A LOT OF WET GOLF BALLS
Groups meeting at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club can "Shoot for the Pin," a break offering that lets participants tee off and aim for the 9th hole's island green on the resort's famous Ocean Course.
ON THE GULF SIDE
The 320-room Sheraton Bay Point Resort in Panama City Beach has reopened following a $30 million renovation. The resort has 60,000 square feet of meeting space, along with a spa, six food-and-beverage outlets, and a private bay beach. Guests also can hop aboard the resort's Bay Point Lady to sail to Shell Island's seven miles of pristine beach.
ST. AUGUSTINE
Local Update
• The 514-room Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa has unveiled the results of a yearlong renovation that included upgrades to guest rooms, public areas and the Cabana Beach Club, and the addition of a wing of premium service rooms and suites. The property offers a total of 61,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 36 meeting rooms, an exhibit area and a ballroom.
• The 95-room TRYP by Wyndham Sebastian Saint Augustine has opened with an on-site gastrobar featuring locally inspired tapas-style dishes as well as wine from the nearby award-winning San Sebastian Winery. The hotel also features free high-speed WiFi, an electric car-charging station, an outdoor pool and fire pit, meeting space for up to 30 guests, and a 24-hour fitness center.
Meeting Hotels: The St. Augustine area offers more than 5,800 hotel rooms in properties such as the 301-room Renaissance World Golf Village Resort and 138-room Casa Monica.
Ponte Vedra has the 514-room Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa; 249-room Ponte Vedra Inn & Club; 138-room Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection; and 66-room Lodge & Club.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center:St. John's County Convention Center; exhibit space, 33,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, five; (904) 940-8632
Airport Transit: Jacksonville International Airport, 52 miles from downtown St. Augustine, 33 miles from Ponte Vedra. Transfer cost by taxi to downtown, about $125; to Ponte Vedra, about $85
Northeast Florida Regional Airport, five miles from downtown St. Augustine and 20 miles to Ponte Vedra. Transit cost by taxi to downtown, $10-$12; to Ponte Vedra, $40-$60
Taxes: Room tax, 4%; sales tax, 6.5%; total tax on hotel rooms, 10.5%
Contact: St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau, (800) 418-7529