Traveler’s guide to Bourbon Street

By Alison McCauslin

If you haven’t been to Jacksonville lately, or if you’re not terribly informed on clubs, you may not know what exactly the deal is with Bourbon Street Station. Generally just called Bourbon Street, this popular club is just south of Atlantic Boulevard and has a plethora of entertainment. A flea market of clubs, if you will. Inside, club goers will find many rooms with various themes and different nightly specials in each.

Upon entering (with a $5 cover charge for 21+up, $10 for 18+up) a hallway opens before you, looking similar to a street packed with various clubs. An ATM graces each side of the hallway in case you forgot cash (or run out after an evening of festivities). On your right are the smaller clubs, starting with the Latin Quarter. Inside, a DJ spins the latest in Latin music on Friday and Saturday nights. Next door is the Blue Room, where the atmosphere is more relaxed and 80s music is spun by guest DJs that vary weekly.

Across the hall is one of the two large rooms, known as Mardi Gras. Warning: Just outside the room, girls stand over the crowd and throw beads. Be ready to catch or duck. Once safely inside, the Mardi Gras room is the main room for the latest dance music, and essentially where the majority of people will be on any given night. Saturday is Big Ape night with 95.1 FM broadcasting live and specials all night—basically, a very good night to be there.

Moving through the Crazy Horse Saloon, you’ll find the Varsity Club in the far back corner of Bourbon Street. The Varsity Club is, to put it bluntly, a room aimed at men, specifically those that long for their frat days. Or are currently living their frat days.

The Varsity Girls that work the room are, as advertised, “always in naughty attire,” and put on shows throughout the night. Sports are always on, pool tables are on hand, and karaoke is available Wednesday through Saturday to cap off your evening.

Back into the Crazy Horse Saloon you’ll find a great many things that are typical of a country bar, though that doesn’t lessen its appeal. The Crazy Horse is the other large room of Bourbon Street, with a huge dance floor constantly in use with line dancing, three bars to order drinks at, a mechanical bull, and pool tables. It’s intriguing if not inspiring to watch the pros line dance, and songs like the “Cha-Cha Slide,” the “Electric Slide,” and “Wild Wild West” will undoubtedly get you dancing, regardless of your ability.

Bourbon Street has College Night every Thursday night. Though College Night brings out the college ladies and gents, be forewarned that it also brings out non-college ladies and gents eyeing the young merchandise.

Be it Thursday for the cheap drinks or Saturday for the live radio coverage and large crowds, Bourbon Street has something for everyone every night of the week.