Vilano Beach and Porpoise Point in St Augustine Florida

If you are looking for a beach neighborhood close to St Augustine but north of town, there are a couple of options to consider. Porpoise Point and Vilano Beach are both top picks. Let’s explore what’s so special about this area.

Vibe of Vilano Beach St Augustine

Vilano Beach bridge Photo by Barbie Burnette

One of the best things about Vilano Beach is its laid-back atmosphere. Unlike many of the more crowded and touristy beaches in Florida, Vilano Beach maintains a small-town feel and is a great spot to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

A couple of neighborhoods to consider are Vilano Beach and Porpoise Point which encompass the southernmost part of this area and are all walkable to the main street.

From these neighborhoods it is easy to gain access to the beach to spend a day lounging, taking a stroll or trying your hand at various water sports. Surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding are all very popular here.

What makes this little area unique is the access to the inlet beach. When swimming here, you are protected by the jetty and a sand bar which keeps the waves at bay and creates calm tidal pools.

Living in Porpoise Point

Porpoise Point Photo by Barbie Burnette

Let’s start with Porpoise Point. This is a waterfront community north of the inlet and east of the Tolomato River. You will find homes on the inlet beach with views of the St Augustine Lighthouse. You can also find homes with docks on the river. 4×4’s are allowed on this beach and you’ll find lots of people fishing here plus it’s dog friendly! There is an HOA in this community and it’s $420 to $480 a year depending on the lot size. This HOA just takes care of the common areas and enforces the HOA rules. Homes in this neighborhood range from $650,000 to over $2 million for waterfront with a dock.

Living in Vilano Beach

Vilano Pier Photo by Barbie Burnette

This neighborhood does not allow vacation rentals, but if that is what you are looking for, don’t worry. Just east is the neighborhood of Vilano Beach where many of the homes are vacation rentals. There are no HOA restrictions in this neighborhood so you can have a boat or RV in your driveway. There are also no restrictions on vacation rentals. The homes range in price from $600,000 to over $3 million for ocean front and offer an easy walk to the ocean from anywhere. Since many of these homes are vacation rentals, Porpoise Point is the way to go if you prefer consistency with your neighbors.

Urbanization

This area has always had an old beach town vibe with not much going on but we are seeing a bit of growth here in Vilano with new hotels and townhomes being built on the main drag. We anticipate Vilano Main St Diner located in the Holiday Inn and the planned restaurant/lounge in the art deco style Hyatt across the street to attract lots of foodies.

For your shopping needs you will find Publix at the east end of town. Some great restaurants include 180 Grill for pizza, Italian and the famous American Pie Burger, and Beaches is fun for live music, drinks and their shrimp tacos are a crowd favorite.

Of course, being a beach town, you will find a souvenir shop along with sunglasses and the newest addition is MetalArtz, a great little shop that moved here in 2022, where you can pick up unique gifts.

This little beach town is a delight, and it is growing with some new hotels and upscale townhomes. The number of reasons to live here are growing, too. Vilano Beach should definitely be on everyone’s bucket list. If you are interested in learning more about beautiful St Augustine, grab our Relocation Guide here.