Marriot Ocean Point and Oceana in Bad neighborhoods

[malago]

Looking at Tripadvisor there are a few comments about these two resorts being very isolated and close to not safe neighborhoods. Is this true. I want to place a trade but now I am a bit skeptical. Can Tuggers advise which of the two resort would be nice for a 15 son. Many thanks!

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Looking at Tripadvisor there are a few comments about these two resorts being very isolated and close to not safe neighborhoods. Is this true. I want to place a trade but now I am a bit skeptical. Can Tuggers advise which of the two resort would be nice for a 15 son. Many thanks!

The neighborhoods that "those people" refer to are the ones across the bridge and south towards west palm. It is not the neighborhood across the street from Ocean Pointe. I have heard a couple people saying they don't feel safe walking to the restaurants right down the street but I find this very laughable.

I would go with Ocean Pointe but you can't go wrong with either. Ocean Pointe has a teen room that used to be the owners lounge. I am not sure about Oceana having a teen room.

 

[rovitm]

I agree with Saintsfanfl. The area is also heavily patrolled by police on both sides of the bridge. I be been to the new publix(on the Riveria Beach) side at night and never did I not feel safe.

It is fine to walk to the nearby restaurants. I know Oceana Palms has a Maze but not sure it is is geared to teenagers. Both resorts are great. The restaurants on PGA, Clematis St and Palm Beach are fantastic.

The neighborhoods that "those people" refer to are the ones across the bridge and south towards west palm. It is not the neighborhood across the street from Ocean Pointe. I have heard a couple people saying they don't feel safe walking to the restaurants right down the street but I find this very laughable.

I would go with Ocean Pointe but you can't go wrong with either. Ocean Pointe has a teen room that used to be the owners lounge. I am not sure about Oceana having a teen room.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

The "Maze" is the name of the children's room, which both resorts have. They have crafts and video games but they are geared towards younger children. The teen room at Ocean Pointe is basically a "hangout room" for teens with tv and video games. It isn't anything special but if he is sociable he may have a better chance at meeting other teens at Ocean Pointe because it is bigger. Neither are really "teen" oriented resorts, but they are great.

 

[nstotland]

Ocean Pointe

Is probably the better choice for a 15 year old. We own at both and while Oceana Palms villas are much nicer; the resort has taken on more of an adult feel.
The unsafe neighbourhoods would be across the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach. At the other end of the peninsula ( Singer Island is not really an island) is Palm Beach Gardens which is upscale.

Singer Island is a pretty safe place, there are some poorer areas adjacent to the so called commercial district but nothing like Riviera Beach itself on the mainland.

 

[dioxide45]

The "bad area" is the area of Riviera Beach Proper that you drive through on Blue Heron Blvd to get to Ocean Pointe or Oceana Palms. You can avoid it if you wish by coming in on PGA Blvd, but that is a good 20 minutes out of the way and unnecessary. We haven't had any issues driving from I95 on Blue Heron Blvd to either resort, day or night. We have even stopped at the BP gas station and Walgreens right across the bridge, day or night. No issues.

This doesn't mean that Riviera Beach doesn't have it's issues, it is a prominently poor area, except the area of the city on the ocean side of the bridge.

 

[jont]

Looking at Tripadvisor there are a few comments about these two resorts being very isolated and close to not safe neighborhoods. Is this true. I want to place a trade but now I am a bit skeptical. Can Tuggers advise which of the two resort would be nice for a 15 son. Many thanks!

exercise a little common sense and you will be fine! the neighborhood on the opposite side of the intracostal may be economically disadvantaged but is not that bad if a little good judgement is exercised when passing thru.

 

[suzannesimon]

We had no problems with Riviera Beach. I went shopping at the Publix at night alone and even drove around looking for an ice cream shop one night and didn't find one. We didn't see any police activity and it was very quiet. I didn't know where the "bad" neighborhood was and didn't realize that was it until after we went home. It didn't LOOK like it was bad. Everything is relative. Being from an urban area near Washington DC, you KNOW when you're in a bad neighbor by the number of sirens and cop cars.

 

[sparty]

The "bad area" is the area of Riviera Beach Proper that you drive through on Blue Heron Blvd to get to Ocean Pointe or Oceana Palms. You can avoid it if you wish by coming in on PGA Blvd, but that is a good 20 minutes out of the way and unnecessary. We haven't had any issues driving from I95 on Blue Heron Blvd to either resort, day or night. We have even stopped at the BP gas station and Walgreens right across the bridge, day or night. No issues.

This doesn't mean that Riviera Beach doesn't have it's issues, it is a prominently poor area, except the area of the city on the ocean side of the bridge.

My DW's friend from college was Pharmacy Manager of that Walgreens store. There has been numerous issues there so I wouldn't be too overconfident when stopping in that area. Concern is mostly at night.

 

[EKniager]

I shopped at the Publix (during the day) and felt fine. I'm always on the conservative side whenever I'm in a new place and careful to stay alert and observant. Having said that, my experience is that in "tough neighborhoods" the violence is typically druggy-on-druggy crime and isolated or very localized. We drove through there day and night.

Then again, Aaron Hernandez may have shot someone there. Seriously!

