Port St. Lucie Neighborhoods: A Plain-English Guide to the City's Areas
In this article
"Port St. Lucie is a big city with many named areas, not one town center. A public reference on the city's history explains why: it grew out of land sold in the 1950s, then spread in every direction. This guide gives you a plain map of the main areas, explains which ones were planned together, and tells you what to ask when you shop for a Spot Lots home on an individual homesite.
How Port St. Lucie came to look this way
A company called General Development Corporation bought the River Park area and about 40,000 acres in 1958, and the city was formed in 1961. You can read that history at Wikipedia page on Port St. Lucie. The land was sold in many lots, which is one reason the city is so spread out.
The same source lists 33 named neighborhoods, counted in 2020. That is too many to cover well in one post. So we will focus on a handful of names you will see often.
The names you will hear most
These are the areas that come up again and again.
St. Lucie West
Lucie West is a master-planned area. A master-planned area is one that a single developer laid out as a whole, with the roads, shops and homes planned together. It was started by Core Communities in the early 1990s. Its main road is St. Lucie West Blvd, which meets I-95 at Exit 121.
A shopping center named Plaza at St. Lucie West sits on St. Lucie West Blvd (Plaza at St. Lucie West listing). Stores change, so confirm hours and tenants before you go.
Tradition
Tradition is also master-planned by Core Communities. It started in 2006 and was modeled after a town from the 1950s. Gatlin Blvd and Tradition Pkwy meet I-95 at Exit 118. The Landing at Tradition, on SW Village Pkwy, is a named shopping area (Visit St. Lucie listing). Again, confirm hours and tenants before you go.
Other named areas
The Wikipedia list also names Southbend Lakes, Sandpiper Bay, Torino, Newport Isles, Veranda, Woodland Trails, Gatlin Pines, Floresta Gardens, Morningside and Oak Hammock. We list them so you can recognize the names on a map. We do not describe each one, because we would only be guessing.
PGA Village
PGA Village is a golf-based community, and it has three championship courses, the Wanamaker, the Ryder and the Dye, at 1916 Perfect Dr (PGA Golf Club site). If golf matters to you, read our guide to Port St. Lucie golf courses.
The Port District
The Port District sits on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, at 2454 SE Westmoreland Blvd. The city says it has a 1.5-mile waterfront and a 4,300-foot Riverwalk (city's Port District page). Our things to do guide has more on it.
A simple way to picture the city
Here is a rough picture. It is not a legal map, so use a real map for exact lines.
West side: I-95 runs through here, with exits at Becker Rd, Gatlin Blvd and Tradition Pkwy, Crosstown Pkwy and St. Lucie West Blvd. Tradition and St. Lucie West sit near these exits.
Middle: Crosstown Pkwy crosses the city and links I-95 with U.S. 1.
East side: U.S. 1 runs here, and so does Port St. Lucie Blvd, which links U.S. 1 with Florida's Turnpike. The Port District is on this side too.
South and north edges: Becker Rd and Midway Rd reach I-95.
For a deeper look at the roads, read our guide to the drive from Port St. Lucie to West Palm Beach.
The water is close, but the ocean beach is not in the city
Port St. Lucie has no ocean beaches inside city lines. The ocean beaches people mean are in Fort Pierce, Jensen Beach and Stuart, across the Indian River Lagoon (Treasure Coast beaches guide). Read our guide to beaches near Port St. Lucie to see which ones to try.
Where Spot Lots homes fit
Here is the key point for a Spot Lots buyer. These homes are not in one neighborhood. D.R. Horton builds them on individual homesites on different streets across the city. So the home you tour could be in a very different part of town than the next one.
That is a plus if you want choice. It also means you have to ask one thing about every lot: which area is this homesite in, and what is nearby?
The five plans are all one story and made of concrete block. You can see them on the community page at Port St. Lucie Spot Lots community page:
Cali: four bedrooms, two baths, two-car garage
Lakeside: five bedrooms, three baths, two-car garage
Madison: four bedrooms, three baths, three-car garage
Covington: five bedrooms, three baths, three-car garage
Camden: four bedrooms plus a Multi-Gen Suite, three-car garage
The builder also calls some of these boat- and RV-friendly properties. That is the builder's wording. Ask about the specific homesite before you count on it.
Questions to ask about every homesite
Print this list and bring it to your first call.
Which named area or neighborhood is this homesite in?
Which connector road is nearest, and does it reach I-95 or the Turnpike?
Where is the nearest grocery store?
Where is the nearest park?
How far is it, on a map, from the places I visit each week?
Which plans are offered on this homesite?
We can help with the answers. Do your own checks too. Drive to the street at the time you would be home from work, and look around.
Shopping and everyday errands
Port St. Lucie has several shopping areas. Some known ones are the Landing at Tradition, a Target on SW Village Pkwy, the Plaza at St. Lucie West, a Walmart Supercenter on SW Gatlin Blvd and a Publix at East Port Plaza on S U.S. Highway 1. Our shopping guide covers them with links. Stores change, so confirm hours and tenants before you go.
Families who need extra space
If your household includes parents, grandparents or adult children, a bigger or more flexible plan may matter more than the area. Read our guide to multigenerational homes in Port St. Lucie to see how the Lakeside and Camden compare.
What this guide does not cover
We left some things out on purpose. We do not rank neighborhoods, because rankings need data we cannot verify. We do not say what a given area is like to live in, because a visit tells you more than a paragraph. For school information, use the school district's own lookup tool for the exact address. Check it yourself for any homesite you like.
What we can do is point you to the right roads, show you the named areas and help you ask the right questions. Then you see the street in person.
Common Questions
How many neighborhoods does Port St. Lucie have?
A public reference lists 33 named neighborhoods, counted in 2020. Names include St. Lucie West, Tradition, Southbend Lakes, Sandpiper Bay, Torino, Newport Isles, Veranda and Morningside.
What is a master-planned area?
It is an area that one developer planned as a whole, with roads, shops and homes laid out together. St. Lucie West and Tradition were both started by Core Communities.
Are Spot Lots homes in one neighborhood?
No. They are built on individual homesites on different streets across the city. Ask which area each available homesite is in.
Does Port St. Lucie have a downtown?
We could not confirm a traditional downtown from a source we trust, so we will not say. The Port District on the St. Lucie River is one named destination. See the city's page.
How do I get to I-95 from my part of the city?
It depends on the street. I-95 exits include Becker Rd, Gatlin Blvd and Tradition Pkwy, Crosstown Pkwy, and St. Lucie West Blvd. Check the signs and a live map.
Where can I find school information for an address?
Use the school district's own lookup tool for that exact address. We do not list assignments or ratings here.
What should I ask about a homesite?
Ask which area it is in, which road is nearest, what plans are offered there and where the closest stores and parks sit.
Ready to talk? Call 561-704-0091 or book a visit at schedule a visit and we will walk through the homes with you."