Another Weekend, Another Destination Wedding
This is the year of weddings in my family and of my friend’s group children. While I can’t possibly attend all wedding receptions that are scattered around the country, I do look forward to an occasional destination wedding.
This past weekend, I caught a slight break. A wedding was held in my home state of Florida. However, it did involve a 3.5-hour car ride, and a two-night hotel stay in Port St. Lucie.
A Wedding and Golf: A Win Win Situation
As other wedding guests did as well, we received a recommendation from the bride and groom, on where to stay. The recommendation wasn’t to just any random place; it was suggested that we stay a golf resort! I can’t speak for non-golfer wedding guests, but we were thrilled and excited to make our reservations at the Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie.
Location of the Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort
Located on Florida’s Treasure Coast, the Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie is located less than two miles from the PGA Village. We would have the option to play golf at three different world-class golf courses at the PGA Village. Since the wedding was to take place on Friday evening, we arrived on Thursday to enjoy a day of golf, reminisce with friends, and do a bit of sightseeing around the Port St. Lucie area. I appreciated how close the I95 interstate was to the resort.
Staying in a Villa Not a Hotel Room Was So Nice
All Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort villas feature fully equipped kitchenettes, washers/dryers, and separate living, sleeping, and dining areas. It was so nice to pack a cooler with snacks and beverages to enjoy during our stay. The refrigerator came in handy.
The reason a villa with a kitchen would be so important at that Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort is that there are no restaurants at the resort. There’s not even a bar, market, or gift shop onsite as you see in most hotels. You have to cook your own meals in your villa, grill on the resort’s onsite barbecues, or visit the many Port St. Lucie restaurants.
We slept in a one-bedroom villa. It had a comfortable king bed plus a sofa bed. Our balcony had a great view! We paid the rate of $126 per night and although, there were no added resort fees, we did pay $15 plus tax per day for parking.
Room types:
:: 1 Bedroom Smaller Villa, 1 Queen, Sofa bed
:: 1 Bedroom Villa, 1 King, Sofa bed, Balcony
:: 2 Bedroom Villa, Bedroom 1: 1 King, Bedroom 2: 2 Double, Sofa bed, Balcony
Room Features
:: Pillowtop mattress and duvet cover
:: 450 square feet
:: Free WIFI
:: Air-conditioned
:: Dining area with table
:: Separate living room
:: Shower/tub combination
:: Hair dryer
:: Alarm clock
:: Safe
:: Iron and ironing board
:: Washer and dryer
:: Coffee/tea maker
:: Kitchenette
:: Refrigerator
:: Stovetop
:: Microwave
:: Dishwasher
:: Dish cleaning supplies
:: Silverware
:: Pots, pans, serving dishes
:: Dishes and glasses
:: DVD player
:: Premium movie channels:
:: Cable/satellite/CNN/ESPN
A few hotel notes: Accessible rooms are available. Rollaway beds and cribs are not permitted. No pets with the exception of service animals.
Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort Amenities
On Thursday afternoon after a round of golf, it was nice to return to the Sheraton to relax at the resort’s heated pool and soothe my aching elbow and legs in the whirlpool spa.
Other resort amenities include:
:: Complimentary wireless internet in all public areas
:: 3 outdoor pools
:: Whirlpool spa
:: 24-hour front desk
:: Elevators
:: Vending machine
:: Barbecue grills
:: On-site parking (fee)
:: Smoke-free
:: Golf nearby
:: Beaches nearby
Note: Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort does not have an onsite fitness center.
Golfing at PGA Village
From the Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort, it was an easy, quick 2-mile drive to PGA Village. There were three championship golf courses to choose from, each designed very differently.
:: Wanamaker Course
:: Ryder Course
:: Dye Course
We played 18 holes at the Ryder Course that featured hills, water hazards, and lots of trees. It was a nicely designed golf course with well-manicured greens and fairways. Good playing conditions, a little hot but there was a slight breeze. Sadly, my golf game was terrible, because of my bum elbow. However, it was one of the most fun rounds of golf that I’ve played in years. We had friends playing in foursomes in front of us and behind us. Lots of laughs, lots of great conversation. I don’t think anyone even noticed my extra “mulligan” shots.
They also feature a PGA 6-hole Family Short Course, ideal for young golfers and beginners of all ages. (But we didn’t have time to play it.) If you plan to play at PGA village, be sure to make tee times ahead of time. Also be sure you wear proper golf attire as the staff is quite strict.
Things to Do in Port St. Lucie
After golfing followed by swimming at the resort’s pool, we had some time on Thursday evening, to sneak away to nearby Jensen Beach. It was nice to spend an hour sitting on a blanket, just relaxing while watching the ocean waves.
Then we headed back to Port St. Lucie to meet some friends for dinner. Since we had the upcoming formal wedding the following day, we wanted to eat somewhere casual. We ate dinner at Duffy’s Sports Bar. The sports-themed atmosphere was very cool, despite it being very, very noisy and crowded. The menu was typical sports bar food … we liked the mozzarella sticks, French onion soup, burgers, and award-winning wings.
Afterwards, we just walked around at the Landing at Tradition, a shopping mall area.
Great Wedding With an Enjoyable 2-Night Getaway to Port St. Lucie
As expected, the wedding was spectacular! Also impressive was our villa at the Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie. The view of the golf course and the fact that it was a fully equipped villa provided a welcoming atmosphere. One great perk was to wash our sweaty golf clothing and wet bathing suits in our own washer and dryer inside the villa. It was also nice taking walks around the Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort as it’s quiet, remarkably clean, and well-maintained. We didn’t see many resort staff members but those we met at the front desk reception area were efficient, friendly, and helpful.
We were slightly disappointed that we couldn’t watch the New York Mets play a Spring MLB baseball game, but the wedding took place in June. On the bright side, the resort rates are lower in the summer and the Port St. Lucie crowds much more manageable when Spring training fans are not in town.