Category: News

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

This Key’s for You

Trailer your boat down to Key Largo to experience the island life.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating March 2020

Key Largo is the first key that land yachts go through on their way into the Florida Keys. Key West is last and in between lie approximately 1,700 islands in the archipelago, including the Dry Tortugas. The Florida Keys is divided into five regions: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and the Lower Keys, and Key West.

Because Key Largo is just over an hour’s drive from Miami, it’s an easy escape from the hustle and bustle of life, which isn’t hard to do when the key has one of the largest tracts of West Indian tropical hardwood hammocks in the United States, the first undersea park in the United States, and is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. By land or by sea, Key Largo is a place full of natural life to explore. Sure, there are the usual civilized stores to provision and get eclectic gifts, as well as resorts, restaurants, and bars, but it’s nature’s abundant diversity that is the real draw.

The Wild Side

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park is a tropical paradise full of native plants, birds, wildlife, and the delicate balance of the park’s ecosystem. There are 84 protected species of plants and animals in the park and the two-mile loop Port Bougainville Trail guides bicyclists, hikers, and birders to see it all. A self-guided nature trail winds through the tropical hardwood hammock, including a native plant butterfly garden, and a half-mile paved walk has guided tours to get a feel for the park’s diversity.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has what most people expect from a state park—tent and RV camping, showers, picnic areas with barbecues, playgrounds, and the like, but it also features an underwater and aquatic playground. Coral formations and colorful marine life welcome snorkelers and divers, while 50 miles of mangrove trails take kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders on a wilderness adventure. Bring your boat down to launch at the park or rent one of the park’s 21-foot Release center consoles. Slips (with water, electric, and facilities) and moorings are available for overnight stays.

What’s nice for many Floridians and visitors is there are plenty of places to launch trailerable boats, which makes for an enjoyable weekend or weeklong stay. Hurricane Irma wasn’t kind to the Keys, but many resorts, large and small, are reopening after extensive remodeling and rebuilding.

Dolphin Point Villas

Dolphin Point Villas is a small, family-owned resort that showcases Florida Keys living. The property features six freestanding Caribbean-style homes consisting of six villas and four suites to accommodate a family vacation, a guys’ fishing trip (or bachelor weekend), a company retreat, a wedding, or a honeymoon.

Dolphin Point, a sandy jetty outlined by coral boulders and surrounded by water, is a perfect spot for wedding vows (or a sunrise or sunset) and can hold up to 125 guests. The beautiful waterfront lawn is big enough for a large reception, and the facing 4,235-square-foot Nautilus House features five bedrooms, each with a full bath, to sleep up to 16 guests. There’s a private pool, and the open-air pavilion on the ground level is a great place for wedding gatherings.

Located a mile from Pennekamp State Park, the resort also sports a private beach, a figure eight pool, complimentary paddleboards and kayaks, and a protected marina with a free boat launch and dockage for vessels up to 24 feet.

Another cool aspect to the resort is Dolphins Plus Bayside, a marine mammal facility where you can swim with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in an enclosed lagoon. What’s perfect is it’s right next door (and where you check in for the resort). There are a variety of programs for all ages, swimming abilities, and interaction levels, from a simple dolphin kiss to a dorsal fin ride. With so many restaurants nearby, Dolphin Point Villas is a quiet, private, clean, and comfortable place convenient to everything required when on vacation.

Baker’s Cay Resort

Hurricane Irma ravaged the Keys just as the windup to the winter season was starting in 2017. Now, resorts have come back to life, and Baker’s Cay Resort reopened last year after an 18-month closure, so, basically everything is new. Just as visiting the Florida Keys puts you into another world, Baker’s Cay takes it a step further and blends luxury with island life. As part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, the resort’s rooms and suites inspire a sense of relaxation with a modern décor and private balconies tucked in the natural flora along bayside waters.

Local seafood, produce, and on-site herb and fruit gardens are part of the culinary experience. The new Dock to Dish program lets guests who fish with Sea Monkey Charters bring their catch back to the resort to enjoy a specially prepared meal. Beach dining with live music and fire pits is found at Dry Rocks, with a tequila and mezcal tasting menu, and the pool bar and tiki bar help soften your day with endless water views.

