Ponte Vedra Focus Blog - things to do Ponte Vedra Beach

A Local's Guide to the Guana Preserve in Ponte Vedra Beach

By Collette Strickland

Trails, tides, and the best fishing hiding twenty minutes from A1A.

A friend invited me to walk the trails at the Guana Preserve, and I couldn't believe I'd lived here for over a decade and never known they existed. If you've lived in Ponte Vedra Beach for any length of time, you've probably driven past the brown "GTM Research Reserve" signs on A1A a hundred times without ever pulling in. You're not alone. Once you actually turn down Guana River Road, you realize we have something genuinely special sitting in our backyard: nearly 10 miles of hiking trails, a shallow tidal lake full of redfish and trout, and enough marsh, oak hammock, and open sky to make you forget you're twenty minutes from the Publix on A1A.  Here's what to…

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A Sweet Slice of History: Why Rita's of Ponte Vedra Beach is Our Family's Favorite Treat

by Jennifer Walker

A local look at why Rita's Italian Ice on A1A has become a multigenerational favorite in Ponte Vedra Beach.

There is something undeniably special about finding a taste of your past in your present. For me, that comes alive at 840 A1A North in Ponte Vedra Beach, where a local spot serves up far more than frozen treats. It serves up nostalgia, joy, and what they call "Ice Custard Happiness." I'm talking about Rita's Italian Ice, and our neighborhood location has become a genuine favorite across every generation of our family.

From a Front Porch in Pennsylvania to the Sunshine State

My first visit to a Rita's was back in my twenties, and I was instantly won over by the vivid flavors and smooth texture of the Italian ice.…

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Le Petit Paris: A Taste of France in Ponte Vedra Beach

by Jennifer Walker

A charming French café bringing Parisian warmth and gluten-free options to Ponte Vedra Beach.

Step through the door at Le Petit Paris and the Florida coastline seems to fall away for a moment, replaced by the warmth of a true Parisian café. I stopped in recently with my mom for lunch, and the visit turned into one of those small, memorable outings that stays with you.

The room does the transporting before the menu ever does. Soft decor, the scent of something freshly baked drifting from the kitchen, and a welcome that felt personal from the first minute. At the counter, a familiar face greeted us: my friend's daughter, Harper, who guided me toward her mom's favorite, the Raspberry Nectar Herbal Iced Tea. It arrived…

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Why The Volen Group Is Sponsoring Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

We believe a great place to live means more than great schools and ocean access.

On a weeknight last spring, a sold-out crowd packed into a 500-seat room a few miles from the beach to watch Bruce Hornsby perform from close enough to see his hands on the keys. No stadium screens. No parking nightmare. No sense that the act was passing through on the way to somewhere more important. It was the kind of evening that reminds you exactly why you chose to live here.

That venue is Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. And we are proud to be a corporate sponsor.

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A Room Worth Knowing

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall operates as a nonprofit, which means it runs on ticket sales, community support, and sponsorships to keep a serious calendar of live…

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