Is Love Grove / Riviera Manor safe?
Jacksonville, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Love Grove / Riviera Manor as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Love Grove / Riviera Manor
“Go with care. Love Grove and Riviera Manor are primarily working-class residential areas with limited appeal for typical tourists. While the residential interior streets are generally calm during daylight, visitors should exercise basic precautions along the University Boulevard commercial corridor, especially after dark.”
Local police reports in the surrounding Southside arterial corridors occasionally note incidents of vehicle break-ins, catalytic converter thefts, and retail-strip property crimes.
About the area
Love Grove and Riviera Manor are adjoining mid-century neighborhoods in the Southside area of Jacksonville, bordered by Pottsburg Creek and major thoroughfares. The area is characterized by modest ranch-style homes, small apartment complexes, and a vibrant strip of international markets and eateries along University Boulevard.
- Car-Dependent
- Working-Class
- Diverse Dining
- Suburban Strip
Walking and biking in Love Grove / Riviera Manor
Walk score: 46/100 · Bike score: 44/100
There is no municipal bike-share infrastructure in the neighborhood, and cycling is challenging due to heavy vehicular traffic and a lack of protected bike lanes on arterial roads.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower violent crime rates compared to Jacksonville's urban core
- Rich selection of authentic international eateries and specialty grocers nearby
- Convenient driving access to Downtown Jacksonville and the Southside business districts
- Relatively stable homeownership across core residential blocks
Cons
- Elevated property crime and vehicle theft rates along the commercial corridors
- Below-average median household income with several aging, neglected rental properties
- Subpar pedestrian infrastructure with patchy sidewalks and poor street lighting on side streets
- High-speed vehicular traffic along bordering arterial roads makes walking hazardous
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low to moderate, with occasional individuals panhandling near major intersections, bus stops, and vacant storefronts along University Boulevard.
What Love Grove / Riviera Manor is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and quiet as residents commute to work and local markets open for daily deliveries.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy with vehicle traffic and retail shoppers along commercial plazas, feeling generally safe for daytime visits.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Residential blocks quiet down quickly, but caution is warranted around strip mall parking lots after sunset.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet but poorly illuminated, making late-night walking along major thoroughfares unadvisable.
Transit, parking and getting around
Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) operates local bus routes, including Route 27 and Route 28 along University Boulevard, connecting passengers to the Rosa Parks Downtown Transit Station roughly 6 miles away.
Parking is abundant and free in private commercial surface lots and residential driveways, with no metered zones or parking garages present.
Things to do in Love Grove / Riviera Manor
- Sample authentic international cuisine and street tacos along University Boulevard
- Explore diverse Latin, Middle Eastern, and Asian specialty markets in the commercial strip
- Launch a kayak or fish along the nearby tidal waters of Pottsburg Creek
Local favorites
- El Castillo Taqueria · Mexican Restaurant · 4.6★ (1180)A neighborhood staple known for traditional tacos, tortas, and an attached Mexican bakery.
- The Sheik Sandwiches and Subs · Fast Food Restaurant · 4.4★ (720)An iconic Jacksonville-born counter-service chain serving pita sandwiches, breakfast platters, and cherry-limeades.
- Mi Pueblo Supermarket · Grocery Store · 4.4★ (890)A bustling Latin American supermarket offering specialty imported foods, fresh produce, and a hot food deli.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.