Ponte Vedra (Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach: real estate, hotels, houses)

[yesrej]

Is there a center of town in Ponte Vedra, if so where is it located.
How good is the area compared to like Jacksonville.

[Frobro]

Ponte Vedre is still considered Jacksonville in my book, just like Neptune Beach and Atlantic beach. It is pretty pricey and if there was a "center of town" I would consider sawgrass to be it. It is a nice area, a bit on the pricey side. If you are looking to move to the area, I would also check out the other beaches. Also, it would help to elaborate on what you are looking for.

[smile42]

Hi, yesrej -

Ponte Vedra is gorgeous and dripping with money. But, it has no central "town" per se. It's basically several gated golf communities linked by shopping centers, restaurants, the Intercoastal, and the Ocean. There's a library, a post office, wonderful groceries, etc. but they're all in different shopping centers along A1A.

If you're looking for a beach community near Jacksonville with more of a "small town" feel, Atlantic Beach is probably the closest you'll get. Where Atlantic Boulevard dead ends at the ocean, you'll find a nice, walkable community with shops, restaurants, etc. and beautiful beach homes & carriage houses.

Does that help?

[smile42]

Oh, and you asked about PVB compared to Jacksonville. They're really like night and day.

The beaches are just that -- beach communities. Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Atlantic Beach all have a mix of hotels, resorts, restaurants, strip malls, and housing with golf courses and/or the beach as the key emphasis.

Jacksonville itself is just like any other major city -- a financial district, ghetto areas, urban renewal areas, old historic districts, malls, and suburbs. It's completely separated from the beach areas by the Intercoastal Waterway. Make sense?

[riveree]

Originally Posted by yesrej

Is there a center of town in Ponte Vedra, if so where is it located.
How good is the area compared to like Jacksonville.

Ponte Vedra is a distinct area in St. John's county, and it's sort of unique unto itself. It's very upscale, so of course the real estate prices reflect that. If you are looking for a safe, upscale beach community it should be on your short list.

Jacksonville (Duval county) has it's own areas that rival Ponte Vedra. Our beach communities tend to be more laid back than Ponte Vedra (though the real estate prices are still as high....no suprise), but some of our river communities are equisite (parts of the San Marco area, such as Granada, parts of Avondale, etc.).

If it's a town center you're after, two of the best are San Marco Square & Riverside.