Ponte Vedra Now

 Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida is the oceanfront resort community that is headquarters of the PGA tour and home of The Players Championship, golf’s richest tournament. Ponte Vedra Beach is also home to the #1 Tennis Resort in the US, according to Tennis Magazine. 

The Intracoastal Waterway and the St. John’s River provide exceptional boating and fishing. Five-star hotels, fine dining, championship golf and tennis, beautiful beaches make Ponte Vedra Beach a wonderful vacation destination or an extraordinary place to call home.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH ATTRACTIONS

Ponte Vedra beach may be accessed from Ponte Vedra Blvd at Mickler’s Landing, off A1A just south of Sawgrass Country Club. Parking is available dawn to dusk in a paved lot. A lifeguard is on duty during the summer season. Fall is sea turtle nesting season. These giant turtles and their tiny babies are guided to the sea by the night sky so no flashlights or other lighting may be used on the beach during this time. Ponte Vedra Beach is a great place for finding sharks teeth.

Guana Tolomato Matanzas Reserve is 55,000 acres of salt march and tidelands on A1A 10 miles south of Mickler’s Landing. Three areas along A1A are designed for parking and allow access to miles of unpopulated beach. A research center with exhibits relating to the estuary is at the small dam between Lake Ponte Vedra and The Guana River. There are ramps into the water for small boats for fishing and canoeing. Nine miles of trails take you through the marsh and a hammock of trees for hiking, biking or birding.

Davis Park is just across the ICW bridge leading into Nocatee. This new park has 17 sports fields for organized football, soccer and baseball and two dog parks. Children under 12 will enjoy fishing, catch and release only, at the four stocked ponds. There is also a playground.

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, golf’s richest tournament will be held May 6-9, 2010 at TPC at Sawgrass.

WTA Tour sanctioned Tennis Tournament will be April 5-11, 2010 at Sawgrass Country Club. mpsgroupchamps.net

The Spa at the Inn and Club and the Spa at the Marriott at Sawgrass are large, first-class facilities offering the latest in spa services. The Spas are open to the public; reservations are recommended. The recent opening of the oceanfront Spa at One Ocean, five miles away in Atlantic Beach attests to the popularity of pampering.

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NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Jacksonville Beach

5 miles north on A1A;Jacksonville Beach has a great new pier, good beach, casual bars and restaurants and shops, concerts and movies at the amphitheatre.

St. Augustine

19 miles south on A1A, running parallel to the ocean. History, tours, The Fort, Fountain of Youth, Oldest everything, Ripley Believe it or Not, carriage rides, St. George St., good restaurants, St. Augustine is not to be missed.

Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach;

39 miles north. The BEST ride is A1A through Mayport on the ferry. It offers a good view of Mayport NAS and Little Talbot Island. Fernandina has nice, walkable Center Street with shops, restaurants and old homes. At the end is a marina that has a day cruise to Cumberland Island. Amelia Island is home to a wonderful, low-key Ritz Carlton and about twenty bed and breakfast inns including the Amelia Oceanfront Bed and Breakfast.  Bicycle tours can be arranged through First Coast Bicycle Tours.

The World Golf Village

15 miles south just off I-95towards St. Augustine. You’ll enjoy the IMAX and the Golf Hall of Fame now featuring the Jack Nicklaus exhibit. The Slammer and The Squire Golf Courses are challenging and accepting reservations for tee times. The Tour Stop is 20,000 square feet of golf equipment.

Other activities

• The Jacksonville Zoo
• The Jacksonville Jaguars
• Dog racing at St. John’s Greyhound Park
• Casino Cruise from Mayport
• Jacksonville Suns baseball