We love Ponte Vedra beach area. Our favorite quiet place south of Jacksonville. We have been there…read moreall times of year and live the atmosphere.

This was another beautiful beach that we recently visited last month. This beach is in a very…read morewealthy suburb community, approximately 18 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville, Florida. On the day that we visited this beach, it was not very crowded compared to some of the other surrounding beaches. Overall we had a great time and just enjoyed the beautiful weather.

Came down to Jacksonville Beach with my KY family and had one of those days that somehow turns into…read morea full on memory whether you planned it or not. First off, the free parking deserves its own standing ovation. Pull in, park, no stress, no drama, no circling like you are hunting for buried treasure. That alone already put everyone in a good mood. But the real star of the day was the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean was doing its thing like it always does, loud, endless, and a little dramatic in the best way. The waves would roll in all calm and pretty, and then suddenly act like they had something to prove when they hit the shore. My family spent half the time just watching the water like it was a live show we all agreed to attend. The kids were running in and out of the surf like the ocean was a game level they were trying to beat. Meanwhile the adults were pretending to be chill but really just trying not to get knocked over by surprise waves or lose a sandal to the sea forever. There was something about standing there with salt air, wind blowing, and that huge stretch of ocean in front of us that made everything feel simple in the best way. No schedules, no rush, just waves, laughs, and somebody always saying "don't go too far!" We ate, we laughed, we got sandy in places we will not discuss in public, and we loved every minute of it. Five stars. Great KY family day, perfect Atlantic Ocean views, and free parking that should honestly be illegal for how convenient it was.

When staying in Jacksonville to help support opening a new site here for work, I found myself…read morewanting to check out a local beach. There was a brunch haus for a Sunday brunch, then beach venture to see what Jax Beach has to offer. Since it was November, it was very relaxed and less than people since it was cooler. Loved the calmness of hearing the waves roll in, and enjoyed dipping my feet in for a bit. Parking was very reasonably priced, and easy to pay via mobile phone. Loved the ease to park, pay, and enjoy the beach vibes.

Atlantic Beach has so much to offer locals as well as tourists. From beautiful beaches to shops and…read morerestaurants. And bonus, you can walk to most everything in 10 minutes or less. Recently, I had brunch, and then we hit up several shops on First Street. So many options, a book store, several unique boutiques and a reasonably priced souvenir shop. And many restaurants choices, seafood, Italian, Asian, plus a few taverns. You can usually catch live music at a few spots on the weekend. If you are not hungry and do not want to shop, you can try the cigar bar, or stop in for a drink at the oldest bar at the beach, Pete's, established in 1933. Lemon Bar is beside the beach and offers light fair and drinks. There is one high end hotel, One Ocean. Even if you're not staying there, I suggest stopping by their lounge for a drink. It is gorgeous and they offer unique cocktails, plus a nice patio. Or for a little less, stay at the Seahorse Inn, which has access to the Lemon Bar near the pool. I'm a huge fan of Atlantic Beach. But the one downside is parking. There used to be free street parking but now you must pay the parking machine for nearly every spot. There is one parking lot in the heart of it all, but be prepared to pay between $10-$20, depending on the time of year. There is one other city owned lot between First and Second Street.

DO NOT LET YOUR DOG SWIM IN THE DOG PARK!!!! It is dangerous and the city will not rectify or…read morecompensate for your vet bills! My dog was injured while swimming in the dog water park. He sliced his foot open, causing an emergency vet visit and a follow up visit to remove a pad from his foot. The city manager, Kevin Hogencamp and the mayor, Curtis Ford, will not return a phone call or an email to confirm that the pond has been cleared of dangerous debris. Nor will they pay for the vet bills, despite having multiple witnesses, documentation, and photos. They will not even have a conversation about it even though they promised to open an investigation and follow up. The place is dangerous and they do not care about your dog! Stay away!!!!

Normally I go to the beach that's closer to my house, out of convenience, but because my sister…read moreasked to meet her, I opted to oblige. She gave me some directions regarding where to park. This area of Jax Beach is residential, so there isn't a parking lot full of spaces, but they did have on street parking. I found a spot that was in front of a house and behind my sister's car and opted to park there. Parking was easy and it's not super busy in this area, due to it being residential. After parking, Nugget and I had about a block walk, which isn't bad. Beware, if you have a toddler they'll want to help lug some of your stuff to the beach, but after about a minute exclaim "Mommy, can you carry this?". Luckily I traveled pretty light. There's a small walkway that leads to the beach, which is half wood and half sand. The beach is pristine, with a ton of places to sit. We came on a cooler and cloudier day, so our experience may not be the typical experience. When the tide is out, there are long stretches to walk, so you can get your exercise in, or take a leisurely walk. The beach was clean and equipped with garbage cans. I would most certainly come back to this location. Pros: -On street parking only a block away from the beach -Clean beach -Long stretches of beach to walk/exercise -Quiet Cons: -No bathrooms Tips: Make sure you park in a designated on street parking spot and don't block someone's driveway.

Very convenient to the beach. They set you up in prime spots away from the tides and you just relax.read more

This place was awesome! It's located on the beach directly across the four points hotel. This place…read morewas the cheapest and the bikes we rented were high quality. The all day rates are for 9:30-5 which is awesome!

Very nice outdoor pool with a small bar that serves alcohol, beer, wine and a bunch of small…read moreplates. They serve a great burger!

Great atmosphere & view. Food & service great. We have been here several times and will be back…read more Thanks!

We went on a road trip to Jacksonville Beach at the end of December. We stayed at an Oceanfront…read morehotel there for 3 days to explore the area. It's beautiful here with the ocean and the beach. I loved watching the surfers waiting to catch a wave. The sand is soft but firm to easily walk on. There were beach walkers at all hours of the day. We were up for the gorgeous sunrise in the mornings and then the beautiful sunsets at night. We enjoyed the restaurants and shops here also. We were very close to Jacksonville city also for sightseeing. We enjoyed Jax Beach a lot and look forward to the next trip back here.

Take out. Order ready early - managed my expectations well. Friendly staff and good food.read more

This is another easy access to Jacksonville Beach. The only drawback is that there isn't a beach…read morecabana building like at 3rd S. (That I saw, anyway.) Theres a nice wooden bridge over the dunes, though!

This actually isn't "beach access" so what will end up happening is you'll drive around a…read moreneighborhood.

DO NOT LET YOUR DOG SWIM IN THE DOG PARK!!!! It is dangerous and the city will not rectify or…read morecompensate for your vet bills! My dog was injured while swimming in the dog water park. He sliced his foot open, causing an emergency vet visit and a follow up visit to remove a pad from his foot. The city manager, Kevin Hogencamp and the mayor, Curtis Ford, will not return a phone call or an email to confirm that the pond has been cleared of dangerous debris. Nor will they pay for the vet bills, despite having multiple witnesses, documentation, and photos. They will not even have a conversation about it even though they promised to open an investigation and follow up. The place is dangerous and they do not care about your dog! Stay away!!!!

Got a 55$ ticket for having my dogs in MY driveway without a leash on. Not in the street. On my…read moreprivate property. 55$. But she "did me a favor" and only wrote me a ticket for one dog. I'm forever indebted.