For those with boats up to 45 feet, launch at Sunset Point Park and dock at the resort’s slips with fresh water and power available. Slips are $60 per night and depending on tide, the draft is four to six feet. Fuel is available at nearby Mangrove Marina or Tavernier Creek Marina.

Coconut Palm Inn

One thing about the Florida Keys is access to water. It’s everywhere, and there’s plenty of ways to enjoy it, especially by boat. If you live in South Florida, it doesn’t take long to trailer one to Key Largo, and the Coconut Palm Inn offers marina packages for those that do.

The inn overlooks Florida Bay with a private beachfront, cozy rooms and suites, lots of amenities, and a fully equipped marina, which means you can arrive by boat if you’re hopping the islands. If you’re boating on the ocean side, cut up through Tavernier Creek or Snake Creek to reach the inn. You can also trailer the boat down and launch at its ramp and take advantage of the on-site trailer parking.

Coconut Palm Inn is situated within a natural inlet with drafts around four or five feet at low tide. Two piers accommodate boats up to 25 feet long and most slips have 110V electric and freshwater hookups. Dockage is only for the inn’s guests, and there is a $30 per day fee. Nearby Mangrove Marina offers a loading dock, repairs, and fuel.

But that’s not all Coconut Palm Inn has for its guests. Besides the Old Florida charm and swaying palm trees, an outdoor heated pool, kayaks, paddleboards, and bicycles, the smoke-free resort has free Wi-Fi, charcoal barbecue grills, on-site laundry, and most rooms are bayside with a screened porch or balcony. The location is also perfect for weddings and events.

Activities

John Pennekamp State Park
(305) 451-6300
pennekamppark.com

Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park
(305) 676-3777
floridastateparks.org

Dolphins Plus
(866) 860-7946
dolphinsplus.com

Lodging (call ahead for dock reservations)

Dolphin Point Villas
(305) 451-0315
dolphinpointvillas.com

Baker’s Cay Resort
(305) 852-5553
bakerscay.com

Coconut Palm Inn
(305) 852-3017
coconutpalminn.com

Related

A Calculated Investment

Financing a boat requires more than signing on the dotted line.

By David Kuczkir, Southern Boating February 2020

A boat is a huge investment that pays dividends in the form of recreational bliss and memorable times spent outdoors with family and friends. But purchasing one is a complicated, multi-party, contractual process, and the decision shouldn’t be taken lightly. Doing your due diligence is the key and ensures an enjoyable and rewarding experience from the get-go, so here are a few of the ins and outs of buying a boat.

How Will You Use It?

Step one is knowing what type of boat best fits your lifestyle. If fishing is your passion, look at center consoles and skiffs. If you enjoy wakeboarding and skiing, then shop ski boats. If you have kids, consider a cuddy cabin for its enclosed cabin (some come equipped with a generator for heating and cooling). Will you sail? Will you primarily use it for cocktail cruises around the lake? Is coastal cruising in your plans? The newer designs accommodate a multitude of personalities and uses, such as a boat that gets anglers out to the grounds quickly, yet has bulwarks that open to create “mini balconies” for entertaining.

Be Sensible and Budget

Costs don’t stop at the dealership. If you neglect to budget for the annual upkeep, you’ll quickly realize there’s truth to those witty B.O.A.T. acronyms like “Bankruptcy on a trailer.”

A buddy of mine was recently in the market for his first boat. During his years-long search, he picked my brain dozens of times about many different makes and models. My tally so far is four: three center consoles and a cabin cruiser big enough to qualify as a second home. Last winter, he called and emphatically claimed he and his wife were ready to pull the trigger on a 35 Regal Sport Coupe. I struggled to keep the alarm out of my voice when I asked what happened to the center console idea. He’s a fisherman. The center console is such a versatile boat, not to mention popular, making it a cinch to sell used. In the end, my friend chose the center console.

He had the financial means to buy the Regal but didn’t give much thought to the upkeep cost. In my home port, Charleston, South Carolina, in-water rental is about $18.50 per foot per month, or $7,800 a year. Add $3,000 for insurance. The watercraft tax is an expense that can sneak up on you. The tax in my state is 10.5 percent. For perspective, the annual tax on a $150,000 boat is about $5,000. Ouch! States like Florida and New Jersey have maximum tax caps of $18,000 and $20,000, respectively, regardless of the boat’s price and size.

