Local Info
Ponte Vedra Beach is one of the most beautiful and scenic beaches on the east coast. Click this section to learn more about why Ponte Vedra Beach is THE place to be.
Ponte Vedra Beach is an upscale, seaside community situated 18 miles to the southeast of downtown Jacksonville. Ponte Vedra Beach is the home of the ATP Tour, the PGA Tour, and THE PLAYERS, which is held each year on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass (one of the top 80 golf courses in the world according to Golf Magazine). The area is known for its resorts including the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club (a AAA five diamond resort), the Lodge and Club, and the Marriott at Sawgrass. It also lies in the third wealthiest county in Florida, ranking just behind the Palm Beach and Naples areas. Golf, tennis, running, cycling, fishing and boating are popular activities.
In 1914, minerals were discovered in Ponte Vedra Beach, and a community initially known as Mineral City grew up around the mining operations. Titanium extraction was significant, as well as that of zircon and rutile. After World War I, mineral demand dropped, so the area became a resort community and was renamed Ponte Vedra, apparently after the city of Pontevedra, Galicia, (Spain).
Public primary and secondary schools in Ponte Vedra Beach are administered by the St. Johns County School District. Ponte Vedra High School is the public high school and Alice B. Landrum Middle School is the public middle school that serves the MSD. The Ponte Vedra Palm Valley-Rawlings Elementary School serves as one of the primary, public elementary schools (K-5) in the area, as well as Ocean Palms Elementary School. All of these schools are among the best in the State of Florida.
Ponte Vedra offers private education (K-8) at the Palmer Catholic Academy. Also, the Bolles School has one of their two lower school campuses in Ponte Vedra Beach, and offers education from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade before transferring students to the middle and high schools located in Jacksonville, Florida. A number of MSD-based elementary school aged students also attend Jacksonville Country Day School in Baymeadows.
Additionally, the St Johns County Public Library System serves Ponte Vedra at their “Ponte Vedra Beach Branch” near the intersection of A1A and Solana Road.