5 Epic Reasons Why The Soul Of Surf Jacksonville Sweepstakes Is The Ultimate Florida Beach Getaway
The Soul of Surf Sweepstakes, a highly anticipated promotion run by Visit Jacksonville, has once again captured the imagination of surfers and beach lovers across the United States. As of late 2025, the excitement is building for the grand prize winner selection, which is slated to take place in early March 2025, promising one lucky entrant an unforgettable, all-inclusive surf vacation to the heart of Florida's East Coast wave scene. This sweepstakes is more than just a giveaway; it is a meticulously curated experience designed to immerse the winner in the authentic, community-driven surf culture that defines Jacksonville Beach.
This deep dive explores the incredible prize package, the powerful partnership driving the campaign, and the rich history of surfing that makes Jacksonville, Florida, the perfect destination for this epic "Soul of Surf" experience. The campaign successfully amplified Jacksonville's unique "Soul of Surf" identity, turning a simple contest into a major destination marketing initiative.
The Grand Prize: Your All-Inclusive Jacksonville Surf Experience
The "Visit Jacksonville x Soul of Surf Sweepstakes" is renowned for offering a prize package that goes far beyond a simple beach trip, providing a true luxury immersion into the local surfing lifestyle. The grand prize is a complete, three-night surf getaway for two, covering accommodation, private instruction, and exclusive gear. This comprehensive package highlights the best of what Duval County has to offer to wave enthusiasts.
- Luxury Oceanfront Accommodation: The winner receives a three-night stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Beach Oceanfront. This provides immediate, stunning access to the waves and includes complimentary breakfast for two each morning, ensuring a perfect start to every surf day.
- Private Surf Lessons with a Local Pro: A key feature of the prize is private surf lessons. This one-on-one instruction with a professional surfer offers personalized coaching, a deep dive into local breaks, and a significant boost to any surfer's skills, regardless of their current level.
- Exclusive Catch Surf Board: The grand prize includes exclusive Catch Surf boards. In some iterations, two winners also received their choice of a custom Catch Surf board previously ridden by professional surfers Ben Gravy or Blair Conklin during their "Soul of Surf" sessions in Jacksonville. This adds a unique, collectible element to the prize.
- Official Soul of Surf Merchandise: The package is rounded out with official "Soul of Surf" merchandise, allowing the winner to take home tangible memories and represent the Jacksonville surf community.
- The Full Surf Trip for Two: The entire prize is framed as a complete surf trip for two to Jacksonville, FL, covering the core elements of a perfect beach vacation: stay, surf, and style.
The sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, making this a highly accessible and coveted prize for American surf enthusiasts.
Behind the Waves: The Soul of Surf Campaign and Partnerships
The success and high profile of the sweepstakes are a direct result of a strategic and powerful partnership between key players in the tourism and surfing industries. The campaign, which was a highlight presentation at the 2025 Destination Marketing Summit, was designed to amplify the city's unique surf identity.
Visit Jacksonville: The Destination Driver
Visit Jacksonville, the official destination marketing organization, is the primary force behind the "Soul of Surf" campaign. Their goal, led by figures like Katie Mitura, was to market Jacksonville Beach not just as a coastal city, but as a legitimate and vibrant surf destination. The campaign is rooted in the area's rich surfing history and its strong community spirit, shaped by generations of local wave riders and craftspeople.
Catch Surf and GoPro: The Surfing Lifestyle Amplifiers
To give the sweepstakes genuine street credibility and appeal to the core surfing audience, Visit Jacksonville collaborated with major industry brands. Catch Surf, known for its innovative soft-top boards and "Epic Tales of Radness" ethos, was a central partner. The inclusion of boards ridden by surf personalities like Ben Gravy and Blair Conklin directly connects the prize to high-profile figures in the modern surf scene, boosting the campaign's reach and excitement. Furthermore, the involvement of GoPro, as highlighted in the marketing strategy, ensures high-quality content creation, capturing the essence of the "Soul of Surf" experience and further promoting Jacksonville's beaches.