Already, the upkeep is upward of $15,000, and I haven’t mentioned other meaty costs such as fuel (marinas typically charge $1 or more per gallon than that at gas stations), annual engine maintenance, haul out fees, bottom cleaning, repairs, etc.

Then there’s depreciation. “Any new boat depreciates immediately the minute it’s sold,” says Ed James, a 30-year broker at Ashley Yachts in Charleston, South Carolina. “In the first year, depreciation can be as much as twenty percent of its value.”

That explains why many boaters buy used. If you’re purchasing used, hire a local surveyor (namsglobal.org), a professional who meticulously inspects a vessel from bow to stern. You’ll pay about $25 per foot, but it’s worth the peace of mind. Unlike new, a used boat usually doesn’t have warranties.

Enlist Help

If you’re in the market for a boat like the Regal, James offers sage advice. “Hire a broker. But take the time to meet with several, and find one you like and get along with. Then let the broker lead the search to find you your boat.” He discourages buyers to go at it alone and to fight the urge to shop online. “What happens is they’ll research boats, find a few they like, then make calls. They don’t realize that the person they’re dealing with is the seller’s broker who’s working to get the best deal for the seller.”

The Finance of Things

Boat prices have skyrocketed in recent years. My proof: In 2013, I paid $58,000 for a brand-new 200 Dauntless Boston Whaler. Today, a similar make and model with an inferior engine sells for about $94,000. The silver lining is that money is cheap. When financing, James recommends using a marine finance company like Sterling Associates or Trident Funding. They specialize in boat loans only and can usually offer better rates than a local bank. Leigh Ackerman, an independent representative for Sterling Associates in Fort Lauderdale, structures loans from $50,000 to tens of millions of dollars. Her most popular loan is the five-year, four-percent fixed with 20 percent down. Banks in my area offer the same term, but rates start at five percent. If you’re wondering what the total savings is on one percent, it’s $1,700! Regardless of the lender, these rates require a good credit score, 700 or higher.

Be wary of salespeople or loan consultants who tout tax savings. If you were one of the many taxpayers who lost the opportunity to itemize last year because of the new tax laws, your savings will be zilch.

When it comes to insurance, take a boater’s safety course. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers a wide range of courses for the novice, seasoned, and every boater in between. A great course is “Boating Skills & Seamanship.” It consists of eight two-hour lessons that cover a slew of pertinent topics like boating safety, navigation, and weather and boating. Passing the test not only earns you a certificate, but also a discount on most insurance policies.

Crunch the Numbers

When you’ve dwindled your search down to two boats, use the net present value method (NPV) to guide you. NPV is a popular business tool used to evaluate investments. It’s preferred because it factors in the time value of money—the idea that the value of a dollar changes over time because it can be invested to earn interest.

To calculate a boat’s NPV, which is easy in Excel, net the cash outflows (purchase price if paying cash, loan amount if financing) against the present value of the cash inflows, e.g., the boat’s future resale value discounted to an amount equivalent to today’s price. The key to discounting a future amount is knowing the discount rate, or loan rate.

Consider the following example. You’re stuck between choosing a 210 Dauntless Boston Whaler and the Grady-White Fisherman 216. The Whaler and Fisherman list for $94,000 and $97,000, respectively. Regardless of the boat, you’re going to finance it and put down $21,000. Standard on the Fisherman is a Yamaha 250-hp outboard. The Whaler has a 200-horse. There’s an option to upgrade to the more fuel efficient 250 Verado for $5,000. You like the extra power, plus the Dauntless’ salesperson believes it could save at least $100 annually in fuel costs.

Both salespeople are eager to sell. The Fisherman’s salesperson will throw in a 12-inch Garmin GPS/fish finder valued at $3,000 (including install) and will take $2,000 off the $4,000 trailer. You’re keen on trailering because it affords you the ability to explore many different waterways. The Whaler folks can knock $1,000 off both the sticker price and the outboard upgrade and offer a five-year loan at four percent. The Fisherman’s dealer uses a local bank that can offer a similar term, but at five percent. In five years, you plan to sell and upgrade to a 24-footer.

At loan’s end, you believe the Whaler and the Fisherman’s resale values will be $41,000 and $37,000, respectively, trailer included at $2,000.

