Elegant Architecture in the Oldest City
The World Golf Hall of Fame
Seaside Serenity
The Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach
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Contact: St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau
904-829-1711 / www.getaway4florida.com
Airport Information | Accommodations | Area Suppliers | Meeting and Event Venues | Group Recreation/Teambuilding | Dining | Attractions | Golf | Weather
1. Seaside Communities and Luxurious Resorts The allure of pristine Atlantic Coast beaches beckons you to relax, but if a little bit of work is also on the agenda, then Ponte Vedra Beach allows you to do that in style. Three AAA-rated resorts – the Four Diamond Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa and the Five Diamond Ponte Vedra Inn & Club and the Ponte Vedra Lodge & Club – combine to offer 100,000 square feet of meeting space. All three resorts have recently completed major renovations and have added spectacular resort spas. The resorts of Ponte Vedra Beach also offer access to some of the world’s best known golf courses. The new Clubhouse at TPC Sawgrass offers an additional 13,000 square feet of function space with views of the famous TPC Stadium Course, home of the PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship.
2. America’s First Permanent Settlement Visited by legendary explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513, St. Augustine was founded 40 years before the British settled Jamestown. St. Augustine is the first continuously occupied European settlement in America and what history has left behind is a picturesque city filled with four centuries of architecture, narrow brick streets, overhanging balconies and many stories to tell.
3. The American Riviera In more recent times, Standard Oil co-founder and railroad tycoon Henry Flagler brought modern construction techniques, European artisans and a railroad loaded with wealthy friends from the Northeast U.S. to transform St. Augustine into an “American Riviera.” Many of the structures built during that time period – the 1880s – are still here, including the Casa Monica Hotel (built in 1888), museums and even a college. St. Augustine has also become an inspiring town for artists, authors, storytellers and ghosts. This rich past has also left behind opportunities to use numerous historic sites and structures as unique venues in conjunction with your meeting.
4. Golf’s Elite Many sportswriters already refer to THE PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach as “golf’s fifth major.” The Stadium Course’s 17th hole, with its infamous island green, is one of the world's most photographed and the tournament has the highest purse on the PGA TOUR. It also has the strongest field in golf. But it’s not all about the money. A few miles away from the Stadium Course is the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, where the best players in golf history are celebrated.
5. Inspiring Fairways The World Golf Hall of Fame is home to the King & Bear, the only course ever co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer – as well as the St. Johns County Convention Center and adjoining Renaissance Resort at The World Golf Hall of Fame. Other amenities include the PGA TOUR Spa Laterra which specializes in golf-enhancement services as well as traditional spa treatments. Just imagine: meetings in the morning and golf in the afternoon, followed by relaxing spa therapies and an evening reception in the Hall of Fame’s tower!
6. Stunning Shores Strict height restrictions along the area's 42 miles of beaches mean that the tallest structure you'll find here is the historic St. Augustine Lighthouse. Several area beaches – marked by dunes, tumbling waves and golden sands – are preserved as part of the national and state park systems. In the seaside communities of Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach and Crescent Beach, you will find a variety of properties ranging from upscale boutique hotels to more modest beach properties perfect for smaller meetings. Extracurricular activities include deep-sea fishing, kiteboarding, beach paddle tennis, horseback riding on the beach and just plain relaxing in the sun.
7. Unique Meeting Venues St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches offer several one-of-a-kind venues for meetings. Host your special event in the tower at the World Golf Hall of Fame, at a beautiful beach or in a centuries-old historic home. The architecturally stunning Lightner Museum, which exhibits relics of America’s Gilded Age, provides a spectacular setting for group functions, as do the brand new clubhouse at the TPC at Sawgrass and the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.
8. Easy Airport Access Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is about 50 minutes north of St. Augustine; 30 minutes from Ponte Vedra. The St. Augustine-St. Johns County Airport (SGJ) is a 10-minute drive for visitors using private planes. By car, the destination is easily accessible from the north and south by Interstate 95 and from the west by Interstate 10.
9. Florida’s Fabulous Climate Gentle ocean breezes and a year 'round temperate climate characterize local weather. Average daily temperatures range from a low of 57 F in January to a high of 81 F in August.
10. World-class Spas Ponte Vedra Beach is home to two new, world-class spas: The Spa at Sawgrass Marriott Resort and the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club’s spa, which opened in November 2006 and, at 30,000 square feet, is the region’s largest. Other area spas include the PGA TOUR Spa Laterra, located at the World Golf Village, which specializes in golf-enhancement services as well as traditional spa treatments.
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