The partnership, which also involved media coordination by Clint Shobert of MediaOne, successfully created a buzz that positioned Jacksonville's surf scene as one of the best water sports actions in Florida. The campaign effectively leveraged the creative, outsider spirit of the surf pioneers—a true sub-culture of surfing-as-a-way-of-life that encompasses board-shaping, art, music, and film.
Jacksonville’s Surf Culture: Why The 'Soul of Surf' Lives Here
The "Soul of Surf" is not just a marketing tagline; it is a reflection of Jacksonville’s deep-rooted and welcoming surf culture. Unlike some more exclusive or intimidating surf spots, Jacksonville Beach offers a friendly environment for surfers of all skill levels, from absolute beginners to seasoned wave riders.
A Welcoming Surf Environment
The local surf spot guide describes Jacksonville Beach as having plenty of options for beginners to learn and grow. The consistent, manageable waves on the First Coast are ideal for those looking to improve their skills. This accessibility is a core part of the city's "Soul of Surf"—a culture that values community, spirit, and passing on the tradition of wave riding.
Year-Round Events and Community
While the sweepstakes is a major promotional event, it exists alongside a vibrant calendar of other surf-related activities. For instance, the annual Super Girl Surf Festival, the world's largest women's sports, music, and lifestyle event, frequently returns to Jacksonville Beach. This event, which features Women's Surfing League (WSL) pros, further solidifies the city's standing as a premier destination for professional and amateur surfing alike. Other community events, such as the Red Bull Foam Wreckers, an "anti-surf-contest" that champions fun and soft-boards, showcase the diverse and laid-back nature of the local scene.
The sweepstakes winner will not just be visiting a beach; they will be stepping into a living, breathing surf community. The private surf lessons with a local pro are designed to be a gateway into this community, providing insider knowledge of the best local spots and the unwritten rules of the waves.
What’s Next for the Soul of Surf Sweepstakes Winner
With the entry period for the most recent "Visit Jacksonville x Soul of Surf Sweepstakes" having concluded, all eyes are on the upcoming grand prize winner selection. The winner will be randomly selected and notified shortly after the draw in early March 2025. This prize is a golden ticket to experience the best of Northeast Florida's coastal life—a true Florida surfing vacation.
For those who missed the entry window, the campaign successfully established the "Soul of Surf" as an ongoing identity for the city. Future sweepstakes and similar promotions are highly likely, given the success of this campaign. In the meantime, the sweepstakes serves as an excellent travel guide, highlighting the must-do experiences: a stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Beach Oceanfront, a session with a local professional surfer, and a deep dive into the unique, creative, and welcoming surf sub-culture that thrives in Jacksonville, Florida.
Detail Author:
- Name : Shany Rice II
- Username : bednar.jason
- Email : savanah09@wolff.com
- Birthdate : 1992-10-23
- Address : 590 Tavares Vista Apt. 985 Greenholtbury, IN 46525
- Phone : +1-650-741-7119
- Company : Becker and Sons
- Job : Host and Hostess
- Bio : Veritatis sint eius reprehenderit sunt consectetur quo sed quasi. Nihil adipisci consequatur odio aperiam. Nemo officiis sunt omnis quae.
Socials
tiktok:
- url : https://tiktok.com/@felix7539
- username : felix7539
- bio : Totam tenetur perferendis maxime ex laborum necessitatibus.
- followers : 6151
- following : 669
facebook:
- url : https://facebook.com/felix_conroy
- username : felix_conroy
- bio : Maiores et eos libero quod.
- followers : 210
- following : 934
twitter:
- url : https://twitter.com/felix.conroy
- username : felix.conroy
- bio : Aut deserunt aperiam et veritatis natus aut. Voluptas iusto velit consectetur laudantium libero. Eos beatae quisquam et optio.
- followers : 1651
- following : 204
instagram:
- url : https://instagram.com/conroy2021
- username : conroy2021
- bio : Omnis maxime ipsam tenetur blanditiis. Suscipit quibusdam et amet officiis tenetur.
- followers : 3402
- following : 2007