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related

Wanna Get Away?

Along a wide stretch of beach just south of Jacksonville, Florida, is a place to cast away and clear your soul.

By Steve Davis, Southern Boating January 2020

The last time I was in the BVI, I tucked deep behind a reef around the point from Marina Cay and Scrub Island to have a quiet, safe anchorage without the bustle of the charter fleets moored in front of the restaurants and bars on the islands. We were the only ones there because it’s a spot few realize is navigable.

The reef broke the swell and provided that soothing, repetitive sound of breaking waves as the boat gently swayed with its rhythm. It’s a soothing, somewhat secure feeling, but as a captain, there’s always a little bit of caution knowing that as peaceful as it is, something could still happen that raises the hair on your skin and requires immediate action.

What if you could take away that uneasy feeling and sit on the deck staring out over an open sea or have the wave’s rhythmic pulse lull you to sleep…without any rock and roll? A visit to Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts does just that.

When It’s Time

All of us need to have a moment when it’s time to put the world on hold and calm ourselves from within. Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts welcomes you to a retreat that allows you to reach that nirvana by doing nothing at all or letting your mind and body release its energy through a plethora of activities, relaxing at the spa, and savoring world-class cuisine.

There are two beach locations just a quick golf cart ride apart and only a 40-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport, an easy trip for those up north with their boats wrapped and on the hard. If you’re making the passage up or down the Intracoastal Waterway and need some time off the boat to, you know, play golf or tennis, have a spa day, let someone else do the cooking, or take a long walk, St. Augustine Municipal Marina is a 45-minute drive and Palm Cove Marina is only 15 minutes away, both with transient docking and services.

Room with a View

There’s something to be said when just about all of the rooms have “oceanfront” in the description. It’s easy to understand why that soothing, “behind the reef” comfort is felt; each room has a patio or balcony that opens to the ocean. Only the Historic Inn has rooms off the beach, but each has resort, lagoon, or ocean views. The Inn opened in 1928 and showcases the grandeur of that era. Guests have the convenience of shopping and dining within steps of the elevator, and the beach is just across the street. The Inn’s Island View room overlooks the Ocean Golf Course’s 9th hole island green.

In addition, the resort offers 33 well-appointed, oversized suites that feature sophisticated interior design and furnishings in a variety of layouts. From the Presidential Suite to the oceanfront rooms, you’ll have the sea at your steps with the comfort of a stationary deck.

So Much to Do

Whether you stay at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or The Lodge & Club, there are plenty of activities to keep you moving, if you so desire.

With numerous umbrellas and chaises lining the sand, laying out and doing nothing is a popular option, but even so, the wide stretch of beach goes for more than 25 miles without a break, one way, and for some, it’s hard look down the infinite beachfront and not get up for a leisurely walk. Besides, there are really nice shells to collect. If jogging is one of your disciplines, then it’s impossible not to get up and go. Playing in the water is exercise when boogie boards, surfboards, and kayaks are available, not to mention beach games, and it’s just as much fun to take one of the beach cruiser bikes for a ride.

It’s easy to spend all day on the beach, but with four pools at The Inn & Club and the two at The Lodge & Club, you certainly don’t have to. Each have adult-only pools and fitness/lap pools as well as areas for families, not to mention spots to grab lunch and drinks.

Speaking of fitness, both locations have fitness centers with more than 40 exercise stations that include treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, bicycles, rowing machines, free weights, and more. There are a multitude of exercise classes as well as the best of all: steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi tub. Personal trainers are also available.

Every morning, the resort provides each room with a newsletter that lists the day’s activities, including kids’ programs, events, fitness classes, a chef’s corner of daily delights, tide information, and descriptions of all the dining and lounge venues, shopping options, and recreation options along with times and what they offer.

The Court and the Course

Besides the beach, the pools, and the fitness centers, there’s two other games that will get your heart rate up: tennis and golf. Sure, you’ll need to walk the course to get your steps in, but being outside in the fresh air with that special “cut grass” aroma surrounded by palm trees, a cool sea breeze, and a park-like setting, golf is intended to ease the mind…assuming you don’t let wayward shots interrupt your mental calm. Don’t let the good walk spoil.

Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts has two 18-hole courses: the Lagoon Course (located on-site) and the Ocean Course (including the infamous 9th hole island green). The Lagoon Course winds through pine trees, palms, and oaks that provide narrow fairways and tight greens. The lagoons create a beautiful setting, but are in play on 11 of the 18 holes. Keep your shots straight. The Ocean Course was designed in 1928 and selected to host the Ryder Cup in 1939, but the event was canceled due to World War II. It shows the quality of the course design and has served as a site for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. It is currently going through an $8 million renovation with completion set for this fall. The course plays tough with 99 strategically placed bunkers, elevated greens, and dramatic undulations throughout the fairways, all to help provide a relaxing game, right? A complete pro shop, lessons, clinics, repair shop, practice areas, rental clubs (and shoes, in case you left them on the boat), and the 19th hole lounge and restaurant will keep your game sharp and celebrate a day better than being in an office.

If tennis is your game, the Racquet Club is an official ATP World Tour tennis club. Tomãs Gonzalez is the director of tennis and makes sure enthusiasts receive a full complement of training, instruction, and activities to make your time on the court fun. A fully stocked pro shop has all the gear you need.

There are 15 Har Tru clay courts with eight lit for night play, private teaching courts, and a full staff of USPTA and USPTR teaching professionals. The Club is known for its intense summer tennis camp, and since tennis is definitely a sport that gets your heart pumping, there’s a steam room, sauna, and Jacuzzi waiting in the locker room, or you could walk next door to The Spa.

The Spa Treatment

If you’ve never been to a spa before, you’re in for a treat at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club—a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that combines opulence with grandeur. High ceilings, statue fountains, a gourmet café, and gift shop set the mood for more pampering than you’ll need in one day, meaning you may have to go back. A therapeutic massage melts the stress away, and the steam room, sauna, and hot tub will defrost any up-north cold and rejuvenate your well-being. A new cryotherapy center promotes natural healing and wellness, albeit using cold temperatures. Add a facial or scrub, a purifying wrap, or treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or a new hairstyle. It’s all there to make you feel relaxed and refreshed.

On the Menu

Throughout the day, you have to keep your body nourished, and not just with water. Start your day at the Inn’s Gourmet Shop that offers an assortment of pastry and Starbucks coffee or just stop by for homemade ice cream later, since the Inn Dining Room serves a full breakfast menu.

If you’re at the beach, the Surf Deck Grille offers a variety of signature cocktails along with Florida coastal cuisine, which includes fish dishes, locally sourced vegetables and greens, and specialty pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The Beach Side Snack Bar also serves burgers, salads, cold-pressed juices, and more. Over at The Lodge & Club, the Barefoot Bistro is a poolside food truck with salads, sandwiches, a kids’ menu, and frozen treats.

The Golf Club Dining Room overlooks the Lagoon golf course and has an awesome menu with signature sandwiches, soups, and salads for lunch, and steaks, local seafood, and specialties for dinner on the deck along the lagoon or inside with expansive windows to gaze at the course setting.

As the sun sets, freshen up and head to the Seahorse Grille for an oceanfront, “upscale-but-casual dining and cocktail experience.” If you arrange it ahead of time, the Chef’s Table is in the kitchen with room for four to watch the chefs in action up close and personal as you’re treated to a 10-course tasting menu.

The tasting menu is a new twist to the Ponte Vedra Beach Resorts’ culinary lineup and may see its way as a regular in the dining rooms. It’s an innovative way to sample the chef’s culinary style with portions that are just the right size. Chef Erik Osol produced a menu for a Health and Wellness weekend that started with Seminole Pumpkin Salad and was followed by Foie Torchon and Persimmon, Steak Tartare and Chicharron, Scallop and Finger lime, Miso Seabass and Chive sauce, New York strip steak with mushrooms and cured egg yolk, and ended with Bitterweet Truffle Mousse. Each course was paired with a wine chosen by Resort Sommelier Matheson Cory that made every bite a delight to the palate.

No matter how you put it, some places have what it takes to completely get away. You don’t have to use the Wi-Fi if you don’t want to, and surprisingly, playing tennis or golf, walking the beach, getting a massage, and enjoying the fine dining will trick your mind into thinking you’ve been away for weeks. Put your life on hold, if only for a few days, and feel rested, relaxed, and ready to face reality with a smile. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is one of those special places. pontevedra.com

Related