that are familiar with ridesharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, can find them throughout town. Both services are commonly used by Mandarin and Jacksonville locals to navigate each borough of the city both quickly and conveniently.
Take a scenic break from roads and highways with a ride on the St. Johns River Ferry. One of the last-remaining public ferries in Florida, this historic ferry carries passengers and cars both to and from Mayport and Ft. George Island. The Jacksonville River Taxi offers transportation to and from points on both sides of the St. Johns River and in the heart of downtown. Visit each of the websites for schedules, directions, and ticket information.
Rated as one of the best places to live in Jacksonville for both young professionals and families, Mandarin offers some of the most highly-acclaimed schools within Duval County near our apartments for rent in Jacksonville, FL, including Loretto Elementary School, Mandarin Oaks Elementary School, and Mandarin High School. Rated a top elementary school in Jacksonville, Loretto Elementary is a traditional school that serves students throughout the Mandarin area — this school received a Great Schools rating of 9 out of 10. Another top-rated Mandarin educational facility, Mandarin Oaks Elementary School, serves grades PK-5 and received a Great Schools rating of 8 out of 10. Mandarin High School is the second-largest school in Duval County and serves more than 2,600 students in grades 9-12.
Mandarin is prized for its aesthetic beauty and quiet neighborhoods, but during its annual festivals which take place throughout the year, the area comes alive. Invite your friends along and celebrate with the locals at the Mandarin Art Festival and Winter Celebration event!
Held by the Mandarin Community Club since 1968, the Mandarin Art Festival is the longest-running event of its kind throughout Northeast Florida. Characterized as a high-quality juried fine art event, the weekend-long event is popular among Floridians and International travelers alike for the wide array of creations both by returning artists and artists new to the festival. The event takes place during Easter weekend of each year.
Each December, the Winter Celebration festival brings more than 1,000 attendees to the Walter Jones Historical Park for some old fashion fun. Visitors can look forward to appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus, horse-drawn hayrides, civil-war reenactors, games and crafts, access to multiple historic buildings, Mandarin frogs for sale, antique car show, food vendors, and live music, among a wide range of other festivities.