 

[malago]

Thank you so much for all the recommendations. I think i will only come here when is just my husband and I. If it is very laid back i think then Orlando T/S would be best for our son

 

[enma]

We were at Oceana Palms in August with our teenager son and 2 nieces and nephews. Had a great time and not once they complained.
Yes, the neighborhood across the bridge is not the best. However, I never felt unsafe. Even went to CVS at midnight. Just use common sense.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Thank you so much for all the recommendations. I think i will only come here when is just my husband and I. If it is very laid back i think then Orlando T/S would be best for our son

That is probably a good choice. I view Ocean Pointe as a resort for the very laid back and the younger families. The sailfish pools are ideal for young families and pampano and kingfish pools are more adult, quiet, and laid back. When I see teens on the property they are usually sitting in the lounge chairs with their phones and headphones, but there aren't that many of them. It just depends on the teen I guess. It is really hard to go wrong with any Marriott though.

 

[malago]

Yes, i can see our son just sitting on a lounge chair with phone or headphone but i would like him to disconnect for at least 7 days

 

[pedro47]

We have stay at Ocean Pointe and we did not feel unsafe. Security is great at the resort. This is truely a laid back resort in FL.

The neighborhood across the bridge is no worst then any neighborhood in a middle size major city in the United States.

Also, just execrise some good old common sense. Like locking your automobile doors when visiting a local store, a gas station or an eating place.

Enjoy your week.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

The neighborhood across the bridge is no worst then any neighborhood in a middle size major city in the United States.

I think that specific neighborhood is quite nice actually. I view it much nicer than average. The houses are older but very nice and some being completely rebuilt. Most of these houses are around $300k-$550k and mostly owned by perma resident former snow birds. It is a very nice walk. Some of these homeowners own at Ocean Pointe for the day use privilege.

 

[Fasttr]

I think that specific neighborhood is quite nice actually. I view it much nicer than average. The houses are older but very nice and some being completely rebuilt. Most of these houses are around $300k-$550k and mostly owned by perma resident former snow birds. It is a very nice walk. Some of these homeowners own at Ocean Pointe for the day use privilege.

"Across the bridge" is all based on perspective (are you at Ocean Pointe, or are you on the mainland looking toward Ocean Pointe). I believe you are referring to "across the bridge" to mean the houses in the neighborhood right by Ocean Pointe correct? I would agree with you, nothing to fear there. I believe pedro47 was referring to "across the bridge" from the perspecive of Ocean Pointe, meaning back on the mainland, which is a bit poorer of an area, but I agree with most of the posters here, that area is certainly nothing to fear just driving through or stopping at Publix or package store, etc.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

"Across the bridge" is all based on perspective (are you at Ocean Pointe, or are you on the mainland looking toward Ocean Pointe). I believe you are referring to "across the bridge" to mean the houses in the neighborhood right by Ocean Pointe correct? I would agree with you, nothing to fear there. I believe pedro47 was referring to "across the bridge" from the perspecive of Ocean Pointe, meaning back on the mainland, which is a bit poorer of an area, but I agree with most of the posters here, that area is certainly nothing to fear just driving through or stopping at Publix or package store, etc.

You are right I totally misread that sentence. I thought it read "across the street".

 

[jont]

There are no bad neighborhoods, only BAD PEOPLE.

 

[Smooth Air]

Hello, Malago,

I am a multiple week Platinum owner @ Ocean Pointe. Our family & friends have vacationed there for years.

Our son & his friends have grown up there. They still love @ Ocean Pointe. They are now post-grad university students but they had a lot of fun @ OP when they were your son's age: 15

PM me if you wld like to discuss the neighborhood & OP in general.

Smooth Air

 

[Saintsfanfl]

There are no bad neighborhoods, only BAD PEOPLE.

Unfortunately our prejudice nature associates "bad people" with poor people. Because of this a poor and run down looking neighborhood is often viewed as a "bad neighborhood". I am not saying it is justified, but for most people they just can't help it.

Last year while staying at Ocean Pointe I picked someone up from the Amtrak station in WPB and I decided to follow the GPS and stick to the back roads instead of the interstate. The neighborhoods I drove through made the area across the bridge look like Disney.

 

[jont]

Unfortunately our prejudice nature associates "bad people" with poor people. Because of this a poor and run down looking neighborhood is often viewed as a "bad neighborhood". I am not saying it is justified, but for most people they just can't help it.

Last year while staying at Ocean Pointe I picked someone up from the Amtrak station in WPB and I decided to follow the GPS and stick to the back roads instead of the interstate. The neighborhoods I drove through made the area across the bridge look like Disney.

Totally agree with you. My comment was in jest. What some people don't realize or wont admit to is that the very people who work as maids, landscapers, maintenance workers etc in their lovely seaside resort live in those "bad neighborhoods" right across the intracostal that they speak of and sometimes fear.

 

[dannybaker]

Please be careful

The truth of the matter is across the bridge is a not so safe area, going to the Publix would be okay. Security guards at the publics keep the store a little safer. Yes they usually have two Security guards working. I would not recommend going for a walk in the area nor would I take my family for a walk. The resort area is really nice and we felt safer on the resort side of the bridge. We noticed lots of homeless people on the other side of the bridge. We were informed by several sources the area has a severe drug problem.

 

[BocaBoy]

Thank you so much for all the recommendations. I think i will only come here when is just my husband and I. If it is very laid back i think then Orlando T/S would be best for our son

If just you and your husband go to Singer island, there is no comparison between the resorts. Oceana Palms is the clear winner in every respect I can think of.

 

[chriskre]

If you are nervous just come in thru PGA Blvd to the north and stop at Publix on your way in that way you don't have to leave the island for anything.

I just spent a week there at Oceana Palms and you don't even need to leave the property all week if you don't want to to have a great time.
They have everything you need right there including great $4 happy hour margaritas.