Under $100: Ponte Vedra Beach

Located a short drive from Jacksonville, Fla., Ponte Vedra Beach is a great small, Florida beach town to visit for a day or two as a side trip from another destination in the area, whether it be Jacksonville or St. Augustine.

The beach is the prime perk to take advantage of while you’re visiting this small community. Away from the tourists of Jacksonville, you have ample opportunity to spread out and enjoy a little privacy. You’ll want to rent a bike to explore the coast, which will only cost you a few dollars per hour.

Pick up lunch at Aqua Grill, an award-winning regional favorite. Enjoy one of the many seafood options, or go with an updated Southern class with the fried green tomato sandwich with goat cheese, avocado and arugula blackberry marmalade. You’ll find most menu items under $15.

© Ruth Peterkin | Dreamstime

If you find yourself needing to get off the beach and out of the sun, make a quick stop at The Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra Beach for a look at their rotating variety of art exhibitions from both local and national artists. They also hold frequent events for guests to view art, design and décor in the community, such as at public tours of private homes. Entry to the exhibition is free.

If art’s not your thing, pay a visit to the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. With miles of hiking and biking trails through marshes, wetlands and mangroves, it’s a quiet and nice place to explore the less beach-y side of Florida.

Stop by Pusser’s Caribbean Grille for lots of seafood and plenty of rum. The British Virgin Islands brand only has one other location in the United States in Annapolis, Md. The menu offers a nice selection of entrees less than $20.