Local Information
Ponte Vedra Beach is in St. John’s County, the fourth wealthiest county in the state. A perfect location on the Northeast Coast of Florida, it is a quick 18 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and 26 miles north of America’s oldest city, St. Augustine. This past year St. John's County also ranked number one in the public school FCAT exams, up from third place last year.
Come discover the natural beauty of the pristine Northeastern Atlantic coast of Florida. Here in Ponte Vedra Beach you will enjoy the best of Florida living. Miles and miles of wide and white sandy beaches, nature preserves, first rate public schools, world class golf and tennis, a rich heritage of music and theater, shopping the world's best stores, and dining options to satisfy the most discriminating palate.
Northeastern Florida residents enjoy a change of seasons, and around Christmas time pull out a sweater or two when the temperature drops to 45 degrees. Chuckling, they are quick to comment how quickly one gets used to perfect 75 degree, sunny sky days nine
months a year.
With the opening of the Ponte Vedra Inn and Spa (now a 5 diamond resort) Ponte Vedra Beach became a popular playground for the rich and famous looking for an escape from the winter snow and the merry-go-round of endless socials that were the norm in Palm Beach.
Today the tradition continues and Ponte Vedra Beach is an upscale ocean front resort community best associated with golf and tennis. This is the home of the PGA Tour and The Players Championship played at The Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass. Tennis is big here and Ponte Vedra Beach is also the home of the ATP Tour, now known as the ATP World Tour. This year Sawgrass became the new home of The MPS Group Championships, a top women’s professional tennis tournament held in April.
About a mile south of The Plantation is the beautiful Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve where boating, kayaking, birding and manatee spotting are regular pursuits. Residents also enjoy the miles of cycling trails or enjoying life on the Intra Coastal Waterway. And, of course, surfing and boogie boarding are enjoyed up and down the miles of white sandy beaches.
Jacksonville
Professional sports (The NFL Jacksonville Jaguars and AA Baseball Suns), college sports, important art museums such as The Cummer Museum and Gardens and The Museum of Science and History, The Jacksonville Symphony, plus a tradition of music and theater at the beach all contribute to the enjoyment of living in this thriving
cultural environment.
Health care is a major factor in selecting a new home. In Jacksonville you'll find the best the country has to offer with a Mayo Clinic, UF & Shands, a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Florida, and three other major hospitals. Baptist Hospital is nationally ranked by U.S. News and World report and has a major presence in the Ponte Vedra Beach neighborhood.
It's easy to understand why living in The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach, with easy access to everything Jacksonville has to offer, lets you enjoy the best of both worlds, relaxed beach living and sophisticated city activities.
St. Augustine
The oldest city in America, St. Augustine, is a great place to visit historic sites, dine along the Intracoastal or in town along ancient cobblestone back alleys, or discover a new favorite antiques shop. If you're a bargain hunter you won't want to miss the Premier and Designer Outlets. Of course golf enthusiasts will visit The World Golf Village more than once for a walk through the sport's greatest moments at the museum. Everyone loves to catch the latest blockbuster at the IMAX theater. All this fun is only about a 20 minute drive from The Plantation.
Education K-12
As a parent you want great schools for your children. The Plantation is in the highly rated St. John’s School District, whose combined math, reading, science and writing scores ranks it No. 1 in the state. The school district's ranking improved to first place in 2009, up from third place in 2008.
Should you choose to send your children to private school there are many wonderful options, from local PreK/K-5 schools such as Beaches Episcopal School and The Bolles School, Ponte Vedra Beach Campus. Neighborhood children also attend local college-prep middle and upper schools such as: Bishop Kenny High School, Episcopal High School, Providence School of Jacksonville, and The Bolles School.
Higher Education
The Jacksonville area has several college campuses and post-graduate schools. Not far from the beach is the University of North Florida, a public university with a strong academic program. The Princeton Review ranked UNF the 5th best value among public colleges and universities, and Consumers Digest named UNF number 7 on its list of best values for public colleges and universities in the U.S. Jacksonville University is a private liberal arts college with a beautiful campus on the bank of the St. Johns River. Florida Community College of Jacksonville (pending approval) will now be known as Florida State College, and will offer more 4-year degrees including a new technical college that would focus on developing jobs for a changing economy. Florida Coastal School of Law offers unique Centers and Programs such as the Center for Law and Sports and the Northeast Environmental Law Summit.