For Florida beaches, the three that grace the area around South Ponte Vedra Beach are pretty nice. The beach simply goes on for miles connecting city, town and recreational area. The only complaint you could have about the beach is that it is hard to get to from just anywhere. There are entrances, but you have to keep your eye open for them.
When you drive along Highway A1A (someday I want to drive that highway the entire length of the Florida coast,) the South Ponte Vedra Beach Recreation Area is one of these entrances. You can’t always see the beach from this highway, but it’s a beautiful drive.
One interesting fact about this beach is that in June of 1942 a German U-boat landed with four spies aboard. They made their way to Jacksonville, just a little north of the area, but were later captured in New York (wow, how did they make it that far during wartime?)
And you might just find some artifacts of ships as some have due to storms that seem to uncover them from time to time. If you search for South Ponte Vedra Beach shipwrecks, you’ll come up with a few interesting results.
This is another barely developed access point (dirt lot and minimal facilities) to the same unspoiled stretch of orange coquina sand beach. Make sure you take towels and food as there aren’t any snack bars close by.
Beach Index:
Location: 2.25 miles south of Guana River State Park on Highway A1A
Parking: free parking lot (dirt)
Hours: October 1 – April 30, 24 hours; May 1 – September 30, 5 AM – 10 PM
Facilities: restrooms and picnic tables
Contact: St. Johns County Recreation Department at 1-904-471-6616
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