When you hear “Ponte Vedra”, what do you picture?
1. Beautiful beaches
2. Professional-level golf
3. The country club life
Yes, to all. But you forgot to mention mining…
Minerals were discovered here in 1914 and a community called Mineral City formed in what we now know as Ponte Vedra. Titanium, zircon, and rutile were successfully recovered from the beach sand until the demand dropped after WW1. Before abandoning the area, the mining company built a 9-hole golf course and club house for its employees. After mining operations ceased, the golf course would have to wait… but not for long.
The next attempt to develop the area was even more successful – and longer lasting! Developers came in in 1929 to start building a nature-inspired resort similar to The Cloister on Sea Island. The name “Mineral City” wasn’t going to work – so the name Ponte Vedra was chosen (meaning “green bridge” in Spanish – this worked for the natural beauty of the area.) Around the same time, the state completed a road from Jacksonville Beach to St. Augustine, and this helped to launch Ponte Vedra as a destination.
By 1942, The Ponte Vedra Beach Corporation took over and the rest is history! Residential beauty, golf, tennis, spas, and those beautiful beaches have made PV one of the most notable and luxurious beach communities in the US.
If you are a golfer, you already know that Ponte Vedra is the place to be. In addition to The Players Championship on the Sawgrass property in May, you’ll find champion-level golf and all the fun that comes with it all over town. You can even spot some of the sport’s champions that live here around town (including Rory McIlroy and Fred Funk.)
More of a tennis lover? You’re in luck too. Look for beautiful courts and the tennis lifestyle in The Lodge and Club, Sawgrass, and more.
Beyond sports, Ponte Vedra has many of the most beautiful homes on our First Coast. And those homeowners and renters have lots of wonderful things to do in town. Add A-rated schools and Ponte Vedra is a great place to raise a family.
Great restaurants. From the fabulous Restaurant Medure to the hidden gem of Valley Smoke to the funkier Pusser’s Bar and Grill, PV has something for everyone.
Things to do include a nature lover’s paradise in places like Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Reserve and Mickler’s Landing. For a tamer experience, you will find great shopping – from galleries to boutiques.
Come to Ponte Vedra for a something-for-everyone Florida experience. And let me know YOUR favorite thing to do here!
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