Jacksonville's Best Master Planned Communities

Living in a master planned community has plenty of advantages that are appealing to today's modern home buyers. First and foremost, master planned communities offer an atmosphere that, in many ways, is defined by security and tranquility, but with plenty of parks, trails, landscaped areas, and amenities for residents and home owners to enjoy that are scattered throughout the community boundaries as well. 

Additionally, many of the homes situated in Jacksonville's master planned communities are well-constructed, energy-efficient, and relatively new, presenting prospective home buyers with a desirable package that's hard to pass up. So if the master plan setting feels like the right fit for your lifestyle needs, take a closer look at some of the best master planned communities in the Jacksonville area.  

Nocatee 

Conveniently located about 30 minutes south of Downtown Jacksonville, Nocatee has quickly established itself as being one of the most distinguished master planned communities anywhere in the country. As a coastal community, residents are virtually surrounded by all sorts of outdoor recreational amenities and attractions, like Davis Park, Nocatee Preserve, the Palm Valley Golf Club, and countless waterfront parks and wildlife areas. The Nocatee community is also located in the Jacksonville area’s #1 school district, making it the ideal destination for anyone truly looking for their “forever home.”

eTown 

Just up the highway and a bit close to Jacksonville’s city center is eTown, an equally appealing master planned community that’s creating a new standard of living. Above all, eTown in Jacksonville is defined by thoughtfully designed homes that combine convenience and technology with overall sustainability. In fact, eTown is actually Jacksonville’s first smart technology community, and at least 50% of the community will remain preserved natural land, creating one of the most tranquil neighborhood settings you’ll find of any master planned community in the U.S. Additionally, eTown also has a 5-acre community center for resident use, which includes a resort-style swimming pool, a 3-lane lap pool, a high-tech fitness center, an outdoor yoga lawn, a dog park, community gathering spaces, and more. 

Shearwater 

If community amenities are a big reason why you’re attracted to the master plan lifestyle, St. Augustine’s Shearwater community might be the perfect fit. Along with 11 neighborhoods that all feature top-notch homes from builders like Lennar, David Weekley Homes, and Dream Finder Homes, Shearwater has an absolutely incredible collection of community amenities that include a state-of-the-art fitness center, professional-grade tennis courts, a resort-style pool with a lazy river, a water slide tower, a community garden, and a sprawling clubhouse and entertainment area for large scale gatherings and social events. Oh, and thanks to the community’s location just off Trout Creek, there’s even a kayak launch, a kayak launch trail, and even a community kayak club exclusively for Shearwater residents as well. Simply put, if you love the outdoors but don’t want to sacrifice living in a vibrant neighborhood setting, Shearwater is a master planned community you must consider during your home search. 

TrailMark 

Also located in St. Augustine is TrailMark, a newer master planned community that aims to uniquely connect home owners with nature by providing a recreation-rich setting home buyers are sure to love. Home builders in TrailMark are noteworthy and include Lennar, Richmond American Homes, Dream Finder Homes, and MasterCraft. And along with great homes and an excellent location that’s close to great schools and plenty of local amenities, residents at TrailMark also have access to a community trail system, a dog park, and a resort-style swimming pool and clubhouse that includes a fitness center, sport courts, and a playground with nature-based fun zone. 

Beacon Lake 

The Beacon Lake community in St. Augustine is the ideal master planned community if you’re someone who prefers more of an intimate, tight-knit community feel, as opposed to a sprawling layout with different and unique sub-neighborhoods at every other turn. For the most part, Beacon Lake is centered around a scenic, 43-acre paddle-friendly lake (hence the name), and homes in the community are modest and generally start in the mid-$400s. Like other master planned communities in Jacksonville, amenities at Beacon Lake are extensive and include water lakefront clubhouse, tennis and pickle ball courts, a water sport launch for kayaks and canoes, a Junior Olympic size swimming pool and splash park, multipurpose recreational trails, and bark/dog park, and a fabulous fitness center with all the latest carried and strength training equipment.