Welcome to Ponte Vedra Beach
Ponte Vedra Beach is a seaside resort community in Jacksonville, located along Florida’s Atlantic coast. Established in 1928, Ponte Vedra, Florida, experienced humble beginnings as a mining town after valuable minerals were discovered in 1910. Now it’s all grown up with some of the most luxurious resorts, like The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club and The Lodge & Club Ponte Vedra Beach. Home to world-renowned golf courses and the PGA Tour, as well as the host of The Players Championship at Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach is a place where you can rub elbows with professional golfers or play a few rounds with aspiring amateurs. The suburb is situated between the Intracoastal Waterway and the coast, encompassing miles of sandy shoreline and nature preserves. With its amazing golf courses, upscale beachfront homes, independent businesses, and just 18 miles south of downtown Jacksonville, living in Ponte Vedra Beach provides the best of both worlds.
If teeing off at the famous TPC Sawgrass Club, with its two championship courses designed by a world-renowned architect, is not enough to satisfy your luxury lifestyle cravings, then you can throw in a spa day at one of the resorts before heading over to the beach for a swim. Along its 20-plus miles of beachfront where pristine sand and surf await beachgoers, Mickler’s Landing Beach holds a special place in the hearts of locals. One of the first public beaches, it is known for its pink “coquina” sand and unspoiled natural habitats. You can also bring your dog along for a nice, relaxing walk along the shore. After an adventurous day in the water or sunbathing under blue skies, visit one of several eateries and restaurant establishments, such as Palm Valley Fish Camp and Pusser’s Bar and Grille, the latter having a Caribbean ambience along with live music and dancing. Ponte Vedra Beach’s upscale resorts and clubs also provide fine dining experiences. Music is a pastime with artists arriving from all over the world to perform at Ponte Vedra Beach’s newest venue, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. Events like classical performances and film series are also hosted here to take advantage of the hall’s great acoustics.
Nature Preserves
Ponte Vedra Beach is filled with a variety of plant and animal species, and a great deal of care and attention is put toward their habitat preservation. One of the largest is Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, otherwise known as the GTM Reserve. This reserve extends over 76,000 acres, from the ocean to inland marshes to wooded areas. You’ll find an amazing array of geographical features to explore, including forests, lagoons, and coastal dunes. Take your kayak or boat out through wetlands and marshes to fish or go hiking on its trails. Witness the variety of plants, birds, and mammals that are native to this region. Here you can also visit the Ponce de Leon memorial where, according to navigational records, the explorer landed and raised the Spanish flag. Bird Island Park and Fantasy Farms also celebrate the native flora and fauna (along with some exotic animals at the farm) with their unique themes, encouraging exploration and learning in safe environments.
Ponte Vedra Real Estate and Schools
As one of the more established and exclusive neighborhoods in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach has master-planned communities, such as The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach and The Enclave at Ponte Vedra Beach, designed to appeal to everyone, from retirees to golf enthusiasts to out-of-towners desiring a bit of Florida’s sunshine and no income tax. With the Intracoastal Waterway making up its western border, Ponte Vedra Beach has its share of luxury waterfront properties, whether you’re looking for a single-bedroom condominium overlooking the ocean or homes in more exclusive gated communities with direct water access or a short walk to the beach. Many of these residences offer multiple amenities, including high-end golf courses, boat slips, recreational parks, pools, tennis courts, and more.
Ponte Vedra Beach is in St. Johns County, which is known for its top schools in the state of Florida. In fact, St Johns County School District was rated #1 in all of Florida in 2019. There are several top hospitals in nearby Jacksonville, and the JAX international airport is approximately a 30-minutes’ drive from Ponte Vedra Beach. Flights with national and regional airlines provide direct flights to most of the major U.S. cities.
