Northeast Florida

The history of modern travel to Florida began in the late 1800s, when Standard Oil magnate Henry Flagler constructed three Jacksonville hotels and a railway to St. Augustine. During those initial years, the burgeoning town of 7,000 people was not so much considered a pioneering move into Florida as it was an extension of the mannered South.

Coined "The Winter City in a Summer Land," old-time Jacksonville was a place where wealthy vacationers and businessmen enjoyed warm beachfront climes while partaking of the sophisticated pleasures of the era. Wide-open Italianate and Tudor gingerbread verandahs and heavy glass pitchers of lemonade were the order of the day. It was the best of all worlds, especially at properties like the Hotel Ponce de Leon. Spa services were performed within earshot of the Atlantic; miles of beaches were framed by flowing sawgrass; and white-glove service pampered guests in whitewashed hotels.

Along the northeast coast of Florida, not much has changed, despite Florida's mass tourism sprawl. The towns of Jacksonville, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, and Ponte Vedra have maintained their Southern roots—and that's been good for business.

"Jacksonville and the Beaches is everything one would envision when they think of Florida," says Kitty Ratcliffe, executive director of Jacksonville & the Beaches CVB. "There's the beautiful beaches, warm weather, golf and tennis—and we're very much an aqua-oriented center. What sets us apart is our Southern charm that's [not as common in] the rest of Florida. We are very much part of Southern culture, with the accent of the people, the Spanish moss, the pine trees next to palm trees. It's a pace, too, that's more relaxed and friendly. We've actually just changed our tagline, we now have a whole new brand. It's 'Jacksonville & the Beaches: Fabulous Florida. A Splash of Southern Charm.'"

Building a 'Better Jacksonville'

The area's beauty comes from development that hasn't overwhelmed natural and historical resources. Amelia Island and St. Augustine are separate and protected enclaves beyond Jacksonville, so group events have undiluted access to the best of both worlds. Ratcliffe says the city is perfect for groups that want a cosmopolitan center with easy access to the airport, and who "don't want to lose their attendees to the golf course and beaches every afternoon."

Meanwhile, she says the area offers an exceptional beachside resort product that caters to corporate groups and incentives for both upscale and budget-conscious groups.

The biggest development for the city's meeting market came last year with the grand opening of the 966-room Adam's Mark Jacksonville, now the largest hotel in Northeast Florida. The property offers gorgeous views overlooking the St. Johns River, and the Jacksonville Landing entertainment district is located right next door. Thanks to a large room inventory and 110,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, Ratcliffe says, "the hotel has allowed us to handle larger association meeting business—up to 1,000 attendees in one hotel. Previously, we'd lost that business to other cities."

Throughout the city, more improvements are in the works with the mayor's $2.5 billion "Better Jacksonville Plan." Much of these funds are dedicated toward transportation infrastructure, a new arena, and the purchase of new land to keep it green. In addition, the Southbank Riverwalk is being lengthened to incorporate a new mixed-use development called Shipyard's, and $30 million is dedicated to improving the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, which offers 22,000 square feet of space, plus two theaters and a new 1,800-seat symphony hall.

The region's major meeting facility is located within Jacksonville's historic railway terminal. The 265,000-square-foot Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center is a showstopper: Its Grand Lobby prefunction space is graced with 75-foot vaulted ceilings, towering windows and rich marble floors.

St. Augustine/Ponte Vedra

Although Jamestown gets credit as America's original immigrant colony, St. Augustine was settled half a century before the Brits landed in Virginia. Ponce de Leon landed in 1513 and named the place La Florida, and today, "Florida's Little Europe" is a history buff's dream. The Castillo de San Marcos fortress is the oldest Spanish Colonial fortification in the continental U.S., and Old St. Augustine Village offers a drippingly charming showcase of original period homes.

There's a lot more to do than simply admire the past, however. Stretching 35 miles south from Jacksonville, the beaches of Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine are a big draw, complemented nicely by more than 900 regional golf holes. Resorts throughout St. Johns County comprise the primary meeting facilities, and the whole region gives off an air of being one of the most polite enclaves in the state.

"The people of St. Augustine want to preserve the city's historical aspect, where [visitors] are welcomed with gracious hospitality and treated with every respect," says Katie Brady, director of sales for St. Johns County VCB. "The community never wanted big developers to come in and change the way people live and work here. I think that's one of the things that makes us truly special."

Brady says the area specializes in groups of around 200 room nights in three- to four-day patterns, although gatherings get as big as 1,000 people; many meetings involve corporate groups with a fair amount of association clients. The region's incredible beauty and diversity play the most significant role in luring attendees.

"Groups areâallotting more free time for networking," Brady says. "We used to call that team building; [it] is a chance for people to conduct business in a pleasurable setting or do something they enjoy. What's more, because we have so many things to see and do, spouses and other family members feel at home here."

The big news in the county is the historic Ponte Vedra Inn & Club's recent unveiling of a four-year, $50 million resort-wide renovation. The elegant 221-room beachfront hotel reclaimed its stately 1928 glamour, added new rooms, expanded fitness facilities, and restored one of two championship golf courses.

Small groups and executives can also book The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra, a newer 66-room Mediterranean-style property associated with Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Together the two properties offer more than 38,000 square feet of meeting space.

Nearby, the expansive Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Beach Club is surrounded by five lush golf courses, including the home fairways of the PGA Tour's Players Championship. The 500-room resort features 50,000 square feet of space, and plans are underway to begin construction on a brand-new 17,000-square-foot ballroom and 25,000-square-foot spa facility this spring.

Amelia Island

Meeting delegates with an eye for beauty, birding and Battenberg lace will love oh-so-genteel Amelia Island. The landscape is swathed in postcard-perfect savannahs and marshes rimmed by 13 miles of empty white sand beaches. The region is the mother lode for birdwatchers. A glass of wine at sunset with plovers, warblers, loons, and snowy egrets as company is simply life affirming.

Meeting milieus include two venerable establishments. The 660-room Amelia Island Plantation offers three 18-hole golf courses cascading along the waterfront and 23 Har-Tru tennis courts. The 449-room Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is one of only three AAA Five-Diamond hotels in the state. Together the properties offer more than 90,000 square feet of meeting space.

If your group isn't actually staying at one of these two hotels, a group excursion to Amelia Island is a fun way to visit the Florida of yesteryear. For outdoorsy types, plenty of tour operators offer a chance to take in the pristine ecosystem. Kayaking trips along the rivers and ocean are led by guides who regale participants with stories of pirates and plantation owners. Horseback riding on the beach and alongside 40-foot high dunes is often an experience of a lifetime. Plenty of sailing charters are available at Amelia Island's three marinas, and delegates who want to play Hemingway can bait hooks for speckled trout and Spanish mackerel.

The Historic District of Fernandina Beach takes visitors back to the early 20th century when this seaside town gave birth to the South's modern shrimping industry. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 50-block district features 41 buildings, including Queen Anne-style mansions, romantic bed-and-breakfast inns, restored churches, and Florida's oldest railway terminal and hotel.

Antiques aficionados and bookstore lurkers need to stop along Centre Street to browse through the curios and clothiers. Other clusters of specialty shops include Palmetto Walk, with 15 shops residing in tin-roof schoolhouses, and The Village Shops at Amelia Island Plantation.

For dining options, more than 40 restaurants spread around the barrier island, running the seafood gamut from haute cuisine to cafe fare. Must-try spots include Le Clos, located in an intimate 1906 cottage; for a group lunch, try the homey confines of the Palace Saloon—the oldest watering hole in Florida.