What did Ponce de Leon know that the rest of us didn’t find out till much later? That North Florida was a lush, sandy paradise, colorful and flowery, leafy and breezy.
Within this panorama of forests meeting the sea, the Spanish built an outpost of their empire, founding the city of St. Augustine in 1565.
Today, many of the vestiges of Old Spain remain in cobblestone streets and structures dating back to the 1700s, joined by the Spanish-style architecture of Florida railroad pioneer Henry Flagler, whose majestic hotels in St. Augustine still stand today—the former Ponce de Leon Hotel is now Flagler College, and the former Alcazar Hotel is today the Lightner Museum, whose many event spaces include what was once the world’s largest indoor swimming pool, now a massive (and dry) cement floor used for receptions and other events.
On the modern hotel scene, the oceanside community of Vilano Beach recently welcomed the Hyatt Place St. Augustine / Vilano Beach, whose classic Florida Vernacular architecture with Art Deco accents is complemented by 120 guestrooms, a second-floor swimming pool, 7,200 sf of meeting and event space plus a prime location steps from Vilano Beach. Onsite dining at Pesca Vilano features globally inspired coastal cuisine with bold Latin flavors and a cheeky imagination.
This past November, Casa Monica Resort & Spa—once owned by Flagler—launched a reimagined restaurant concept, Cordova—a Coastal Chophouse & Bar, with 145 indoor seats, a lounge, private dining room and intimate wine room. The menu is inspired by the cuisine of Spain and Morocco and showcases classic chophouse favorites.
South of St. Augustine, the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach recently opened the Cabana Beach Club, with access to 26 miles of pristine Atlantic Ocean beaches, a junior Olympic pool and three distinct eateries. The club’s 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop provides spectacular views of the Atlantic with a menu featuring fresh seafood, small plates, elevated cocktails and wines.
Oceanside, the five-diamond Ponte Vedra Inn & Club offers more than 25,000 sf of meeting and event space; while its sister property, the Four-Diamond Lodge and Club boasts 5,686 sf of indoor meeting and banquet space and 9,000 sf of outdoor oceanfront event space.
New dining experiences for groups in St. Augustine include Chez L’Amour, an elevated concept offering a social experience through tapas-style small plates, plant-based upscale cuisine, decadent desserts, live music and a full bar.
The Tasting Tours, a popular culinary tour company, has a new place to call home—the historic Solla-Carcaba Cigar Factory at 88 Riberia St. in downtown St. Augustine. While groups embark on a journey of flavors in the city’s world of wine, culture and shared moments, the space is also available for private events.
To work off all that world-class cuisine, the golf courses of St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach are legendary. In fact, the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club introduced the first course to this area in 1928 and today is home to the Ocean and Lagoon courses, each featuring distinctive seaside layouts.
Along North Florida’s northwest Gulf coast, the communities of South Walton offer an almost dreamy vision of yesteryear, with coastal communities of seaside Florida-style homes, rare coastal dune lakes and brilliant white-sand beaches fronting the emerald Gulf.
“South Walton is well-known for its 26 miles of sugar-white sand beaches, turquoise water, diversity of premier accommodations and incredible culinary scene, but its natural beauty and abundant outdoor recreation really set it apart,” says Karen Morris, CMP, director of sales for Walton County Tourism. “Home to four state parks, a 15,000-acre state forest and 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, along with championship golf, meeting attendees can find plenty of wide-open spaces to enjoy their favorite activities. With 40 percent of the land in South Walton being preserved, finding a quiet respite with colleagues is a breeze.”
Groups can gather at a variety of resort-based meeting spaces and the most unique offsite venues you’ve ever seen.
The Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa is in the second phase of a $35M hotel renovation, which began with transforming the remaining 285 guest suites (of 602 total rooms and suites) before revamping Sandcastles Restaurant and Lounge. Also included in this round of renovations will be the onsite spa, Serenity by the Sea, as well as the resort’s 40,000 sf of indoor meeting space.
Located in the South Walton neighborhood of Seagrove Beach, the new Lodge 30A boutique hotel is adjacent to the Greenway Station shopping and dining complex—set in the heart of Seagrove Beach and featuring everything from wine to beach essentials—and next door to the 15,000-acre Point Washington State Forest, providing convenient access the state forest’s expansive network of hiking and biking trails. Hotel amenities include a fitness center and outdoor pool, while guests also will have access to the private Watersound Beach Club, watersports rentals, beach bonfires and access to two private golf courses.
You might start humming a Beach Boys tune when you descend on the white sands of Panama City Beach—it just has that fun, summery, beachy vibe that’s so inviting for those escaping the winter cold, the daily grind, city traffic…or all three.
But while groups enjoy 27 miles of beaches, planners will appreciate 160,000 sf of flexible meeting space spread across the destination. Among the many choices are the Boardwalk Beach Hotel & Convention Center, with over 40,000 sf of indoor/outdoor meeting space including a grand ballroom and nine breakout rooms; and the Panama City Beach Event Center at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, where over 32,000 sf of event space can host up to 1,000.
New on the scene is the Embassy Suites by Hilton Panama City Beach Resort, with 14,000 sf of event space including a ballroom and the rooftop; and the 38,000-sf Duplin Winery, where groups can enjoy tastings and participate in immersive experiences such as “Bottle Your Own Wine.”
“We are looking toward the future with optimism and are thrilled to see continued interest and investment in our community from locals and visitors alike,” says Visit Panama City Beach president and CEO Dan Rowe. “From exciting new attractions, such as the Duplin Winery, to a variety of new hotels and resorts, the destination has a lot of exciting new things to offer.”